Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Victoria felt all kinds of emotions in Martha Ewing’s house: expectation, relief, sorrow, and now, tension. She had never seen or heard Richard so angry before.
Her husband sat next to her with Melody on his lap, but she could feel the tension from his rigid posture. His eyes were focused on the seamstress, intent on finding out the truth. Meanwhile, Martha looked like she had been rendered speechless.
“We need to know, Martha,” Victoria said gently.
“S-she didn’t want to tell me at first,” the seamstress whispered. “She was ashamed and afraid. I think she thought that by saying the name, he’d find her. However, eventually she told me. I think she wanted me to know in the end who to hide Melody from.”
Victoria felt cold all over, something in her gut telling her that it was a more serious matter than she ever thought it was.
“Who was he, then? We have Melody now, and must know who to protect her from.”
“Lord Penwike.”
The name was spoken softly as if there were dark magic in saying his name, and that he would find them afterward. Silence followed. It roared in Victoria’s ears. Yet, she also knew that the impact on Richard must have been worse.
She reached for Melody and secured her in her arms as her husband’s jaw tensed hard.
Her world seemed to tilt. She could still remember Penwike stalking toward them at each ball, as if drawn by some private purpose.
He wanted his presence to be known. He sneered, his full arrogance on display.
He was trying to gather information about Melody, his own flesh and blood. He must have known.
Richard remained quiet for a moment, breathing in and out. His stillness terrified her. What was going on in his head? It couldn’t be good.
“Penwike,” he echoed.
From his lips, the name didn’t resonate with fear. Instead, the syllables sounded like gravel.
“Yes, it was him,” Martha confirmed. “Sophie worked for the marquess. She was very young, just turned twenty. She was poor and without any sort of protection. So, he took advantage of her situation and his position over her. He had asked her to sort some of the books in the library, since she could read well. Then, he cornered her there that same night while the rest were in the kitchen or tending to other duties. He threatened her, saying that if she screamed, he would have her arrested for theft.”
Victoria gasped, one hand covering her mouth in horror.
Melody fussed as if she could read what she was thinking.
The duchess could not help but look down at the child.
She had once thought and wished that the baby was the result of a forbidden love, but the truth was harsh.
She could not believe that a monster like Penwike had made this little life possible.
No, she would not think of him at all when she looked at Melody.
The baby was Sophie’s child. That was it. ”
“Go on,” Richard commanded, as if he knew there was more to the story.
Victoria could no longer stomach whatever else Martha had to say, but she also understood the importance of details. She needed to know what happened to Sophie next. She wanted to get to know Melody’s mother better.
“Sophie quit when she realized she was carrying the marquess’ child,” Martha narrated.
Even as she tried to keep her voice even, a tear rolled down her cheek.
“She already knew that Penwike would not acknowledge the baby or that he would spout accusations against her to save his own face. Leaving voluntarily seemed a much better idea than being sent out in the streets. Fortunately, she found me. I could say we found each other. I made it clear to her from the beginning that I didn’t care that she was with child out of wedlock.
When I found out how the pregnancy came to be, I vowed to care for her even more. ”
Richard’s jaw was clenched so hard that Victoria was afraid it might stay lodged like that. He turned to her with blazing eyes.
“Penwike knows,” he declared, to which she nodded. Her husband’s tone was terrifyingly flat. “It’s why he keeps on making an appearance. He isn’t merely trying to see if he can destroy my reputation. He knows he sired a child, and Lord knows what he will try to do with Melody.”
“The marquess knows Sophie had a child,” Martha said, her eyes alert with fear. “However, he didn’t know that she had a girl child. He wouldn’t have been certain.”
“What do you mean?” Victoria asked, leaning forward. Melody whimpered, and she had to rub the baby’s back to comfort her.
“When Sophie died, Penwike came to visit me. It seems that Sophie was right. The marquess had enough connections and men who could find her even in the narrowest alleys of Soho. I don’t know how he did it, but I don’t doubt that he has his ways.
