Jebediah laughed. “The Beast of Carramere isn’t correct about that, I’m afraid. I have been expecting you, daughter. Iris and Violet have both said their pieces to me. And now it is your turn. I understand how these things are. Women needclosure.”
Nathan bristled, but Rosalie didn’t seem perturbed by her father’s attempts to goad her.
“I wanted to ask you something,” she plowed ahead, undeterred.
“Oh?” Jebediah raised an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”
“Well…” Rosalie bit her lip. “First, I wanted to check if you are being treated well here in prison.”
Jebediah stared at her for a moment then he burst into peals of laughter. Nathan felt his heart crack in two.
She is so angry with this man, and yet, her first thought is for his comfort and safety.
She was too good for her father, and it infuriated him that this man had been able to hurt her so much and for so long.
“You’re asking if I’m being treated well?” Jebediah asked, between howls of laughter. “Inprison?Oh, I’m being treated like the king! Like the bloody king himself!”
Rosalie blushed, and Nathan’s hands tightened into fists.
“Don’t make fun of her just because she is concerned for you,” he snarled. Jebediah stopped laughing and gave Nathan a once-over.
“So, the Beast has found a maiden to protect.” He shook his head. “I guess I should be flattered that another of my daughters has found a man so similar to me to marry.”
“We are nothing alike!” Nathan shouted. His voice reverberated around the room, and he saw Rosalie flinch.
Calm yourself, man,he snapped at himself.Before you prove Crampton right.
“We shall see,” Jebediah sneered. He turned back to his daughter.
“Now that you are assured of my well-being, ask the question you came here to ask, and then get out. I’ve had enough of my time wasted by my sniveling, ungrateful daughters.”
Rosalie’s cheeks flushed, and she lowered her eyes.
“I just wanted to know why you did it,” she whispered. “Why would you harm those closest to you? Why would you cheat your friends, run criminal operations, and torment your daughters? Why, Father?” She looked up, her eyes blazing, and met his gaze. “I just need to know why.”
Jebediah leaned back in his chair and surveyed Rosalie for a long moment.
“Do you really not know?” he asked at last. He sounded incredulous. “All those books of yours you read, and they haven’t taught you anything about the world, have they?”
“Don’t speak to her like that,” Nathan warned, but Jebediah barely spared him a glance.
“I assumed that, as a reader, you would understand the complexity of human beings,” Jebediah said. “The way wedesire power and money, our greed and our selfishness. But perhaps you have been reading the wrong books: you’ve stuck to romantic novels, so you still think the world is made up of spirited heroines and brooding heroes. But it’s not, Rosalie. It’s time for you to grow up and realize that there is darkness in humanity. We are not all good, selfless creatures, who would do anything for love. And the sooner you realize that, the sooner you will find yourself not let down by the people closest to you.” His eyes flickered to Nathan. “Because believe me, they will disappoint you.”
Rosalie said nothing for a long time. She sat at the table, her hands folded, staring at her father with a neutral expression.
At last, she spoke. “So, you’re saying you did all that because… you’re greedy and selfish?”
Jebediah shrugged. “I’m saying I did all that because I’m no different from anyone else. We all have these dark desires. I was just more honest with myself about what I wanted and how I could achieve it.”
Rosalie nodded. “Well, thank you for that.” She stood up and turned to Nathan.
“I’m ready to go.”
“Already?” He was a little surprised. He had expected more of a back-and-forth between her and her father. But Rosalie looked exhausted. Her eyes were heavy and dropping; it must havetaken a lot out of her to meet with Jebediah. “Of course,” he murmured. “We can go.”
He knocked on the door, and the guard opened it.
“We’re ready to go,” he said, and the guard nodded.
