Page 4 of Blood and Roses

A sense of dread settled on Rosa's shoulders as the electric iron gates opened in front of them, and they wound their way through a neatly manicured park lit by elegant lampposts.

Gwaed Lyn's lights were glowing as it rose up in a stone fortress in front of them. The story was that a Vane ancestor had built it after their return from fighting in the Crusades. It was a monstrous, sprawling mansion of gray stone with four square towers. It had been renovated during the centuries in various stylistic whims of the Vane descendants, and now it looked like a neo-gothic castle, with a flair of art nouveau when it came to the more recent addition of the greenhouse. It was exactly how she remembered it, as if time had stopped completely.

Rosa could make out the hedges that hid the Wylt cottage, and further down the white road were the large stable yards. Caruthers drove around the back of the mansion, stopping at the kitchen service entrance, and she climbed out into the cold twilight.

The forest had grown taller in her years away, and for a moment, Rosa's nightmares came rushing back. Her mother called out as she waved excitedly from the top of the steps. She had aged, and Rosa felt another wave of guilt for not visiting sooner.

"Rosamund!" Cecily said warmly and wrapped her arms around her tightly, still smelling of lavender soap and Chanel perfume. "You look absolutely bone tired, but don't worry, I have food inside ready for you."

"Hey, Mama," Rosa managed. She turned to thank Caruthers, but he was already back in the car, her bag beside her on the steps. "What a strange guy." She shook her head.

"A man of few words is our Caruthers," her mother chuckled. "Come on then, and I'll show you around."

Rosa turned to pick up her bags as a huge black horse broke through the trees, white gravel scattering as it hit the driveway. Its rider sat tall and broad in the saddle, moving easily with the galloping beast.

"Oh, don't let him frighten you. That's Mr. Balthasar coming back from his afternoon ride," Cecily said, ducking her head politely as the rider slowed his horse to a walk. Rosa tried to remember a Vane called Balthasar, but her memory was stubbornly blank.

As he moved past them, he touched the brim of his hat in an old-fashioned acknowledgment, and with a flash of a smile, he disappeared towards the stables, leaving Rosa staring after him.

CHAPTER TWO

The kitchen at Gwaed Lyn was the kind that Rosa could only dream about working in one day. It had huge hearths and roasting spits, modernized chef's stoves, ovens, and prep areas. She felt her mouth falling open at all the recent additions.

"All this for one family seems rather extreme," she said as her mother put the kettle on.

"The Vanes entertain a lot. Sometimes, the house is so full, I need to put on extra staff to keep up with it all," Cecily chattered as she took a plate of roast lamb and vegetables out of the warm oven.

"I remembered it was your favorite as a child, so I made Vera cook it. She's excited that you're back."

"Thanks," Rosa said setting it on the island countertop. "I don't remember her."

"That's because you haven't been back in forever," Cecily laughed a little awkwardly.

"You're the one that shipped me off to boarding school after Dad died," Rosa pointed out, the old wound ripping a little. Her mother poured their tea, her hand shaking. "Sorry, Ma, let's notfight. I'm happy to see you. Why didn't you write to me yourself if you were sick?"

"I know how important school is to you, and you were so close to finishing. It's nothing, really. I have a bit of low blood pressure and had a few fainting spells. The doctors don't know what's causing it."

"It must be more than a few dizzy spells, otherwise, the Lord of the Manor wouldn't have bothered to summon me," Rosa said. He had made it sound like she was on her deathbed. Cecily was paler and thinner than what Rosa was used to, which made her think her mother was lying to her.

"I told him not to bother, but Eli is a good man and has always taken care of us." Cecily waved her tea towel about in emphasis. "There is some big gathering happening soon, so I think he wanted you home for it. A proper fancy chef in the house should please him to no end." She kissed Rosa's hair as she placed her cup of tea down in front of her.

Well, it should, considering he paid for it. Rosa bit her tongue. She promised not to fight, and her mother looked too happy for her to want to upset.

"A party," Rosa managed between mouthfuls. "Someone's birthday?"

"No, I don't think so. Only friends getting together because they can. They're coming from all over. We are going to have to get the servants moving if we're going to have the house ready in time for the Winter Solstice Ball. There are over forty rooms in this house, and I expect they'll all be filled with guests."

"A ball! Oh, how the other half live," Rosa commented, thinking of the homeless woman and her cup on the train.

"Well, they're an old family. They were probably royalty once."

"Or pirates."

"Now, Rosa, please don't get all working-class aggressive while you're here. You know the Vanes are good folk if a little eccentric. They are all back now, both the boys and their sister, as well as herspecialfriend."

Rosa fought the urge to laugh. Her mother was clearly not used to seeing a gay couple together.

"I don't recall any of them," she admitted, moving her potato around her plate.

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