“No, it’s not!” The count thumped a fist against the armrest. “I’m far from all right, and you’re upsetting me.”
“Oh, shut up,” Keith said. “Not everything is about you.”
That shocked the count into a frozen silence.
A woman who looked exactly like Violante stepped into the room with uncertain steps. Aside from a few grey strands of hair and wrinkles around her blue eyes, she was identical.
“Violante,” she said in a broken voice, shivering from head to toe.
A swell of emotion tightened in Keith’s throat.
“Mother.”
For a moment, no one moved or spoke. Violante and her mother stared at each other.
Keith touched Violante’s hand encouragingly. The moment wasn’t the quiet reunion he’d dreamt of for her, but her mother was there, alive and well. She hugged her mother fiercely. They both cried, and even Keith couldn’t remain composed. They talked and cried together, laughing and sobbing.
The count sighed, rubbing his forehead. “What is this?”
“One of the best moments of my life,” Keith said, happy and proud to have given such a gift to the woman he loved.
Still in theblasted count’s manor, Violante was sitting on the bed next to her mother. She couldn’t believe her mother was really in front of her. Even though she hadn’t seen her in years, she would recognise her immediately. Staring at her was like seeing her reflection in the mirror. Violante had taken her violet eyes after her father, but her features were all from her mother's.
“I didn’t mean to leave you.” Violante’s mother wiped her tears, holding her daughter. “It was your father. I hated what hewas doing with the Fenians and begged him to stop. Then one night…”
Violante squeezed her hand. “Take your time.”
“One night, the Fenians took me away from Sharpe Manor. They forced me to write a goodbye message. Then I was tied, blindfolded, and drugged. When I woke up, I was on a farm on a remote island. I didn’t know where.”
At that point, nothing about Papa should hurt Violante, but the fact he’d ordered the Fenians to kidnap Mama caused her chest to tighten with pain and anger. She guessed the positive note was that Papa hadn’t killed Mama.
“It took me years to escape,” Mama said. “I arrived in New York City where I met Paul one year ago.” She showed her the heart-shaped pendant. “He told me what had happened to your father, and after that, I return to England and did my best to search for you. I was so happy when Mr. and Mrs. Beresford found me.”
“I’m so sorry, Mama. After you vanished, I thought you left with a lover. Papa…” Talking about Papa wasn’t easy, not even when she talked with her mother. Violante couldn’t go on. “He hurt me so deeply.”
Mama patted her shoulder. “I’m to blame too.”
“No, you understood who he was.”
“No, darling.” Mama stiffened. “For a while, I shared his ideas. The way he was treated by everyone after he returned from the war made me angry. The government didn’t help him. We had to build our life back only with our work and sacrifices. I shared his resentment. When he joined the Fenians, I thought he was doing the right thing.”
Violante listened in silence, but she couldn’t help feeling a hint of disappointment at her mother’s confession.
“At first, the Fenians didn’t plan on doing anything violent. Their meetings were about organising protests, strikes,and signing petitions. But the constant rejections from the government and beatings from the police changed the mood of the group quickly. When your father started to put his military training into practice, I was concerned. Then the Fenians started to talk about bombs and revenge. Your father and I had furious fights. I tried to persuade him to leave the Fenians, but he was too convinced he was on the right path. I threatened to take you, leave him, and go to the police. You know what happened next. On the island, I was constantly watched and guarded. Not that I could go anywhere. They didn’t mistreat me, but I was eager to know what was happening to you. They didn’t let me read the newspapers either. I was in complete darkness until I escaped.”
Violante hugged her. “You were so brave.”
“We’re together at last, and I’m glad you found a decent gentleman who’s very much in love with you.”
Violante laughed, showing her the violet ring. “We’re engaged.”
“About that.” Mama unlatched her heart-shape pendant; its aquamarine stone shone brightly like a good omen. “This belonged to yournonna, Grandmother Maria. She would be happy to know you wear it.”
Violante put it around her neck. The two stones, the violet gem on her ring and the aquamarine on the pendant, went well together despite being completely different, as her love for her papa and her shame for his actions were. Perhaps she shouldn’t try to reconcile the two parts and just accept them for what they were.
