Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 126850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
And now, I had to tell him the truth.
If only my words would work.
I was getting too hot by the fire, so I dragged myself up onto my feet and onto the sofa instead, then pulled a blanket from the back of it and put it over my lap.
William looked over at me. “You’re getting comfortable there. Aren’t you forgetting something?”
I frowned. “Like what?”
“I promised you that you could see the library today, but we didn’t get around to it.”
“I know, but I didn’t almost melt in front of the fire just now only to leave for the frozen tundra that is the rest of the castle,” I said, tugging the blanket up. “Especially if the power might go out. The last thing I want is to be stranded in a remote part of a castle, at the mercy of the elements.”
William blinked at me. “What do you think is going to happen? Do you think a murderous snowman is going to take advantage of a power outage, climb through a window, and take us all out if we dare venture outside the room?”
“Well, I do now!”
He reached over and yanked the blanket away from me, tossing it onto the floor. “Come on. Our phones are charged if the power goes out, and we can go in our pyjamas. The chance of anyone bothering us is next to nothing.”
“But, but…”
He grabbed my dressing gown from the bedroom and threw it at me, then passed me my phone. “There. You won’t get cold. Grandpa usually goes to the library on an evening, so it’ll be warm.”
“What about this one here?”
“We won’t go for long. I’ll put one log on it before we go. It’ll still be smouldering when we get back.”
“Oh, fine.” I dragged myself up off the sofa, taking my dressing gown with me. “If I freeze to death, I expect you to come clean about how you had a hand in my death.”
“I will turn myself into the police immediately,” he replied in a deadpan tone.
I poked my tongue out at the back of his head, tugged on my dressing gown, and pulled my Ugg boots on. They’d acted as slippers since I’d arrived, and I was glad I’d packed them, with hindsight.
William closed the door behind us. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from the murderous snowman so it doesn’t get you.”
“I don’t think you’re very funny.”
“That’s a shame. I think I’m hilarious.”
I rolled my eyes. “Then you must have a dreadful sense of humour.”
He laughed, leading me down one hallway and into another. This place truly was a maze, and I really did marvel that anyone could walk through here without getting lost. Perhaps there was a floorplan one could use as a map.
That would be quite useful.
We walked along into an area of the castle I’d never been in before. Not that it was that shocking. This place was simply humungous, and I wondered if even William had been in every room, and I asked as much.
With a light chuckle, he shook his head. “Some of the rooms are used as storage for some older items, others aren’t used at all, and I think there are a few that are having some work done to them. I know the East Wing is having some internal renovations because the floors are knackered. I’m sure I’ll see them one day.”
“Wow. I can’t imagine how much that costs.”
“Neither can I, and I’m not sure I want to know.”
“Probably for the best. My grandpa had to have all his floors pulled up and have everything—literally everything—replaced in one part of his house, and it cost him an absolute fortune.”
He eyed me. “Is he still alive?”
“No. My dad’s dad died about thirty-five years ago, before I was born, and my mum’s dad died twenty years ago.”
“Is it just you and your dad now?”
I shook my head. “I have my granny—my mum’s mum. And my half-brother.”
“I remember you said you’re practically Cinderella. Did your dad remarry after your mum died?”
“No. They divorced before she got ill,” I replied quietly, wrapping my arms around me. “He had an affair with the evil stepmother, and he divorced Mum when they found out she was pregnant with Vin—my brother.”
“I’m sorry. That must have been tough. I didn’t mean to bring it up.”
“It’s okay.” I smiled over at him. “I can talk about it; I just prefer not to let my stepmother into my head any more than I absolutely have to on account of keeping myself sane.”
William laughed and pushed open one of the huge double doors in front of us. “That’s fair. Are you close to your brother?”
“He’s seventeen. I’m twenty-eight. What on Earth do you think we have in common?”
“If he’s seventeen, I’d guess pissing off his mother?”
I slowly nodded. “I do enjoy helping him lie to her. At our last family dinner, he gave me the heads up that he was planning something with his friends for his eighteenth and wasn’t interested in whatever party she was planning, and I had no issue siding with him against her. She was fuming, but she’d never asked him how he wanted to celebrate.”