Miss Sutherland turned her attention towards Emilia and spat out, “You may think you have won, but you will be returning to the sewer from whence you crawled out of soon enough.”
Emilia was taken aback by the harshness of Miss Sutherland’s words, not knowing how to respond to such an insulting remark.
“That was uncalled for,” Mr. Rymer chided. “I should note that you are now residing in Miss Hembry’s residence and she has every right to have you removed.”
“Removed?” Miss Sutherland exclaimed, her voice becoming shrill. “This is my home!”
“Itwasyour home, but I have seen to your trunks being packed,” Mr. Rymer said. “Sir Charles did graciously purchase you a townhouse in Cheapside that you may reside in.”
Miss Sutherland’s face went slack. “You wish us to move from Mayfair to Cheapside?” she asked in disbelief. “No, theremust be some kind of mistake. Father wouldn’t treat us this way. He loved us!”
“Allow me to continue to read what your father wrote,” Mr. Rymer said, bringing the papers back up. “To Clarissa and Calvin, who never would follow my advice, and constantly treated me rudely in very many instances, I tire of your ungratefulness. It is time for you to carve your own paths and learn to make do with what you have. If you?—”
Mr. Sutherland went and grabbed the papers out of Mr. Rymer’s hand. “Let me read it,” he commanded.
As everything was going on around her, Emilia just sat in stunned silence. She was trying to make sense of what had been told to her. Was this truly happening? Did she just become an heiress? It just seemed too good to be true.
“As you can see, everything is in order,” Mr. Rymer said.
“This can’t be happening,” Mr. Sutherland muttered under his breath. “This is just a joke, isn’t it? Father is just having some fun at our expense.”
Mr. Rymer shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”
“What will people think of us?” Miss Sutherland asked, dropping down onto the settee. “We are ruined.”
“I will give you some time to come to terms with what just happened while I speak to Miss Sutherland privately,” Mr. Rymer said, turning his attention towards Emilia. “Shall we?”
“That is my title of address,” Miss Clarissa snapped.
“Not any longer,” Mr. Rymer corrected. “Miss Sutherland is the oldest daughter, and the only legitimate one. It is her right to be addressed as such. You will now be known as Miss Clarissa Livingston, after your mother.”
Emilia slowly rose from her seat and tried to act as calm as possible, despite her heart pounding in her chest. Not only did she just discover she was the daughter of Sir Charles, but she was to take a new name, as well. She followed Mr. Rymer from theparlor, and he led her towards a room that was situated in the rear of the townhouse.
After he had closed the door, Mr. Rymer put his hands up and said, “I suppose you have some questions for me.”
Yes.
Where did she even begin?
Mr. Rymer must have understood her hesitancy and smiled. “Perhaps I shall start. You have inherited this townhouse, a country estate in Sussex and a hunting lodge in Scotland. Furthermore, Sir Charles died with a fortune totaling nearly two hundred thousand pounds.”
Emilia’s mouth dropped. “Two hundred thousand pounds?” she repeated back.
“Yes, and it is all yours,” Mr. Rymer replied.
“I don’t understand,” Emilia said. “I was told that my father was a soldier and that he died in the war when I was young. Why would my mother lie to me?”
Mr. Rymer’s eyes held compassion. “Sir Charles eloped with your mother to Gretna Green but his parents disapproved. They kept their marriage a secret, hoping time would soften his parents’ stance. Unfortunately, it did not, and they threatened to cut your father off if he didn’t marry his betrothed, Lady Diana.”
“Why didn’t my father get an annulment then?”
“Because he loved your mother, more than anything; at least that is what he told me,” Mr. Rymer said. “Your mother understood the terrible position your father was in and decided it would be best if she removed herself from his presence, not knowing that she was increasing. By the time she learned of you, Sir Charles was already married to Lady Diana.”
Mr. Rymer continued. “If she came forward, then Sir Charles would have been disgraced and lose everything that he had worked so hard for.”
“When did Sir Charles learn about me?”
“It wasn’t until you were older,” Mr. Rymer shared. “Your mother sent a letter and asked for funds to send you to a boarding school. She hoped to educate you to give you a better future than what she had provided for you.”
