Flight and Fancy

Chapter 18

Lord Graystone's carriage had left the castle before the dawn. His entourage tried to look dour inspite of their attire. He would be interred in the family's vault without pomp or ceremony.

The Jacobsons had gathered in the sitting room as had been arranged and had been joined by the Campbell family. Lord and Lady Whiteroad entered and asked the servants to exit and close the doors behind them. Lord Whiteroad stood looking somewhat solemn. He tried to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat.

"I have had great reason to reflect upon my threats and harsh words, of my deplorable behaviour of the past. As you would be aware I was visited by James Campbell."

He flickered a glance at James.

"The words of that man on that day awoke in me feelings for my family that I had thought I had buried. I tried to dampen them when he left."

 He pointed to Magnus, tears welling in his eyes, " I am ashamed to say I tried to kill this young man and his friends."

He fell to his knees panting and trying to keep his emotions controlled. He pulled off his glove and took his arm from its coat sleeve and opened his shirt cuff, baring the scars from Magnus's one shot he said, "This nearly cost me my life."

He breathed deeply. Pointing to the scars on his hand and arm he continued, "Not only did the bullet cause these scars but it lodged in my chest close to my heart. It was while convalescing after this incident that I started to really think about James's words."

He straightend his shirt and pulled his coat sleeve and glove back on.

"I sent out men to find out all they could about this 'Isabelle' girl. One of my men came back with a letter of evidence which had been written and signed by the hand of a Doctor Prendergast and his wife who reside just a day's ride from your home. He wrote and told of a young woman named Isabelle whom he had treated for several days who had terrible whip marks on her back which had filled with infection, nearly claiming her life. He also wrote that this Isabelle had told his wife she had been kidnapped several years ago and she had been helped to escape. He ended his letter saying he had no doubts of her story because of the extent of the scarring to her back."

Lord Whiteroad's tears of anguish and regret flowed freely. He stood up and stepped backwards a few steps further away from the group.

"I was deeply touched at how you have stayed true to your poise and grace Amelia. I should stand here proud to have you as my daughter but, no..., I stand here ashamed to be called your father."

He looked at Isabelle.

"You are a beauty like your mother. My pride and stubbornness has caused you a lifetime of misery. My sources had discovered the abhorrent way in which you were treated. One of my men came across a man by the name of Jesse who was the son of a housekeeper. He had gone to town and was at the Inn where my man was. This Jesse had overheard my man asking questions about a woman by the name of Isabelle. He told my man of the whippings and how Isabelle was chained or otherwise locked in her room. When my man queried this Jesse as to his knowledge he replied that he and his mother were in the employ of one Hugh Graystone, who was the perpetrator of this inhumane treatment. Last night, I could not let Lord Graystone continue to bother you. Hugh Graystone will not be able to bother you again."

He turned and strode a few steps.

"While he and I were fighting in the courtyard last evening an unknown man dispatched the Lord Graystone with two firings from a pistol."

All sat silently, listening to the words coming from Lord Whiteroad. He walked to his wife's side and took her by the hand and led her to their daughter Amelia.