Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
“They printed it,” Cedric announced, walking into the dining room.
Deborah, Hester, and Adeline all looked up from one another; their breakfast conversation paused mid-sentence as Cedric made the announcement.
“Already?” Deborah asked, her nerves starting to frazzle. It had only been two days since Cedric had taken his proof to the newspaper offices. She and Hester had both wagered that it would take longer for Sylvester’s crimes to be printed, seeing as he was a noble of otherwise good standing.
“See for yourself, my darlings,” Cedric said, sliding the newspaper across the table toward them.
He then took a seat at his usual spot at the head of the table and picked up a link of sausage from his already made plate, taking a bite with a satisfying crunch.
“They got him good,” he said, his mouth still full as he pointed to the paper with his sausage. “They wrote about everything I gave them. The mistresses. The illegitimate children. The financial issues.”
Hester and Deborah moved closer together so they could read at the same time and quickly began scanning the article.
“I want to see,” Adeline piped out.
“No,” All three of them said in unison.
Adeline immediately frowned and crossed her arms as Cedric chortled, Hester gave her an apologetic grin, and Deborah reached out for her hand.
“This is a…delicate subject matter, my darling,” she explained, “Would you please go upstairs and fetch your hat and parasol? I believe the three of us ladies should take one final, long stroll through the conservatory gardens before we take our leave for Calder.”
Excitement quickly replaced Adeline’s annoyance, and at once she hopped out of her chair and ran out of the dining room.
“No running!” Deborah, Hester, and Cedric all scolded in unison, and the three of them chuckled when Adeline responded with a rather loud and unladylike “UGHH!”
With Adeline gone, Deborah and Hester quickly looked back down at the paper, finding the places where they had stopped. Deborah read it thrice, and she was sure that Hester did the same, even perhaps a few times more, as if she needed the proof.
“You did it,” Hester breathed after a long moment of silence. “You actually did it. You brought him down.”
“Well, there is not quite proof of that yet. However, I would not be surprised if Parliament makes the announcement later today that he is ousted,” Cedric replied, standing up just as quickly as he sat down as he shoved the last bite in his mouth.
“However, I will grab Godric, and we will go investigate. The town is no doubt already abuzz with such lascivious gossip. We are bound to hear something.”
He hastily swallowed his last bite before leaning down and planting a hard kiss on Deborah’s lips, making her laugh.
“I love you, I shall be back shortly,” he said cheerfully as he took a step toward Hester and planted a loud kiss on the top of her head, making her giggle as well.
“Love you, too,” Deborah called after him. “Should we wait to take Adeline to the conservatory?”
“Go, have an amazing day, and I will catch you up when I get home!” He called back as he strolled out of the dining room.
Once alone, Hester turned to Deborah, her green eyes wide and hopeful.
“Do you truly think this is possible? That he is finally going to pay for all his crimes?” She asked.
Deborah gave her an encouraging smile as she took her time.
“I have faith that it is,” she replied, “But let us not waste the day worrying about it. We leave for Calder the day after next. We have made the appropriate visit to Mother, and our last two days in London should be happy ones.”
Deborah winced as she thought about how their visit to their Mother, Uncle, and sister had gone.
Grace was as loving and kind as usual, and Uncle Archibald seemed relieved but distant in his way, but their mother’s show of happiness just did not seem quite genuine.
It strangely felt over the top, and it made both Hester and Deborah uncomfortable.
However, Hester accepted the overly warm welcome with grace, and whatever contempt she held for Frances’ lack of action in the beginning was firmly kept in check.
Hester did not seem to want to talk about the visit once they returned home, and Deborah had decided not to push. Perhaps one day their relationship with their mother would be healed, but for now, Deborah was content to let it be where it was.
Grace, though, was going to join them in Calder for an extended stay in two weeks, and they were both looking forward to it. All three sisters together again, just as they used to be.
“You are right,” Hester said, pulling Deborah from her thoughts.
She turned her head just in time to see Hester give her a firm nod, and together, they left the dining room to collect Adeline.
“Hester, are you well? Did the flowers bother your eyes?” Adeline asked worriedly.
Besides Deborah, Hester sniffled as she shook her head, then dabbed her red eyes with her kerchief. Deborah reached for her free hand, and Hester squeezed it tightly as she managed a small smile for Adeline.
