Page 64 of Secrets of Capell Manor
“Tell me,” he urged, his voice low and steady. “Whatever it is, Rosalind, tell me.”
Rosalind took a deep breath, the memory of that night crashing over her like a wave. “I didn’t just lie to you,” she confessed, her voice breaking. “I killed him. I murdered Edmond.”
Devlin’s expression still didn’t change—he remained still. He said nothing, only waited.
Rosalind’s whole body started to shake; her words tumbled out in a flood of emotion. “That night…the night he disappeared, Edmond had beaten me. Severely. I knew I couldn’t stay any longer. I ran. I took my horse, and I rode, not knowing where I was going—just away from him.”
She paused, her breath ragged, the memory of Edmond’s violence still fresh in her mind. Devlin stood motionless, listening.
“Edmond followed me. He wasn’t far behind. But he didn’t know the land as well as I did. He took the wrong path, the one that leads into the mire. His horse got stuck. Edmond had either fallen off or dismounted, sinking up to his belly in the muck. I rode on, leaving him there. I didn’t care what happened to him at that moment. I was just so desperate to get away.” Rosalind’s voice faltered and she swallowed hard, the weight of her next words almost too much to bear.
“But I turned back. I don’t know why. Perhaps a part of me wanted to help him. When I returned, I found my uncle struggling to free himself. He was sinking. His horse was gone, and he was alone… terrified.” Her voice wavered, tears streaming down her cheeks as she forced herself to continue. “I tried to help him. I didn’t have a rope, so I reached for him, but he cursed me, Devlin. He cursed me like he’d never before. He said I’d regret running from him. He grabbed me and snagged my locket, trying to pull me down with him.”
Devlin’s gaze darkened, and his grip on the locket tightened, but still, he said nothing.
Rosalind’s voice dropped to a whisper; the words almost too painful to speak. “And so, I stopped trying. I backed away. I watched him sink further into the mire. I let him drown. I could’ve saved him, but I didn’t. I left him there to die. He screamed after me, Devlin, over and over, but I never looked back. I rode back to the manor. I acted as though nothing had happened.”
Silence filled the room, heavy and suffocating. Rosalind’s heart pounded in her chest, and her pulse beat in her ears. She waited for Devlin to say something—anything.
“You… let him die.”
Rosalind nodded, tears streaming freely down her face now. “Yes.”
For a moment, Devlin remained still, his gaze locked on hers as though weighing the gravity of her confession. The silence stretched between them, unbearable, until finally, Devlin took a step toward her.
“You didn’t murder him, Rosalind. You survived him. He was a monster, and you did the only thing you could to save yourself and protect the children. You said he beat you badly before you ran. Had he got free, he may have killed you the next time.”
Rosalind blinked in disbelief. “But I let him die, Devlin. I could’ve saved him, and I didn’t.”
Devlin gently took her hand, his touch warm and grounding. “Rosalind, I would have done the same. No, I would have done worse. I would have sat at the water’s edge, toasted his upcoming demise with a mug of ale, and wished him a merry journey into Hell. Anyone who knew the truth of what he did to you would understand. You did what you had to do, and I don’t blame you. Nothing you’ve told me changes how I feel about you.”
She stared at him, her heart filled with a mixture of relief and disbelief. “You don’t hate me?”
“I could never hate you,” Devlin whispered, pulling her into his arms. “I love you. Nothing will ever change that.”
Rosalind wept into his chest; the years of living in fear and the guilt and shame of that horrible night finally lifted. In Devlin’s embrace, she was truly safe, and nothing would ever take that from her.
The tears flowed loudly and freely for some time, but once her sobs quieted, she lifted her head from his now wet shirt. She thought she saw several tear-glistened black lashes.
“You will never repeat what you just told me, Rosalind. I believe in my heart that you did what you had to do, but we are not sure everyone would feel the same. Does anyone else know?”
Rosalind shook her head, “No one but me, and now you.”
“Good. We will keep it that way.”
Then Devlin gifted her with a rare smile. “Now, let’s go downstairs. We have a wedding to plan.”
Rosalind smiled widely, and he continued with a mischievous grin.
“And there will be no long engagement as I won’t be waiting long to be with you, Rosalind.” He leaned down, and his mouth crushed hers in a long, warm kiss.
Rosalind couldn’t agree more.
****
Benton watched his happy family. Rosalind had returned to the great hall with her husband-to-be. Soon she and Marta were planning a wedding and a return to Rosalind’s estate. The children looked happier than he’d ever seen them and everyone talked, laughed, and played until the late hours of the night.
Once the household had retired to their chambers and the manor fell silent, Benton poured himself a goblet of wine and settled before the roaring fire. As the wine and the warmth of the fire soothed his aching body, his mind returned to the night of Edmond’s disappearance.
