Chapter 10 - Dawn on the MoorsThe sun rose over the Yorkshire moors the next morning in a blaze of pale gold and slate blue.
The thick morning mist clung to the heather and stone walls, slowly burning away as the day warmed.
Daniel stood outside the green wooden door of the keeper's cottage, wearing an old woolen sweater and holding two mugs of steaming coffee. The crisp autumn air bit sharply at his cheeks, filling his lungs with a clean, untainted freshness.
Down the gravel track, about half a mile away through the trees, the grand white stone facade of Wrenford Hall caught the early morning light. From this distance, it looked majestic, timeless, and completely detached from the frantic corporate machine that had nearly destroyed his family.
Footsteps crunched softly on the gravel behind him.
Mara stepped out onto the stone step, wrapped in a thick wool blanket, holding her coffee mug with both hands. She stood beside him, leaning her shoulder against his.
"The postman dropped this off at the gate box," Mara said, holding up a small white envelope.
Daniel took it, turning it over. It wasn't from Barclays. It was a handwritten note on plain cream stationery, bearing no return address.
He opened it with his thumb and unfolded the single sheet inside.
Daniel,
I have secured a position managing the private hospitality estate for the Duke of Devonshire up near Chatsworth. You were right about one thing: Wrenford was a sinking ship long before you tore the holes in the hull.
Goodbye, Celia
Daniel read the note twice, then folded it neatly and tucked it into his pocket. He didn't feel anger. He only felt a strange, quiet closure.
"She's gone to Chatsworth," Daniel told Mara.
"Good for her," Mara replied simply, sipping her coffee. "She'll run the Duke into the ground within a month."
They both laughed—a light, genuine sound that drifted out across the empty moors.
A moment later, the front door behind them creaked open.
Persephone poked her head out, her hair wild and sleep-tousled, wearing her pink pajamas and dragging Barnaby by one ear. She rubbed her eyes against the bright morning light.
"Is breakfast ready?" she asked sleepily.
Daniel grinned, dropping down to scoop her up into his arms, spinning her around in a circle as she giggled with delight.
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"Breakfast is coming right up, my girl," Daniel said, kissing her cheek. "And after that, we have an entire moor to explore."
The shadows of Wrenford Hall were far behind them now. Ahead lay only the open sky, the rugged hills, and a life built on truth, family, and home.
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