Viscount Hale was seen moving back to the Hale household, and Lady Dorrington and the Beaumont family were also seen at the Hale home.
This can only mean one thing, as it has not escaped the notice of This Author that the Viscount rarely stays at his family residence except when it comes to important matters. The topic of marriage is, without doubt, an important subject which one cannot ignore.
Could it be that the Viscount is finally considering the subject of marriage? If so, This Author is intrigued by Viscount Hale's sudden move.
A marriage…
Lady Ravenscroft's Society Papers (14 April 1813)
By three o'clock the next day, Nicholas was standing in the marble hall of the Hale residence, his most trusted butler, Fredrick, at his side, and a few pieces of luggage resting by the staircase.
"T-the rest of my things w-will arrive before the end of the w-week," he managed, addressing the startled head maid.
"Have you finally lost it?" a voice shrieked.
Grace swept down the stairs, her silk skirt rustling with fury. She stormed toward him. "You are nothing more than a disgrace; that's all you're ever going to be! What gives you the right to make decisions for this household?" She glared, her hands clenching into fists.
Nicholas's younger siblings—Julian, Edward, Cecilia, and Beatrice—had gathered in the archway, watching the inevitable clash.
Nicholas took a breath, clenching his own palm inside his coat pocket. He needed to be calm; he could not afford to make a mistake now. "The last I remember, I am the Viscount and the rightful owner of this household. The decisions of this house will be made by me. If you disapprove of it, you are welcome to leave."
"You will regret this, trust me," she spat, turning to walk away.
"While we are on the topic," he said firmly, stopping her. "Cecilia is not allowed to meet with Lord Bernard anymore, and Beatrice shall sit the rest of this season out."
"What!"
"She is not allowed anywhere near Lord Bernard. If she wants to get married, it will be to a respectable and decent man, not to a man old enough to be her father," he said.
Grace let out a brittle, sharp laugh. "And what right do you have to say that?"
"I am her legal guardian, the owner of this household, and if my decision displeases you, you can make a complaint to the council," he stated, his voice steady.
"You will regret this," she repeated before finally storming off, her exit more of a promise than a threat.
"Why did you do that?" Julian asked. He, along with Edward, Cecilia, and Beatrice, followed Nicholas to their late father's office.
"Because I believe it is high time that things ch-ch-changed here."
"After how many years?" Edward interjected, his voice hot with anger.
"Edward…" Cecilia warned quietly.
"It is the truth," Edward insisted, glaring at Nicholas. "You were never there when we needed you, and suddenly you want to play the hero? Is it because Lady Dorrington and the Beaumonts are coming over today?"
Nicholas looked at each of them, his guilt palpable. "I know that I t-t-took too long to make a decision, and I am very sorry. This is not about Lady Dorrington, and it is certainly not about the Beaumont family. I want to be the older brother I failed to be, and I hope you will give me a chance."
"Are you sure about me sitting this season out?" Beatrice asked, a little hesitant.
"Absolutely. And I know someone good at the piano who would love to teach you," Nicholas replied, the idea bringing a genuine smile to Beatrice's face.
"Thank you," Cecilia mouthed. She and Beatrice then left the brothers alone.
"You do realize that she is not going to go down without a fight?" Julian said as he took a seat in front of him.
"And she is probably going to use the stammer as an excuse," Edward chipped in.
"And I am not backing down without a fight," Nicholas responded.
"I will take your word for it, then. It is important for you to understand that just because you showed up does not mean everyone will accept it," Edward said, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. He then left the room.
"We have to talk about Violet," Julian said after a while.
"I know, but I have no idea on how to go about it."
"I know something is happening between her and Lord Granger, but I cannot seem to figure out what it is. She refuses to talk."
"I will talk to her."
"I am going to be honest: she is not going to talk to you, especially since all the drama that happened when she gave birth to Simon," Julian explained.
"Wh-what drama?"
"Well, about four months after she gave birth to Simon, she came home one day with bruises all over her. Grace sent her away, and when I asked what happened, she refused to talk about it. She kept begging that she wanted to leave."
"And you did not deem it fit to tell me?" Nicholas's voice was low, strained.
"Well, you basically disappeared after what happened to Nana, and we all knew that you hated this house more than anything. Besides, Violet told me she would skin me alive if I told you anything."
"Is that threat still standing?" Nicholas asked, a wry smile fighting its way onto his face.
