what I was about to do before Stevens came and saved your sorry hide.” This was no empty threat. Robert wasn't ready to waste his breath on anything other than what he had already decided to follow through with. Whatever was about to happen, Jefferson knew his life as he had lived it was about to come to an end. The only thing left unanswered was if it would be in a pine box or behind a jailer’s key.
Turning back to his wife, he asked for help to understand and the confessions that followed were the nightmares that his wife had lived through.
“When last I saw him in this room I had gone in search of Jefferson to discuss certain objects that had once belonged to your father that had gone missing.” Swallowing back his disgust at his own memory, Stevens continued on. “I had searched everywhere and it was when I knocked on your wife’s chamber door that I realized how I had failed you and your family.” Looking dead into Roberts’s eyes, he tried to clarify the best he could. "I knew she held no special feelings for the man and that she would go as far as shrink away from him when they met in passing at the mill. It wasn’t until I saw him rutting on top of her that I knew my suspicions were confirmed. Dragging him from her, I saw how she was in no state to defend herself and I am still amazed to find that I had enough strength to let him live. Dragging him down the stairs and out the front door, I tossed him down the rest of the way, warning him never to return.” Shaking his head in dismay, he pressed on. “I should have sent for the authorities then, but I was not thinking. All that mattered was separating him from your wife.”
“It didn't take long for us to realize what had been happening.” Ruth added, holding Fiona to her, brushing back sweaty locks and trying to soothe the poor woman who was suffering from a mild form of shock. The trauma of what she had just experienced and the residue of the Laudanum still in her system left her in a near frozen state.
“What we learned was beyond our belief. He had been drugging the Viscountess and taking liberties through methods of the tonic and blackmail.”
Blinking awake, she tried to pull herself free. Crying out, Fiona begged for them to stop. It was Robert who took her back in his arms, but she did not cease the fight until she collapsed in a gasp and lay limp in her husband’s arms. Her heart was weak, but she was breathing. Rolling her in his arms, Robert held his wife close to him as he met Stevens’ eyes and spoke softly, but with authority.
"Take him to the wine cellar and tie him up. I need time to decide what to do with him. Then send for the doctor and magistrate, but tell them nothing and give them no chance to delay. Do not disclose this to anyone and should any word of this spread, do not let a soul know that this was not the first time. After everything that my family has suffered, I will not risk anyone questioning my wife’s loyalty or my son's birthright." His word was law and they did not hesitate to follow out his orders.
Chapter 10
Fiona felt warm and soft in a cocoon. Whatever dream she was living she prayed it would never end, the nightmares that had terrorized her nights were gone and all she felt was peace as she heard a deep familiar voice call out to her. Was this heaven? Had Jefferson returned and finished what he had always threatened?
"Please, my love." Came that voice again. "I cannot face this life without you. Don't leave us."
If this were a dream, she hoped it wouldn’t end.
"I will never forgive myself...I never knew what I was leaving you with." His voice sounded tired. "Forgive my selfish soul and I will spend the rest of my days trying to make myself worthy of you. I love you...I love you...I love you."
Never had she known a dream to be so sweet. Night after night she had heard these same words spoken to her with the same voice, but never had her heart brought such passion and fire to her dreams.
Turning back to his wife, he asked for help to understand and the confessions that followed were the nightmares that his wife had lived through.
“When last I saw him in this room I had gone in search of Jefferson to discuss certain objects that had once belonged to your father that had gone missing.” Swallowing back his disgust at his own memory, Stevens continued on. “I had searched everywhere and it was when I knocked on your wife’s chamber door that I realized how I had failed you and your family.” Looking dead into Roberts’s eyes, he tried to clarify the best he could. "I knew she held no special feelings for the man and that she would go as far as shrink away from him when they met in passing at the mill. It wasn’t until I saw him rutting on top of her that I knew my suspicions were confirmed. Dragging him from her, I saw how she was in no state to defend herself and I am still amazed to find that I had enough strength to let him live. Dragging him down the stairs and out the front door, I tossed him down the rest of the way, warning him never to return.” Shaking his head in dismay, he pressed on. “I should have sent for the authorities then, but I was not thinking. All that mattered was separating him from your wife.”
“It didn't take long for us to realize what had been happening.” Ruth added, holding Fiona to her, brushing back sweaty locks and trying to soothe the poor woman who was suffering from a mild form of shock. The trauma of what she had just experienced and the residue of the Laudanum still in her system left her in a near frozen state.
“What we learned was beyond our belief. He had been drugging the Viscountess and taking liberties through methods of the tonic and blackmail.”
Blinking awake, she tried to pull herself free. Crying out, Fiona begged for them to stop. It was Robert who took her back in his arms, but she did not cease the fight until she collapsed in a gasp and lay limp in her husband’s arms. Her heart was weak, but she was breathing. Rolling her in his arms, Robert held his wife close to him as he met Stevens’ eyes and spoke softly, but with authority.
"Take him to the wine cellar and tie him up. I need time to decide what to do with him. Then send for the doctor and magistrate, but tell them nothing and give them no chance to delay. Do not disclose this to anyone and should any word of this spread, do not let a soul know that this was not the first time. After everything that my family has suffered, I will not risk anyone questioning my wife’s loyalty or my son's birthright." His word was law and they did not hesitate to follow out his orders.
Chapter 10
Fiona felt warm and soft in a cocoon. Whatever dream she was living she prayed it would never end, the nightmares that had terrorized her nights were gone and all she felt was peace as she heard a deep familiar voice call out to her. Was this heaven? Had Jefferson returned and finished what he had always threatened?
"Please, my love." Came that voice again. "I cannot face this life without you. Don't leave us."
If this were a dream, she hoped it wouldn’t end.
"I will never forgive myself...I never knew what I was leaving you with." His voice sounded tired. "Forgive my selfish soul and I will spend the rest of my days trying to make myself worthy of you. I love you...I love you...I love you."
Never had she known a dream to be so sweet. Night after night she had heard these same words spoken to her with the same voice, but never had her heart brought such passion and fire to her dreams.
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