19Chapter 48: Rekindle
Stark darkness and fog permeated the path across the park. It was not until the carriage rolled to a gentle stop the passengers finally got some sense of where exactly they were—Westley Park. The trying hours of sleeplessness and anxiety were at last over.
Mrs. Wields with a handful of servants behind her appeared before the carriage, some holding blankets, others holding candles, and others ready to attend their mistresses' orders. Mr. Kingsley stepped from the carriage and then held out his hand to assist her ladyship and Miss Trentworth dismount the vehicle.
The swarm of servants hid behind a stoic mask, but they were instantly concerned by paleness of Lady Anne's mien. They sympathized with her ladyship; every action that followed her arrival was performed with gentleness. Only one servant remained near the carriage, Ashley, Miss Trentworth's maid. She ducked her head and stepped back a few paces when she spotted Mr. Kingsley drawing close to her mistress. Privacy.
"Send me note on your father's condition. With your permission, I shall visit tomorrow afternoon," Christopher whispered to his fiancée.
Rebeca nodded half-heartedly. She did not want to part from him during such a time.
"Mr. Kingsley," called Lady Anne. The Viscountess had walked to the top of the stairs.
The pair walked up the stairs to attend her ladyship's call.
"We are indebted to you for this extraordinary kindness. An exhausting one for sure. Allow me show you my gratitude for your help. We shall prepare an apartment for you so that you might rest. I shall send a note to Mr. Carson firs thing in the morning, if you wish."
Christopher Kingsley had never stayed at Westley Park as a guest. Though Frank had many times told him he could stay any time, no matter the hour, the pianist would always return home. But, this time he understood there was no possible way he could decline this invitation. His future mother-in-law was not giving him a choice. What could he give as an excuse? The Carsons were up expecting him? Certainly not. It was already late and his godparents would have gone to sleep already.
The moment of silence filled the air. The servants eagerly waited for a reply; they wanted to be done with their chores alredy. Christopher, on the other hand, glanced at his fiancée. She pleaded with her eyes for him to accept. She was just as worried as Lady Anne. How could they possibly let him go out into this weather?
"You are very kind, your ladyship. Thank you," he bowed his head in recognition. The servants quickly dispersed, happy to have something to do to keep them awake at this hour. Lady Anne flashed him a half-hearted smile.
The servants brought his trunk into the foyer, then asked Mrs. Wields where to take it.
Right after that, the Viscountess and housekeeper excused themselves. They headed up the staircase.
"Make sure Mr. Kinsley and my daughter eat something, Mrs. Wields."
"Yes ma'am." The short, plump woman struggled to keep her mistress's pace as they paced down the hallway to the family apartments.
"Are Sarah and Miss Brandt asleep?"
"Miss Trentworth fell asleep an hour ago, but your niece is not here, your ladyship. She left last week."
Lady Anne stopped abruptly.
"Miss Brandt left?" she said this with alarm, her voice rose an octave.
"Yes, your ladyship. I mean—she did not escape. Old acquaintances of Mrs. Brandt invited her to join them for a trip to Bath. They have a daughter the same age as Miss Brandt and thought it would be good for the lady to have some company. Lord Trentworth readily agreed that his niece should have some respite from the countryside."
"Oh, I see," murmured the Viscountess thoughtfully. She resumed her pace once she shook off the surprise.
Moments later the lady and the housekeeper walked into the barely lit chamber of Lord Albert Trentworth. The heaviness in the atmosphere hit her ladyship immediately. Fear gripped her heart as her eyes landed on the Viscount's pale figure propped against the pillows.
She gave a curt nod to the grave-looking Mr. Wiggs, then gently sat on the bed. The skin under Lord Albert's eyes looked bruised, his cheekbones were more pronounced, and his dark hair was plastered against his head.
A sob would have escaped Lady Anne's lips had she not cried right before arriving to the house. And, though her hands shook and her eyes were stinging, she gently pressed her small hand to his cheek.
"I am here, Albert. I am here," she whispered soothingly.
Lady Anne, Mr. Wiggs, and Mrs. Wields watched the break of dawn descend upon the grounds of Westley Park. None of them had been able to sleep so long as the patient's forehead burned to the touch. Every mumble and gibberish made them jump to the viscount's side. Had he woken up? Was the fever lessening?