When he came, he was trying to act oh so polite, but there was something about him—something not quite right—that made it clear he wasn’t a good man.
“Did you tell him about Sophie’s child?” Richard asked.
“I told him that Sophie gave birth to a boy, and that he was too sickly because his mother had been ill during the latter part of the pregnancy. I told him that I had left the baby at an orphanage not long after he was born. I said that I didn’t even name the boy because he looked so frail, and even if he recovered, it would be best if his new family would give him a name. ”
“But why an orphanage? Why that particular lie?” Richard sounded curious.
“Because babies are left at orphanages all the time, Your Grace. And after what Sophie told me of him, I reckoned he wouldn’t go searching for a needle in a haystack, nor would he ask anyone for help.
And from what I gathered during our brief meeting, the very thought of trying to find a sickly little boy with no name, among all the others abandoned there, would have horrified him.
He called me useless, but… I knew it was worth it. ”
“You are right, Martha. It was worth it,” Victoria reassured through her growing nausea.
Richard stood up, then. He moved swiftly, taking over the space of the small one-room house. His presence felt heavier than when they arrived, expanding and towering. He walked toward the small window as if to inspect the alley where they would have to go out.
“They’re still there,” he muttered, referring to his men.
“Of course, they are,” Victoria replied, as she herself rose, more carefully, as she had the baby in her arms.
Melody looked tired, her eyes closing as she whimpered some more. She probably wanted to rest in her bassinet, and the duchess could not blame her.
Richard turned around and reached into the pocket of his coat, and pulled the purse he had been taking gold coins from.
This time, he didn’t reach into it to take a few.
Instead, he placed the purse on top of Martha’s table.
The sound of the coins clinked heavily against each other.
Victoria was aware that the amount would be large enough to support the seamstress for a long time.
“This is for your kindness to Sophie,” Richard declared.
His voice was gentler now, as if he had managed to tame the emotions that were warring inside him.
“It is also for your discretion. It helped protect Melody. We will not forget you for doing this, and you are always welcome at Hawksford whenever you need help or if you simply want to visit. The child you protected is now in our protection.”
“She is now our child,” Victoria added breathlessly, her chest feeling tight.
“Your Grace, you need not give me anything. I did not do it for money,” Martha pleaded.
“I know,” Richard reassured her. “However, you should think of yourself now. Find a better location for your shop and a bigger place to live. Find one that has bolts and possibly neighbors who will not hesitate to come to your aid when the need arises. My men will also be patrolling this area until you decide to move.”
Melody stirred even though she had barely even closed her eyes. She reached her hand out to Martha. The seamstress placed the tip of her forefinger on the baby’s own. The little one giggled.
“Thank you, Martha,” Victoria said fervently. Again, she felt like bursting into tears. It was not like her at all. She was the tough Brighton girl. “You gave Melody the opportunity, and we’ll gladly give her as much as we can.”
They bid goodbye. When Victoria and Richard finally went out into the street, Soho felt colder than when they first came. How long had they been there?
The fog had thickened, and they were greeted with scents they had been trying to ignore earlier. They walked with long strides toward the carriage. They were quiet the whole time. The things they wanted to say could not be said out in the open.
As the carriage started rolling, Richard looked at Victoria from the seat across from hers. He still had not relaxed, and she could completely understand.
“Penwike will pay,” he said. “I will find a way to—”
“No, please,” Victoria interrupted. “I can understand the need to protect and defend, but I don’t want you to focus on vengeance, Richard.
For now, let us think of the blessing that we have received.
She may have been a Penwike by blood, but she is more of a Bramer.
I’d like to think so. Now, she is also fully a Brighton-Weston. ”
Richard looked her in the eye. Then, he smiled, finally relenting. He reached for her hand, letting his thumb trace her whitened knuckles. She realized how tense she’d been. She finally relaxed with him, as Melody sighed happily.
“Melody is ours,” he whispered. It felt like a vow, one that Victoria would be holding on to.