Page 69 of The Unforgiven
“What will become of it?” Madeline asked, realizing for the first time that an actual living child would be the result of this catastrophe.
“It will be taken from you and given to George and Amelia to raise as their own. And you will not breathe a word of it to anyone.”
“I need to speak to George,” Madeline cried.
“George is gone.”
“Gone where?” She felt desperate now, cornered by this cold woman who couldn’t spare Madeline an ounce of compassion in her hour of need.
“George has gone to fetch his wife home and beg for her forgiveness. He will be back after the New Year, by which time you’ll be long gone, off to South Carolina to visit with your loving kin,” Sybil added, her tone dripping with sarcasm and chilling Madeline’s blood.
“And what will happen to me after the baby is born? Will I be allowed to come back?” Madeline asked. Would she be expected to remain in this house with George and Amelia, and her baby? If she had felt lonely and unwelcome before, this would be so much worse. George would denounce her, Amelia would despise her, and Sybil would never truly forgive her for her fall from grace. The thought of living that way brought fresh tears to Madeline’s eyes.
“Gilbert Montlake is smitten with you. A month after you give birth, your engagement will be announced and you will marry shortly thereafter. You will leave this house and never return. Do you understand? You will never be alone with George again, and you will never see your child, except perhaps on social occasions. Thankfully, Gilbert is too innocent to suspect what you’ve been up to, and if you’re convincing on your wedding night, this episode need never come up again.”
“But I don’t want to marry Gilbert,” Madeline protested. “I don’t love him.”
Sybil looked like she was about to chastise Madeline for her stubbornness but seemed to reconsider. She leaned back against the chair with a sigh and allowed her shoulders to relax, as if she were tired.
“We’ll discuss the marriage at a later date. Gilbert might lose interest in you while you’re gone and meet someone he likes better. Life can be unpredictable that way. Don’t distress yourself. It’s not good for the child, and the baby should be your firstpriority right now. You will be quite comfortable at the cabin, and Joe will bring you supplies every week. It will all be all right, Madeline.” Sybil sounded almost maternal. Her voice had softened and her face relaxed into something resembling concern. “You just look after yourself. This baby is precious to us all. He’s the next generation.”
“It might be a girl,” Madeline retorted, just to be defiant.
“It might, but she’ll still be a Besson, which is what matters. Now, go back to your room and get some rest. You look ill.” Having dismissed Madeline, Sybil turned her attention to Mammy. “You will go to the cabin today,” she said, her voice edged with steel again. “It must be prepared for habitation, since it hasn’t been used for some time.”
The look that passed between the two women could have frozen Lake Pontchartrain over, but Madeline hardly noticed. She felt too shaken and dejected to care.
“Take what you need and tell no one,” Sybil continued. “Just say you’re accompanying Madeline to South Carolina. Joe will bring her by the end of the week. Now, get out. Both of you.”
“Mammy,” Madeline began once they were alone in the hallway, but Mammy shook her head in dismay and walked away, leaving Madeline completely alone.
THIRTY-FIVE
MAY 2014
London, England
Gabe experienced a flutter of nervousness when he finally heard Quinn’s voice. He felt guilty as hell for avoiding her calls these past few days, but every time he picked up the phone to call her, he wound up putting it down again, unable to tell her what had been going on for fear of bursting into tears like a child. After the initial shock, the death of his father had hit him like a steam train, and he’d needed a few days to lick his wounds. He was still at the start of the grieving process, but at least now he could be honest with Quinn without upsetting her more than necessary and making her worry about him. There were other things he needed to discuss with her, and he wished he could put off that conversation forever. He’d turned her life upside down when he discovered the existence of a daughter he never knew he had, and now, with his father gone, he had to ask Quinn to deal with yet another life-altering situation.
“Where in blazes have you been?” Quinn demanded. She was understandably angry, but Gabe also heard relief in her voice. “Are you all right, Gabe? I was so worried.”
“I’m sorry,” Gabe replied. “I tried to call. Several times, in fact, but I just couldn’t seem to find the strength to tell you the news.” He tried to sound calm, but the tremor in his voice was unmistakable.
“Gabe, for God’s sake, just tell me what’s wrong. You’re scaring me. Is Emma all right?”
Gabe cursed himself for a fool. He hadn’t wanted to upset her and now she was close to tears. “Yes, Emma is fine. Quinn, my father suffered a fatal heart attack. We buried him on Friday.”
Gabe had been expecting words of sympathy, but what he got instead was a stunned silence. He could hear a sharp intake of breath as Quinn processed the news.
“Quinn?”
“You buried him on Friday?” she finally asked.
“Yes.”
“And you didn’t think to call me? You didn’t think I would get on the next flight home to be there to pay my respects to your father, whom I’d known for years and cared about? You didn’t think I should be by your side to support you and your mother in your loss?” Quinn demanded, her voice trembling with hurt and disbelief.
She sounded so wounded that for a moment Gabe actually forgot all about his own grief and focused on Quinn’s instead. All his reasons for not calling her seemed ridiculous, and he now realized how callous he’d been to leave her out. He’d wanted to protect her but instead had made her feel like an outsider, whose presence was optional rather than as necessary to him as the air he breathed.