It was a restless night for all of them. Late in the morning, Mrs. Wields brought breakfast to her ladyship, Miss Trentworth, and the physician. They adjourned to the parlor in the antechamber of the patient's room.
"I thought it wiser to wait until I had an accurate diagnosis, your ladyship. I did not want to alarm Miss Sarah," explained the physician.
Before he could finish describing at length what had occurred before Lord Albert fell ill, Miss Sarah rushed into the parlor and ran straight into her mother's embrace. She cried quietly as Lady Anne caressed her hair.
"Father was not himself," said Sarah after her mother managed to calm her down.
"But, I never would have known what else was going on had not Mr. Brandon called on Mrs. Wields and me to have a word. He alerted us of Father's unusual behavior. He had not called Mr. Brandon for a meeting in over a week. Then, one of the maid servants opened up to Mrs. Wields, told her Father was not eating well. He promised me he would take supper in his bedroom, because he was tired. In the end, he would not eat at all."
After listening to this story, Lady Anne asked Mr. Wiggs to clarify what must have caused Lord Albert's illness. It took a few minutes for him to gather his thoughts. The physician concluded that the lack of nourishment and the emotional stress of Mrs. Brandt's death took a toll on his immune system. Thereby, the illness progressed rapidly.
Mr. Wiggs retired a while after this conversation. Thankfully, he had been given a guest bedroom so that he could stay at Westley in case there was an emergency.
Lady Anne stared at her now cold cup of tea. Her daughters exchanged worried glances.
"Mother?" asked Sarah.
The guilt was clawing at her heart; it was carving its unpleasant presence in the mother's thoughts.
"I spoke to him so harshly before we left," she whispered.
Sarah and Rebeca looked even more confused.
"Mama…" said Rebeca unsurely.
Right then, Lady Anne confessed what had transpired before the trip to Kent; what she had said. It was all her fault. Her husband was already feeling unwell, she knew that perfectly, and she had just gone and tipped him off balance with that ultimatum.
What could her daughters do to console her? Rebeca was grateful that her mother had stood up for Frank and her, but she could not dismiss at what cost it had come. Her father lay in bed ill, oblivious to his surroundings, probably drowning in his sub-consciousness.
"He will recover, mama," pronounced Sarah with certainty. "I am sure of it."
"I just hope your brother will come back soon," uttered Lady Anne sounding hopeless.
Sarah walked into the music room, feeling discouraged. She did not even feel like practicing the piano, even though she had promised herself she would do so more often. But, what waited on the other side of the threshold raised her spirits more than she would have believed was possible under such grim circumstances.
"Mr. Kingsley!" she cried with excitement. "You have come to visit us!"
She crossed the room to where her sister and Mr. Kingsley sat. The gentleman smiled pleasantly at her reaction. Perhaps, his presence did help dispel the heaviness settled over the inhabitants of the park. The three of them shared stories about the visit, but the more they talked, the less the couple had to say about the time spent with the family, and more of the time they spent together. It was time to tell Sarah.
That same afternoon, Miss Sarah's radiant smile lifted up everyone's spirits. The servants and the housekeeper assumed her betrothed had sent her a letter again. It was the only thing which took her mind off her father's state. However, if there was someone in the household who could pinpoint things with as little hints as possible, it was Mrs. Wields.
Furtive looks during dinner, lengthy walks around the park (with Miss Sarah of course), flushed cheeks when they caught the other one staring; Miss Trentworth returned with a betrothed. She was glad to see her mistress was happy. Nevertheless, she did not share with anyone what her keen eyes perceived.
Later, on the same day the couple revealed the engagement to Miss Sarah, they decided to pay a visit to the Carson's. After all, Mr. Kingsley had intended to stay with them during the visit to Honiton.
Sarah and Rebeca dismounted the carriage on the opposite side of town, for they wanted to buy some fresh bread to bring to Mrs. Carson. Christopher did not want to leave his fiancée and future sister-in-law alone, but he thought it would be better to first check if his godparents were at home.
The pianist knocked on the thick door of the inn. Moments later Mr. Carson himself opened the door. Mr. Carson shook hands with his godson and Mrs. Carson—who had been sitting at the counter— quickly made her way around the counter and embraced Mr. Kingsley.
