Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“ W hy did you not bring the matter to the authorities sooner?”
Frederick sighed, irked by the fact that he had to answer this question yet again, despite having already responded to it. Thrice.
“I wanted to deal with it quietly. I knew the attacker had fully intended to kill me and I merely wished to lure him out of hiding by showing that I was well and fine,” Frederick explained through grit teeth.
“But when he did show up before you, you did not recognize him. Why was that?”
Yet another question he had been asked before.
Frederick was relieved that he insisted that Eleanor not be involved in this matter. It was quite frustrating, being asked the same question over and over again and he did not want to put her through any form of stress.
Eleanor had been reluctant, stating that since Frederick was still recovering from his injuries, he should take it easy and let her lighten the burden of the investigation, at least a little. Frederick had immediately refused.
“ Because I have been recovering, I’ve had nothing left to do while you have been trying to restructure our home to make sure no intruder ever infiltrates it again. I need to invest my time in something before I lose my mind .” He had told her.
Although, after three hours of dealing with this constable, he was ready to commit murder.
“The blow to my head had confused my mind slightly and I couldn’t recall his face when I saw him again. It was not until recently that I remembered who he was,” he nodded in the direction of the stack of ledgers on the table. “Those belonged to my father. During my own investigation on the matter, my colleague discovered that my father had been making payments to this man. I had apparently discovered this earlier, and it was when I had attempted to confront Herbert on this matter that he attacked me. Seeing as I did not lose my life as he had hoped, he infiltrated my estate, posing as a gardener as he waited for a chance to finish what he had started."
The constable nodded, writing things down in his notes with an odd expression on his face.
“People should learn to leave the investigations to the proper authorities,” he mumbled but then cleared his throat. “It is to my understanding that when he was a gardener, he worked closely with the duchess.”
Frederick forced himself to remain calm at the mention of Eleanor.
“Yes. The gardens are her treasure, so when her old gardener had to take some time off, she needed to find a replacement. And Herbert had seen it as an opportunity to infiltrate my estate as a staff.” The duke said curtly.
“How can we be sure that they were not working together?”
Frederick’s blood ran cold. “I beg your pardon?”
The constable, unwisely continued to speak.
"We have all heard the rumors. She did not seem as though she cared for you beyond what your title provided for her. You have no heir, no other family members, besides your half-brother – who couldn't inherit. Perhaps she thought that dispatching you would ensure that she alone would remain the sole inheritor of your wealth. All your other so-called 'evidence' seem circumstantial at best and I believe the odds of your wife being the mastermind are –”
There was a crash as the saucer that Frederick had thrown in the constable’s direction hit the wall behind him and shattered into pieces.
“You will pay for this slander,” Frederick told him coldly with a sharp glare. “It was one thing to waste my time with your lack of intelligence, by asking me the same questions over and over again. It was another thing entirely to disrespect my wife in our home. Your blatant incompetency was obvious from the start, but I thought that perhaps I had judged you too quickly. Leave my house now.”
The constable seemed to realize his mistake and he spoke up shakily.
“Y-Your Grace, please. It was a misunder–”
"You should save your excuses for your superior – who will be contacted the moment you leave. You can wave goodbye to your job and whatever source of livelihood you wish to obtain aside from it. Once I am done with you, you will beg for death and that will be the one thing I would hold above you for the rest of your life. If I ever hear you say a single bad thing about my wife ever again, I will cut out your tongue and feed it to you. Do not think that I make baseless threats, because I am more than capable of doing what I say. Now, get out."
The man quickly scurried off, his ears red with embarrassment and shame.
Frederick dropped his gaze onto his desk, irritated at the sight of his father’s ledgers seated neatly in a corner.
He had meant to give them to that useless constable, as well as tell him that there was a witness who had seen Frederick talking with Herbert the night he was attacked. The man had been a regular in the gambling den and he had frequently ended up winning some of Herbert's losses. He had seen Frederick walk up to Herbert, not looking particularly disturbed by anything the gambler had said before he stated his final words and walked away.
The witness then noticed Herbert follow Frederick and assumed that Herbert went out to finalize the issue they had been discussing and would be back soon. But Herbert never returned. And moments later, there was an uproar outside over the slumped, bleeding body of a duke on the sidewalk.
It was Sampson who had found the witness, went down to the gambling hall himself to ask questions, and offered to pay anyone who had seen or heard anything. When he had sent word to Frederick of his successful search for a witness, Frederick felt an increase in appreciation for his friend.
"Send word to the commissioner that I wish to speak to him as soon as possible," Frederick instructed the butler, rising out of his chair.
“Right away, Your Grace,” Mr Bradley bowed slightly. “Might I ask where you are going?”
Frederick paused by the windows that overlooked the gardens, smiling as he spotted his wife along with a handful of maids, all giggling with their hands in the dirt.
