Page 57 of A Scandalous Love for the Enticing Duke
“Anytime now, Mother,” Agnes muttered.
Victoria gave a tight smile, and Eleanor instantly knew her mother was here to offer an apology. Well, this would be delightful to watch, she thought as she resisted the urge to cross her arms. Finally, her mother spoke.
“I am certain you girls might have guessed why I have come here to speak with the three of you. Nonetheless, it is only right that I say the words. I have come to offer my apologies for all of my wrongdoings in the past few weeks. You must know that I was simply acting in your best interests …”
“You mean what you reckoned to be our best interests,” Eleanor interjected. “However, we all know that you only do things in your best interests, Mother.”
There was a pause as her sisters nodded, and Victoria seemed to search for words to say.
“I suppose you are right,” she responded after the short pause. “It is no secret that I have my principles, and I uphold propriety and etiquettes, perhaps a little more than every other soul in the whole of England does. I did not think that exceptions could be made, hence the reason why I acted the way I did. I would that the family name would not to be soiled with what I thought would be a scandal. Now I see that these laws were made for man, and not man for them.”
“A rather perfect timing if you asked me,” Agnes muttered again, and Eleanor smirked, mirroring Isabelle’s.
Victoria gave Agnes a look, and for the first time since she had stepped into the chamber, she gave a small genuine smile. Now that Eleanor thought of it, her mother did not look like one who was remorseful. Her countenance had been that of the proud Victoria Birmingham she had always known. Nose in the air as she saw everyone whom she came across, two classes below her. Some kind of woman, her mother was. She could not deny that sometimes; she admired such steel.
“That is only fair. I shall not insult you girls by telling false tales of how I have suddenly realised my wrong and found a remorseful heart. If things had gone the other way and I had succeeded with my plans, we would not be having this conversation, of that, I assure you. Nevertheless, they did, and we are where we are. I am sure things happened this way for a reason.”
“Yes. You thought little of us, while we believed you capable of every imaginable evil thing.”
Those words seemed to have touched her mother for she gasped as she held her hand to her chest. “Isabelle! I am your mother!”
“As we are your daughters!” Agnes exclaimed, matching the pitch their mother had used.
“Yet, that did not put hesitation in you. You went ahead still, to have us locked up in our father’s home. Did you even think it through, Mother? What did you think Father would have done when he found out? How had you hoped to spin this in your favour?”
Victoria’s eyes widened in alarm as she looked at all three of them. Eleanor thought she saw a glint of regret flicker through her eyes. She opened her mouth to talk, but Isabelle cut her off coolly.
“That being the least of all that you did. Shall we discuss the forged documents, the false letters? The lies you spun so readily and easily? Shall we mention how you did not care for your daughter’s well-being when she fell ill from heartbreak? How could you, Mother? You are supposed to love us. Our happiness is all that is supposed to matter.”
For the first time in her entire lifetime in which she had known her mother, Eleanor saw her become at a loss for words. Then the damndest thing happened … a tear dropped from her mother’s eyes, and Eleanor’s heart broke.
Victoria opened her mouth, but no words came forth. Then, more tears joined the first. Eleanor wanted to reach for her, but Agnes’s hands held her back. She turned to look at her sisters and saw that they only wanted to protect their mother’s already injured pride. Victoria Birmingham was strong enough to handle her tears. God help them, but they all still loved her, despite it all.
Silence reigned until her mother regained her composure. With her kerchief, she dried her tears, and finally spoke.
“I am truly, deeply sorry. I guessed I never stopped to think how all of these would affect you girls, truly. I simply thought you were being children and would get over your blues soon and feel nothing but gratitude for my intervention. I never thought I was hurting you that deeply. I did not know how much it meant that you ended up with Alan.” She reached up with one hand to cup Agnes’s cheeks.
“I had not seen how happy he made you at the time.” Then, she lifted her other hand to cup Eleanor’s cheeks.
“I had no idea about the love you and Nicholas harboured for each other. Still, you are in your right to be angry with me. I did wrong, very wrong. I see it now. I cannot dream that you would overlook these things as though they mattered nothing. I only hope that you think about offering me your forgiveness, and that someday, you all shall be able to. I am aware that I have failed you greatly, yet, I give my word that I shall do better from now onwards. Only give me the chance.”
Eleanor released shaky breaths as her heart ached for her mother. Perhaps, she had not come in here with a heart of true remorse, still, it was obvious something had changed. Mayhap, her mother was not as unyielding and hard-hearted as they had thought. She had never seen her mother cry and speak so sincerely from the heart. It opened up something inside of her. Truly, her mother had done her no great wrong. Agnes and Alan were the two persons who had been greatly wronged. Surely, her sister would see what she saw and consider forgiving their mother as she too now did.
“You are all going to have beautiful marriages; I should have seen this sooner. Oh goodness, you have all grown so big, beautiful, and wise. I think all these years, I have seen you through the eyes with which I looked upon you when you were only children, running around the house and looking up to me for guidance. You haven’t been that for a long time, have you? You all, are now women of your own. Indeed. Now, I see why your father is so proud.”
She said nothing else as she got up and placed kisses on all of their foreheads. Then, she turned to leave. Eleanor and her sisters shared looks as she did, and Eleanor saw that their eyes brimmed with tears. The pool that had gathered in hers overflowed in that moment. Wordlessly, a message passed between them, and they nodded in agreement.
They turned to see their mother almost at the door, and they called out in unison.
“Mother?” Victoria turned swiftly, the hope in her eyes as clear as the morning skies. They all rose and rushed over to her. As they reached her, they gathered her into a big, tight embrace.
Sobs broke out, and they let tears pour. Tears of pain, regrets, happiness, forgiveness, and hope.
“Oh my goodness. How could I have been so blind to the treasures I had close to me, all this time? Bless your father for the good hearts he gave you. Bless him.”
No more words were needed. They remained that way until the last of wounds were healed.
Chapter 38