“No child,” Hester said as the carriage began to take them home, “It was just- it was just such a beautiful day. The um, the flowers- they were overwhelming.”
Deborah gave her sister a comforting smile, knowing that it was not the colorful blooms that had overwhelmed Hester.
It was the apologies that she had received from many of the other ladies strolling through the gardens.
Some offered kind words. Others' apologetic glances and bowed heads. The people knew now, thanks to the article. They knew that Deborah had been a victim of Sylvester’s, and not the harlot he had once painted her to be.
Deborah had done her best to both keep Adeline looking away from the attention Hester received and be close enough to Hester for support at the same time, and in truth, the effort had been exhausting.
Even so, it had been worth it. Adeline was none the wiser of the rumors that once ruined Hester’s life, and Hester was starting to heal from wounds such rumors had created.
“I am quite well,” Hester assured Adeline again. “What of you? Did you enjoy your day at the conservatory?”
“I did,” Adeline answered readily with a quick smile, “Though I wish we could have brought home more flowers; I understand why we didn’t. I am sure they would not survive the long ride to Calder. And I must admit, as much I have enjoyed London, I am ready to go home.”
The word struck Deborah deep. When they first met weeks ago, Adeline had considered the London house her home, and the Calder Estate was just a place she was forced to live in. Now, she saw both as her rightful homes.
“You will love it, Aunty Hester,” Adeline said excitedly.
“Our gardens there are not as big as the conservatory’s; however, they are still very lovely, and Uncle Cedric said that we can order any seeds or bulbs we like to add to the gardens for next spring.
We can make it bigger and better than even London’s most beautiful gardens if we wanted to. ”
Deborah and Hester both smiled lovingly at her.
“I would love to help with that,” Hester answered enthusiastically.
“As would I,” Deborah readily agreed.
The three of them chatted easily for the rest of the ride home, and after a beautiful day in the warm gardens, Adeline dismissed herself to take a cool bath and relax with a book.
After hugs and kisses were shared between the three of them, Hester and Deborah removed their hats and gloves and went to Cedric’s study, where Mr. Early advised them they would find him.
The moment Deborah opened the door, Cedric looked up from his desk with a grin, and she knew then, before he even said anything, that Sylvester was getting his due. He stood up and clapped his hands, then rubbed them together.
“Ladies! How was your day? As good as mine I do hope,” he said enthusiastically as he came around his desk.
Deborah looked over at Hester, both of them grinning.
“It was a very interesting day to be sure,” Hester answered for both of them.
“Interesting indeed,” Cedric answered.
He went to Deborah to give her a swift kiss on the lips, then squeezed Hester’s shoulder warmly before he went to the drink cart, where a bucket of champagne and ice already stood, chilling. He picked up the bottle of champagne and popped the cork, all of them laughing as the foam shot out.
“I take it we are celebrating?” Deborah mused, and she and Hester closer. closer.
“Oh, indeed we are,” Cedric replied readily, pouring them each a glass, “It took parliament no time at all to ban Fairborne. There was even talk of stripping him of his title and passing it on to the next male heir. I spoke with the Royal Bank of London’s head of accounts and his lines of credit are already seized.
An investigation has been opened regarding the illegitimate children, and to put the sugar on top it all, I rode by Fairborne’s estate, and the place was in a state of frantic disarray. ”
“What does that mean though?” Hester asked, accepting her glass of champagne.
“It means that Fairborne is either trying to run or that the bank is seizing all of his assets. Perhaps even both,” Cedric explained, then held his glass up.
Deborah’s grin grew wider as she and Hester clinked their glasses against Cedric’s.
“We did it, ladies,” he said in way of a toast, “We gave the blackguard his due!”
Giddiness swept through Deborah as she took a sip of the champagne. After years of failed attempts, they’d finally given Sylvester the justice he was due.
“It truly is over,” Hester murmured, her tone full of wonder as she looked slowly from Deborah to Cedric.
Cedric nodded after taking a long drink from his champagne.
“It will not be long now before society regrets how they treated you, Hester,” he stated solemnly. “It could mean that you could stay in London if you wanted to. You would no longer be a pariah.”