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“And what evidence do you have that she paid this blacksmith to do her bidding?” Crispin asked, unwilling to back down.
“My wife has a note from him admitting that he accepted a bribe from Mary for her own sake,” he said.
“How do you know the blacksmith wrote the letter?” Crispin asked.
“Because no one else would have done it. You think that my wife and her daughter are cunning enough to think through this plan, but they are mere women and know nothing of strategy,” he said.
Beatrice stiffened beside Crispin and he narrowed his eyes at Lord Comstead. He could scarcely believe that this man had said such a thing. It was too much, too awful. There was no reason for all of this.
“Your opinion of women is quite a shame, Lord Comstead. I must say that I understand your having chosen such a dreadful woman to be your bride, given that you see so little promise in women of class and character such as your daughter. What a shameful way to live,” Crispin said, standing. Beatrice followed his lead and stood as well.
Lord Comstead gaped at them in shock. “I beg your pardon? How dare you! In my own home? You insult me like this?”
“Fear not, Lord Comstead. We are leaving your home. And before long, we shall ensure that your daughter is free to leave as well,” Crispin said.
“My daughter is not fit to be seen in society at present. We are handling this matter and it is none of your concern!” he shouted after them.
But Crispin calmly bowed and Beatrice curtseyed and they turned away from him, leaving the room as he called out in anger after them.
“You will never come to my home again! Stay away from here! Stay away from my daughter!”
Once they were outside, Crispin finally breathed again. Beatrice set a hand upon his shoulder, calming him slightly.
“You did the right thing, confronting him about his utterly shocking opinions,” Beatrice said.
“Perhaps, but that is no excuse for having gotten so upset. I should not have insulted him. I worry that this will only come back to harm Mary. I wish I had shown more restraint,” he said.
“You had no other choice, Crispin. You were there to defend the woman you love. It was good of you to stand firm on her behalf. But there is still going to be a great challenge ahead as you continue to fight for her.
I know how important it is to you that you rescue her, that you help her find freedom. But you must be able to make it plain to this man that his wife and stepdaughter are the ones at fault. I cannot say how, but there must be a way to make him see it.
“He is blind to their nature and that is such a shame, but maybe if he can awaken to the power of his wife’s manipulation, he will start to understand just how foolish he has been all along. He will know that Lady Mary is a better woman than he has ever believed.
He will know that there is still goodness in his daughter,” Beatrice said as they climbed into the coach and waited to depart.
“He will never let me see Mary until he is convinced that she is willing to admit to something she did not do. How could he be so cruel to his own child? I do not understand it,” Crispin said.
“That is because you are a better man than him. You heard him, brother. He wishes only to put the household matters on his wife. He trusts her not because she is worthy of his trust, but because he simply does not care about them—he does not think it worthy of his attention.
You are not like him; you would always be attuned to the matters of those in your household. That is one of the many reasons I love you so dearly,” Beatrice said.
Crispin hoped she was right. He would never want to be a man like the one he had just confronted. He wanted to ensure that his family was always looked after and morally secure.
Soon enough, his sister would find a husband. Perhaps she would marry Lord Drummond or the Earl of Buckhan or his cousin, the Viscount of Darbyshire. And once she did, Crispin would be on his own—unless he made a proposal. He was in love with Mary and wanted to spend his life with her, but he didn’t know how that was going to happen now.
But whenever it did, Crispin was certain that she would have his absolute trust and it wouldn’t be the result of his own laziness and unwillingness to hold her accountable; it would be the result of her own character having proven time and time again that she was morally upright and superior to all others. She was as gracious and gentle as a woman could be. She was pure and exquisite, lovely and kind.
And he could have faith, at all times, that she was going to give their children the best mother they could possibly have.
Crispin leaned his head on the back of his seat and Beatrice reached out to give his hand a squeeze. “It is not over yet, Crispin. Soon enough, you will see that. You will see that the woman you love is absolutely yours and a day is coming soon when you will be together.”
At this, he hoped she was right. Still, there was risk. After all, if Lady Mary was unable to break free of her family’s clutches, she would never have the life she wanted.
And Crispin would never have the woman he loved.
