our direction as if to fill the car with the memories of my former home.
Glancing up at the large front doors that were arched on top, I admired the curving stairs that glistened beneath lamps with fire instead of light bulbs. Every light in the house was on, the windows emitting a warm amber glow.
The car came to a stop, and the driver stepped out to open my door. I hadn’t taken one step toward the house before Uncle Franklin stepped out with three men standing behind him.
I climbed the stairs and stepped into his embrace while those men ran down to the car to fetch my things.
“It’s good to have you home, Lisbeth. We were so worried when you disappeared.”
At the hotel, I’d refused to give him the full story of what happened to me, too afraid that what my mother said had been true. I didn’t need the confirmation that my father had sold me off as nothing more important than another one of his possessions.
“It’s good to be home.”
Franklin held me at arm’s length, and I couldn’t help but notice how young he looked despite his age. He was still a strong man, much taller than me, his dark hair more silver than I remembered while his grey eyes were sharp as tacks.
“You look beautiful. But then I always knew you’d grow into a gorgeous woman. It’s why we protected you so much when you were a child.”
His palm touched my cheek, and he tilted my head more toward the light. “We were always afraid someone would come along and drag you away-“
Voice trailing off, he shook his head. “It’s best not to talk about such depressing things. We should be celebrating your arrival.”
Wrapping an arm around my waist, he led me to the front door.
“Come. Let me show you the suites we kept for you with the hope you would return. Everything from your childhood is just as you left it. I wouldn’t allow them to clean the rooms out.”
My shoulders relaxed at the thought nothing had changed. I was looking forward to a comfortable bed and closets full of clothes. I hadn’t grown much since the day I’d left, and I knew the majority would still fit.
Any makeup I had would have to be thrown out. Certainly it had expired after ten years. But it could be replaced, and I almost cried at the idea that I wouldn’t have to wonder how I’d feed myself in the coming days.
I was practically floating as Franklin walked me inside the house, my eyes taking in the dark marble floors with silver striations, the floor to ceiling windows in the distance that I knew led to the interior courtyards.
To my sides, large doors opened to a sitting room on the right and a music room on the left, and in front of me was the grand staircase with two sides curving toward each other to combine at the top, the marble a pristine snow white with gold that was the exact opposite of the floors. Dark iron banisters led up to cherry wood handrails, and the balcony stretched out to where the entire family could stand and greet their guests.
My eyes stopped as I followed the line of the balcony.
There in the shadows stood a man looking down. I couldn’t see his face for the darkness that hid him, but I could tell he was tall and broad, his arms stretched out on either side of him, hands gripping the rails.
He was an imposing figure that didn’t move as Franklin continued leading me through the foyer, a man that never spoke yet watched my arrival.
I almost tripped over my own feet, but Franklin’s arm tightened around my waist to balance me where I stood.
“Are you all right?”
It took effort to pull my gaze from the man, a shy smile tilting my mouth to look at my uncle. “Yes. Sorry, I just -“
I looked up again, and the man was gone, as if he’d never been there to begin with.
Shaking away the oddity of his presence, I laughed it off. “I think I’m just tired.”
Franklin grinned. “Let me show you to your rooms. You can take a long bath and rest up. There’s nothing for you to worry about here. You’re home now, Lisbeth.”
Lisbeth
It will take time to settle into this place.
I kept telling myself that, kept repeating those words as a mantra when I woke up on the first day home and couldn’t force myself to crawl from