He looked at me as if I had caught him cheating. “I think . . .”
“Here they are,” I said, seeing Julia practically dragging Clifford back. “Take me home, Liam.” I stood.
“You shouldn’t put too much weight on that yet,” Clifford advised.
“Lean on me,” Liam said.
The four of us headed out, now looking like a defeated group of party soldiers, wounded, exhausted. Most people were too occupied to notice or care, however. When we reached the entrance, Liam told Julia to wait with me while he brought the car up front.
“No,” I whispered to her. “Go with him.”
“What?”
“Just go. Please,” I said desperately. She gazed curiously at me and then shrugged.
“Clifford, stay with her,” she said, and went after Liam.
“I knew this place would be dangerous,” Clifford said, hoping to make me laugh.
“You have no idea,” I said, so coldly serious that his smile unhinged and dropped away instantly.
I breathed relief when I saw Liam and Julia pull up to the entrance. Clifford helped me out and into the car.
“We decided you should come home with us, Lorelei,” Liam said. “Julia can look after your ankle.”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t argue. We’ve already called ahead and told Mrs. Wakefield to prepare the guest room next to my room,” Julia said.
“You called her so late?”
“If we didn’t, she’d be more upset,” Liam said, laughing. “She’s the captain of the ship when it comes to anything involving our house. I would have thought you saw that in the wedding planning. It’s better that you come home with us.”
“Okay,” I said, seeing no way out, “but I’m not calling your great-aunt Amelia to tell her at this hour.”
“She’ll figure it out,” Liam said.
“Just to be sure, I’ll call her first thing in the morning,” Julia added. “With that tenant of hers still missing and all . . .”
“That is so weird,” Clifford said. He was quite sober now. “Not a clue.”
“I’ve got it,” Liam said. “He wasn’t really from this century. He was from Great-auntie Amelia’s favorite time in history, and he had to return.”
Julia gave him a playful smack.
“Hey.”
“It’s not funny. Something bad obviously happened to him.”
Liam nodded. “I know. I’m just . . . trying to stop Lorelei from worrying about things.”
“Then you’re forgiven,” Julia said. She huddled up with Clifford in the back, and I looked into the rearview mirror to see if any other car had taken off after us.
Even though I saw none, there was no doubt in my mind now. Ava was right behind us and would be until she was satisfied. It had become personal with her, I thought. She was deadly dangerous when it wasn’t, when she didn’t care at all about her victims. What would she be like now?
It had already been decided, apparently, that Clifford would also stay the night. Those arrangements were made earlier, anticipating that he might not be in great condition to drive himself home. I felt guilty when we arrived, and I still had to pretend I had trouble putting weight on my ankle. On top of that, Mrs. Wakefield was waiting for us in her robe and looked very disapproving. Julia softened her by reminding her of a story she had once told about her own wild times when she was our age, even younger.
Liam practically carried me up the stairs to the guest room.