Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Isobel told me that you kept father from interfering with my seasons.”
Cecil paused for a moment, the fruit on his fork falling back into his plate as he cleared his throat and sat back.
“You went to see her?”
Nora shrugged, pushing her food around on her plate.
She could barely muster up enough energy to eat still, but she did not want to worry Cecil any more than she already had.
When he proposed they have a simple brunch together so he could tell her all about his travels, she begrudgingly agreed, only because it would serve as a good distraction for a while.
She had truly missed her brother, and his presence made her feel as though everything would be all right in the end.
However, there was a twinge of guilt that was growing with every passing moment, because she wondered if she should have told him everything. Not necessarily the details of what had transpired between the duke and her, but more of what she had heard.
But could he stop Godric? Would Cecil be able to interfere in the plans of the duke? Would it be wise to send her brother forth to get in Godric’s way if he had already admitted that the relationship they had was merely a means to an end? What did that make them now?
“I had some time on my hands, and I thought it would be better served getting to spend some time with my dear family. We had an enlightening conversation when I mentioned that it was rather surprising how father had managed to remain absolved of all matters regarding my season. And then our dear sister told me that you all had to speak with him in order to ensure that things would be as I knew them.” Nora said, picking up her cup of tea.
After a sip, she grimaced at the lukewarm temperature and refilled her cup from the tea pot.
“Father claimed that unlike things with Valerie and Isobel, it was important that you received some assistance with finding a match. We stated that the matter was none of his concern and that you should be allowed to make whatever decisions regarding the whole affair – your seasons, how you wish to interact with your suitors and who it is you decided to choose – on your own. But he was adamant that he could offer you a finer choice than you could choose for yourself. To our surprise, he had already contacted a few prestigious friends who were either looking for a bride or had sons in need of wives in hopes of crafting another beneficial alliance as he had with Valerie. That was when we drew the line. Valerie and Isobel pledged to cut off all the support they sent to him if he interfered beyond necessary. I said that I would have you live at the Hadleigh manor with me, and as such there would be no reason for them to support the upkeep of this blasted place regardless. Father wisely knew that he had nothing to counter us with, so he relented.” Cecil explained casually, before popping a grape into his mouth.
“I wish you had told me,” Nora said quietly.
“Why? What point would that have served, other than to devastate you further? Have you realized… you are the only one who loves him still? Valerie and I have long since lost all respect for that old gambler. Any hope Isobel had in him was dashed by his own efforts when he had her risk her life in Valerie’s stead and never showed any concern for her well-being.
For better or worse, you are all he has, but he does not acknowledge that fact, as though he cannot see it.
We did not want to disappoint you during what was meant to be the most exciting – and albeit stressful – time of your life.
You had more pressing matters to deal with – especially after that disgrace Tobias Crane had tried to pull a fast one on you. We simply wanted you to be happy.”
Her brother’s words were comforting, but at the same time, they pointed out that she had single handedly ruined things by herself. If only she had focused on finding a match like she had intended to, then perhaps she would not have gotten so deeply entangled with the duke.
But she had been intrigued by him, curious to know more about him than he was willing to let on, desperate for more of him once she had gotten a taste. She allowed herself to be consumed wholly, gave up her reality and dreams because she felt there was nothing more, no one more than him.
And slowly, she felt herself fall deeper and deeper under his spell, until she inevitably fell for him. It was ironic, how her family had fought for her to be able to make her own choice on who she wished to spend the rest of her life with, and she went off to choose an impossible love to obtain.
“Thank you,” she said sincerely. “I… I wish I had been able to make you proud by finding a proper match. I-I tried. I really did, Cecil. But I just couldn’t. Nonetheless, I am immensely grateful to you, for your trust in me and your help.”
Cecil waved a hand in the air nonchalantly.
“Do not be ridiculous. You are my little sister. If I do not fight for you, if I do not covert the best the world has to offer for your sake, then my life would be useless. You deserve the best this world has to offer and this little hiccup you have faced this season has only proven that such perfection does not exist on this side of the world. You deserve someone who will worship the ground you walk on, someone who will undoubtedly choose you and your well-being each time. And it is my honor to care for you until then.”
Nora nodded, fighting back tears. She was truly blessed to have such wonderful family. And it made her wonder if she had been greedy in her search for more out of life.
Learning that her father had attempted to meddle with her season to this degree had her questioning how much she really knew about him.
“Cecil,” she asked suddenly, unsure if she was making the right decision. “Do you… what do you think of our father? Really?”
Cecil paused his attempt to butter a scone and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“I feel as though you better than anyone knows what I think about him.”
She nodded quickly, trying to appear as unassuming as possible.
“Right – I do. But… do you think he is a bad person?”
“I do not think he is a good person. There are many instances in our lives that have proven otherwise consistently. But there are many definitions of that word, ‘bad’. Some might not think that he qualifies for certain areas of context. I do not think he is criminally evil. But knowing that for most of our lives, we had to raise ourselves because our father preferred to gamble and engorge himself on spirits rather than make up for the fact that we had no mother… that is enough grounds to see him as a bad person. A bad father and a terrible guardian.”
