Season's Feather

Chapter Forty-Five

Later Delilah is sitting in front of Simon. He came home and as Daphne is still mad at him for a reason Delilah cannot quite tell, she was asked to help her brother.

"It seems I have become a little too rough training with Will." Simon says quietly.

"Should I call for Jeffries?" Delilah askes.

"No." Simon grunts as he tries to bandage himself.

Delilah takes the bandages from his hand. "Let me. With the Bridgerton boys, and your boyhood you cannot imagine the nasty cuts I have tended to over the years."

The two laugh. But Delilah quickly got lost in thought.

"Why will you not unfold yourself to her?" She asked carefully.

"Delilah-"

"A child would be a blessing. Why are you so adamant to hold a grudge against your father?"

Simon sighed. This is one of the things he didn't tell her, but knew that someday she would find out. That was always the worst and best thing about Delilah, she always found out.

"Because I swore a long time ago that I would never sire a child." He said.

"Just to spite him?" Delilah asked.

"My father cared more about the continuation of the Hastings line than anything in the world. You know that Lily, he cared more about the line than my mother. More than me. You know that, you saw it. Delilah you are no stranger to how I grew up. And so I made a vow that his efforts would be in vain and that the line would die with me." Simon explained.

Delilah scoffed to herself, "So this all, because of a vow? You made a vow to Daphne too. Or has your wedding day slipped your mind."

"I told her-"

Delilah shook her head, "You told her you could not have children. You did not tell her it was some broken revenge against a man, who is deceased may I remind you."

"I swore to him on his deathbed." Simon muttered.

"And in doing so you lied to your wife." Delilah replied. "But let me be certain the reason Daphne will never be a mother, and you will never know the joy of a child because you have promised your father you would not?" She asked.

"I-" Simon stutterd.

"Say it." Delilah prodded. "Say it."

"It cannot be undone." Simon whispered.

Simon stood in silence, he was hearing it coming back to him at the same time it was leaving him. He was holding Daphne back in being a mother, because of his father. But, his father was a menace. His father did not care, what made Delilah think he would be any better-

"I thank you for your elucidation, Simon. If your hatred for your father outways any affection that you might bear towards Daphne then you are right. It cannot be undone, "Delilah got up and began to walk towards the door of the room, "Her courses are due within the next few days. You will know which vow you have broken, and how you are to spend the rest of your life. Miserable together, or perfectly happy apart."