20. Chapter Twenty #2
Evie and Marjorie obeyed, taking their breakfast with them. Margaret’s legs wobbled as she walked towards her parents. Her father stood and pulled the chair out for her. Margaret’s fingertips became so cold that they were almost numb.
“Did Mr. McKinley drive you home last night?” her father asked, barely giving her a glance.
Margaret lowered herself into her chair. “Yes sir.”
No one said anything next. Daddy took a sip of his water and set it down again.
“I hope that wasn’t an issue,” Margaret replied. “I didn’t mean any form of disrespect. He was nothing but a gentleman, I promise—”
“It’s fine, Margaret,” Mama said in a soothing voice beside her. “You’re not in trouble.”
Margaret sucked in a breath then exhaled. Weight lifted from her shoulders, but she was still concerned. Her father appeared almost green as he started to speak.
“What time?”
The night had been dark, with hardly any moonlight. It had been quite cloudy, but from the light from Roger’s automobile’s headlights, she’d seen a great deal. They stayed out late, but not late enough it could be considered scandalous behavior.
“About ten.”
Daddy nodded slowly.
“Is there something wrong?” Margaret asked. Her stomach tightened, hard as a rock.
Mama exhaled, taking Margaret’s hand in hers. “There has been an accident.”
Margaret’s breath hitched. “Accident? Is he . . . is he all right?”
Mama took another glance at Daddy, and he stared at her, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.
Margaret’s pulse quickened. “Answer me! What happened to Roger?”
In another situation, Margaret would be horrified if she had addressed her father’s employee by his first name, but she didn’t care.
She demanded answers, unable to bear the silence.
If something happened to Roger . . . what would she do?
This was a cruel joke. Margaret’s family was testing her.
They wanted to see if she truly cared for him.
They wanted to know her loyalty to the family fortune.
“Mr. McKinley has been arrested,” her father blurted.
Margaret was taken aback. How could Roger have been arrested? He had done nothing wrong. After he dropped her off, he headed home. He had a long day of work to rest for. He couldn’t have done something illegal.
“That’s not true!” Margaret snarled. “You are lying to me! You want me to let him go, and I won’t!” Margaret could hardly breathe. She held her breath to the point of pain, but it didn’t matter.
“Margaret, please calm yourself,” Mama said in a sweet and soft voice.
She didn’t want to be calm. Margaret stood from the table, ready to stand her ground. She would not be lied to. She had a future with Roger, and she’d never give him up, even if he was convicted of being a criminal. He completed her, and she could never go on without him.
“I won’t calm down! Not until you tell me the truth!”
“Mr. McKinley was arrested for battery. He pulled over on the side of the road and attacked two men. One was nearing death.”
Margaret covered her face and took small breaths, for that was all she could handle. She wanted to scream and push the table across the room. It wasn’t true. Roger didn’t do that. They had the wrong man. Why would Roger randomly want to hurt someone?
“No, no, no, no!” Margaret’s cheeks burned from the hot, salty tears. Mama’s arm wrapped around her. Margaret tried to push her away at first, but she fell against her in agony. Mama held her tightly, whispering soothing words in her ear. But none of them could calm her.
“Oh, Mama, this can’t be true.”
Margaret heard her father push his chair under. “Due to his untreated condition and his mental history, he will be treated at a facility until his hearing.”
The news made Margaret cry harder. Her eyes stung, and her legs grew limp. Her jaw jittered, and no words could form. She wanted to fight for him, but who could she fight?
Mama laid a kiss upon Margaret’s forehead. “Let’s sit down,” she whispered.
With wobbly knees, Margaret sat in her seat again. Mama retrieved her handkerchief and wiped Margaret’s eyes. “There, there, I am sure there is an explanation.”
“I-It c-can’t be t-true,” Margaret bellowed.
“We don’t have the whole story, but I know it will all work out.”
Margaret shook her head. When her father mentioned Roger’s medical history, she knew he was doomed.
But Roger wasn’t crazy. He was fighting a battle, just like any other veteran.
Knowing he was in an asylum, she had heard horror stories about, broke her heart into small pieces—pieces that could never be repaired.
No judge would have sympathy for him, even though he had fought for their country.
“He’ll never be free,” Margaret declared.
Mama dabbed Margaret’s eyes. “Don’t say that. We must have faith.”
“That’s not true.” Margaret’s eyes flooded again, and her throat had become sore from the amount of crying. “I-I love him, Mama.”
Mama nodded, wiping her cheeks. “I know that. I noticed there was something between you the day he came for dinner.”
Margaret looked up at her mother through her tear-blurred vision. “Did it hurt this bad for you . . . when you lost the man you loved?”
Mama’s eyes watered. “It did, and there’s no pain that’s worse than letting the one you love go when the world keeps you apart, and all you can do is stand by and watch as they are taken from you.”
Margaret’s chest ached as she reminisced over her moments with Roger.
They had been short-lived, but it was enough for a lifetime of love.
She knew, deep inside her, he was her soulmate, but he had been ripped from her.
She tried to block her imagination of him being alone inside a darkroom; however, it kept coming, bringing her more pain.
She wasn’t sure how much she could endure.
“There’s nothing for me to live for now. I’ve been robbed.”
“Don’t say that,” Mama said, gripping Margaret’s hand. “You can find love again.”
“Love is dead to me,” Margaret snapped back furiously, fire raging in her soul. “There’s no such thing as true love.”
“But your father and I—”
“No!” Margaret snapped, gritting her teeth. “You and Daddy were lucky. I am cursed. I shall never have a happy ending.”
Mama leaned in closer. “You’re not cursed, darling.”
“I am, and now Roger is in an asylum where he doesn’t belong. He’ll never escape.”
Unless someone paid money. Margaret blinked twice.
Money. She needed money. Only money could save him from the dreadful situation.
There was only one way she could afford to pay his ransom—marriage.
She grew nauseated at the thought. Marrying someone other than Roger sickened her.
But if she genuinely loved him, she’d marry someone else for power.
It’s not fair! It’s not fair, Lord! Her fists tightened.
She had to do this, even if she’d never see Roger’s sweet brown eyes again.
“Since love is no longer an option for me, I will do what I set out to do. I will live the remainder of my life . . . as Lord Burton’s wife.”
Mama shook her head and stood. She placed her hands on her hips, and her face turned a deep shade of red. “Absolutely not! I won’t have you sacrifice your life like that! Think this through, Margaret! I have raised you better than that!”
Margaret stood. “This is my sacrifice! It’s the only way I can save Roger! I can pay him out.”
“I won’t allow it. Your father won’t either!”
“You are the biggest hypocrite,” Margaret hissed. “I’m doing the same thing you did. You married Daddy to save the man you loved, and everything turned out fine.”
Mama paused, her eyes forming tears. “That was purely God’s grace. I didn’t deserve it at all. I was a selfish girl, Margaret. You must think of Eugene, too. How would he feel, knowing you only married him for benefits?”
Margaret hadn’t thought about Eugene and his feelings, but she needed to think about her family and Roger first. Perhaps she could still be a good wife like Mama, but it wouldn’t guarantee her happiness.
Without Roger, she couldn’t be happy. She’d only have a sliver of happiness, and that would be because she saved him.
“Love is a fantasy like in those novels. I was foolish not to realize.”
And Margaret took off. She ran outside, not bothering to stop. She finally reached the bridge she and Eugene had been on two weeks ago. He was someone she needed to focus on. However, she could never forget Roger, not ever.
“I will save you, my love. One day, I promise.”