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He wanted to ask who else had passed, but he didn’t dare. There was no one he really cared for, not anymore. Any affection he held died years ago. All those he loved had turned their backs on him. They knew what Nichols was capable of and did nothing. They allowed it.
Shouts erupted in the dark tunnels. Nichols turned quickly. “Go see what that is. ” He gestured to four footmen. They took off running with their weapons drawn.
Shouts and the sound of a gunshot carried to the large torture chamber. Ephraim continued to wash. No one and nothing was going to stop him from cleaning. If he only had this one chance to feel and smell clean he was going to take it greedily. It was a sense of freedom. It was the only thing that could make him feel free in this dreadful place.
“Get in there!” a man shouted. Nichols' footmen stumbled into the room followed by a dozen armed men.
“Line up against the wall, the lot of ya!" the large man said. He pointed to Nichols. “You stay where ya are. His Grace would like to have a word with ya!”
“His Grace?” Nichols asked confused.
“Aye. ”
“Uh oh, Nichols, sounds like you’re in trouble,” Ephraim said tauntingly.
He began scrubbing his face. The soap made the itch worse for a minute then slowly subsided. The grime on his skin turned to a paste, but rinsed off easily. “If someone wouldn’t mind pushing a bucket this way I would truly appreciate it,” he spoke as if there wasn’t an armed siege occurring. He didn’t care. It didn’t mean anything for him. He knew his brother, the new Duke, was coming here to finish the job. He couldn’t have Ephraim alive and threatening his position. Little did he know that the job was impossible.
He heard a bucket scrape on the floor in front of him. The soap stung his eyes. Nichols should have done this years ago, because it stung like a bitch. “Thank you,” he muttered as his hands shot out and found the bucket. That was one thing he never lost, his humanity. He hung onto it like a dying man. He refused to allow Nichols to steal it from him. He was no longer the boy he once was, but he refused to turn into the monster that Nichols demanded.
Strong thin hands ran a damp cloth across his face. Ephraim jumped at the touch. No one had touched him in too many years to count unless it was to hurt him. He opened his eyes to see a man who looked very much like his father, except for the black hair, kneeling in front of him. The man looked sad and confused. Finally he looked down on Ephraim with pity.
Ephraim cowered back. This was worse than torture. “Go away,” he mumbled.
Marc sighed and dipped the cloth into the bucket again. He looked relaxed in front of Ephraim. He wasn’t cowering away or keeping his eyes on Ephraim, afraid of an attack. He took one of Ephraim’s hands into his and began scrubbing it, unconcerned for his expensive wardrobe.
The new Duke’s men kept the footmen and Nichols at bay while he cleaned his brother. “I used to do this for you every night until you were twelve. Do you remember, Ephraim?”
“Yes,” he answered automatically.
Marc chuckled. “Then there were the times when I had to clean you up in the kitchens after you snuck off and got dirty. Father refused to have a speck of dirt in the house. Do you remember?”
“Yes. ”
Marc stopped cleaning his hands and looked into Ephraim’s eyes for a long moment. He looked like he had something to say, but didn’t. He looked over his shoulder. “I need some shears, a razor and towels in here and for Christ sake’s someone get me some hot water!” One of his footmen nodded and ran out.
Minutes later the man returned with the items. Ephraim sat back and watched as his brother washed him, unafraid. The hot water made a difference. The grime washed off quicker. His skin turned pink before turning back to a sickly pale color.
“Are you hungry?” Marc asked.
Ephraim didn’t answer. Marc eyed his brother’s body. He tried to hide his reaction, but there was little he could do. Ephraim’s body was repulsive. “When’s the last time you were fed?”
“I don’t feed him! I was told to kill him! That would be counterproductive if I fed him, don't you think, Your Grace?" Nichols said callously.
Marc’s delicate jaw clenched. “I’m going to have two men cut your hair so that we can wash it. Can you promise not to hurt them?”
The offer was tempting. His stomach rumbled at the thought of that long ago memory of sweet liquid, but he wanted to feel his face more than anything. He nodded firmly.
“Okay, I’m trusting you. Don’t hurt them and I promise I will feed you,” Marc said. Ephraim didn’t care. He couldn’t even count the number of times Nichols promised him that.
Marc nodded to two men to begin their work. Ephraim placed his hands under his backside to help ease the temptation to grab one of the men and ease his hunger.
“I appreciate that, sir,” one of the men said. Ephraim nodded and watched his brother approach Nichols. This could be interesting.
“Do you know why I’m here, Nichols?” Marc asked in a deceptively calm voice.
“To finish your brother off, Your Grace,” Nichols said with his chin raised. He was making his stand. In his mind Ephraim and every living soul that entered the dungeon deserved his cruelty.
Marc laughed, taking a dagger from one of his men. He walked around Nichols as he toyed with the blade. “No, I think you’ve proven that is quite impossible. Of course, if I had known that my brother was still alive I would have come sooner instead of mourning him. Tell me, Nichols, who was the poor soul that you burned and buried in my brother’s name?”
Nichols puffed up his chest. “I don’t remember the name. Your father demanded I provide a body to go with the story and I did. It’s not my fault the boy turned out to be a demon. ”
“Hmmm, then explain to me why fifteen years ago when I asked you about my brother you lied and told me that he was dead and then yesterday when I approached you with the same question after my father’s deathbed confession you told me the truth?”
“Because fifteen years ago you weren’t the D-“
“Duke,” Marc finished. “Yes, I believe that is what finally allowed you to speak. You believed I was worried about my position and allowed me into this little secret. I also believe that you were hoping I would continue to pay you what my father did to keep him here and this story a secret. ”
“Of course. ” Nichols began to fidget.
“How are we doing?” Marc asked his men without looking away from Nichols.
“Almost done, Your Grace,” Marc’s personal valet said. “We’re done shaving and cutting his hair. We’ll wash him now. ”
Ephraim ran his hand over his face. The skin was thin and tight, but it was still his face. He felt like crying. He had to place his hands back under him before he did something to stop this.
Marc watched his brother get scrubbed and then dried. He sat na**d on the floor, looking like a very young skeleton. His brilliant blue eyes had lost the look of youthful innocence. Gone was the boy he once knew. This man looked hard and angry.
“Has any man been here for less than ten years?” Marc asked in a loud voice.
Only one man raised his hand. Tom, he’d been here less than two weeks and refused to be cruel to Ephraim. “How long has this man worked here,” Marc asked Nichols.