“It has been hours since I was in my wife’s presence. I am on my way to rectify that error right away.”
“Very well, Your Grace.” The butler nodded with a small smile.
Frederick strolled through the estate, noting how at ease most of the staff had become around him. Although he had not been particularly bothered by the abject fear that they had for him, he still preferred this gentle air that surrounded him and his household.
He had gotten rid of the portrait of his father, smashed it to smithereens, and set it ablaze in a pit that was used to get rid of their waste refuse. It had felt freeing, like a final act of vengeance against his father and he felt better for it when he realized that the portrait had been all that was left of his father in the estate.
The prospect of a new beginning blessed him with hope, a feeling that was unfamiliar to him, but he derived strength from Eleanor’s face every time he saw her.
By the time he had gotten to the gardens, the number of maids that had surrounded her had dwindled slightly, as most of them had spread out, around the garden, likely attending to tasks Eleanor had given them. The moment they spotted him, the rest of them standing by her side quietly scurried away.
“What?” she frowned, confused. “Is something –”
She stopped and looked back in his direction, her whole face lighting up at the sight of him.
“Frederick! You’ve come to see me!”
Eleanor looked so happy that he had visited her in the garden, he immediately swore to do so again and again, just to see her smile.
"I have," he nodded, stepping closer to press a kiss to the top of her head. "I missed you dearly, so I had to seek out your lovely face.”
“I saw you at breakfast, you ridiculous man,” she giggled, her cheeks bright pink.
Frederick felt his breath rush out of his lungs as he was smitten by her beauty and he couldn’t help but wonder how blind one had to be to expect the worst from someone so beautiful and kind.
"That was far too long ago," he sighed, long-suffering. "I want you in my line of sight all the time."
“That will be hard, Your Grace. What about work?” she teased playfully.
“What about work?” he frowned in response. “No work is more important than you, my darling. I have a marvelous idea, and I think we should act upon it as soon as possible.”
Eleanor stepped closer to him, flooding his senses with the soft smell of flowers. “Really? Please share this wonderful idea of yours.”
Frederick cleared his throat, willing his thoughts to stop falling about all over his mind at the sight of his wife.
"I think…" he began.
“Yes, darling?” she implored softly.
“I think we should leave this place for a while. I have a house in the countryside. We should retreat there for a few weeks. Leave work and every other thing that might cause us even an ounce of worry behind. I do owe you a honeymoon. It is never too late to take one, is it?”
Her face broke out into a pretty smile.
"No," she said, sounding a little dazed. "I don't believe it is. When would you like us to leave? Because I would like to put a few things in place before then –"
“Whenever you are ready, my dear.” He told her gently. “When you believe that you would like to step away from things for a while, let me know and we’ll be far away from this place in a day.”
Eleanor smiled and nodded. “I would like that. I would like that very much.”
Frederick nodded and then leaned in quickly to steal a kiss from her lips, stepping back innocently when she gasped in shock.
“Frederick!” she scolded with a laugh.
While playing innocent and avoiding her gaze, Frederick couldn't help but notice how truly beautiful her garden was up close.
“You really do love this garden. You must, for it to look this lovely, much like yourself.” He spoke softly.
Eleanor blushed and glanced about at the plants. “I really do love it. Every plant that I put into the ground as a seedling carries a piece of my heart with it.”
“And me?” he questioned stepping closer. “Do I carry a piece of your heart as well?”
She looked up at him and smiled. “You do. You have for a long time.”
Frederick did not expect her response to be so earnest and it left him feeling a little winded. He coughed, breaking the connection between their gazes and he gestured around the garden.
“Would you like to show me around, then? Tell me about your favorite plants and anything else about the garden you would like me to know?”
Eleanor’s demeanor brightened even more.
“Really? You would like to see the garden?”
“I really would,” he told her, taking her hand in his.
She gasped and tried to pull away from his grip.
“Frederick, my hands are covered in dirt!”
“I do not care. I want to hold you. Please let me.”
She pouted, then heaved a sigh of defeat.
“All right, fine. Let us go this way, first.”
As Frederick had expected, Eleanor was quite excited to share everything she could about her garden, pointing out which plants had taken forever to grow and which ones had sprouted surprisingly quickly.
“Orchids are my favorite flowers but I haven’t been able to grow any here. I did have one that seemed to be growing just fine at first, but then, it just withered away and died. I haven’t started growing one yet because I was hoping to replace our gardener first so he could tell me what I might have done wrong.”
She looked sad and he couldn't bear such a sight, pulling her closer into an embrace.
“I am sure you will do splendidly well next time. Do not worry.”
Frederick had never felt as whole as he did when she hugged him back, his heart jumping with joy as she whispered into his ear.
“Thank you, dearest husband.”
He tightened his hold on her, pressing his lips to hers as he said,
“Anytime, dearest wife.”
