“I’ll escort you out.
In the doorway, Rosalie paused and turned back to her father. His eyes were narrowed, as if he didn’t quite believe she would leave so quickly.
“Goodbye, Father,” she said, and although she sounded tired, she also sounded determined. “This is the last time we will meet.”
She then turned and followed Nathan out the door.
He glanced at her as they walked back through the prison toward the exit, but her face was placid.
“How do you feel?” he asked quietly, so the guard wouldn’t hear.
“I’m all right, actually.” She looked at him. “That story you told about your mother, about how she didn’t eat because of her father’s bullying, I understood that. I was the same way. My father bullied me by starving me. I was more of a free spirit than my sisters, so I was always getting into trouble. He tried tothreaten me with marriage like he did my sisters, but it didn’t scare me, so he denied me food instead. That’s why it’s hard for me to eat, even now.”
Nathan felt the rage rush through him as strong and fast as a storm. He had to try and quell some of it before responding so that he didn’t scare her.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
She smiled slightly. “I want you to know me.”
He nodded; they were the same words he’d said to her. Of course, he had not been entirely truthful, but it still meant the world to him.
“Hang on—I forgot my cane.” He sighed and shook his head. “Wait here. I’ll go back.”
“But—”
“I’ll be right back.”
Then he was hurrying away down the corridor, back the way they’d come. His heart was thundering in his chest. He knew that he shouldn’t be doing this, but there was something he needed to settle with Jebediah Crampton.
He arrived back outside the room where they’d seen Jebediah to find another guard standing outside.
“Is Crampton in there?” Nathan asked, gesturing at the room.
The guard looked surprised. “Yes… I was just waiting for the other guard to bring him back to his cell.”
“I’d like a moment with him,” Nathan said. “Alone.”
His voice came out as a snarl, and he was sure the guard understood him. His eyes went wide, and he began to stammer.
“B-but, I c-can’t, Your Grace, it isn’t allowed?—”
“I have been working with Scotland Yard for years,” Nathan said, using his full height to tower over the man. “You know me; you’ve seen me here before. I require this one favor after all the work I’ve done to help you bring in criminals.”
The guard began to sweat. “But I can’t?—”
“Here.” Nathan reached into his pocket and pulled out his coin purse. He tossed coins at the guard. “For your silence.”
The guard stared in wonder at the coins then he nodded. “Yes, Your Grace, whatever you want.”
He quickly unlocked the door, and Nathan slipped inside.
Jebediah Crampton looked up. He was still chained to the chair, and his eyes narrowed again when he saw Nathan.
“Back already?” Jebediah sneered. “What? Did Rosalie have another question about why people feel anger?”
“No, and I hope she remains in ignorance about that for the rest of her life. If I have my way, she will never feel anger, sadness, doubt, or fear ever again.”
Jebediah snorted. “Good luck with that. But a man like you, Your Grace… invites trouble. You’re naive if you think it won’t affect your wife.”
