Chapter 38

"Lies!" Vanessa shouted, pushing the chair and getting up. "All lies!"

"It is true!" Penelope finally found the courage to speak up, not needing James any longer to fight her battles. He might have opened the door, but she had finally mustered the courage to step through it and show them that they couldn't treat her like that any longer.

All eyes were on her at that moment. She could feel them, piercing into her mind, trying to see what she was about to say. She would gladly share it with them.

"It is true," she said much more calmly this time.

It was as if anger had left her, and now, indifference took over. She didn't care about them any longer. She didn't care about her mother. She didn't care about her father. She most certainly didn't care about Vanessa. Only Adeline. She was the only one she wished to keep in her life.

"Yes, Vanessa," Penelope said victoriously. "Tell them how you pushed me into a carriage and how you paid a man to take me to St. Catherine's Nunnery. And I'm certain that you paid the Mother Superior as well because she refused to let me go, no matter how much I begged and pleaded. Tell them the truth, Vanessa… if you are even capable of such a thing."

Vanessa swallowed heavily, eyeing everyone in the room. "Lies!" she repeated. "How could one ever believe something so horrible?"

"Because it is the truth," Ciara interfered. "I saw Penelope with my own eyes, locked in a cell in St. Catherine's Nunnery."

"She and James saved me," Penelope clarified. "Without them, I would be lost there forever… all because of you."

For the first time in her life, Penelope saw her sister completely speechless, without any argument to her supposed innocence.

"Don't you know that silence speaks as much as words do sometimes, Father?" Adeline suddenly interfered, standing up. Her soft melodious voice was louder now, emboldened by the truth she also wished to share with everyone. "When I tried to tell you what happened, you didn't believe me. Vanessa convinced you that I was lying, that the servant girl didn't see it right. She has been lying to you our entire lives, and you always took her side… always. Never mine or Penelope's."

Penelope realized only then, her heart beating inside her throat, almost suffocating her. "Now I understand why he didn't believe you, Adeline. Because… he knew."

"Father?" Adeline exclaimed. "You knew?"

The earl frowned. "Of course I knew. Just like I knew that Penelope could never be a good wife. She has been a troubled child always. How could such a girl ever become a good wife?"

Penelope exchanged a meaningful glance with her younger sister, resisting the urge to smile. Her heart was full. She had finally stood up to them, and it was all because of James and Adeline. And Ciara. They proved to her that she was worthy of being loved.

"I was supposed to marry the duke!" Vanessa shouted, finally past the point of restraint. Her face was flushed with pent-up emotion as she rose from her seat, her voice trembling with anger. "Not Penelope! She stole my happiness, and I want it back!"

But Vanessa wasn't finished. She turned to her parents, her voice rising in desperation. "You all know it's true! I was the one who was supposed to be with James. Penelope took everything from me. How is that fair?"

Everyone was stunned into silence. Everyone, but James.

"Finally, the truth is out," he said calmly, still holding Penelope's hand. "You are no longer welcome in our household. In fact, we do not wish to have any relations with you whatsoever. You are forbidden from stepping foot near Penelope ever again."

"But you have to understand, Your Grace, we only had your best intentions in mind," the earl spoke urging for compassion. Penelope could not believe that he had the nerve to say something like that, after everything. "Vanessa is?—"

"That is enough!" Penelope exclaimed loudly, allowing her anger to completely take over her. "I will hear no more talk of Vanessa or how I was a bad child! You, Father, were the bad parent! You and Mother! You never loved me the way parents ought to love their child, choosing one over the other, becoming blind to the fact that Vanessa had tried to elope with some man, but then changed her mind and decided to come back. That is who your precious Vanessa really is!"

"Vanessa… is this true?" the earl gasped, reddened in the face.

"Father, I…" Vanessa started but she had nothing to say to finish her sentence.

"You are no longer my family," Penelope said. "I never want to see you again."

Her father was the first one to stand up.

"I will not take any more of these insults," he said and James let out a low growl which made her father's scowl disappear.

The whole family stood up after him, then Penelope walked over to Adeline, taking her by the hand.

"Not you, dear, Adeline," she said. "You will stay with us… of course, if you want to." She turned to James, realizing that she had not spoken to him about this. The suggestion came naturally, but she knew that just like there was room under their roof for Ciara, they would always be room for Adeline. As if he were able to read her mind, James nodded with a smile.

Adeline looked at her parents then at Vanessa. Penelope knew that this was a difficult moment for her. She had never been treated as well as Vanessa, but at the same time, she had never been treated as badly as Penelope. She was somewhere in the middle, her mother's child, but as a child, somehow… often forgotten while Vanessa and Penelope were the two extremes, the good and the bad.

Finally, Adeline nodded. "I would like to stay here, please."

Penelope smiled. She stood by her sister's side, silently watching the rest of her family follow each other towards the exit. When they left, Penelope turned to Adeline.

