Page 46 of A Father's Insistence

“You know?” The younger Cavendish is shocked at his brother’s answer.

“I went through all the papers shortly after I took over as the Duke. I learned the name of every single girl. Our mother,”—he looks at William and then at me—“your mother. They are both on the list. Nearly all died young. Your mother, Joanna and Victoria are the only survivors.”

“My mother was one?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I know my parents have never been a romantic couple, but it makes sense now why she’s never really been around. She escaped as soon as she could, and my father was too busy tormenting other women to care. “Tradition was followed in my father’s case and in mine. A rejected girl bought to marry?”

“Yes, every Hamilton is descended from one of the girls since the inception of the society.” Nicholas shakes his head at me.

I stand there dumfounded at what I’m hearing.

“I can’t get my head around this. How have they got away with it for so long?”

“By having the right people in their pockets. People who’ll turn a blind eye to what has been happening. Judges, police, senior politicians, even members of the royal family in the past. The aristocracy has been rotten for years, but I won’t let it be that way for Rose.” Nicholas slams his now empty glass down onto the table in a defiant response.

“Too much sex of the wrong kind, if you ask me,” William adds, and that earns a chuckle from Nicholas. “Small dicks with no ability to please a woman properly.”

“You always have a way of putting things, brother, that lightens the mood.” Nicholas slaps his brother on the back.

“I’m just saying it takes a real man to treat a woman properly and earn her respect. You don’t get that by abusing her or ordering her around like a dog. You worship her and love her with as much affection as you can give even though men are shit at stuff like that, and they’ll make mistakes. Or as in my case where their brain doesn’t work the same as everyone else’s, and they’ll end up telling their wife she doesn’t look good in the new dress she’s just bought.” William smirks

“Some women will say that’s a good thing,” Nicholas points out, and I nod in agreement.

“Not when you say she looks like the bride of Frankenstein, because the outfit was far too black for my liking.” William screws his face up and then finishes his brandy.

“You didn’t,” I gasp.

“She thought I meant her hair and make-up as well as the dress. It was an honest mistake. I make them often. She should know by now.”

“She does. Don’t worry.” Nicholas slaps his brother on the back again, and we all go quiet, hoping Tamara will get a chance to spend more time being told the honest truth about her outfits by her husband.

“I’m sorry I doubted you two.” I finally break the silence. “I can see you both adore my sisters. I’m glad they have you. What you’re trying to do for the society is going to help so many people. It will help to right the wrongs of the past.”

“It will.” Nicholas pushes away from where we are congregated and goes over to a safe in the wall. He punches in a code, which I don’t see, and pulls out an old parchment.

“Is that what I think it is?” William cocks his head.

“The original society deeds. I think it’s about time we wrote a new one.”

Nicholas places the aging paper down and scribbles through the middle of it with the words, ‘Null and Void.’ He then turns it over and starts writing.

It is hereby claimed on the eighth day of the eleven month of the year twenty nineteen that a new charter for the society of Oakfield is to be adopted. From this point forth, all violence against women will result in summary expulsion from the society. The purpose for the society will now be to educate future generations of women who wish to learn the creative arts such as painting, literature, drama, and music. We will all work together to ensure they have the necessary skills to help them find their own way in life. Past wrongs will be righted. Hope is our new motto.

Underneath, he signs his name, Nicholas Cavendish, Duke of Oakfield, with a flourish and hands the pen to William, who signs as the Earl of Lullington. William hands me the pen, and I look at him.

“You were born a part of this, remember. Together, we are the ones who can change it.”

I take the pen and sign my name, Viscount Theodore Hamilton, Earl of Linton.

A soft clapping comes from behind us, and we turn to see Joanna standing there with a big smile on her face.

“I love the idea. I hope I’m going to be allowed to help.” She comes over to us and stands at my side. I look down at the pen, then back to her, and then to Nicholas. He nods. I look to William, and he does the same.

“Woman are now a part of the society and not in the way they were before.” I hand her the pen, and she looks at me confused.

“I don’t understand?”

“Sign it.”

“But?”

“Sign it,” Both William and Nicholas tell her at the same time.

“There are no more unequals in this society. We are all one.”

Joanna takes the pen from me, and next to my name she signs, Lady Joanna Hamilton, Countess of Linton, and then places the pen down.

“Now we just need to bring the Duchess of Oakfield and Countess of Lullington home to sign it as well.”

At the same time, we all turn our heads to the mobile phone sitting on William’s desk. It must hear our silent prayers because it starts to ring.

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