Page 82 of The Odd Riddle of the Lost Duchess
Emmeline share an exasperated look with the Duchess of Newberry, the lady she would be calling her mother-in-law in a few months, and shook her head with a wry smile.
“That’s a start. Well, I believe a wedding is in order, isn’t it?” The Duchess smiled beatifically, “Welcome to the family, Emmeline.”
Chapter 31
End of an Era
Half the day of Emmeline’s miraculous revival had passed with George and Emmeline, Noah and his mother telling their side of the three-month experience, trying to come to an understanding of it all, and examining where they now stood. But there was one issue that Noah needed to fix, the one with his grandmother.
The Dowager Duchess wasn’t going to be glad when he told her that he was marrying the “Grant chit”, but Noah didn’t care. God had been gracious enough to grant his sole wish and return his love to him, a wish Noah hadn’t expected to be granted while he was living. Now that he had Emmeline back, nothing was going to stop him from making her his–especially his evil grandmother.
Noah stood at the doorway of his grandmother’s room with Leverton’s granduncle’s book in his grasp. It was time this madness, his grandmother’s erroneous suspicions, ended.
“Noah,” Emmeline’s voice cut through his thoughts as his intended laid a hand on his arm. “Are you sure about this?”
Cupping his hand over hers, Noah nodded, “It’s about time she knows the truth and if she cannot accept it now, there will be no time for her to do so at judgment day.”
“I understand,” Emmeline replied, while softly removing her hand, “but I don’t think she would take lightly to seeing me.”
Anger flared a little in Noah’s stomach, “She tried to have you killed, my love. Even if she didn’t succeed, it still is counted as righteous reparation to show her that her nefarious plans haven’t succeeded.”
Hesitant golden eyes darted to the door before her lips quirked, “And you’re sure seeing me won’t send her to the grave?”
“She has already damned herself,” Noah returned. “But, my love, if you’re not sure, let me go in first and then you’ll come in, agreed?”
“Discretion is the better part of valor,” Emmeline added with a wry tilt to her lips.
“But tact belays truth, my love,” Noah reprimanded, “And I do not think tact is the formula I need with to solve this problem.”
* * *
Knocking brusquely on the door, Noah entered without an invitation to do so. He purposely left the door open to allow Emmeline to hear what was going to be said.
“Don’t you have any manners, boy?” the Dowager Duchess screeched like a true hawk. “You have no right to come into my quarters as you have.”
“Actually, as head of the family, I do,” Noah replied, “Yet if I hadn’t had a firm purpose I would have resisted. But my motive is firm and my actions follow. Grandmother, this is the last time I will tell you that your husband was not killed by Leverton, and this time I have proof.”
“What proof?” his grandmother huffed. “Have you inquired of a soothsayer and spoken to my husband’s spirit?”
“No, and I’ll leave all the black arts to you,” Noah replied clearly. “I found your diary, Grandmother and I know that you know grandfather died naturally.”
Her paleness at his words didn’t deter Noah. “I also believe you ordered the death of both St. Maurs, but that is for God to judge. I can give you a chance to see the truth on this matter, and repent. Leverton’s granduncle had written an account of that day when grandfather died and–”
“He was killed,” his grandmother snapped, but Noah didn’t falter his words.
“–the proof that his heart failed him is right here, written in black against white. Read it for yourself.” The Duke offered the leather-bound journal.
“I will not touch the cursed thing,” she huffed while snapping her head away, “Nothing of Leverton’s is untainted.”
“Fine.” Noah replied, “Then I will read it to you and you can either accept it, or forbear the truth. “The hunting party with myself, Duke Jacob Newberry, Earl Barton and Viscount Dalton ended in a tragedy. We had just spotted a massive deer and Jacob, my dear friend was about to level his musket when he dropped it and lurched forward to me, striking me in my arm. As I was the closest to him I reached out to him but he twisted suddenly and my reach was misplaced and he fell off the horse.”
“Lies!” His grandmother called out so loudly that the air rang with her thin scream. “It’s all lies! All of it!”
Nevertheless, Noah continued, “I launched off my mount and grabbed at him, his face was turning blue and his hand was grabbing at his chest. I thought something had struck him so I ripped his jacket and shirt off to see his chest palpitating hard. He then gasped, his eyes rolled to the back and he started to shudder. I recalled some medical training and placed my hand on the middle of his chest pressing hard to massage his heart, but though he was gasping he soon went still under my hands. I did not–could not–move from my friend, colleague and sometimes competitor, until his body went still and my heart felt frozen in my chest. He died there, under my hand and I have marked that tragic day in my mind for the rest of my life.”
* * *
The silence that hung in the air after Noah had finished his recitation felt so heavy Emmeline, even from her place outside the room, felt stifled, but she set her ears to the room.
