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When I entered and reached the bars, I saw that she did not have a bed, only straw to lie on. Gone were her jewels and lace, and gone was the white powder upon her face. For the first time, I saw her stripped of all finery and left in a dingy brown dress, no shoes, only socks in which there were holes. Her gray-gold hair was matted with straw, and I dared not guess what else. When she glanced up at me, she stared as if she did not know who I was.
“Say your piece now,” Evander instructed.
“I have nothing to say.”
“What?”
“I have nothing to say to her,” I replied and turned to head back out. She was the one who was locked up and had to behave, while I was the one who would go on and live happily.
I was finally free of her.
Finally.
33
Theodore
Sometimes no matter how we try, it is impossible to gain all we wish for in life. Nevertheless, as I stood before my grandfather, I still desired to push my luck.
“I shall be getting married tomorrow, Grandfather,” I said to him but he did not look up from his table of medicine. “I wish for you to be there…I wish for our whole family to be there.”
“Is that so, SIR Theodore?” I turned to face my uncle as he glared from the doorframe. “Are you sure those lordly folks will want to share a table with us?”
“I do not wish to fight, Uncle, I merely come to extend the invitation—”
He chuffed. “We do not need your invitation, sir. They are far too grand for us.”
“Uncle…”
“I knew it,” he replied, glaring at me. “You never wished to be us, you’ve always wished to be them. How does it feel? Betraying your family, your mother, and crawling back to that man, begging him to accept you, give you an estate, money…your soul so easily bought.”
The reason I had waited so long to talk to them was because of this. How I knew he and my grandfather would react to me coming to good terms with my father. Nothing could change how they felt about him, and they had good reason to hate him. For me to stand up now, going on about the lands he had given me, of course it seemed like a betrayal. I glanced back at my grandfather, who had not looked away from his boiling pot.
“I have grieved my mother all my life and I will always think of her. But, Grandfather, this woman I love—”
“You must provide for her.” He nodded and finally glanced up to me. “I wish you both peace, Theodore, truly. But we shall not be coming. And it is best for you not to return often to Langley Cross…a man of your position now—”
“Grandfather.”
“Theodore, go without regret, my boy.”
I knew not what to say to him, and when I looked back at the stern expression upon my uncle’s face I knew there was nothing I could say. I had gained much over the weeks: a new connection with my father and brother, respect in society, as I had now been knighted and given a title, but most importantly I had gained Verity. In so doing, however, I had lost my grandfather and uncle. For now. I knew, or at the very least hoped, it would not be forever.
As I walked out of the house, I glanced around Langley Cross. Nothing had changed here. I had changed no one’s circumstances but my own.
“Dr. Darrington!” a tiny voice called out to me as I took the reins of my horse. When I peered over the gate there stood a freckle-faced girl with pigtails along with another boy in a slightly tattered jacket, both of them with oranges in their palms.
“Amanda and John…” I said, remembering their names. They grinned up at me.
“Yes, sir.” The boy nodded to me. “We saw you come and wanted to say hello!”
“Well, hello back, how are you both feeling?” I asked as I brought my horse through the gates. “Have you been eating well?”
“Good! We eat lots of fruits now. Mama says you are the one that keeps sending them to us. Is it true?” the little girl questioned.
“Absolutely not! As a doctor I only prescribe the nastiest-tasting medicines,” I lied, glaring down at them, and they narrowed their eyes at me.
“Are you sure it’s not you?” the girl asked again.
“Very sure. Now run home for supper.”
They sighed and nodded.
“Bye, Dr. Darrington!”
I watched them go off and a small smile crept onto my face. I wasn’t able to help all of London, but at least I could assist them with this newfound wealth of mine. Taking the reins of my horse, I rode back to my father’s London home…where I had waited out the rest of my bachelor days. It was not at all as big as the Du Bells’ as he did not often stay in London. It was made of sand-colored stone and the outside was covered in hundreds of roses. The moment I stepped before the gates, the footmen and my younger brother ran toward me.
