Chapter 5 #2
“Stop following me on my property,” she growled.
“You are standing on my property,” he insisted.
“Nothing is yours until these documents are proven to be real,” she spat back.
Mr. Vale opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it. He glanced back at the man next to him, then back at her. “As you do not wish us to come inside, you can find us at the Stag and Crown. We will return tomorrow.”
“You will not be welcomed,” Lavinia replied before storming back into her home. She immediately ran up to the study and slammed the door behind her. She slid down the door, landing on the floor. Her hands shook, her heart raced, and her eyes widened.
This cannot be happening. I knew my marriage had been something of a curse, but…
She looked at the documents again, her eyes tracing over all of the different stamps and markings . Her mind raced through everything she thought she had understood about her life those past two years. The gowns she had commissioned.
The parlor she had redecorated with her own money, her own taste, believing every inch of it was hers to shape as she pleased.
The small kindnesses she had extended to tenants, believing herself their landlady, their duchess, the woman responsible for their welfare.
She had believed that she had finally won her freedom when she had seen off the last of the relatives who could have taken it away from her.
She had even helped pay for the treatment of the child so that the family would look at her with grace. Suddenly, a direct descendant of the late duke presented documents claiming the title as his own. Lavinia scanned them again.
These look authentic…
She shook her head, pressing the heels of her palms against her eyes and breathed until the room stopped tilting.
I have survived worse than this. I survived him. I can survive this too.
It did not feel entirely true. But it was, she decided, the only thought she could afford to hold onto for the moment.
“I cannot make any decisions about these until I have my solicitor investigate,” she whispered, pulling herself up and walking toward the desk. She took out a quill and quickly penned a letter.
Dear Mr. Barnes,
I am in need of your urgent help. Please come to Briarwood Hall as soon as possible to confirm the legality of several documents. Your expertise will determine the fate of this home.
Yours,
Duchess of Alderwick
She sealed the letter and raced toward her valet.
“Please have this sent by express,” she said, doing her best to keep her voice calm.
“Yes, Your Grace,” the valet said with a slight bow. He left quickly, and Lavinia watched him disappear toward the stables.
“Lavinia?” Cecily whispered. Lavinia spun to face her sister, who was standing quietly in the doorway to the parlor. Lavinia forced a smile.
“I am here; come, I can tell you what has happened,” Lavinia said, stepping into the parlor. She shut the door behind her quickly. For a moment, silence stretched between them.
“Lavinia? What happened? Are you harmed?” Cecily asked.
“I am not harmed,” Lavinia said softly. “But the situation I am in may be about to get… very complicated.”
“Complicated how?” Cecily asked, holding Lavinia’s hands in her own.
“The man who arrived, he was the man who had been at the fair,” Lavinia explained, trying to take long, slow breaths. “He is claiming to be the legitimate son of my late husband.”
“The… son?” Cecily asked in surprise.
“Indeed,” Lavinia nodded. “If his claim is legitimate…” Tears filled her eyes. “I could lose everything.”
“There is one very important word in that sentence, dear sister,” Cecily said, squeezing Lavinia’s hands.
“If. There is every chance that it is not true, there is an error he has not recognized, or there is something else at play. Surely the law is not so cruel as to leave a woman with nothing at all?”
“The law is entirely capable of being cruel,” Lavinia said quietly. “You know this as well as I do. We have seen it happen to other women in worse circumstances than mine.”
Cecily’s optimistic expression faltered slightly, before she composed herself again. Cecily took a long, deep breath.
"Then we shall simply have to ensure it does not happen to you," she said firmly. "You did not survive that dreadful man only to be undone by his son."
"He is nothing like his father," Lavinia said, then stopped, startled by her own words.
Cecily raised an eyebrow.
"Is he not?"
Lavinia hesitated. It was not often that she was completely lost for words, let alone when talking about a man as infuriating as Mr. Vale.
"I do not know him well enough to say," Lavinia said quickly. "I—I merely meant that he did not seem cruel. Only, perhaps, persistent."
"Mm," Cecily agreed. "Persistent men can be very dangerous indeed, sister. Perhaps that persistence can be used to aid you in your quest to keep your home?”
“Perhaps,” Lavinia agreed. “But I do not wish to turn into a fortune hunter or push for a connection with a man if it is only for my benefit.”
Cecily nodded slowly, pulling Lavinia into a tight embrace.
“You have not lost your romantic side,” Cecily laughed softly.
“I am not sure that you are correct,” Lavinia said with a sigh. She leaned into her sister’s shoulder. “But I appreciate your optimism in this matter.”
“You can always trust me to be optimistic for you,” Cecily smiled. “Now come, let us rest. You have had quite the fright. Since the only determining factor at the moment is time, we should spend our time resting.”
“I… Yes,” Lavinia nodded. The sisters soon sat down. Cecily picked up Lavinia’s embroidery and handed it over to her. Lavinia looked down at the small hoop, taking the dark red embroidery thread, and stabbing it hard into the fabric.
I will not let this man dismantle what I’ve built. He shall not touch my life.
I will not let him.