The Ambitious Orphan Read Online Free PDF

through the calm
cocoon she'd managed to wrap around herself.
    Once inside, she
relaxed a little, took a deep breath and one final look towards the
door. Myron was already gone. She sat back, and while her eyes
roved over the streets as Daniels drove, none of it was taken in,
her memories dominating every thought and sense.
    She closed her
eyes and remembered the way his hands had felt as he coaxed her to
his room and into his embrace, his kisses as they'd brushed across
her skin, and the warmth as he'd slept with his arms wrapped around
her. For five nights she'd been shown what heaven might be like.
Now it was gone, she couldn't help but feel a hole deep inside her
somewhere.
    As she opened her
eyes she noticed they were already by Baker Street and Sebastian's
house. The first tear rolled down her cheek when she realised she
wasn't ready to come back to the present. Not just yet.
    “I'll drive around
the block again,” Daniels said, pulling a handkerchief from his
pocket and holding it out behind him.
    “Thank you,” she
said, her voice cracking a little.
    Another tear
tracked down her face, this one hastily wiped away, and then she
was composing herself once more. She had to hold it together. Myron
had warned her, and she'd told him she could guard her own heart.
Now she needed to live up to that promise, even if it required her
to be stronger than she'd ever been before.
    It struck her then
that no matter how many times a person has felt heartbreak and
loss, each fresh time was always as painful. Right in that moment
her heart was as broken as it had been when her husband died.
Somehow, she had to put the pieces back together and hold them
there while she carried on, hoping that when she finally let go it
wouldn't all crumble again.
    The second time
Daniels passed through Baker Street, he stopped the car and gave
her a brief glance. She gave him a small nod and handed back the
piece of cloth she'd cried into.
    “Thank you,” she
said again, sounding steadier on the outside, even if she was still
falling apart on the inside.
    He gave her a
sympathetic smile and got out to open the door for her.
    “Shall I wait for
you here?” he asked.
    “No. I'm going to
be here a while.”
    “Mr Holmes had me
understand that you'd be heading back to Bath, ma'am.”
    “No, Daniels. I
don't feel safe alone in Bath. I'm staying in London. I'm not sure
where yet but I was going to see what Sebastian recommended. And
please, call me Amelia, Daniels.” She tried to smile with her usual
warmth at the sweet chauffeur but knew it hadn't quite appeared on
her face as it usually would.
    “Right you are...
Amelia. But if you'll permit me saying it, I don't think Mr Holmes
senior will be too pleased. He's expecting you to go home.”
    “I'm aware. I just
can't. Not yet.”
    Daniels offered up
no more arguments and simply fetched her suitcase for her. With a
nod of gratitude, she pushed open the door to 221b Baker Street.
She was half way up the stairs when Sebastian opened the door at
the top.
    “Ah, Amelia, I
wondered when you'd drop in.” His eyes glanced over the suitcase
and it was obvious he was working out what scenario had led to her
being there. “Come in.”
    He stepped out of
the way and allowed her to haul herself and her case into the
familiar sitting room. For a few seconds, there was an awkward
silence as she tried to decide whether to mention the suitcase he
was seemingly ignoring.
    “Where would you
like to begin?” he asked, taking a very brief glance at the end of
the sofa where she'd tucked the black case out of the way. It still
felt like it stood out.
    “I was wondering
what you thought of combining the two plot ideas I told you
yesterday,” she replied, deciding she'd figure out what to do about
where she was staying later. No doubt Daniels would inform Myron
that she hadn't gone home, and there would be repercussions. It
might be best not to have spoken to the younger brother before he'd
expressed his