The Lady Yves

Chapter 17

As light started to replace darkness, Freedom pulled up to the gates. She saw a raging fire coming from inside the yard and she left the horse and ran towards the house.

A breath of relief left her mouth when she realised that it was only the barn that was on fire and she did not worry herself because all the animals had been sent to the dip the previous day.

Pushing the door open into the house, she was shocked to find the hall turned upside down with her family trying to clean up the mess that had been made.

"Mama?!" Freedom called.

Her whole family looked up at her in shock and Freedom realised that Lord Barley was badly hurt and Lady Marisol was trying to get him comfortable on the floor. She ran over to his side and fell to her knees, touching him gingerly.

"Freedom!" Mrs. Rendell burst angrily. "What are you doing back here?! I told you to run! Stupid girl! Go away before they come back!!"

Lady Marisol looked at her. "Lord Barley will be fine," she whispered.

"They attacked because of Yoshi and me, right?"

"Funnily enough, no," Mrs. Rendell said. "They attacked because of only you. That is why you need to go, Freedom! They came here for you and they had with them a man...giant brute of a negro man who was claiming to be your father."

Freedom paled. "My father?!"

"Yes," Lord Barley croaked. "And he was telling the truth, Freedom. He is so wealthy that he managed to buy the sheriff and Mulch."

"What do you mean he is telling the truth?!" Mrs. Rendell screeched. "Barley, what did you do?"

Lord Barley took Freedom's hand and squeezed it. "I thought you might want to know your family so I paid someone to start looking. I wanted to surprise you and we eventually found the man...the one we thought was your real father.  But then Madame Fran Manley came into town and...and she told you the story about the woman you looked like."

Freedom remembered. "The one that ran away with her baby and was never heard from again?"

Lord Barley nodded. "Freedom, that baby was you and before your mother killed herself...she told me that someone was trying to take you and hurt you and she was really scared. But I was not listening and I thought she was talking about someone but I did not think it would be her husband."

Mrs. Rendell shook her head. "Barley... don't-"

"Her husband beat her, Madame Fran said," Freedom whispered. "Father...you invited that man into the home?!"

"Freedom, I had not heard Madame Fran's story and by the time I did, your father was already on his way. He was supposed to arrive next week which is why I was sending you away tomorrow. So that by the time he arrived, you would be oceans away, safe."

"He is not even my father," Freedom stated. "I was a lover's child."

"I did not know that when I sent the letter inviting the husband into our home. Madame Fran...she told me everything and I realised what a bad mistake I had made because that man is dangerous, Freedom. When he came in here, do you know what he said? He said-"

"Barley!!" Mrs. Rendell barked. "Do not do this!"

"She needs to know. Freedom...that man wants you dead. I need you to go back where you came from and do not come back. That man cannot hurt us anymore because if he murders us, he will be tried by bigger authorities than this towns but you...no one would care if he killed you. And today just showed me that I cannot protect you and neither can Yoshi."