Page 108 of Once Bitten, Twice Mine

“Oh, Caroline,” her father said. “That isn’t your job. It’s never been your job. I didn’t realize this weighed so heavily on you. Obviously, Edgar’s money was going to be a tremendous help, but we thought you were interested in him at the very least.”

“How else were we going to get money? Our costs are more than we have been bringing in and you’ve never been concerned. Only the other day the Robinsons told me they’re moving to London after the summer because they can earn more working in textile factories.”

“I know,” he said, scrubbing a hand over his face. Suddenly he looked tired, as tired as Caroline felt when thinking about their finances. “I thought you understood what I meant every time I told you not to worry about it, and I do apologize for not being clearer. I’ve been working out a deal with my brother, where he could buy the land so I can have an income and we can stay in our home.”

“This has been an option?” She screeched. “This whole time we simply could have asked your brother for money, and he would have given it? You made such a big deal about being disinherited all of my life.”

“Oh, my father wouldn’t have ever given us a dime, even if we were on the street, but he’s been dead for years, and since my mother died last year, there’s no one to complain if he supports me. Why do you think he’s been around so much lately?”

Caroline was flabbergasted. She never thought the solution could be so simple. Sure, her uncle had been around more frequently, but she thought he was just being a pain. Or worse, was trying to swoop in on her family’s misfortune.

“But I always thought he hated Mam and how you got married.”

“He did for a while,” her mother sighed. “But we’re all older and have experienced more and lost more and what was important to us twenty years ago doesn’t matter now.”

She reached for her mother’s hands and squeezed. “You know, I’ve hated him for years on your behalf.”

She laughed, squeezing Caroline’s hands back. “I do appreciate you having my honor, but I got over it a long time ago. He’s made amends so you can forgive him.”

“Though you don’t have to,” her father grumbled. “He’s still an overbearing tyrant.”

“George.”

Her father put his hands up, and the three of them fell into silence. Caroline’s head felt like it was spinning with all of the new information she had received in such a short time. The estate had been over her neck like a guillotine for so long; she couldn’t believe it could have been so easily solved.

“Then, what are you going to do with Edgar’s money once the estate is settled?”

Her father stood up and walked to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “That’s for you, sweetheart. It was always going to be for you. You and Valeria will be two women on your own and will need everything you can get. You don’t have to worry about your mother and me. We’re resourceful.”

Caroline hugged her father. It was nice to finally be free of her burden. It had been a long time coming, but at least now she could move forward.

“It would have been nice to hear this earlier, you know. I’ve been doing your bookkeeping for years, and it’s been stressful.”

Her father winced as he pulled from the hug. “I thought you genuinely liked doing the numbers and balancing the books. Nigel always has, and I know you don’t like him, but you do take after him in some ways. I thought it was some perverse oldest child quirk.”

Her mother smacked him in the shoulder, and Caroline shook her head at them, but couldn’t help her amusement. Her father was certainly vexing, but somehow still managed to get by on his rakish charm, even after all these years.

There was a faint sound of a bell, and they all froze. It was the code they created with Mrs. Thomas for when Murnau’s carriage was seen coming up the drive. He was there.

Caroline closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath as she cleared all humor from her mind. Instead, she thought of the worst things she could. Her parents dying. Puppies being drowned in a river. Valeria leaving her again.

All distressing things, but nothing that could inspire tears on such short notice.

“Oh my sweet girl,” her mother cried, wrapping her arms tightly around her before pinching the back of her arm. Hard.

Caroline cried out as her father threw open the bathroom door and her mother staggered out with her in her arms. She wasn’t fully crying, but there were real tears in her eyes. Combined with the rouge they had carefully rubbed around her eyes, it should look like she had been crying for some time.

Dr. Murnau stood in the bedroom with his hat in one hand and his sturdy, black medical bag in the other. Dr. Gardner and Mrs. Montgomery were behind him, and they all looked very serious.

“We’re so sorry to hear about your loss, Mrs. Andrews. I can’t believe I only saw you get married yesterday. You both were so happy,” Dr. Murnau said.

“Yes,” she said, shifting some. It was strange to hear a name that was never really hers, but if they thought of her as Mrs. Andrews, it would make it easier. “I think I’m still in shock; it doesn’t feel real that he’s gone.”

They stood in the bedroom that was meant to be Edgar’s. They had placed him in there before dawn so it would seem like he died peacefully in his sleep. Valeria had fallen into her stupor once dawn broke and her parents returned to their room to pretend to be asleep. She waited until Lucy came with her breakfast tray before walking across the hall to invite him to join her when she screamed upon finding his body. Mrs. Thomas made sure several of the servants went up to check on her, so a good portion of the household watched her fall to her knees as she screamed and cried on the floor.

Her grief was over the top, but it was a little real. He was such a sweet man before The Count had corrupted him. Valeria had explained more about his state under being compelled. His brain was fractured, and there was no way to fix it after he had been under The Count’s influence for so long. Death was a kindness, as no one could ever take over his mind again.

Seeing Edgar on the bed, her throat spasmed. Once as a child, she had heard a dead body described as a sleeping person, but she was struck by how wrong that was. His stillness was something other than sleep, and he didn’t even look like himself, not really. Whatever made him Edgar was gone, and this husk was all that was left behind.