"Dear, we were so worried that night. We thought there had been some delay on the road!"
"Did you not receive the note?" said Christopher worriedly.
"Yes, yes, we did. But, it came in very late, Hannah told us."
Mrs. Carson shushed her husband.
Christopher's features contorted in confusion, until he caught on his godfather's meaning: they had not waited for Christopher and had gone to sleep early. He laughed at the bashful Mrs. Carson.
"What?" said Mr. Carson innocently glancing at his glaring wife.
"I suspected as much," said their godson chuckling.
"Come in, dear, sit down," said Mrs. Carson signaling to the adjacent sitting room.
"Miss Trentworth and Miss Sarah will arrive shortly. They had to run some errands first," added Christopher as he sat down.
"Oh! How marvelous," exclaimed Mrs. Carson.
The couple asked after the entire family. They expressed their sore wish to have Miss Kingsley visit them again in the future. Christopher suggested they travel to Kent to visit him.
"How is Lord Trentworth doing?" inquired Mr. Carson.
Mr. Kingsley explained what he could, but his heart fell at the news that the Viscount did not seem to be recovering from the fever.
During the ten-minute conversation, Christopher's eyes darted to the window every time a figure passed by. He looked slightly eager, if not also anxious.
"Is there something—" Mrs. Carson's question was cut off by Christopher who suddenly got up and went to the lobby of the inn.
Two female voices thanked him.
"Did you find what you were looking for, darling?" He directed this question softly to his fiancée, unknowingly adding the term of endearment at the end. Sarah's surprised countenance alerted him of this faux-paus. Rebeca, on the other hand, smiled bashfully, as she replied they brought sweet bread for Mrs. Carson.
Mrs. Carson who had stood up after her godson, heard this exchange, and not even five minutes after the ladies' arrival passed when she started noticing the tender way Christopher looked at Rebeca and vice-versa.
The old couple could tell that Christopher was happy, he was overflowing with happiness and his every look was permeated with joy. They could not believe how much things had changed since the New Year's Eve ball, but they were glad things had taken a turn. Mrs. Carson celebrated this discovery in her heart. And, thankfully toward the end of the visit the announcement was made. Heartfelt congratulations followed the special announcement.
Late in the evening, after Rebeca and Sarah parted from Mr. Kingsley, they decided to make a sleepover. Sarah scurried back to her chambers to change into her nightgown and braid her hair. Half an hour later, Sarah wound her way into her older sister's room and found her struggling to braid her hair by herself. She gladly offered Rebeca help.
"You know," mused Sarah as she parted Rebeca's long hair in to two sections, "before you left to Kent, I was so sure Mr. Kingsley was going to propose. I was quite disappointed to find out he had not declared his love for you. Poor man, he must have suffered through several weeks."
Rebeca laughed heartily.
"Well, it could not have been worse than what he went through before…"
"You mean when he left?"
"I mean when he accidentally heard Frank and Bethany talking about my imminent engagement."
Sarah gasped and dropped the braid. "Is that why he left so suddenly?"
She had forgotten; Sarah was new to this information. It seemed like she had spoken of it so much with Frank, her mother, Margaret, and Christopher himself that she had lost track of who knew and who did not.
"Yes, that was why he left," replied the lady quietly.
"I am glad you two are together now. I am certain he will be an excellent brother-in-law."
The older sister smiled half-heartedly. If only they could have certainty about their future.
"Sarah"
"Mm?"
"Have you any news of Lord Prescott?"
A frown carved itself on Rebeca's forehead. How could she forget her childhood friend? As much as it pained her to think so, she knew their friendship would never be the same.
"Only what Edward has told me. Lord Prescott visits them occasionally and he calls on the Richards, too."
"Has he not called on Father?"
"Once. A day or two after you left. He was very kind and composed. He said he was sad to have missed speaking to Mother, he wished to clear the air between them, make sure everything was all right."
"That is just like him. Oh, Jonathan! He never takes offense and smiles sincerely even when he is hurting. He is a good man." Rebeca ended quietly.
"Indeed, he is," Sarah echoed. "There, I have finished braiding your hair."
"Thank you, Sarah," said Rebeca reaching out to feel the braid.
