Kingsley's Bride

Chapter 30: The control of the devil

Scarlett

The air in the Ravenswood estate was thick with sorrow, every breath a struggle as the weight of Meredith's fate settled over us like a suffocating shroud. 

My father stood silent, his face a mask of stone, but the pain in his eyes betrayed the storm brewing within. My mother wept openly, her sobs wracking her delicate frame as she clung to me, seeking solace in a daughter who could offer none. Phoebe, my sweet, innocent sister, huddled in a corner, her eyes wide with fear, while Clarence paced the room like a caged animal, his fists clenching and unclenching as if he might strike out at the cruel world that had brought us to this.

My heart was in tatters, each beat a jagged reminder of the devastation that had befallen our family. The sentencing notice had come with a swiftness that left me reeling, the ink barely dry on the paper before the reality of it had crashed down upon us. 

Here, I had just uncovered a grave secret my family had hidden from me for years—Meredith was not truly one of us by blood. Yet, despite that, she was still my sister in every way that mattered. Now, she had been condemned to die. The realization echoed in my mind, a relentless litany of horror I could not escape.

But as the initial shock began to wear off, a new resolve took its place, hardening within me like iron. I could not, would not, let this stand. 

There was something wrong, something deeply amiss with the way events had unfolded. 

Lord Darius had sent me home to my family with no mention of this impending doom, no warning of the dark fate that awaited Meredith. And why a death sentence for her? 

I made my decision quickly, the determination in my voice cutting through the fog of grief that surrounded us. 

"I must return to the Kingsley estate," I declared, pushing myself to my feet. My legs felt weak beneath me, but I forced them to move, to carry me toward the door. 

"I need to speak with Lord Darius. I need to understand what has happened."

My mother's hand clutched at my arm, her fingers cold and trembling. 

"Scarlett, please. Don't go. Stay with us. What good will it do to confront him?" she begged, her voice choked with tears.

But I could not be swayed. 

"I have to go, Mother. I have to know why this has happened." My eyes locked with Clarence's, and he gave me a small nod of understanding. He knew as well as I did that there was more to this than met the eye.

"Eliza, fetch the carriage," I called out, and my maid quickly obeyed, her face pale but resolute. I could see the fear in her eyes, but also the loyalty. 

The ride back to the Kingsley estate was a blur, the scenery outside the carriage window passing in a haze of green and gold as the summer sun began its descent. But I could find no beauty in it, no comfort. My thoughts were a tempest, whirling and churning with the weight of my suspicions, my fears. 

"Milady, please try to calm yourself," she urged, her voice gentle. 

But her words fell on deaf ears. 

How could I calm myself when the very ground beneath me seemed to be crumbling away? 

When the carriage finally drew to a stop before the grand estate, I barely waited for Eliza to open the door before I leaped out, my skirts tangling around my ankles as I ran up the steps. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a thunderous echo that drowned out everything else. I had to find him. I had to make him explain.

The grand hall was cool and dim, the light from the high windows casting long shadows on the marble floor. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the sound of my hurried footsteps as I made my way through the corridors.