Chapter Twenty-Three #3
“Everything with anything written on it,” said William in resignation.
“Every letter, every note, every single piece of correspondence. Our entire archive of back issues. Basically, anything and everything that they thought might be incriminating. But we are all resolute—Equitas will continue.” Now it was William who stared at Leo, defiant.
“It will rise like a phoenix from these ashes and come back stronger. Just as soon as we can secure new premises and beg, borrow, or steal a new printing press. The truth needs to be told and all of us here and in the wider reform movement are committed to telling it.”
Portia had to ask. “Including Edgar?”
“That backstabbing Judas hasn’t yet shown his face,” said Jim with a snarl. “Just as well, because I am determined to rearrange it for him.”
“You will have to stand in line after me.” That came from William.
“If the blabbermouth coward has any sense, he will realize that he is no longer welcome here after the way he hung you out to dry. There was no excuse to implicate you when you weren’t even here when they raided!
His malicious treachery is unforgivable. ”
It was, but after a great deal of soul-searching, she understood Edgar’s motives even if she did not condone them.
“We all know that Equitas was raided because of me.” She wasn’t afraid to say what they were all too kind to.
She had brought this dreadful calamity straight to their door.
Because she had played with fire with the handsome duke who had tempted her so much that she hadn’t been able to muster the willpower to resist. “I cannot tell you how sorry I am about that. I should have known that the constable would have me followed after my first arrest. But instead, I came straight here the very next day and this is the result.” Tears of guilt and shame pricked her eyes.
“I played with fire, just as Edgar warned, and you all got burned.”
“My dear girl,” said William wrapping a comforting arm around her. “My name features in our seditious rag every single week and always has, so who says he didn’t follow me here? Or Percy or Jim or Edgar himself?”
“Because it is too much of a coincidence.” She swiped her self-pitying tears away with impatience.
“I should have gone back to London after my first arrest just as he wanted and, selfishly, I didn’t.
” Of their own accord her eyes flicked to Leo and his locked with hers, curious, until she tore them away. “I loathe myself for it.”
Percy arrived then, dragging a large crate behind him through the door.
“I found this. It might be useful to put anything worth saving in so we can move it to wherever we end up.” He saw her and beamed as he rushed toward her.
“Thank god you are all right, Portia, I’ve been worried sick.
” He was about to hug her when he spotted Leo and froze, all the color draining instantly from his face as he inclined his head. “Your grace.”
“Mr. Digby.” Never had two words conveyed such malice. If looks could kill, poor Percy would now be as dead as a doornail. For several tense moments, Leo stared at him while they all held their breath. “I’ll wait for you in the carriage, madam.” With that, he spun on his heel and stalked out.
Percy looked absolutely terrified, so she squeezed his hand.
“He’s angry but he can be very reasonable and sensible when he isn’t in a temper, so he’ll come around.
I am sure of it.” Or at least she hoped he would for Percy’s sake.
There was a slim chance of him extending the same to her.
“If it is any consolation, the majority of his fury is directed at me. He only thinks that he hates you. He now absolutely loathes me with every fiber of his being.”
“But he still made you his duchess,” said Jim with a sympathetic smile. “So maybe his loathing is only temporary.”
“It is more likely that me being his duchess is only temporary.” With Leo out of earshot, there seemed little point in not telling them how precarious her position still was.
“Let’s face it, he knows that he has more than enough grounds to have our hasty marriage declared null and void, then who knows what will happen?
I could still be charged. Still tried and found guilty.
” But as much as her uncertain future scared her, she put a brave face on.
“But I daresay they need reformers more in the new world than they do even here, so every cloud.”
“He won’t throw you to the wolves, Portia, nor divorce you.” It was Percy’s turn to squeeze her hand. “Abigail suspects he has strong feelings for you.”
“Oh he does—just all of them are negative.”
“He can’t be all bad if he’s allowed you to come back here,” said William.
“Accompanied by him is what he actually said. He has also made it plain that while I live under his roof, I need to behave in a manner more befitting the Duchess of Debden.”
“And?” He seemed amused. “You do not strike me as the sort of woman who would pay any attention to a hasty vow to obey your husband, especially one who isn’t likely to remain your husband for very long.”
“For now, I fear that I owe it to him to. He has just saved me from a fate worse than death, after all.” Surely that meant that she was morally obligated to retire her pen and behave in a manner more befitting the Duchess of Debden for however long she remained his duchess?
An eye for an eye and a sacrifice for a sacrifice?
Even if the sacrifice he expected her to make currently felt like a fate worse than death too.