Page 39 of The Missing Book
Lady Rosalyn caught her breath before Lord Melford could answer. “The coat!” She swung her gaze towards Lady Gwendoline, who had suddenly gone very still. “Lord Melford threw his coat to you and you met him when he returned. But that wasbeforehe handed the books back to Mr. Lackington, yes?”
Lady Gwendoline closed her eyes and began to sob just as clarity rushed into Amelia’s mind.
“You gave Lady Gwendoline the third book,” she said, looking to Lord Melford who now had something of a resigned look on his face. “She hid it in your coat as you returned the other three to Mr. Lackington. Then, when you returned to her and collected your coat from her arms, the book was already hidden in the pocket.” This was all a guess, of course, but given the way that Lord Melford shoved his hand through his hair and closed his eyes again, Amelia believed she was correct. She let out a long, steady breath as relief dropped onto her shoulders. Though this had not been what she had wanted, there had now come the satisfaction of knowing the truth about it all.
“I am sorry.” Lady Gwendoline, still crying, spoke through her tears. “I love Melford so very much and I want nothing more than for us to wed. I thought this was the only way, I feared that you would refuse our connection, that you would set us apart from each other so when Melford saw the books in the case, realized their worth and suggested this course of action, I could not do anything but agree.”
Amelia’s heart squeezed. Could she not understand that, even if she did not agree? To have such a depth of feeling, to know just how much you valued the other and how desperatelyyou did not want to be set apart from them, could she not feel even a little of that?
“This is my fault.”
All eyes turned towards Lord Broughton who, after another moment, got to his feet and then set one hand on his brother’s shoulder, coming to sit beside him.
“This is all my doing,” he continued, with a heaviness in his voice. “You told me, so very often, that I was much too severe with my standards and my expectations. I cannot imagine how worn down you must have felt from my near constant criticism.” He closed his eyes. “You are right, however. I will not deny that. I would have complained and argued with you, had you come to me to speak about Lady Gwendoline. You are well able to make such a decision yourself, I know, but I would have caused you difficulty, would I not?”
“Yes.” Lord Melford lifted his head and looked straight into his brother’s eyes. “Yes, you would have done. And I would have fought for her but you might very well have found a way to bring the connection to an end.”
Lord Broughton’s expression tightened though he did not disagree.
“You arranged with those two rouges to steal the books,” Lady Anna said, speaking so quietly that Amelia was afraid to even breathe for fear that she would not hear her. “Then you brought four books back to Mr. Lackington but gave the most expensive one to Lady Gwendoline. She hid it in your coat so that you had it on your person by the time you walked out of the Temple.” When Lord Melford nodded, Lady Anna closed her eyes and took in a shuddering breath. “You did it because you love her and you want to marry her. I can understand that, Melford, truly.”
“Can you ever forgive me?” he asked, throatily, as both he and Lady Gwendoline looked towards Anna. “I kept so muchfrom you but it was done out of fear, not because I did not trust you. I did not want you to be implicated in any way either.”
Amelia’s heart broke apart with sympathy and understanding as Lady Anna nodded but cried at the very same time. There was much for this family to discuss, she realized, much that needed to be shared and restored.
“I think we bluestockings could retire to the parlor,” she said, getting to her feet as Lord Broughton looked back at her, his smile barely there but gratitude in his eyes. “Please, take as long as you wish. I will send another tray up as well.”
“I thank you, Amelia.” Lord Broughton set one hand to his heart. “Thank you all. I am glad that we know the truth now, at least.”
Amelia nodded but said nothing more, rising to her feet and leading the way as she and the other bluestockings quite the room. She gave a last, lingering look to Lord Broughton but he had his face in his hands, his shoulders rounding as Lady Anna rose to come to sit with them both. Her heart ached for them, silently praying that, somehow, through it all, there would be something still for both herself and Lord Broughton. The truth might have been revealed and the answers to their questions discovered, but there was no promise that all would be well between herself and his family.
That would have to wait for another time.
EPILOGUE
“Brother?”
Leopold looked up as Melford came into the parlor. “Melford.” Rising to his feet quickly, he strode towards his brother and put one hand on his shoulder. “Are you quite well this morning?”
There had been a prolonged discussion the previous afternoon, though they had all removed to the house thereafter, with Lady Gwendoline returning home. Dinner had been a quiet affair, with none of them eager to make their way out to a ball or a soiree. Instead, the three of them had sat together in the parlor, talking together and, truth be told, with Leopold apologizing a good deal. He did feel the weight of guilt upon his shoulders, fully aware that he was the one who had done such a thing by his harshness. His insistence upon every little thing being done to the utmost perfection, his lack of true consideration over his views upon such things as bluestockings… all of it had accumulated to make a most unpleasant situation for Melford and Anna. And, in truth, for himself.
“I am quite well.” Melford dropped his head. “I am to go in search of the books this afternoon.”
“You know where they were sold?” Leopold asked in surprise, as his brother nodded.
“I have not yet sold mine, so that is easy enough to retrieve. Lord Wishaw and Lord Burlington told me where they were to sell their books, however, so I must go to each place and purchase the books again.”
Leopold took in a deep breath. “You are to send the purchases to me.”
Melford’s head lifted, his eyes looking straight back into Leopold’s in clear surprise.
“I have taken responsibility for my part in all of this,” Leopold told him, refusing to allow a single word of protest to escape from Melford’s lips. “I have no doubt that you will tell me that you were the one who stole the books but that does not matter. You would not have been driven to such an extreme had I not been so overbearing and harsh. Therefore, you are to send the purchases to me and I shall pay for them all.”
Melford’s jaw worked for a moment and then he closed his eyes, looking away.
“Protesting will do you no good, as I am afraid you know much too well,” Leopold continued, as his brother smiled humorlessly. “Please, Melford, let me do this. I want to make amends in any way I can.”
“Very well.” Sticking out his hand, his brother grasped Leopold’s. “Thank you, brother.”
