Chapter 24

Jane stepped out of her carriage into the familiar lands of the Stonehave manor, immediately met with the sight of her father and sister in the distance, expressions of shock and disbelief fixed on their faces.

She let out a tired sigh. Despite having sent a letter ahead to avoid immediate reactions, their astonishment still appeared incomparable. Not that she could blame them. It was shocking to her as well that she'd truly ended up at this point.

"Thank you, Williamson," She acknowledged the coachman as he began immediately unloading her luggage.

"Jane!"

She drew in a deep breath as Sarah's voice sounded merely a couple feet away, her footsteps pattering louder by the second.

Of all the explanations she had set out to give, she hadn't managed to perfect her performance for her sister. Sarah knew her all too well. It would be hopeless to lie. Yet, she wasn't sure if it was safe to let her know about the truth either.

"Jane."

When she turned, she was face-to-face with her elder sister's worried and anxious expression. Sarah, unable to contain the curiosity seeping from her, grabbed Jane's hands and shook her head in confusion. "Oh dear sister, what is happening?. Tell me this is all a misunderstanding. Surely, it cannot be true?"

Doing her best to keep her calm, Jane jumped past the questions and greeted her sister with a smile, "Greetings, dearest Sarah, it is good to see you again."

Then swiftly and smoothly, she shifted her eyes away from Sarah and back to her coachman as she instructed, "Do make sure all my belongings are taken inside properly, please. You may as well call on the servants to help you, they are quite a lot."

"Of course, my lady."

With a small smile, Jane nodded and her eyes began roaming everywhere other than where her sister stood before her, waiting. She made her nose scrunch in confusion as she replied with another question, desperate to stall the topic as long as she could.

"Where are all the servants anyway?"

Sarah shook her head. "Father instructed them to stay in the house and not come to offer their services unless they are called upon."

Jane's heart plummeted as she realized the situation she was in once again. She sighed; there was nothing she could do other than face the storm now.

"Now, putting all that aside," Obviously still in shock from the events unfolding before her eyes, Sarah implored Jane to pause. "Father said you sent a letter, sister. You must tell me, is it true that you are ending your marriage with the duke?"

Jane stood there, feeling the weight of Sarah's worried gaze upon her. She looked at her sister, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find the right words.

There was nothing else to say other than to agree, however, doing such would only serve to make the situation true. Somehow, not yet saying the words made it seem as though all this was a bad dream and she could still return to Colin as his wife.

"Is it… Did the duke do something to you? It's impossible that any of this is true, right? It must be some sort of misunderstanding?" Sarah paused, and a surge of anger seemed to flash behind her eyes as she continued, "But rest assured sister, if he did indeed hurt you in any way, I would let Father know and make sure-"

"Oh no, sister, please," In response, Jane quickly reassured her, "No, the duke did not do anything wrong, nor harm me in any manner."

The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her as she gazed at her sister, whose worried eyes held even more questions at this revelation. Taking a deep breath, Jane opened her mouth and allowed the words as she finally admitted.

"Yes, it's true. I ended my marriage with the duke, and I have returned home."

. "For what reason?"

Jane hesitated for a moment, contemplating her response. She glanced around at the bustling activity of the servants moving about them. Even if she was going to let her sister in on the situation, it was not the right time or place for the conversation.

With a small sigh, she shook her head, indicating to Sarah that it was a private matter to not be discussed in the open.

Sarah's eyes widened slightly; having followed hers for the few seconds she was staring at the movements about. She nodded slowly, and gave Jane's hands another gentle squeeze.

Both sisters turned, and nearly immediately locked eyes with their father in the distance, his expression of intense irritation unmistakable as he glared their way.

Sarah, offering silent support, gently squeezed Jane's shoulder and whispered, "It shall be fine. You need not worry."

Jane simply nodded, clinging unto the beacon of light that came from being in her sister's presence as they slowly made their way towards their father.

Upon reaching Henry, his glare pierced through Jane as he demanded immediately, "And what do you think you're doing?" His tone boomed his disappointment and anger. "Why would you return to my estate when you have very clearly and openly already been married off?"

Jane had well expected this. Feeling the weight of his accusatory gaze, she remained silent, unable to muster a defense for her actions. After all, he was the last person she could trust to share the truth with.

After a tense moment of silence, Henry's voice lowered as he took a step forward, glaring down at Jane intensely, "I am horribly disappointed in you." There was so much sincerity in his tone as he spoke.

"I knew you were a problem, but I certainly had neither the idea nor expectation you would turn out to be this much of a disgrace."

Jane's heart sank at his harsh words, each syllable cutting deeper. With her head bent, she blinked rapidly, doing her best to prevent the tears that quickly began gathering at the corners of her eyes.

Sarah's gentle squeeze did little for soothing at this point.