A knock on the door startled them.
"Look at the time. Who could it be?" mumbled Rebeca.
She walked up to the entrance and let in a servant.
"Your mother just received a letter that Mr. Trentworth is on his way back to Westley Park. We expect him tomorrow evening."
"Thank you, Bessy. I shall make the arrangements for his arrival tomorrow morning."
The servant closed the door behind her.
"Now, where is the engagement ring? I want to see it."
Sarah had jumped of the bed and started to open the drawers of the night stand.
"Mr. Kingsley has it," Rebeca replied.
Sarah turned to face her sister.
"I fear we shall have to wake up Mr. Kingsley or I shall die of curiosity waiting for morning to come."
"You shall do no such thing, young lady," said Rebeca grabbing her sister's arm.
"Oh, Beca, please!"
She simply rolled her eyes as Sarah struggled to loosen her arm form Beca's grip.
"I will ask him to show it to you after breakfast tomorrow. Now, please come sit with me and tell me all about Mr. Edward's family and Amanda's wedding gown."
Sarah resigned herself, but did not mope for she had plenty to say about her betrothed and Amanda Richard's dress fitting.
"He is awake! He is awake!" cried Mrs. Wields as she barged into the dining room. The out of breath housekeeper glanced at her ladyship with hopeful eyes.
"He's awake, ma'am. He's asking for you!"
Lady Anne pushed back her chair in a hurried manner and was off before the three other people in the room could react.
"I think we should wait 'til they call on us," Rebeca said glancing at her sister. She could tell Sarah was on the verge of running to her father's chambers, but too many people might make him nervous.
Not one of them could eat while they waited for more news on the Viscount's recovery.
He was sitting straight up, reclined against a bunch of pillows. His hoarse voice was a torturous reminder of the long time he had been unconscious.
"Anne," he called out as his wife walked into the room.
"Albert." Her voice cracked. She laid a hand on his forehead, then on his cheeks.
"The fever is gone," she announced, a smile spread across her lips.
Meanwhile, voices echoed in the entranceway. The three who were in the dining room dashed came out to see what was going on.
"Frank!" cried Sarah. She was wrapped in his embrace a few seconds later.
"Hey, darling, how are you? I have missed you so much!" The smile on his face could not have been brighter or wider.
Rebeca felt a warmth spread inside her chest as their gazes connected. Instantly, she knew. She just knew.
"I was such a fool. How could I have let you go without finding peace first?" said Lord Albert to his wife. The servants and Mrs. Wields had left them alone at the Viscount's order.
"I would never leave you, Albert. I am sorry that I gave you the wrong impression…it was cruel of me—"
Lord Albert kissed Lady Anne's hand.
"What do you mean father was ill?" cried Frank. Mr. Kingsley, Sarah, and Rebeca had adjourned to the drawing room.
"Why would mother hide this from me?" His frustration showed on the way he clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly.
"Perhaps, I can answer that," said Lady Anne. She looked tired, but not anxious. Not anymore.
The four of them rose from their seats.
"He wishes to see you three," said Lady Anne. Mr. Kingsley claimed he would occupy himself with relating the good news to his family and the Carsons in a letter.
Frank lightly scolded his mother for not telling him what was happening at the time. She replied guiltily that she had thought it best for Frank to work that out first.
They walked into the master's chambers. Lord Albert was in the same position he was in when Lady Anne first came in.
Frank was struck by his father's mien. He could have sworn months of illness had passed. His face was deteriorated and his cheeks were not as plump as they used to be.
Lord Albert's shoulders relaxed as his eyes took in the faces of his three children. Sarah rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around his neck. She had seen him at his worst and knew what trials her father had been through. Rebeca hesitated a bit but once she was in her father's embrace, tears sprung from her eyes. What a scare he gave them. At last Frank, who had just learned of his father's illness, looked pale and unsure. His father rarely hugged him, but this time he decided to just reach out first. The thought that his father could have passed away and they had not forgiven each other terrified him.
"I am glad to see you here, son," he whispered hoarsely. "I am glad you came back."
Frank did not know if her mother had informed Lord Albert of his other journey or all this time he had feared Frank would never return after such an ugly fight. Whichever one it was, Frank was glad to hear those words.
