Freeing Ebony

Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

After a fortnight of convalescence and several examinations a day, Henry was cleared to be moved to his home at Ethridge. There had been no infection in his wound and he was able to do very light exercise, such as walking across the room.

He didn’t like being nursed. It made him feel a little emasculated, especially when his own sister brought up a bowl of warm water to bathe him. That would never happen. Not while he was conscious anyway. What was worse was that when he refused to let Little J bathe him, his mother offered, laughing and saying she’d ‘seen it all before.’

Henry didn’t think that they realised that his possible future wife was in the room the whole time while they discussed his nudity. It was humiliating. When he and Ebony were alone though, that was when they could talk openly and freely.

He had learned so much about her and she didn’t hold anything back. She wanted him to know her and he so appreciated that. She stayed off one topic though, she wouldn’t discuss anything regarding Vernon. He didn’t blame her. Considering she would have to rehash her experiences when his trial came to be, she wouldn’t want to have to face it until then.

Henry learned that Ebony loved her mother. Her real father had abandoned them at her birth and Helen Fitzpatrick had raised her by herself until she’d met Bill Seaver and had Celeste with him.

“What do you miss most about her?” Henry had asked one Saturday evening. Ebony lay casually at the end of his bed, hugging her legs and resting her head on her arms.

Ebony had smiled as she remembered. “Her hands,” she replied. “She had the most beautiful hands. Even though she worked hard all day, her hands were so soft. She used to tell me stories and rub my back as I fell asleep. Even when she fell ill, she never stopped. Your mother reminds me of her. They’re both selfless and kind. I just wish she were still here. I will never forget the emptiness I felt when she died. I didn’t think a person could burst into tears so quickly. I cried until I stopped and then I would cry again. Even the mention of her name brought back the pain.”

Henry was in awe of her. Vernon wasn’t the only horror she’d endured. She was so strong. He didn’t know what he would do when one of his parents’ died. He’d never lost anyone. “How did you get past it?” he had asked softly.

Ebony’s dark brown eyes flashed back to him. “One never moves on from death. They’re always there in the back of your mind. You instead learn to live with it. You learn how to cope and you learn how to stop crying and eventually their name doesn’t make you cry. You never forget, you just have to learn how to live again because you are not the one who is dead. It’s hard to remember that when you lose someone.”

He could never comprehend just how incredible she was.

He liked being able to talk to someone and he was glad his tongue tying issues were escaping him. He’d never really had many friends aside from his family members.

His quiet nature had drawn out the bullies when he was attending Eton. While James had been there at the same time he’d protected him but after he’d left Henry just kept to himself and avoided anyone who could cause him trouble. It had been the same during his years at Cambridge. He’d attended his classes but as he wasn’t a boarder he never really made any friendly connections. And he really hadn’t minded. But as he was now an adult, he would have liked to have a friend or two. But as they spoke, he knew Ebony was all he needed.

It was the beginning of May when he’d finally arrived back at Ethridge. He’d insisted that Ebony stay at Ethridge as well and she’d reluctantly accepted the invitation. She’d been staying in one of Little J and Harrison’s patient rooms. She was not used to kindness, which was obvious. She’d probably never had a kind word since her dear mother had passed away.