"Father, I'm sure she's tired from setting out so early. Perhaps, it would be better to discuss this situation during the-"

"Shut your mouth, child. I am not nearly finished with her!" Henry's sudden bellow echoed around the area, causing both girls to shrink into silence.

Jane braced herself for the difficult conversation that lay ahead. Her choices had led her to this moment of tongue-lashing from her father. There was nothing more to do than to take it.

Henry's harsh words cut through the air as he admonished her once again, "You should be ashamed for leaving your home and your husband! Do you hear me? It's not nearly been half a year since you got married, yet here you are!"

His accusations continued, feeling like hot coal against Jane's skin as he lashed out at her without restraint, "Yet, I should not be surprised after all. No man would tolerate you, not with that unbridled tongue of yours. I'm certain the duke sent you away, and who could blame him?"

He snarled as he took a step closer, yelling in her face, "You were a duchess! A duchess! You would never come to such an achievement ever again, you were to know this, yet, you squandered it all!"

"We do not know what went wrong yet, let's not jump to conclusions, Father." Sarah's voice asserted.

Her sharp, clear tone called forth a new form of tension as Henry and Jane turned towards her in shock. Jane wondered if her ears were playing tricks on her. For the first time, her sister's gaze met their father's unabashedly, clearly challenging him.

Henry's frown deepened as he squinted at Sarah and spoke, "And why do you think your sister didn't clarify in her letter why she was coming back?"

Sarah's face formed a frown as she opened her mouth to respond, "If she could not tell the truth via the letter, she certainly would not be saying it now."

Cutting off Sarah's attempt to speak again, Henry turned to Jane, his eyes piercing, his tone daring as he questioned, "Aren't I correct in my assumptions?"

Jane's eyes fell to the floor. Speaking to Henry in any form might have her living on the streets. Despite how it hurt, she swallowed her words and kept silent.

"And there it is!" He let out a shocked laughter, "You could not keep this attitude around your husband, could you?

Sarah's protective instinct seemed to flare as she drew Jane close, her voice firm as she snapped at their father, "Stop talking to Jane like that. You have no idea what she might have gone through."

Both Henry and Jane's jaws tilted slightly at her fierceness. However, Henry managed to recompose himself quicker, laughing and sputtering with rage flashing in his eyes. "You have no room to talk, either. Your only option for marriage is gone due to your unworthiness!"

Jane's eyes widened at this, and she turned to Sarah once more, "Graham broke off the engagement?"

Before Sarah could respond, Henry gnarled through gritted teeth, "Seems I was cursed with unsuccessful women And here I have been, doing my best to keep your failed engagement discreet, and this is how I'm repaid!"

"As I had been saying earlier, I shall take Jane inside and help her get settled. We can discuss as a family when emotions are not so high."

Henry's eyes were nearly popping out their sockets, stunned by Sarah's sudden boldness. He struggled to react, only managing to call out for them to return as the girls had already made their way to the door.

Ignoring Henry's yells, Sarah rushed in with Jane, without making a stop, headed straight for her room. Only when they were settled and Jane had eaten, did Sarah speak up again.

"Now that you're a spinster again, I fear you'll have to pay more attention to staying away from Graham, sister." Her face twisted in distaste, she continued, "There's something terribly wrong with the man."

At the mention of his name, Jane stared at her sister blankly. Already feeling overwhelmed from all that had happened, the words fell out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"Graham threatened to harm you and Colin's nieces if I don't end my marriage with Colin."

Sarah mouth froze as it was open, her face displaying shock, fear, disgust, and realization as she fought to process Jane's words.

As she had said it, Jane continued to pour everything out, her voice cracking as she disclosed the painful truth. "He is the reason I'm seeking an annulment, nothing else."

"Does the Duke…"

"Colin does not know about this, and I can't tell him because I'm afraid of what Graham might do."

Sarah, deeply moved by her sister's plight, expressed her shock and sympathy, her eyes telling her she understood the gravity of the situation. She nodded her head vehemently as she spoke, "I knew that man was a scam."

Jane was drowning with guilt as she reached out for her sister's hands, "I am so sorry for what you had to go through because of me. He only came after you to get to me."

"Oh, that was all too clear." Sarah, with conviction, reassured her, "You were never at fault. He is severely disturbed, and you are not to blame for that."

Sarah's eyes betrayed her anger as she directed her frustration towards Henry, proclaiming, "It's all father's fault for not listening to either of us. All he cared about was making Graham his son-in-law. He could have put an end to this obsession, and-" Her eyes were frantic as they returned to Jane, insisting, "Sister, you must talk to the duke about this."

Jane shook her head, struggling with the tears that attacked her eyes again. "I will not risk those little girl's lives, neither yours. This is for the best."

Sarah tried to interject once more, but Jane cut her sister off, "Please, sister. All I need is some time alone."

When Sarah left, she curled up on her bed and shut her eyes, doing her best to stop her tears from flowing.