Page 9 of A Father's Insistence

Chapter Five

Theodore

Ioffer Joanna my arm, but she hesitates before taking it. I’d hoped her new found freedom would have helped her find some inner strength and confidence, however, over the last few days she seems to have withdrawn even deeper into her shell. She refuses to sleep alone. She wraps her body around mine, and I’ve had to tell her more than once our relationship is not sexual. It’s as though she’s had the need for such things ingrained in her and can’t cope without them. We’ve spent very little time together while I’ve been busy preparing for our return to London as husband and wife. I made sure a message was sent directly to the Cavendish brothers, informing them I’m back in town, but I haven’t mentioned Joanna or even the fact that I’m now married. I didn’t hear anything back from them, of course, only a request from Victoria to meet up soon. Although given she’s not allowed to visit my home, and I’ll be dead before Joanna goes back to Oakfield Hall, I doubt that will happen until after the Cavendish brothers have met their just desserts.

I’ve spent many hours watching Joanna, wondering what goes through her head. She’s panicky, especially when other people like Camilla and my father are in the room. I guess she’s not used to being with people after a year hidden away. But she does seem relaxed when she’s around me, which I’m pleased about. I’m glad I can make her feel safe.

“Where is your house again?” Joanna asks as the car pulls away from our temporary home. My father has to stay behind in his sanctuary. He’s still a wanted man, at the moment, and returning with us would lead to his arrest. I wish he didn’t have to stay here and could join us. I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders, having to run the estate and look after Joanna. But I know I’m ready for it, and even though it would be good to have him around should I need his advice, I’m certain it’s only temporary. He’ll be home as soon as we can deal with the Cavendish brothers. I’d been in favor of reporting them to the police, but as my father explained, they have spies everywhere, and it would only lead to more trouble for us than them. Furthermore, Joanna is reluctant to report her ordeal.

I rest back in my chair before I answer her question.

“Just on the outskirts of London. Surrey way.”

“How old is it?”

Joanna is wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a t-shirt today. It’s hot outside, the middle of July, and the weather is really heating up. The air conditioning is on in the car, and she’s shivering. She’s gained a little weight over the last few days, but she’s still skin and bones. Reaching over, I hand her cardigan to her, and she smiles at me in thanks.

“It’s late sixteen hundred. Nothing too fancy in the grand scheme of things, but it’s home. I love the windows. They are massive. The Hamilton family has always been proud, so there was no bricking them up to avoid the window tax like a lot of our contemporaries did in the seventeenth century,” I inform her.

“I remember my father telling me about that. We had a couple of the windows blocked up at my childhood home. I always found it strange until he explained.”

“Some of the Old English laws are pretty funny, when you think about them?”

Joanna nods in agreement and says, “They are. I did some research after my father told me about the window tax. I’m...I was a bit of a geek for random facts. Did you know it’s illegal to carry a ladder on a pavement in the London Metropolitan Police District?”

“Really!” I chuckle at the absurdity of the law.

“Truthfully, well as truthful as the Internet is, every time you see a workman carrying a ladder on a pavement in London, he’s breaking the law.” Joanna’s face lights up, and for the first time since I’ve met her, I see her smile. It’s beautiful. Underneath all the sorrow and fear is an amazing woman trying to get out. “I’m sorry…I’m talking too much.” The smile instantly disappears when she catches me staring at her, and she cowers back in on herself as though preparing for punishment.

“No. I like it.” I respond immediately, feeling the need to placate her worries. “Tell me another.”

“I...I…” She hesitates, fighting within herself to determine what she should do. Then she flicks her head to the side and looks out of the car window at the surroundings. The house we were staying in is far behind us now, and we are speeding down the motorway in the direction of my family home.

“Is it just us going to the new house?” She turns back to face me.

I nod.

“Yes, my father’s in trouble with the law. He’s wanted on a murder charge. He didn’t do it, but we can’t prove that yet, unfortunately. Nicholas Cavendish has provided the police with information that somehow suggests my father is responsible. We’ll eventually clear his name, and he’ll be able to return home. Until then, it’ll be just us and a few members of staff at Hamilton Manor.”

“Nobody from where we’ve been staying?”

“Joanna is something wrong? Has someone upset you there? Camilla? One of the guards?”

“No,” she replies instantly. “It’s just everyone there knows what happened to me. What I was forced to do. I’d like to be somewhere people don’t know… if that makes sense?”

“Of course.” I tentatively reach out and take her hand. I’ve limited physical contact between us, not wanting to scare or give her the wrong impression, but this feels like the right thing to do. “I understand. No one except me will know what you’ve been through unless you choose to tell them. Should you need Camilla to visit for some female company, then I’ll arrange it. I promise you, Joanna, in my home, you’ll be safe. Nobody will force you to do anything against your will.”

She turns back to look out the window, and we fall into an easy silence for a few moments.

“Salmon.” Joanna suddenly announces.

“Salmon?” I query confused. “Would you like it for dinner?”

“No. It’s one of those old laws. You can’t handle salmon in suspicious circumstances.”

I chuckle at the revelation.

“No dancing around the lounge with a dressed salmon at Christmas then?”

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