Library

Chapter 14

All eyes were on her as she stepped out from behind the cluster of trees she had been hiding in.

"Those are just silly stories made up by children," she clarified angrily, wondering if it served any purpose at all. Still, she knew that she had to at least try. She couldn't sit by idly and listen to them spew such atrocities against the man who deserved none of it.

She paused for a moment, swallowing heavily. It was difficult knowing that everyone had stopped talking and instead focused on her and what she had to say. That was when the truth mattered the most, but that realization didn't make matters any less difficult for her.

Seeing that no one was going to say anything, she found the courage to continue, her words aimed mostly at her brother and his friends, but she was hoping that everyone was listening to her, that her words would touch them all.

"The Duke of Montford is a man like any other," she continued, pointing the finger at her first neighbor, "like you, Mr. Jones, or like you, Mr. Weatherby. The only difference is that the duke fought in the war, and as a result of his bravery, he was rewarded with scars that will never heal. Instead of praising him and his bravery, you deem him a monster. For shame, all of you!"

As Rose stood her ground, her aunt Cora emerged from the crowd, her expression thoughtful as she listened to the exchange. Her presence lent weight to Rose's words, and when she spoke, her voice carried a quiet authority that commanded attention.

"Rose speaks the truth," Aunt Cora agreed, her tone calm but firm. "I myself have treated many men over the years, scarred by war. The truth is that such experiences damage a person, but not to that extent to make them monsters. They are human beings, with their own struggles and pain."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the gathered crowd as Cora's words resonated with their own experiences and observations. Some nodded in silent acknowledgment, while others voiced their disagreement more loudly.

Cora continued; her gaze steady as she addressed the assembled townspeople. "We may have our grievances with the man at Montford Manor, but that doesn't make him a monster. We must remember to judge others not by rumors or hearsay, but by their actions and character."

"If that is so, the duke is himself responsible for the ruination of many families in the village, who have remained without means of supporting themselves," a man from the crowd reminded everyone.

"One man cannot be responsible for all that," Rose raised her voice once again. "If he chose to have less staff in his manor house, then that is his own choice. He is not responsible for anyone but himself."

Aunt Cora nodded. "I know that some townspeople, including myself, may have grievances with the man, but whatever he has done, he is not a monster."

Just at that moment, the doors to the church opened, allowing the parishioners inside. Everyone seemed to have immediately forgotten the monologue that had just taken place as they headed inside. Everyone but Rose, Aunt Cora and Henry, who stood surrounded by his friends. Just as Rose was about to follow everyone else inside, her aunt gently grabbed her by the elbow.

"Rose, my dear…" she spoke tenderly, waiting until they were not within earshot of anyone. "You should be careful. A man like the duke, although not a monster, he is still different from us. People like that don't care about people like us."

"People like… us?" Rose frowned. "You make it sound as if we are not made of the same flesh and blood, Aunt Cora."

"Of course we are," her aunt was quick to agree. "You know what I mean."

"No, I don't," Rose refused to let it go. "I have been working for the duke for a few days now, and I have spoken to him. He is a good, decent man."

Henry scoffed at her words, a look of disbelief crossing his face. "If he's such a decent man, then why is he hiding away in that big mansion of his?" he retorted, his tone laced with derision. "Why doesn't he ever show his face in town if he's so eager to prove himself?"

Rose felt a pang of frustration at Henry's dismissal of William's character. She knew that there were many reasons why William preferred to keep to himself, reasons that went beyond mere embarrassment or shame.

"The duke has his reasons for keeping to himself," she replied, her voice firm. "And it's not for us to judge him based on rumors or speculation. He's been through a lot, and he deserves our understanding and respect."

Henry opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, Cora stepped forward, her expression determined. "Henry, you may not understand the duke's reasons, but that doesn't give you the right to judge him," she said, her tone stern. "We should all strive to be more compassionate and open-minded in our dealings with others."

"You know, Aunt Cora," Rose added, deciding that it was the right time to confront her brother. "I wish judging was all Henry did."

Aunt Cora raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Rose's voice cut through the air, sharp and resolute as she confronted Henry head-on. "I saw you last night, throwing stones with your friends at the duke's manor," she declared, her tone tinged with disappointment. "Were you also throwing stones the other night, the night the duke supposedly threw a stone at you for no reason?"

Henry's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he shifted uncomfortably under Rose's penetrating gaze. He hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by her directness, but stubbornly refused to back down.

Rose's eyes narrowed; her frustration evident as she continued to admonish him. "These childish games need to stop, Henry," she insisted, her voice firm. "You're being a fool, and someone is going to get hurt if you keep this up."

She couldn't tell if her words struck a nerve, but she hoped that Henry at least grappled with the weight of her admonition.

"The duke gave you a job, Henry," she continued, her voice tinged with disappointment. "He trusted you. You should be ashamed of yourself for betraying that trust."

With a heavy sigh, Rose decided to table the conversation for later, knowing that their current surroundings were not conducive to a productive discussion. "We'll talk more about this at home," she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "But for now, I want you to think long and hard about the consequences of your actions."

Henry's jaw tightened as he turned to his friends, and with them, he walked into the church. Rose sighed heavily, as her aunt pressed her hand on Rose's shoulder.

"I don't know what to do with him, Aunt Cora," Rose admitted. "It was him last night. I saw him and his friends." Aunt Cora seemed equally troubled as she listened to Rose's words. "I'm truly afraid that he might get into serious trouble, and that we won't be able to help him, no matter how much we want to."

"I know," Aunt Cora nodded. "Let's hope that your words got to him."

Rose frowned. "I somehow doubt that, but yes… let's hope."

"Are we going inside with everyone?" Aunt Cora asked.

"Yes," Rose nodded. "Afterwards, I'll run to the village, to inquire about someone to repair the duke's window. I just feel so guilty over his involvement in all of this."

"You can't hold yourself responsible for the actions of others," her aunt reminded her.

"But he is my brother," Rose urged. "I am his older sister. It is my duty to guiding Henry back onto the right path and I don't think I am doing a very good job of it."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, my dear," her aunt reminded her lovingly. "Henry is growing up, and he is trying to find his own path in life, away from us."

"I just wish it weren't with those friends of his," Rose frowned with a heavy sigh. "They are not a good influence."

"They are not indeed," Aunt Cora agreed, locking arms with Rose and together, they headed towards the church. "But if you try to keep him away from them, that will only make matters worse."

"I know," Rose agreed. "I have to endure the presence of those boys in Henry's life, and unfortunately, in ours as well. But I think it is just a matter of time before the duke finds out that Henry is one of the boys who have been harassing him, and Henry will lose his employment there."

Aunt Cora didn't say anything to that. Instead, she patted Rose's hand gently. "Come now. Let us seek comfort here, if only for the time being. Eventually, our path will be shown to us."

Comments

0 Comments
Best Newest

Contents
Settings
  • T
  • T
  • T
  • T
Font

Welcome to FullEpub

Create or log into your account to access terrific novels and protect your data

Don’t Have an account?
Click above to create an account.

lf you continue, you are agreeing to the
Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.