But was that enough grounds to assume he eventually had a hand in murder? Could she assume that Godric had enough reasons to hold such a belief?
“Dear sister, I am worried about you,” Cecil said suddenly, his eyes reflecting the sadness in his voice. “You do not seem like your usual self. Did something happen while I was away?”
Nora thought of how she had hurriedly left Godric’s carriage that night, how he had not tried to call after her or follow her. And how, many days later, he had not sent her a single letter or tried to call her.
And she shook her head. “Nothing at all. The season has just left me feeling rather worn out by the disappointment.”
Cecil seemed as though he did not believe her, but mercifully, he did not argue.
Nora turned to her plate and continued to push around, the ache in her chest still present.
Godric could tell that he had left the more respectable parts of London by a single glance at the streets.
Gone were the fine houses that spoke of sophistication and wealth, and in its stead were narrow lodges and dark alleys. The people moving about wore solemn expressions, with some bearing cunning glints in their eyes.
This was not a place for anyone one of good standing to be found. On these streets, crimes prevailed and hope was a dream not many could afford. If it had been avoidable, Godric would have preferred not to have even ventured this far.
But this step was necessary for his goal – especially for her sake.
He had to know. He had to be absolutely certain before he struck.
The carriage continued to make its way down the streets and Godric kept his eyes focused on searching for the building he was meant to go. It had been a necessary purchase that had not cost much given the location – but that same reason had been why only he and Luther knew about it.
His mind wandered to Nora, and he could not help but worry about her. It had been days since they had seen, and much like before when she had been avoiding him, this time his instincts told him that the odds of reconciliation were slim.
She should not even want anything more to do with me, he told himself. She is too good, too kind. She deserves better than I have to offer.
During one of their afternoons at a party together, she had told him how she envied her older sisters. She had hoped that she too would someday be able to build a life with someone who loved her like her brothers-in-law cherished her sisters.
“It is important that whoever is fortunate enough to become my husband is a man of upstanding character. He must be kind and honest. And he must love the family we make, enough to support them with everything he has… in the event of my demise.” She had said suddenly.
“Your demise?” Godric had frowned. “What do you mean? Why are you already thinking about –”
“My mother died when I was a young girl and my father was not an ideal parent afterwards. I am not even sure he was one before her passing, give that he had given Isobel up for adoption when she was just a baby. I love my family. I love my sisters and their husbands and their children. And I love Cecil. It is my dream that the man I love and marry will love my family, and I will love his and together, we will love the family we create. I do not want to have any regrets, even in death.” Nora had sighed then.
His respect for her had grown then, and possibly his admiration. He could not resist her, could not resist the urge to adore her; despite knowing he had no right to.
With a grunt, he tried to put the thoughts of her aside for the moment so he could focus on the matter at hand. Godric knew this was just as important, because the response he received today would determine whether or not she would ever forgive him.
He had sat up in time to spot the building he had been searching for, an old, worn-out warehouse at the end of the street.
“It is that last building on the right,” Godric called out to the coachman.
Once the carriage had stopped, Godric pulled his cloak closer to him and entered the building swiftly. Almost immediately, he spotted a figure by the window and for a moment, he is back in the drawing room closet, watching as a masked figure fought with his father.
The man turned to face him and this time there was no mask obstructing his face. Godric could not help but take note of the man’s features as anger welled up in him.
He looked old, quite old, as though life had not been kind to him. His grey mustache looked wispy, and his lips were cracked and he was missing an eye.
This was the man who had killed his parents. The figure who had haunted his nightmares for years and years.
Godric felt consumed by rage, the urge to strike the man before him until he was bloody and broken swirling around within him. He wanted to cause him so much pain, even though he knew it would not amount to even a fraction of what he had suffered as a child.
But that was not why he was here in any case. Godric needed information and unfortunately, only this man knew the answers.
“Anthony Brown, you were a hard man to find. You have taken far too much from me already. If you are smart, you would know better than to claim any more of my time. I will as you one simple question and you will answer. Do you understand?”
The man nodded and Godric tossed a bundle of money to the ground, watching with disgust as Anthony scampered on his hands and knees to retrieve it.
“Who hired you to kill my parents?”
The man looked up from his newly attained wealth and said, “Gregory Millington.”
“You are lying,” Godric said in disbelief. “I believe I warned you not to waste my time.”
“I speak the truth, Your Grace,” Anthony swore, holding the money close to his chest. “It was the baron of Gramfield. He envied the wealth of your parents, wished to somehow covert the family fortune by killing your parents and adopting you.”
“That cannot be the truth. Because Gregory Millington never made any attempts to even speak with me after the passing of my parents. He was too occupied with keeping his own family afloat.”
Godric took measured steps to the man, his voice becoming dangerous as he added,
“Do you think me a fool because I offered you money for your information? I simply did not wish to get any blood on my hands. It was either this, or I cut of your limbs with a rusty blade and have you pay for your actions in blood. That does sound much fairer, doesn’t it?”
Anthony had the sense to look nervous, and Godric decided an act of grace would be enough to get him what he wanted, tossing more money to the ground.
Then he dropped down into a squat, holding the man’s gaze as he demanded one last time,
“Who was it?”