You Promised

Chapter Sixteen

We are all lined up outside our house. My father stands tensely. John is staring thoughtfully at something in the distance and mother looks at the gravel. I stand, twiddling with my hair. I don't know what to say to my, apparently pregnant, sister. She had a baby out of wedlock. What possible excuse could there be for this? A pony and trap pulls up. My sister dismounts and walks towards us. We stay in formation as she nears. I look her up and down. Her stomach bulges under her dress.
'Well. Here we all are again.' She says cheerfully. A growl escapes from John's throat.
'You didn't have to leave.' He snarls. 'In fact you didn't have to come back.'
Jenny inspects her nails in a rudely carefree way. 'Well here I am. And just in time, is that an engagement ring there Ami?'
'Amelia to you.' I retort. 'At least I'm planning on marriage.' I nod my head towards her belly. She glares at me then moves towards mother.
'Mother?' She says. All aggression gone from her voice.
My mother finally looks at her. Her eyes are clouded with disappointment bordering on anger. 'Is there a reason? For the baby.'
Jenny snorts. She shakes her head. 'Reasons. Why do we always need reasons?'
John takes an angry step towards her and I grab his hand to stop him advancing on her.
Jenny smirks at us then pushes past us into the house. We all stare after her. I share a look with Father and Mother. John and I walk inside, followed by our parents.
Jenny spins on me in the hallway. 'Did you take my room?' She says suddenly.
'Yes.' I reply. 'You weren't here, so why not?' I say to her walking past her and upstairs. She follows me up the stairs and into my room. 'Can I help you?' I say hoping she will get the message and leave me alone.
She lies on my bed and looks at me. 'Is he good to you?'
I turn to her. 'Who? Adam?'
She nods and lowers her gaze. I look down, embarrassed. 'Who is he?'
She laughs a dry laugh. 'Yes I know him.' And seeing my enquiring expression continues. 'He's an agent. Very good at his job, has a beautiful house outside London.'
'Does he love you? Do you love him?' I ask her, becoming concerned with the tone in her voice.
'He's married.' She says quickly.
I gasp in a shocked horror. 'Married?!'
'Yes.' She says abruptly. 'To Lady Whithorn.'
'How did you get involved in that?' I ask incredulously.
She shrugs her shoulders as my brother with perfect timing marches in.
'So when's the fool who got you pregnant going to marry you then.'
I gesture for him to stop and he complies looking confused.
He collapses onto my bed and starts whistling.
'Oh stop it!' Jenny complains irritably. 'Have you anything better to do?'
John looks insulted but his big offended eyes vanish and are quickly replaced with hostility. 'Jenny. Life was fine before you came back!'
Jenny tenses and opens her mouth to scream a response.
'Enough.' I stand up. 'Both of you. Jenny is here because she was an idiot and is facing the consequences which we will help her through because we are family.' I say to John. I turn on Jenny, who is smirking at my brother. 'Jenny, you still do not have the right to bully your family. You left and you made a mistake. We love you so we'll help you. So stop being so self-righteous when you have nothing to be self-righteous about.'
Her smirk melts into a scowl and she storms out of the room.
'Thanks Ami.' John mumbles.
I smile at him before inquiring after Hazel.
He instantly perks up and starts telling me, in minute detail, about their trip to the bakery today to get some bread.
I almost stop him, but then I remember all the times that I prattled on about Adam and I, and when John listened to me.
'Ami...?' John says, interrupting his own sentence. 'Hazel said something strange today.'
'Oh what's new John.' I joke dismissively.
'She said that her father was spotted around Oxford. She sounded horrified.'
I pause, trying to evaluate what I should tell him.
'John sit down.' I instruct. 'Hazel hasn't told you yet and I don't blame her. Her father...' I pause, feeling incredibly guilty for breaking her confidence like this.
   'Go on Ami.' John urges, wringing his hands frantically. 'Please.'
   'He hit her.' I gush, wanting this over quickly.
   'Ami.' John looked confused. 'A lot of fathers hit their children.'
    I shake my head. 'Not the way father used to do to us to get us to behave. He did it because he liked hitting them.'
   John's eyes look likely to explode in his skull as he leaps to his feet, his jaw clenched in fury. 'Where is he now?' John growls, his voice low and menacing.
   'John leave it.' I say forcefully. 'The fact that Hazel didn't want you to know proves that she is over it and wants nothing to do with him.' I stand up with him and rub his shoulder. 'The best thing you can do for her is treat her properly.'
   He looks at me, some of the immediate anger gone from his eyes. 'I would never do that to her. To anyone.'
   I smile and hug him. 'I know. And so does Hazel.'
   John nods curtly and leaves my room.
  I collapse on my bed, not at all comforted by his reaction. John's quick temper and long memory scare me, but not as much as they should scare Hazel's father.