“I have, Your Grace, and I would beg that you trust my motives are good ones.”
“How could I think any other? Throughout our entire acquaintance, Miss Darrington, you have shown yourself to be most decidedly brave. And your bravery, even though it has taken me some time to admit it, always came from a source of good. You always spoke out in defense of the children, even when it meant that you must face me and even lock horns with me over it. But you did not back down, Miss Darrington, not once. And even now, you do not back down.”
“I cannot back down, Your Grace, for it means a great deal to me to discover certain truths which might well improve the lives of others.”
“How so?” the Duke said, tilting his head a little to one side. As he did so, his thick dark blond hair fell over his eyes just a little, and Georgette thought him suddenly much younger than he truly was.
“You might think me most dreadfully impertinent, Your Grace, but I must assure you that your aunt gave me leave to search thoroughly for anything I might find of use.”
“You need not fear any admonishment from me, Miss Darrington. And I know that your motives are true.”
“Well, I believe I have discovered the one thing I truly sought in my adventure here, Your Grace,” She said, feeling her mouth going dry now that her chance to tell him all that she had discovered had come.
The time had come even when she had thought that her opportunity to speak might never have truly presented itself.
“And what is that?” he said, taking a step towards her.
“Your Grace, would you be so good as to follow me? I have discovered something in one of the rooms upstairs which I think you really ought to see.”
“Then lead the way, Miss Darrington,” he said and nodded.
From his countenance, Georgette could tell that the Duke of Draycott was silently wondering if he could trust himself to keep his own emotions in check. However, she knew that he must see all that she had seen if he were to have any chance at a happy life.
Chapter 32
“Forgive me for leading you upstairs, Your Grace, but I rather think that you would be better out of the way to read these,” Georgette said, indicating that he ought to sit on the wicker chair in his sister’s bedroom as she placed the box of letters upon his lap.
“I thank you for your consideration, Miss Darrington,” he answered, his face suddenly a little gray as he realized quite what he had in front of him.
“I shall return downstairs, Your Grace. I shall ask Mrs Evans to prepare some tea and something for you to eat when you have finished.”
“No,” he said, rather firmly. “Miss Darrington, I would beg that you stay with me,” he added and looked at her most hopefully.
“Oh yes, of course, I shall,” she said a little unsurely and walked over to the window in an attempt to give him at least a little privacy.
As he read, Georgette periodically turned a little to regard him in secret. Even by the end of the first letter, she could see that he was most terribly moved. As each letter went on, he smiled at points and let his head drop a little at others. Georgette had, of course, read every single one of the letters that Josephine had written to her brother. In truth, she had read them twice and had felt really rather moved herself. She could not help thinking that Josephine was a woman of such goodness and, having read her innermost thoughts, Georgette rather felt as if she knew her. And how she wished the young woman was still alive now so that she might truly meet her in person.
When she heard a great sniff coming from his direction, Georgette knew that he had reached the final letter that his sister had ever written to him. She ran through it again in her mind as she stared out of the window, tears rolling down her face.
“14th March 1836
My Dearest Hamilton,
I can hardly write for sadness for I fear that this shall be the last time. A great illness has overtaken my little household and so very suddenly that we none of us have had time to prepare for it. So unprepared was I that when my dear Carwyn’s death came but two days ago, I could not quite believe it had happened. My symptoms have not improved, and I know that I cannot possibly continue as I am. Half of me wants to be in the next world with my darling, beautiful poet, and my other half wants me to fight and kick and scream and remain here at all costs so that I might stay with my baby daughters. There is no way in which for me to win, and yet I rather fear that my fate shall be decided for me regardless.
When I am gone, I should want nothing more than for my girls to come to you. They love their grandparents dearly, but already I see signs that they are going to fall victim to this awful infection which has preyed upon our house like a prowling tiger. Please give them the love and guidance you always gave me. I know that you are able to give it because I have always known what is in your heart. Remember that I was not much older than Eleri and Ffion when our own dear mother died. Had it not been for you, my dear Hamilton, I should never have survived those dreadful days. And yet you took me under your wing, and you made me feel safe and loved and that is all that I should want for my own daughters. And I must ask you to do it for I know not one other man on this earth with whom I would entirely trust so great a responsibility.