The Guardian's Protector: The Chamber of Souls by Debbie Kowalczyk Read Free Book Online Page A

investment in Tom left them little, if any, time to converse with one another. She wasn’t sure if she even wanted to speak with Luke. He was distant and withdrawn, and his nonchalant attitude toward Tom made Amy shirk away from him.
    ‘I don’t want to go in,’ Luke said, stopping at the bottom of the cobbled drive of her parents white thatched cottage, looking anxious. Amy didn’t want him to go in either. She felt embarrassed to be taking him for Sunday lunch. ‘Your brother will be on my case about losing my job!’
    ‘He won’t,’ Amy lied. ‘And anyway, if you were that worried about what Frank would say then…’
    ‘Don’t start!’ he snapped before stomping up the drive, his boots making loud crunching noises as they pounded the cobbles. Amy had been warned many times by Luke not to interfere with his job-hunting techniques.
    As Amy pushed the pram inside, the smell of roast beef made her stomach rumble. Leaving the pram in the hallway, Amy carried Tom into the chintzy living-dining room. Thomas and Frank, who sat on the settee, shouting at the football match blaring from the television, smiled at Amy then grimaced at Luke. Amy’s niece, Francesca, was in a pink, padded baby bouncer on the floor; Amy put Tom in the blue one next to her. Tom was a lot bigger than Francesca even though she was two weeks older than him. He was also much more alert.
    As Amy fiddled with the straps, Alicia walked from the kitchen and stood next to the dinner table, one hand on her hip. ‘Hello Amy,’ she said snootily, giving Tom a quick, sideways glance. ‘I’m awfully sorry I haven’t been to see you. I hope Frank has explained that I haven’t been at all well?’
    ‘Err, yes.’ Amy smiled even though Alicia was false and overbearing.
    ‘Your mother and I are making tea. Would you like a cup?’
    ‘Go on, then.’
    ‘Earl Grey? Lemon…?’
    Amy rolled her eyes. ‘Just the everyday variety for me please, Alicia.’
    ‘We can do some of that, I suppose,’ Alicia huffed, flicking her long, glossy red hair as she walked back into the kitchen, failing to give Tom the slightest bit of attention.
    ‘Give us my laddo,’ Thomas said, unfastening the straps and picking up Tom. Tom gave him a huge, gummy smile, clearly pleased to see his granddad.
    ‘Have you not sorted that wind problem out yet?’ Frank said with a smirk.
    ‘He’s always smiling,’ Thomas said. ‘Aren’t you, my laddo? You’ve always got a smile for your granddad.’ Thomas sat on his antique recliner chair and began bouncing him up and down on his knee.
    Luke stood by the fireplace, staring at both of them intensely. Amy knew he was miffed because Tom never smiled at him, but there was something sinister in his glare that disturbed Amy.
    ‘He’s getting big, isn’t he?’ Thomas said, examining him. ‘Each week I see him, he’s bigger!’
    ‘That’s what usually happens you know, Dad,’ Amy joked, keeping her eye on Luke.
    ‘Look at the meat on these legs,’ Thomas said, grabbing them. Tom let out a small grunt. ‘What was that noise, chunky?’ Thomas squeezed the top of his leg again. Tom grunted again, this time louder and stared, wide-eyed, at his granddad as if eager for more. ‘Did he…was that…is he laughing?’ Thomas asked, in awe.
    ‘Yes,’ Amy said. ‘He’s been laughing for about two weeks. Only that little grunt, but it’s adorable all the same!’
    ‘Oh, you just missed my laddo here laughing,’ Thomas said as Alicia and Joan came through with the teas.
    ‘What?’ Joan asked. ‘Laughing?’
    ‘Yes!’ Thomas stated.
    ‘Okay, dear,’ Joan said, nervously looking at Alicia, who pretended nobody had spoken.
    ‘Can I hold Francesca please?’ Amy asked, trying to catch Alicia’s eye.
    ‘Yes, of course you can,’ Alicia said. Everyone felt relieved the subject had changed to Francesca. ‘She’s been smiling this week, hasn’t she, Frank?’
    ‘Yes,’ Frank answered.
    ‘That’s brilliant,’ Amy