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“I told you to keep him out of my sight, Mama!” I said, throwing the glass across the room.
And poor Jackson left without a word. And the room was suddenly silent, just for a moment. All I was left with was my rage. “How dare you parade him in here like that! I told you I didn’t wish to see him!”
“How dare I? How dare you speak to Jackson that way! Control yourself, Cruella! What has come over you? You’ve hurt Jackson’s feelings. He’s always doted on you since you were a little girl, and I am sure he feels terrible about what happened to your Jack! It’s not Jackson’s fault he survived the fire and Jack did not!” she said. And she was right. But I couldn’t make myself see it in that moment. My hate was too strong. Everything was crumbling around me. I was falling down a deep hole with nothing to cling to.
“Hurt Jackson’s feelings indeed! Since when have you given one jot about our staff’s feelings, Mother?” I snapped, fidgeting with my earring, twisting it and trying to make it stop pinching.
“Cruella, please calm down, and do stop fiddling with your damned earring. Sir Huntley will be here soon if he’s not already in the drawing room, so please lower your voice and compose yourself.”
“That’s rich, Mother. You telling me to compose myself for Sir Huntley.” I laughed so hard I almost choked. “I’m sure you have much to do to prepare for your move. I can talk to Sir Huntley on my own.”
I walked out of the dining room, feeling a bit unsteady on my feet. Everything was changing. My Jack was gone, and soon my childhood home would be gone. Where would I go? Well, at least I had money enough to do whatever I liked. Live wherever I wanted. I could hardly imagine living in one of Jack’s houses without him. What I really wanted was to stay in my old home, but that wasn’t an option. I thought of buying it from the new owners. I would ask my mother who they were and offer them an absurd amount to take it off their hands. No matter the cost, it would be worth it. I wanted to return to my original life plan. I wanted to live alone in my father’s house. And maybe I would keep on Jackson and Miss Pricket. They were, after all, the only people I had left. I could learn to forgive them, in time. And maybe, just maybe, I would see if Anita would be up for an adventure. Surely a life with me would be far better than settling for a life with that foolish musician.
Then I remembered. Sir Huntley was waiting for me.
After Sir Huntley left, Mama came into the room to check on me. I was sitting on the leather love seat. I was numb. I had nothing. Nothing but the deed to a house I didn’t even want. But I will get to that.
“My dear. Are you quite all right? Sir Huntley looked dreadful as he left. Did he have bad news?”
I couldn’t bring myself to tell her I had been reduced to almost nothing. I couldn’t disappoint her like that.
“No, Mama. I’m just sad,” I said. “And I’m sorry for how I acted. How I spoke to you earlier. I don’t know what
came over me. I haven’t been myself.” I twisted the jade ring Jack had given me. She sat down next to me on the love seat, wrapping her arms around me.
“Well, it’s no wonder, my darling. I felt the same way after your father died. That’s why I left, my dear Cruella. I was so angry. I felt so abandoned and so alone.”
She wouldn’t have been alone if she had stayed home with me, I thought, but I didn’t say so. I had lost everyone I loved. I didn’t want to lose my mother as well, even if I was confused and angered by her choices.
“I was afraid of taking my anger out on you after your father died, my Cruella,” she said. “But I thought of you every day I was gone.”
I smiled at her. “And you sent me gifts. I knew you were thinking of me. I knew you loved me, Mama.” My heart softened to her. I felt like I understood her better now that I was suffering the same way she had.
“But we are both in the same boat now, aren’t we, dear? Both abandoned. Both untethered. Both able to distinguish ourselves anyway we see it. Cruella, use that great fortune of yours and make the best possible life for yourself. You never intended to marry anyway. Travel the world. Build yourself a beautiful life.”
I broke down crying. I had no means to do any of it. And I hated telling Mama.
“I have nothing, Mama. Nothing at all except what you see here. Everything is gone,” I said, crying into my mother’s arms.
“Oh, my dear, I know you loved Jack very much, and it might feel that way, especially at first, but it isn’t so. You still have his fortune. Just as I have your father’s.” She released me from her embrace and took both of my hands. “I promise you, Cruella, everything will be okay.”
“But it won’t, Mama. Jack left me nothing—there was nothing to leave me. His businesses were underwater, and what was left was seized by his unscrupulous business partners. He was struggling the whole time we were married, and I knew none of it. I have nothing left.”
“This is shocking! How could Jack let something like that happen?” she asked.
“Sir Huntley thinks he may have been struggling for a long time, losing money steadily to his partners. Of course he didn’t tell me a thing about it. You know Jack, always putting on a happy facade. Always wanting to make me happy.”
Mama was in shock. “But what of his family money? Surely they couldn’t seize that?” she said.
“I … I signed something,” I stammered. “Before the wedding. A prenuptial agreement. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. I thought Jack and I would be together forever. But now he’s gone and his family’s money is protected from even me.”
“This is scandalous, Cruella! Where will you go? What will you do to support yourself? I don’t understand how this could have happened?” She was hysterical and it wasn’t helping.
“I think it’s my fault, Mama. Maybe if I hadn’t hidden away after Jack died I could have fought it all, but Sir Huntley said there was nothing I could have done.”
“Well, Cruella, then he is right. If he says there was nothing you could have done then there is no sense in thinking otherwise. I would just like to know how you’re expected to live? I can’t believe Jack would leave you penniless!” She stood abruptly from the love seat and walked over to the fireplace.
“Well, it seems Papa left me De Vil Hall in the event something like this should happen. Something like insurance in the event of disaster.”
