Curse of Rose de Winter

Chapter 43

Irene did not appear with my luggage. In fact, it was gone. I would've ran away, but an ominous feeling overcame me when I saw Ruby sleeping. She frowned in her sleep, and I saw Blanche's face. Blanche looked like Ruby, I realized.

I read Jane Eyre and the story was the same. An innocent romance, and then out of nowhere Bertha appeared. It made my blood run cold, and I couldn't sleep the that night.

Austen called and demanded to know the full story, and Calvin offered to go to the hospital she was bought to, as he called their family doctor and he referred Blanche to a hospital.

I had been used to hospitals due to my father's occupation. I forgot when it was but I went sometimes when he was coming home with my mother—my mother. Maybe I had loved her once, but I no longer r remembered.

Ah, my thoughts are going everywhere.

That morning Irene came into my room and averted her eyes. She simply said Dylan would like me to accompany him and Calvin to the hospital.

After breakfast Scarlett said she'd call Austen again, as he was still there. Olivia apparently made a huge fuss over having to be embarrassed by a girl who wasn't even Blanche with the dress color scheme.

What a pathetic woman, I thought.

I had no say in the matter but I was glad I could see Blanche once more. Then once the three of us were in the carriage I asked about Hughes.

"What happened after that? Tell me the truth."

Dylan pressed his lips together as Calvin explained.

"Vaughn had tied him up in a chair and Hughes confessed everything and attempted to drink something in a bottle—we stopped him, of course, but I'm sure it was poison."

"It was, Vaughn took it to court as evidence," Dylan said coldly.

Perfect. He was playing with puppets; his own lawyer and criminal created by his hands in a story he was telling and making up. He stared straight into me and I broke eye contact.

"Irene is under your bidding too, isn't she?" I asked.

"I only want your safety. Tell me if you are to leave the house."

"When will this end?"

There was an ironic smirk "After our engagement—no, after our marriage."

Calvin's big eyes darted around in curiosity.

"It's just not good timing, right?" Calvin laughed awkwardly. "Darn Hughes!"

"It's perfect timing. Anyways, that's your answer, Rose."

"Rose?" Calvin looked at me and nodded. "Rose."

I didn't bother to argue I wasn't Rose. The Mazzanti Family will make sure from today on I was Rose Blackwood.

We arrived at the hospital and I made sure to not take Dylan's hand when I descended the carriage. I followed the two men quietly.

The hospital Blanche was in was different from my village's. It was big and full of nurses in real uniforms with skirts, although they wore stockings, and matching hats. I watched in awe as we were led to a room and the empty cots showed Blanche wasn't sharing the room with anyone, and we could speak as wished.

"Blanche, are you conscious?" I asked first.

Blanche, you're all I left! Only you can prove I'm not mad and Dylan had indeed done such a cruel thing.

"Who administrated the poison to you?" I asked.

Say it! Say Dylan and with Calvin as witness here it can still end!