“Andrew took to Sebastian immediately,” Clara said. “And though I’m biased, I cannot think of a better endorsement of your son’s character.”
Now she had to hope that Andrew would one day trust her again as he trusted Sebastian. Although she had sensed the breach between herself and her son begin to close during their last day at Floreston Manor, there hadn’t been enough time to fully understand its formation in the first place.
All Clara had were speculations that Fairfax had poisoned her son against her. And all Andrew had were Clara’s assurances that she had not been responsible for Richard’s death, though the confirmation that he had believed her shone inside her like sunlight.
They continued walking as the sun began to sink, casting a reddish glow over the streets. Other people strolled along the streets as well, some peering into shopwindows and others going in and out of baths and restaurants. Clara tilted her hat to block the glare of the sun just as she caught sight of two figures walking along the opposite side of the street.
She stopped. Her breath snared in her lungs.
“Clara?” Sebastian turned to her with a frown, sliding his hand beneath her elbow. “Are you all right?”
Clara pressed a hand to her chest. Her heart slammed against her palm. Across the street, a small, chestnut-haired boy walked a pace behind an older man clad in a dark blue greatcoat, his features concealed beneath the shadow of a hat.
Sebastian followed her gaze, his spine stiffening. Before Clara could stop him, he lunged across the street like a tiger attacking its prey and came to a halt in front of Fairfax and Andrew.
They both stopped in their tracks. Fairfax looked from Sebastian to Clara, his eyes widening with shock and anger. Andrew started forward. Fairfax threw out an arm to block his path.
“Get out of my way,” he snapped at Sebastian. “Or I will have you arrested.”
“You will not. Andrew, come here.”
Andrew started toward Sebastian again. Fairfax grabbed Andrew’s arm, wrenching a yelp from the boy. Several pedestrians paused as they sensed a brewing conflict. Fairfax pivoted to stare at Rushton as he and Clara hurried across the street to them.
“Rushton?” Confusion flared in the baron’s eyes. “What…?”
“Andrew, explain what you said when you spoke to me at the Paddington station,” Rushton said, without a glance at Fairfax. “What did you mean by that?”
Andrew swung his gaze from Rushton to Clara. His mouth opened and closed. Tension squeezed Clara’s shoulders.
“Andrew.” She spoke his name in a hoarse whisper. She extended a hand and took a cautious step forward, her heart thudding. “You know I was not responsible for your father’s death.”
Andrew started to shake, all color draining from his face. He tried to yank his arm from Fairfax’s grip, but Fairfax took a step back and pulled Andrew with him.
“Andrew, you know nothing of the kind,” Fairfax said.
“I…I do,” Andrew gasped, throwing his grandfather a terrified but determined look. “It…it wasn’t M-Mama.”
Tears sprang to Clara’s eyes at the sound of her son’s voice, music that had been silenced for the past year. A cascade of relief burst through her fear. She took another step forward. Andrew suddenly wrenched his arm from his grandfather’s grip and flung himself at Sebastian, the impact powerful enough to send Sebastian stumbling back. A collective gasp rose from the crowd of people who had gathered nearby.
“It was him!” Andrew pointed a trembling finger at Fairfax the instant before Sebastian’s arm closed around his shoulders. “He k-killed my father. I saw him d-do it.”
Clara froze, swamped with horror. She stared at her father, saw the truth of the accusation in the guilt that flared across his features before a shutter descended. His eyes hardened to ice as his gaze broke from hers. He darted forward to grab Andrew.
Sebastian stepped back, his hand curling around Andrew’s arm. His grip faltered. He cursed. Fairfax hauled Andrew up and turned to flee. He staggered a few steps then, realizing the hindrance of the boy’s weight, he dropped Andrew and ran.
“Andrew!” Clara hurried to her son and fell to her knees beside him, relief billowing through her as she gathered him into her arms. “Are you all right?”
He nodded, his slender body shaking with fear and exertion as he sagged against her. Sebastian passed them in a blur of speed. His boots slammed against the cobblestones as he gave chase.
Fairfax’s dark-clad figure was halfway down the street when Sebastian caught up to him, both of them