The mere mention of Leo going home caused a sudden pang of grief to fill her chest. She came to her feet, assisted Elliot in helping Leo up as he seemed tired after his mental and physical ordeal.
“You do know I will not be returning to England.” Leo’s tone was solemn, but Ivana’s heart soared. “Not for the foreseeable future. I plan to stay here with Ivana if she has no objection.”
Ivana clutched Leo’s arm tight to show her approval. They were free to live together in the castle without fearing a devil would come knocking. They could marry; they could sleep in each other’s arms every night without repercussions.
Elliot gave a heavy sigh, blinked away the droplets of rain on his lashes. “I suspected you might. If there is anything you need me to do, just ask.”
“If you could deliver a letter to Mr. Greaves, he will continue to oversee the running of my estate. But we will discuss it tomorrow.” Leo glanced down at his sodden breeches. “We should go inside. I could do with a hot bath and something soothing to drink.”
Ivana licked her lips at the thought he might drink from her again. “I believe Julia has already anticipated your needs and has scuttled off to heat the water.” In truth, her maid had found the gruesome sight of a headless corpse disturbing. She turned to Elliot. There were many things to discuss; there was no point waiting. “I assume your wives stayed in the village.”
Elliot snorted. “We had a battle of our own persuading them it was the most sensible course of action. But from the tone of Leo’s note, I sensed the situation was grave.”
“You’re welcome to take my carriage if you wish to bring them here,” Ivana said. “After such a terrifying ordeal, I would not feel happy asking anything more of Sylvester tonight.”
Elliot smirked. “If they discovered we had declined an invitation on their behalf, the journey home would be more than uncomfortable.” He inclined his head respectfully, yet she still sensed a slight awkwardness which was only to be expected. “Thank you. Alexander will accompany me.”
“Do you need to drink first?” she asked. A bolt of desire shot through her as her gaze drifted to Leo’s neck.
Elliot shook his head. “No. I suggest we all dine together on our return. I believe there are many things that must be said.”
“Dine?” Ivana scrunched up her nose. “On blood? You make it sound as though we are to feast with a king.”
Leo draped his arm casually over her shoulder, the sodden material feeling cold against her nape. “You should know, Elliot likes to keep things as civilised as possible. We have a hell of a job getting the red stains out of the table napkins.”
Alexander strode over to join them. “Your coachman, Sylvester, deserves a knighthood for his loyalty. By God, who wouldn’t want a man like that as a protector?”
Ivana nodded. “He has been my friend and confidante for many years. Indeed, I owe him my life.”
“As we all do,” Elliot added. He turned to Alexander. “I’m taking the carriage to the village to collect Grace and Evelyn. I assume you want to come.”
“Evelyn will be furious to know she has missed it all,” he replied with a sigh.
Ivana wondered if they knew the horror that would have unfolded had their wives accompanied them to the castle. “You made the right decision leaving them behind. Had they been here, Nikolai would have used them against you. He would have manipulated their minds, turned them in front of your eyes. It would not have been pleasant to witness.”
Alexander’s expression grew dark. “I cannot even bear to think of it. But he is dead now and so we must celebrate the victory.”
“Good Lord,” Ivana gasped suddenly, remembering Nikolai had arrived in a carriage. “I assume Nikolai’s carriage has been stabled in the outer courtyard. But where is his coachman? We cannot let him leave to tell the tale of what happened here.”
“Sylvester will know,” Elliot said. “I will wipe the coachman’s memory of this night, make him believe he is to wait for his master in the next town and send him on his way. I doubt Nikolai would have informed anyone of his reason for coming here.”
“Nikolai never discussed his private affairs.” It occurred to her to mention the cure, but they were all soaked to the skin, all in need of dry clothes and good company, and there was still work to do.
A sudden clap of thunder caused them all to look up to the heavens.
“Do you think God is applauding our efforts?” Ivana asked wrapping her arms around Leo’s waist. “Do you think he is pleased now that he has one less devil to contend with?”
“Most certainly,” Elliot replied. “I must also applaud your efforts, Ivana, for caring for my son in my absence. When I return, I would like to discuss the matter with you if I may.”
Ivana inclined her head. “Of course. But for the moment, I suggest we go inside and spend a few minutes by the fire. Our lips are blue, and I think it will take more than a vial of blood to restore them to their natural hue.”
Leo glanced at the body littering the courtyard. “Once Elliot has dealt with the coachman, what shall we do with Nikolai?”
Ivana shrugged. When it came to Nikolai, her heart was cold, empty. She could not rouse even a sliver of pity. “We will do what he threatened to do to me once. We will leave him there until the sun rises. Then we will venture outside come nightfall and watch the pile of dust blow away in the wind.”
A little over an hour later, they all sat around the long table at the far end of the Great Hall. The fire roared in the hearth, and Ivana feared it would take weeks to warm their bones. As expected, both Grace and Evelyn were ecstatic to be at the castle, and despite learning of Nikolai’s fate, the ladies had been spared the true horror of the ordeal.
Ivana sat at the head of the table and watched in wonder as Elliot popped a piece of beef into his mouth. “Do you not retch when you chew it?”