Curse of Rose de Winter

Chapter 42

One peek. I could still leave after it, I told myself, it was just one peek.

I peeked out and saw Dylan, and he was in a suit and cleaned up. He turned to me and caught my eye. I was able to run when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me out with a big smile.

No, what was he doing?

I looked out at Vaughn who followed quietly.

"Let go of me!" I begged both of them in a whisper.

"This girl here, Rose Blackwood, actually helped us by pretending to be Blanche."

What?

Calvin was there, behind Vaughn, but I could tell from him calm face he didn't know everything was set up by Dylan. What lie did Dylan spin? More so, why is Vaughn not telling them the truth?

"Oh, so you are from the Blackwoods. No wonder you were so friendly with that Leroy," Scarlett said, in her new silk kimono of green. She seemed friendlier, or was it just me?

"I'm actually not a Blackwood—"

"I heard about everything," Calvin said, tipping his head down. "I'm sorry I suspected all of you. Of course, Hughes did this. I should have known, you were all already in a scheme. Dylan had to play the bad person and lure Hughes to admitting the truth."

"That's what happened?" Scarlett cried out, more shocked than she was from hearing I was the false Blanche.

"Hughes was working for that man. It was hard but we eventually cornered him," he replied.

"What should we do now?" Calvin asked. "He will be locked up, will he not? He must be!"

"No," Ruby whispered, eyes wet. "Blanche was locked up?" I pulled away but now Dylan held my arm.

"With the arrival of the new Blanche, we should write to Uncle Austen about this ploy and how Auguste and Hughes locked her up. Other than the main family there's no need to tell relatives anything. The will will remain as it was, and I want Blanche to choose her life thereon forth," Dylan said.

"Yes, that's a good idea, and may I write to Claribel?" Scarlett asked, smiling slyly. "Maybe she'll come back again."

"Of course."

"And maybe I'll write my husband so he'll understand why I'll be here for a while?"

"Yes, surely."

Calvin and Ruby stayed behind to watch us as we made our way to the parlor. Ruby had a thick bathrobe on and sat next to me, holding my hand.

"Rose doesn't have to go, then, does she?"

No, Ruby, I want to go.

"Of course not," Dylan said, then he turned to the rest. "Right, Vaughn, Calvin?"

No.

They would say yes—

"Of course she'll stay! She's pretty much part of the family!" Calvin said. "And Dylan has a surprise—oops, I should let him say it, right?"

"Rose will stay, and be witness in court if anything," Vaughn declared, ignoring Calvin's opinion bluntly. "But I'm sure all the trouble that was brewing was Hughes. The harassment and foul play by Abraham Whitecross and everything."

Only I could hear how monotonous he was. The usual him would be snickering or sarcastic but now he recited his lines, Dylan's hand on his back.

"What surprise does Dylan have for me?" I asked coldly.

"Maybe we should leave the two, then," Calvin said but was giddy like a schoolboy, and I felt sick.

He left, carrying Ruby to her room, and I grabbed Vaughn so he couldn't leave.