"I would like to say no, but I believe it stands."
"We will go over and ch-ch-check on her tomorrow. How does that sound?"
"Check on her?"
"I hope it is not what I am thinking, but I just want to clear my doubts."
"And if it is what we are both thinking?"
"Then we need to take her and the kids away from that man."
"What about adding beating the hell out of him?" Julian suggested.
"That can be arranged, but I hope that is not the case," he said, staring at the forced smiles in the family portrait hung on the wall. He was not in the portrait, no doubt, and he could only imagine the pain every one of them was hiding.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Lady Dorrington and the Beaumont family are in the drawing room," Fredrick announced.
"Do you like her?" Julian asked as he stood up and the two made their way downstairs.
"Who?"
"Oh, it is a matter of who now. Do you by chance like the sister?"
"No. I just think that Miss Beaumont and I are better off as friends."
"So you mean you do not harbor any feelings for her? Grace seems to think quite the opposite."
"To be honest, no. I don't like her in a romantic way," he revealed.
"Maybe it is because you two have not discussed much."
"No, I do not believe that she is the one," he said as they entered the room.
Grace was in attendance, a fake, brittle smile replacing the glare on her face.
"There you are, Nicholas. We were just discussing how well you and Miss Catherine looked together," Grace cooed, immediately turning on her charm.
"Dinner is ready," Portia, the head maid, announced.
As dinner was served, Grace immediately took control of the conversation. "How are you enjoying the season, Miss Beaumont?"
"It is going quite well," Catherine said with a small smile.
"And you…" Grace trailed off, staring pointedly at the elder sister beside Lady Dorrington.
"Helena," she provided. "The season is fine."
Grace turned her attention to the dowager. "Lady Dorrington, did Nicholas inform you that he will officially move back in?"
Lady Dorrington glanced at Nicholas, her expression cool. "He did not."
"Oh, he made the decision last night and brought a bit of his things this evening. I thought he would inform you since you were so close, but I guess not," Grace said with a saccharine smile.
"I am sure Nicholas has a reason for that, and I support his decision," Lady Dorrington replied, offering Nicholas a steady smile.
Grace pressed on. "Did he by chance mention that he wants to oversee the affairs of the household?" The question angered Nicholas, but he only held his fork tighter.
"I thought it was a Viscount's duty to oversee the affairs of his household," Lady Dorrington countered.
"Not a Viscount who stammers," Grace said, her voice dropping, causing Nicholas to slam his palm on the table.
Everyone looked up.
"Th-th-there are guests," he forced out.
"Oh, please, speak properly," she sneered.
"Grace," Lady Dorrington warned sharply.
"It is nothing but the truth! He is a disgrace to this household," she said, raising her voice, grabbing a glass of wine beside her. "Do you know the gossip going on among the Ton? That the Viscount who is supposed to be someone to emulate is one whose tongue is tied!" She smiled triumphantly.
"Fredrick," Nicholas said calmly, his eyes fixed on Grace.
"Yes, my Lord."
"Inform the staff that Grace Hale shall officially depart from the house tomorrow morning."
"What!" Grace yelled, staring at him as if he had grown a second head.
"I have realized that it is quite better for you to be far away from the children. For that to happen, you will have to leave the Hale home," he explained quietly.
"Have you lost it? You cannot chase me away from my husband's house!" She screamed, throwing the glass in her hand against the wall where it shattered.
"You know what—pardon my manners. Inform them that if Grace Hale ends up sleeping in this house, I shall have their heads," Nicholas commanded, his voice suddenly authoritative, shocking the entire room into silence.
"You have no right! This is my husband's house!" she yelled, shaking with anger.
"The house has been passed onto me through the convention of male primogeniture, which in turn makes me the legal head of this household. The legal authority is taken by me," he revealed as he stood up.
"There will be gossip, and you shall regret every minute of this!"
"They will find another thing to talk about in no time," he replied coldly.
"You will regret this!"
"Fredrick."
"Yes, my Lord."
"Why is she still in my presence?" Nicholas asked in a calm voice.
Fredrick apologized swiftly, and Grace Hale, defeated and enraged, stormed off.
"I want to apologize about the way dinner went," Nicholas said after a while, letting out a heavy sigh.
"Took you long enough," Lady Dorrington said dryly before calmly eating a piece of meat.