Slowly, Lord Albert commenced recovery exercises. For the first few days he only walked inside his room with someone's help and Mr. Wiggs checked on him daily. His body was regaining strength and his mien its usual color. A week later, he ventured into the hallways; a mere two days after, Lady Anne accompanied him to take a turn around the gardens. By then, Mr. Kingsley had packed his trunk and moved to Honiton with the Carsons. It would not bode the couple well if Lord Alber found out about the engagement without some preparation.
Rebeca, in turn, visited town in the afternoon with her sister tagging along. An hour sitting in the parlor with Mr. Kingsley never seemed enough time to talk about music, or their future, or life in general.
One afternoon, the family ate dinner in the garden. The siblings took a walk afterwards and the parents were left to their own devices. Lady Anne took out a book she had been reading to her husband and resumed the lecture. In the middle of the paragraph, Lord Albert spoke up.
"You are right, Anne," he said looking at the grounds; his gaze was trained on the three figures moving in the distance. Lady Anne looked up from the book.
"An arranged marriage would not have worked for her, not even if she had married her childhood friend. Poor fellow," he said shaking his head. "I am afraid he has not recovered, yet, but Rebeca, she…she looks like a burden fell of her shoulders. Her steps are lighter. Her eyes are brighter."
The Viscountess worried it was not yet time for her to reveal everything to her husband, but the sooner he had an idea, the faster they could get onto introducing Mr. Kingsley. The gentleman could not wait forever without an answer.
"How was Kent?" asked the viscount suddenly.
Lady Anne blinked confusedly. "It was splendid. The family was very kind and attentive toward us. Mr. Kingsley made sure we arrived to Westley safe." Lady Anne feigned nonchalance as she said this.
"Hmm," was all her husband said.
From a distance, they could hear sweet laughter, joyful effusions coming from the walking figures.
"They seem happier," mused Lord Albert.
It was time, Lady Anne thought, but before she could say anything else. Lord Albert said he would retire to his study for a while. When her children returned they were surprised to spot their father's chair empty. They worried he had tired too quickly.
"No, he looked fine—"
"Ma'am, forgive me for interrupting, but Lord Trentworth requested all of you to come to his study. Immediately."
The strange request startled them all, they moved right away, nonetheless.
Lord Albert was pacing the length of his study when they entered. They all felt relieved at seeing his calm countenance.
"Frank, Rebeca," he started out directly. "I have given this more thought than I should have. My instincts ignored every signal you cried out. I was so harsh and stubborn with both of you. I refused to acknowledge that I was making biased decisions and it was preventing you from being happy…"
The siblings were both shocked, yet touched by their father's confession. Lady Anne had wrapped an arm around Sarah's shoulders.
Their father finally faced them and until then they had not been able to understand the deep repentance with which Lord Albert spoke. His eyes spoke the words which his lips could not deliver. He wanted them to forgive him for having behaved like a tyrant.
"I feel ashamed of my behavior," he said his voice cracking.
Finally, Rebeca went to him. This time no doubt clouded her judgment. She wanted to mend the broken relationship with her father. She willingly forgave him and embraced him. Frank waited behind Rebeca as they embraced. When they parted, Lord Albert's eyes landed on Frank. His eyes filled with tears as he barely uttered "forgive me." Frank embraced his father, once again feeling the warmth of being loved.
"Now, please," whispered the repented man, "Write to Miss Crawford immediately, and tell her to come visit us."
Frank's eyes widened at the command—not suggestion.
"I can write a letter to her also, if you wish," he added as an afterthought.
"And, Rebeca," he said turning to his eldest daughter. "I would like you to introduce me to Mr. Kingsley, if he is still in town."
"I—yes, father. Of course."
"And, can someone please recount to me your trip to Kent?"
A hearty chuckle escaped Frank's lips.
"You should probably sit down for this one, Albert," said Lady Anne smiling.
A/N: Guys, this is it. It took a while for me to write this final chapter. I've been busy with university work, but believe me my hands were itching to write this chapter down, yet, I wasn't sure how I wanted it to end. You'd think after so much time I was sure of the ending, but somehow it didn't seem like an ending to me. Thereby I am giving you guys a final peek into the characters' lives in an Epilogue. Thank you for reading, thank you for reading.