An English man's home is his castle thing, I kind of get it. Of course, he can choose to do whatever he liked, it was his home after all. But why did he look like he was ready to kill someone? The murderous glint in his eyes...
We got to Lottie's room and inside was like a child's playground. There were toys everywhere, from rocking horses to dollhouses. It even had a slide and a swing set.
Whoever had decorated her room must've put a lot of thought and effort into it because her bed was the shape of a pink castle. It was quite ironic that she also happened to live inside a real castle. She just needed a crown, then she would be a real princess.
Who was I kidding? She may not have the title but she was already a real princess. Regardless of whether or not she was adopted, her family treated her like she was one of their own and if they were of royal descent then that made her a princess in my eyes.
In fact, she probably got treated better than a princess! She could do whatever she wanted. All the fun without any of the royal duties required. Theo certainly dotted on her and she was spoilt.
The ceiling of her room was made to look like a real sky. It was filled with glow in the dark stars and even a full moon. Glancing at it, I could make out the seven stars of the Big Dipper.
It was something Selena had taught me when we used to camp out in the moors. Underneath the starry night, we would sit on the grass and trace out the stars with our fingers.
My father and all the other British counterparts of our pack insisted that it was called the Ploug instead. And they used to laugh at us when we tried calling it the Big Dipper.
I snapped out of my reminiscences and watched Theo lowering Lottie onto her 'castle' bed. His movements were gentle and fluid as he tucked the blanket underneath her chin.
There were more pressing matters at hand. I still had yet to find out what was the relationship between Christian and the Callaghans.
"Are they good friends with your sister's fiancé then? The Callaghans, I mean. Was that why he invited them?" I asked. Blissfully unaware that I was digging myself further and further into a hole.
Theo turned to look at me as if I had just said the dumbest thing. "They're brothers."
My eyes widened in shock and I choked out the words, "your sister is marrying Aiden's uncle?"
That was something I couldn't get my head around. If Cassandra married Aiden's uncle, that made her Aiden's aunt.
But she was only a year older than us. I couldn't imagine calling somebody "Aunty so and so" when they were practically the same age as me.
"Not if I can help it!" Theo said menacingly.
Seeing the thunderous look in his dark eyes, I gulped involuntarily. He looked like he was ready to kill someone! I moved away from him a few steps in case he suddenly decided to use me as a punching bag.
"What are you going to do?" I asked alarmingly, although part of me still wondering as to what his problem was with the Callaghans? Why did he hate them so much? And to tar everyone under the same brush?
"I'm not going to lash out at you if that's what you're thinking." He said drily, moving away from Lottie's castle.
I forced myself to smile at him and at the same time wondering if maybe he could read minds too?
"It's written all over your face." He snapped. "You don't need to stay two meters away. It's fine, I don't hit girls."
Well, that's reassuring. I thought and continued with my fake smile whilst my body refused to budge, making sure I kept at least an arm's length away from him.
Then his voice softened a notch, "the Callaghans, you see...they are not good people."
We left Lottie's room and the nanny slipped in quietly, closing the door gently behind us.
"What do you mean they're not good people?" I demanded once it was just the two of us outside.
I knew I was being defensive, but I was annoyed. I mean, he had some nerve. He wasn't exactly a Saint himself and yet here he was, accusing the Callaghans of not being decent people. What a joke? It was like the kettle calling the pot black!
"They're well known for taking up second wives."
Well, I'll be damned. I stared at him open-mouthed, unable to gather my thoughts.
"Is that even allowed?" I eventually asked, because the last time I checked, you were only allowed to marry one person at a time and polygamy was strictly illegal!
Theo looked a bit uncomfortable as he shifted his gaze away from me, "their first wives would have a habit of disappearing..."
Disappearing? People didn't just disappear out of thin air! I frowned. "Where did they went?"
If Theo had looked uncomfortable earlier, now he looked extremely uncomfortable. He was squirming.
"I really shouldn't be saying anything?" He shook his head, realising he had already said too much, then he got ready to turn away from me.
"Well, it's a bit too late for that now don't you think?" I blocked his path with my arms splayed open and commanded, "tell me!"
"Rumour has it they are like the male version of the Black Widow." He looked at me in the eyes.
I could see his lips moving and yet I struggled to get grips with his words. What was he saying?
"It's all just rumours but there's never smoke without fire." He shrugged lightly.
No smoke without fire. I chewed over his words. The Callaghans took up second wives...His reputation precedes him...They're not good people.
They swirled around in my head like birds flapping in the air, making me feel sick and dizzy.