Celestine had clearly been waiting for her, and was pleased when Annette entered the same annex at the Keers estate. At first, there was only obvious relief in her face, but her expression hardened as she saw Ben March, who was being dragged inside by Railin.
Her kidnapper.
The blood drained from her face. Since that day, she had not slept a single peaceful night. The shock of the event had been eating at her, an almost audible sound, like a grating against her soul that made her too frightened to close her eyes. The man who had done that to her was right here.
At that moment, someone embraced her as she began to tremble, a warm gesture filled with the soft scent of flowers.
āIt will be all right,ā said Annette quietly. āI have caught the nightmare that was chasing you.ā
Celestine closed her eyes at the wave of indescribable relief, letting her head rest on Annetteās shoulder. It was as if a physical barrier had crumbled away in her chest. Yes, it was time for the long nightmare to finally end.
Ben March had been a difficult man to find, and now they expected to hear many things from him. Celestine lifted her head, and was surprised to find herself looking up at Ben March. An incredibly handsome man was lifting the coachman off the floor by his neck.
āWho is this?ā she asked Annette. It seemed he was Annetteās accomplice, as he was containing Ben March. He looked surprisingly dignified.
As soon as she noticed him, the other man smiled, his eyes curving. He was a handsome man with a very tidy appearance, and eyes under lashes that were enchanting as roses. His smile was so bright, she thought she might go blind.
āOh, he is my informant. He is very capableā¦ā
Annetteās words almost echoed to Celestineās ears, as if they were coming from a distance. Lately it seemed that all of Deltiumās informants were chosen for their faces. Mesmerized by Railinās striking features, Celestine missed Annetteās question.
āā¦what? What did you say?ā
Annette smiled, amused at the other womanās interest.
āIs there still space in the basement?ā She repeated.
The question came as lightly as if she were asking Celestine whether there was sufficient wine, rather than looking for a quiet place to torture a man. Looking at the doll-like lady, one would never expect such ruthlessness.
Celestine pushed the tapestry aside by way of answer, opening the door to the basement stairs. Of course, it was only appropriate to welcome such a special guest, even if it would be a little cramped. But Celestine hesitated before she descended. She knew they were going to interrogate the man, but she didnāt want to go down into that basement with the man who had kidnapped her.
I didnāt know I was such a coward.
Celestine bit her lower lip, reproaching herself. But Annette caught her shoulders before she could push her reluctant feet forward.
āItās all right, Celestine. You can stay here, and Iāll come talk to you when itās over.ā
Celestine stepped aside from the entrance, which was for the best, as far as Annette was concerned. Better that she stayed up here, in case Ben revealed something unfortunate about Raphael during the questioning. He would know who Raphaelās biological mother was, and other secrets about his childhood.
They were things that Annette did not know, and she could not risk letting Celestine learn potentially damaging information about Raphaelās personal history.
āDonāt worry,ā she said, giving Celestine a soft kiss on the cheek. āJust rest here for a while.ā
Then Annette led the way into the basement. The air was warm and felt familiar after her previous visit. Fortunately, the previous occupant of the premises was gone. The wooden chair sat empty.
Railin followed her, dragging Ben by his neck. Celestine closed the door to the stairs above them as the unconscious Ben March was tied to the chair, so the interview could finally begin.