AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My Lord, let me help you,” he said, and he pulled Eloise’s father to his feet.
“Alice… I… oh, can you forgive me?” The Viscount turned to his daughters, both of whom exchanged glances.
“I’ve lived a happy life, Father. Reverend Drake was always kind to me, and the children at Wingate Towers were my family. I met and married a wonderful man, and you have grandchildren, too. None of that would’ve happened had you not sent me away as you did. But did I suffer for it? Yes, I did. And so did my darling sister. You tore us apart, and you would have forced her to marry a man she didn’t want. And for what? Avoiding a scandal? Well, scandals have a nasty habit of finding you back, and this one certainly has. Forgive you, yes, I can. But it’ll take time,” Alice said.
Lord Crawford was helping his sister, and now Penelope was suitably revived by Claudia’s smelling salts to voice her opinion.
“There’ll be no wedding today,” she cried, as Lord Crawford and Claudia helped her to her feet.
“And I think the bride is rather glad of that, don’t you?” Alice’s mother sneered, fixing Penelope with a disdainful look.
There was much whispering amongst the guests, and the clergyman called for order.
“These things aren’t fitting for a church. If there’s to be no wedding, then I suggest you all leave at once,” he said, asserting his authority after the extraordinary revelations that had occurred.
“It seems I’ve had a lucky escape,” Lord Crawford snarled, addressing Eloise, who looked at him with a defiant gaze.
“I’d say the same, Lord Crawford. And let it be known by everyone here. I am not mad, I am free,” she declared loudly, folding her arms and holding her head high, as Lord Crawford, Penelope and Claudia stalked out.
The Viscount hung his head in shame, as Jackson came to put his arm around Eloise, who had tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I’m so glad we put a stop to this awful tragedy.” He kissed her forehead, and Eloise gave a weak smile.
She could not thank him enough for all he had done. He had saved her from a terrible fate. He had found her sister, and for that, Eloise would be forever grateful.
“There’s still so much I don’t understand,” she murmured as she looked around at the others.
“I’m sure it’ll all be explained in due course,” he reassured.
“I never imagined our mother was… not your mother,” Eloise said, staring at her sister.
It had never occurred to her to question such a fundamental truth. But looking at her sister now, the difference was clear. There was no resemblance between them. Eloise was her mother’s daughter, and Alice was the reflection of the woman standing next to her, who was now introduced as Lady Silvana Lucerne, and who had searched for her daughter fruitlessly for many years. This was the happiest of reunions, one which Eloise had longed for and almost given up hope on. It had come at the last hour, the last minute, and for that Eloise was grateful.
“Father told me my mother was a maid, and that there’d be a dreadful scandal if the truth was discovered. That’s why he sent me away. I was sworn to secrecy. I couldn’t write to you, I couldn’t have any contact with you. If I had remained, I’d have only grown to look more like my mother. Tongues would wag, gossip would be rife… I accepted what Father said. I didn’t question it. But I should’ve done.” Alice sighed.
Their father sat down on the pew at the front of the church and buried his head in his hands. The other guests had left the church, the revelation they had witnessed enough to enliven every drawing room and salon in London for weeks to come. The extraordinary revelation was a scandal. Eloise’s father was ruined, and it was no surprise Lord Crawford had broken off the engagement. Everything was just as Eloise had hoped, and she could only feel the greatest relief at having been rescued from disaster.
“And I should’ve done more to find you.” Silvana’s remorse was evident in her voice. She put her arms around her daughter.
“I tried so hard. I wrote to every aristocrat in the country. I searched in the most unlikely of places. I thought you had run away. That’s what father told me. I’d almost given up hope,” Eloise said, but Alice shook her head.
“You both did more than you needed to. I wasn’t going to be found. Father made sure of it. But it doesn’t matter now. None of it matters, does it?” She smiled at Eloise, who felt as though her greatest burden had been lifted.
The clergyman cleared his throat and pointed towards the exit of the church.
“Would you mind having this conversation elsewhere?” he urged, and Jackson smiled.
“I think we’ve had enough of churches and wedding dresses for one day, don’t you?” he said, and the others nodded.
He offered Eloise his arm, and together they walked down the aisle. It felt strange to be walking in such a way. Eloise was still wearing her wedding dress, this was a church, the bells had peeled for a wedding, and yet this was not the wedding she had dreamed of. It was a shadow of what should have been – of what could still be, thanks to Jackson.
“Are you coming, Father?” Alice asked, and their father looked up in surprise as Eloise and Jackson paused, looking back at him.
“I… am I welcome?” he asked.
Eloise nodded. Their father had behaved appallingly, but he was not beyond redemption. Eloise knew all too well the bitter sorrow at Alice’s disappearance, and she was not about to lose her father, despite all he had done. The sight of Silvana had surely been enough to shame him, and now she hoped he would be more amenable to the possibility she hoped was to come – her betrothal to Jackson.
“You’re welcome, Father. But it’s going to take a long time before we can truly be a family again,” Eloise replied.
