You can love more than once

Part 3

I awoke in my bed, Alice was sitting beside me holding my hand, her eyes were red from where she had been crying, Victoria was the other side holding a wet towel to my brow, with a look of concern on her face. Maggie was tending to the fire.

"Oh, my dear you are awake" Victoria exclaimed "Maggie please fetch his lordship and bring tea and toast. I went to sit up and both ladies helped me by placing pillow behind my back. Then I remembered why I had fainted, and the hollow feeling returned to my stomach.

"My parents are they still alive" I whispered. Victoria shook her head.

"We do not know, the ship sunk on the 15th of April. John has been trying to wire regarding any news."

The curtains were drawn, and I could tell it was night, but I did not realise how late as my stomach growled. I looked at the clock and it was just after midnight. Alice noticed me looking.

"You've been out for hours JoJo; we were worried we may have had to get the doctor" I squeezed her hand very weakly. John came softly into the room and sat on the end of my bed.

"How are you feeling" he smiled gently.

"Like a fool, I am sorry for the trouble I caused."

"No trouble and please don't worry" he looked at his wife and then said "I am to return to London; I may be able to find some more information. I will leave at first light and stay in the town house" she nodded.

"Now JoJo eat your toast" he said as Maggie had returned with a tray. I was not hungry but felt I should at least eat something. John and Victoria left me with Alice, Maggie retook the tray back downstairs. Alice stayed with me that first night, which was a comfort.

John had left early that morning; this time was a blur to me, and I do not recall much of what happened. The worry just turned into numbness, I sat a lot looking out of my bedroom window at the trees and hills beyond the garden, I missed the boys more than ever. The days slowly went by, and the duke still had not returned, then a week had past, and the carriage pulled up the driveway. I ran to the front door with the Duchess not far behind me. John stepped out of the carriage, and he was followed by a shorter, rounded man dressed very smartly, he had dark eyes and pink cheeks. Both gentlemen looked very sombre, John glanced at me, and I knew. I picked my skirt up and ran as fast as I could to the stables, my horse was there and I sat next to her stroking her head, John ran after me and sat next to me, he placed his arm around my shoulder.

"JoJo, I am sorry. They both went down with the ship" he let me cry. After about 20 minutes we walked back to house. The drawing room door to the garden was open and Victoria was there waiting for us, she had been crying too and hugged me tightly. The man stood in the doorway. John introduced him as Mr Waldron, he was my parents' lawyer from London. We all went into the drawing room and sat down for tea which was placed on the table.

"First of all, may I give you my sincere condolences "he bowed towards me "this may seem heartless, but I need to discuss important legal issues" he cleared his throat. Victoria sat next me and held my hand.

"First things first, your parents made the Duke and Duchess your legal guardians, so you are to become their ward and live here till you come of age."

Victoria smiled at me. Mr Waldron continued.

"We are trying to find a distant cousin of your fathers as he is now the new Duke of Clarence, he was last seen in India, working for the East India Company. But there is a dowry in your name and certain items at the Estate that are yours. Your mother's jewellery and other trinkets. You also own the land and house in America as you are the next relative, and these belonged to your mother. This was added to the will before your parents left for America. But the London house will belong to the new Duke."