"Lady Dorrington!" Julian and Catherine Beaumont warned simultaneously.
"What? It is the truth. That woman should have been sent far away from you kids when your father died," she explained before pouring herself a glass of wine.
Nicholas chuckled, watching Lady Dorrington wave him off. It reminded him of the old times.
"Dinner was great, and I loved the way you handled her. I am proud of you," Lady Dorrington said as Nicholas walked her and the Beaumont siblings to the door.
"I apologize once again for how things went. How about a game of Doch tomorrow afternoon?" he asked.
"Doch?" The other Beaumont sister—Helena—asked.
"The game is played over a series of days which involve discussions or accusations and nights which involve secret actions. The goal of the loyal society members is to unmask the Lady Ravenscroft Agent before they ruin the reputation of all the Protégés," Nicholas explained to her.
"Seems like a tricky game," James said.
"Can be," Lady Dorrington replied as they headed towards their carriage.
"But whyever is Lady Ravenscroft involved in it?" Catherine asked in confusion.
"Probably because she is the gossip columnist of the Ton, and nothing gets past her," Helena provided.
"Added to the fact that she is a mystery," Nicholas said with a smile.
"We will be there," Lady Dorrington said as the Beaumonts stepped into the carriage.
"I am proud of you," she said once again once they were alone. "I know it is not easy, but you have to step up for your siblings." She looked over at Beatrice and Edward, who were standing at the entrance.
"I f-f-feel like I took too long to take up the responsibility," he said with a sigh.
"It is not your fault. You needed the time away from what happened, and with time, they will also understand why you had to do that," she explained with a warm smile before turning to enter her carriage.
"Did you end up opening the box?" she asked suddenly.
"Box?"
"The box Lilian gifted you."
"I c-could not find it in me to open it."
"It is important that you open it soon," she said before finally sitting in the carriage and departing.
The gift box. He could not open it when he turned three and twenty because it reminded him of her. What was in it?
Later that night, in his new room, Nicholas brought out the gift box and its key. The box contained a drawing his grandmother had made of him, a locket, and a letter.
My little knight,
I decided to write this letter to you because I am not certain that I will be around much longer. It hurt to see you without love from your parents, and it certainly hurts to see you unable to be with your siblings as you ought to be. By the time you read this letter, you will perhaps be three and twenty or perhaps married. I hope that if it is the latter, that you are in love and not in a marriage of convenience, and if it is the former, I hope that you learn from your parents' mistakes and live right. Remember that I will always love you and that you will always be my knight in shining armor.
The letter read. Nicholas could not control his emotions. Why did she have to die?
His hands roamed over the box, admiring the charms she had used to decorate it, until he realized that the box had a second, hidden layer.
He opened the layer to discover another letter, sealed and hidden beneath the first, along with a paper containing addresses, a document, and a number. The paper also concealed a small, leather-bound ledger, tucked into the spine of the box. The cover of the book was embossed with the faint letters L.F. Private Trust. The hidden letter had an inscription of her name and a clear instruction not to open it unless he was ready to take control.
What on earth did she mean by that?
He opened the letter, his hands shaking, certain he was not going to like its contents.
To Nicholas, my lovely knight.
I have decided to write this letter and explain in detail the situation within the household. I have grown suspicious regarding Gabriel's and Grace's activities over the past year. Mr. Alistair Finch has confirmed that Gabriel's gambling debts have grown, and Grace had been angered by the fact that I had refused to give him money anymore. She visited around May, asking for a huge amount of money, and did not reveal its intended use.
My illness has gotten worse over the past week. The tea that had been prescribed is much more bitter, my chest feels strange, but I have no choice but to keep drinking it. Grace won't leave me alone unless I finish it, which is why I ask that you do not trust any of the staff, or even your parents.
Lastly, attached to this letter is a ledger that contains a detailed list of properties, investments, and funds held in trust by Mr. Alistair Finch until you come of age. Lady Dorrington will bring him to you when you are ready. I hid this portion of my fortune to ensure you, and possibly your siblings, would inherit it free of the debts and interference of your parents. It is your shield, my little knight.
The tears Nicholas had tried to hold back burst forth, but the grief was swiftly incinerated by a cold, searing rage. He crumpled the letter in his fist, crushing the familiar handwriting. Grace Hale did this. The thought was a vow.
He was done grieving. He had a war to fight.