"What you've done for me, Adeline… it means the world to me," Penelope gushed, still holding her sister's hand.

"I didn't want them to hurt you, Penelope," Adeline revealed. "I had to do something. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you or if I never saw you again."

"You will stay with us from now on," Penelope assured her. "You will be loved and supported here, believe me."

Adeline turned to James, who smiled and nodded in confirmation. Then, she locked eyes with Penelope once again.

"I don't know what to say," Adeline said, her voice trembling. "I appreciate your kindness more than I could say. I… I've seen the way Mother and Father have been treating you, and I just couldn't stand by and watch it happen. I am so sorry that I didn't react before."

"You couldn't have known; you were too little to see the truth," Penelope assured her. "None of this is your fault. You did everything you could, and if it wasn't for you, I would still be in that horrible place, locked in that dreadful cell."

"In a cell?" Adeline gasped.

"Yes," Penelope nodded. "But that is all in the past. I am so glad that you are here with us now. I know this has been difficult, but we are a family, and we'll get through this together."

Adeline nodded, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, Penelope. I'll do my best to support you and make things right."

"Why don't we move to the sitting room?" James suggested softly. "We could all use a bit of comfort after tonight."

Penelope smiled at him, grateful for his steady presence. "That sounds like a good idea."

Together, they moved to the sitting room, where the fire cast a warm, inviting glow. Penelope and Adeline settled onto a plush sofa while James took a seat in a nearby armchair, watching over them with a protective gaze.

Penelope turned to Adeline, her voice gentle. "Adeline, if there's anything you need or want to talk about, please don't hesitate to let us know. We're here for you."

Adeline nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "Thank you, Penelope. I just… I'm grateful to have you both. It means a lot to me."

James leaned forward, his expression earnest. "Adeline, you're part of our family. We'll face whatever comes our way together."

The warmth and solidarity in the room were palpable, a stark contrast to the earlier tension. As they sat together, Penelope felt a sense of hope and healing begin to take root. They had faced a difficult challenge, but they had come through it stronger and more united.

"Do you think Vanessa will ever learn her lesson or change her ways?" Adeline suddenly wondered.

James exchanged a glance with Penelope before responding, his tone firm. "Adeline, Vanessa's actions were severe and cannot go unpunished. Tomorrow, I will send a solicitor to your parents with an ultimatum: either they send Vanessa to the same nunnery where Penelope was held, or she will face legal charges for kidnapping which would likely result in her imprisonment."

Adeline looked surprised but thoughtful. "A nunnery might be the best place for her, where she can reflect on her actions and, perhaps, change. But do you think our parents will agree to it?"

James nodded, his expression resolute. "They will have little choice. The evidence of her crime is overwhelming, and the threat of prison will be enough to convince them. It's a harsh lesson, but it's necessary. She must understand the gravity of what she did."

Penelope squeezed her sister's hand gently. "Adeline, this isn't easy for any of us, but we can't allow her to hurt anyone else. We must hope that, in time, she will learn and grow from this experience."

Adeline sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I suppose you're right. It's just hard to think of her being able to commit such heinous acts and against her own family, too."

James' voice softened as he addressed Adeline. "Sometimes it takes something drastic to bring about real change. She must face the consequences of her actions."

Adeline nodded, her expression a mixture of sadness and acceptance. "I hope this makes her realize what a horrible person she's been."

Penelope leaned closer to her sister, offering comfort. "We'll get through this together, Adeline. You're not alone."

The quiet of the room was interrupted by a soft knock on the door, followed by the sound of the handle turning. Grandfather peered into the room with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Ah, so this is where you've all been hiding," he exclaimed, stepping inside. "I heard there was drama, and I simply couldn't resist the temptation to see for myself. You're all terribly rude for not inviting me!"

Penelope couldn't help but smile at Grandfather's jovial entrance. "Oh, Grandfather, we would have invited you, but we didn't want to spoil your peaceful evening with our family drama."

Grandfather waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense, my dear! I live for drama. Keeps life interesting, don't you think?"

James chuckled, rising from his seat to greet Grandfather. "Well, in that case, welcome to the show. Please, join us."

Grandfather settled into an empty chair with a contented sigh, the room suddenly feeling warmer and livelier with his presence. "So, what's the latest gossip?" he asked, leaning back in his chair with a grin.

Penelope shared a knowing glance with James and Adeline before launching into a lighthearted retelling of the evening's events. As she spoke, Grandfather listened intently, his laughter filling the room at all the right moments. Grandfather provided his comments, then regaled them with stories of his own adventures, and soon, they were all caught up in the joy of the moment.

For a brief, fleeting moment, Penelope forgot about the troubles that had plagued them earlier. With Grandfather by their side, surrounded by loved ones, she felt a profound sense of gratitude and belonging. In that moment, she realized that no matter what challenges lay ahead, as long as they faced them together, they would always find a way through. With the love and support of her family, Penelope knew they could overcome anything. And for that, she was truly grateful.