“You look awfully pleased with yourself,” Sampson noted with a grin.
Frederick could not say that he was not.
He had just rounded up the final conversation that would have his half-brother tried for all his crimes and briefly went over the evidence he had collected with the sergeant. He had also been there to witness the constable who had disrespected him being informed to leave the premises, following the termination of his employment.
The Duke of Ironvale had made sure he looked the man in the eye so he would know that going forward, every misfortune he was facing was a result of his actions and words.
“I am quite pleased with how things turned out,” Frederick admitted with a shrug as they walked out onto the street. “Thank you, again, for all you have done. I don’t think I can even begin to repay you for all of it, but I’ll be damned if I do not try. If there is anything you need –”
“Nothing I can’t sort out myself,” Sampson shook his head with a smile. “I would do it all again for you, my friend. Think nothing of it.”
“That is a rather difficult request to take on. If you hadn’t found the ledgers and helped me regain my memories, then Eleanor might have been… you saved my wife’s life.” Frederick stated seriously. “That cannot simply go unrewarded.”
Sampson held his hands up defensively. “No, credit to where it is due. You saved your wife’s life. I did feed you the clues but it was your quick thinking that put the puzzles together and figured out that she was in danger. It was mostly your efforts that brought you this far, your insistence to find out the truth and punish the culprit who had sought to hurt you and your wife. If there is one thing I could ask from you, I would like to request that you do everything you can to be happy. I have known you for far too long to understand that Eleanor has changed you. Very quickly, in the best way. Do what you can to keep her by your side – for your sake especially.”
Frederick already knew that without being told, but it was still somewhat refreshing to have someone see his dilemma when it came to his obsession with his wife.
“In that case… would you grant you your assistance, just once more?” Frederick requested.
“We are partners, Ironvale. I do hope you will call on me again when a need arises." Sampson stated before he asked, "What do you need?"
Frederick had long since made up his mind ever since he had decided to woo Eleanor, as though he had just begun courting her. He was going to surprise her with an activity they could do together and then a gift as well.
The only wrench in his plans was the fact that he was not sure where to acquire a gift for Eleanor. He knew what she liked, but he had a feeling that she was likely a little fed up with gardening-themed presents. So he wanted to get her something that would remind her of her passion and also make her feel as loved as she was.
“A present for my wife. You look like the sort of man who would gift his female relatives with jewelry.” Frederick pointed out.
Sampson nodded with a chuckle. “You are correct in that assumption. And I have a jeweler that is sure to give you whatever you need. We’re not too far from his establishment, even.”
“Perfect. Lead the way.”
Things had only been getting better, though the progress was gradual. Frederick had found a gardener to replace Herbert after a long and tortuous search – who knew gardeners were much sought-after staff members? And he seemed eager to work for the estate and Eleanor, as he had been rather thrilled with the state of the gardens he had met upon his arrival.
Eleanor had complained about not being able to spend as much time with her maids who had helped her care for it anymore, but they had assured her they were willing to help whenever she wanted it.
It warmed Frederick’s heart to see her smile. Her happiness gave him joy he never knew he could feel. He wanted to give her the world, to make up for each moment they had lost due to his cowardice. He was especially grateful that she had accepted his apology and had forgiven him, though he knew he still had much to do to prove himself.
He was thankful for her kindness and company, and eager to spend the rest of his days by her side.
"We're here," Sampson told him as they came to a shop that bore the name Roberts written in cursive above it.
The owner was an old man who looked as though he had forgotten what it meant to smile, his grey eyes carrying years of experience and knowledge in them as he greeted Sampson.
“Your Grace, it is always a pleasure to have you return to my humble establishment,” he said, looking as though, it was not in fact, a pleasure at all. “And you have brought a friend.”
“I have,” Sampson announced proudly, gesturing to Frederick with an outstretched hand. “This is my business partner and friend, the duke of Ironvale. Frederick, this is Mr Carlton Roberts.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace.” Mr Roberts said, graciously accepting the handshake Frederick offered.
“Likewise,” Frederick replied.
“What can I do for you today, Your Grace?” the jeweler enquired.
“I am in need of a gift for my wife. Something elegant but still very beautiful, because she is deserving of the very best.” Frederick informed him.
Mr Roberts nodded. "I do not doubt that she is. Did you have anything specific in mind? Or would you like to browse through the collections I have available?"
Frederick already had something in mind and luckily, he had seen something similar to what he wanted when they walked in. Quickly, he pointed to a piece of jewelry behind the glass, a few feet away, and explained,
“That. I would like something similar to that. Do you have any other pieces similar to this?”
Mr Roberts retrieved the object and after studying it for a moment, he shook his head.
“This is actually a custom piece, so it is the only one of its kind. But if you prefer something of this style, I can have it made according to your specifications.”
Frederick grinned, truly quite pleased with how his day was going.
“That sounds absolutely perfect.”