Page 45 of The Lady and the Lion (Victorian Outcasts #9)

forty-two

S ipping her morning tea, Vivienne skimmed the articles on the front page of The Times .

A few days had passed since Dr. Tucker’s arrest, and news about him kept filling the front pages of every newspaper. He’d been charged with attempted murder, and fraud. Good news and the addition of Potter’s delicious chocolate biscuits were the perfect combination for a great day.

Samuel’s lion eyes seemed bigger and full of light. The shadow that had darkened his face in the past weeks was gone.

She stroked his knuckles. “Are you sorry you had to renounce knowing your parents’ names?”

“To have Murdock arrested? No. Besides, he’s a confidence man. He was probably lying to save himself, and I wouldn’t have any chance to verify the information was correct until later. But I was tempted for a moment.”

Mrs. Foster entered the sunroom. The household was still in a chaotic state with Bernard cooking breakfast, Potter sleeping more than usual, exhausted after his brave deed, Richard needing a few days of calm to pull himself together, and William neglecting his footman’s duties because…

“Lady and Lord Huntington are here,” Mrs. Foster said, a nervous note in her voice.

Vivienne tensed a little. “Show them in.” She rose when her parents entered, and they couldn’t look more different from one another.

Father’s smile reached his eyes, wrinkling his skin. He radiated sheer happiness. Mother was as pale as usual, in her black gown, with her shoulders hunched.

“The world is a better since that thug was arrested.” Father squeezed Vivienne and Samuel in a fierce hug. “Justice.”

“Mother?” Vivienne offered a chair to her mother, who refused.

Mother cleared her throat. “Superintendent Johnson visited us days ago. He told us about Dr. Tucker, and I read every article about him I could find. I went to see him in prison.”

“You didn’t.” Vivienne gasped.

Mother swallowed a few times. “I needed to hear his version and ask him why he’d lied to you, and the conversation was eye-opening. I know he pointed a gun at you.” She shivered. “I believed he was someone I could trust, that he sympathised with my pain…”

Mother’s sorrow was palpable.

“He deceived many people,” Vivienne said.

“Let me finish.” Mother took a deep breath. “Instead of protecting you, I put you in harm’s way. You, your father, and Samuel tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen. I was blinded by my grief, lost. I must apologise and thank you for having…” She paused, pressing her lips.

“Take a deep breath,” Vivienne said.

Mother took out the silver box from her pocket. “Will you keep this for me? I think it’ll be good for me to live without it for a while.”

Vivienne’s eyes stung with tears. “Of course.”

“It was a decision that cost a lot to your mother,” Father said. “And we both agreed she will wear something different than mourning from now on.”

“I missed your wedding.” Mother sobbed. “And I feel soiled by having been so close to that thug.”

Samuel signed, “That’s his legacy.”

Father called Mrs. Foster. “Summon the captain, please.”

Vivienne tensed a few minutes later when Captain Jackson entered the room.

“If you want to complain about the bacon being too cooked, it wasn’t me.” He skidded to a stop when he saw Mother. “What the h?—”

Father gave Mother a nod.

“What is this?” the captain asked.

Mother took a slow step towards him. “Captain Jackson, I must apologise for having treated you like a criminal. I realised my dear Adele’s death wasn’t your fault, and I thank you for having saved my Vivienne’s life.”

The captain stiffened. “Your words ruined my life, professionally and personally.”

“I’m aware of that,” Mother said in a low tone. “I regret what I did.”

Vivienne was sure what she would do in the captain’s place. He’d lost his reputation because of Mother’s hatred towards him.

“I hope you’ll forgive me one day.” Mother hunched her shoulders, defeated and frail.

A complete range of emotions crossed Captain Jackson’s face.

His facial muscles contracted and relaxed before he gave Mother a shallow bow.

“I’m for putting the past behind and start over,” he said.

“That’s what every single person in this house has done.

Me included. I don’t see why you shouldn’t have the same opportunity.

But I will tell you it’ll take me some time before I forgive and forget. ”

“Fair’s fair,” Mother said. “I’ll need time to learn to forgive myself, too.”

Father held her hand without saying anything.

Vivienne thought the captain was generous and honest. Her mother had a lot for them to forgive. He’d expressed everyone’s sentiment.

She put the silver box in a special place on the mantel. Not only was Mother finally free from her cage, but so was Adele.

After lunch, Samuel headed to the police station with Vivienne and Captain Jackson, and none of them talked much, each of them lost in their own thoughts. But it was a sweet silence, filled with happiness and hope, as the captain would say.

After a few more silent minutes, the captain said, “You know…the night we risked our lives has made me think.”

“About what?” Samuel asked.

“Life, death, friendship, love.” Captain Jackson scratched his chin. “I want to court Alice.”

Vivienne laughed and patted his hand. “Finally. It won’t be easy, but I think she cares about you.”

“She is so fierce and brave,” Captain Jackson said. “I like that about her, and I’m prepared to woo her.”

When the carriage stopped at the police station, William opened the door and pulled down the steps.

“Sir, I have something to tell you,” William said before Samuel could enter the station.

“Yes?”

William cleared his throat. “I thank you for your generosity and for having given me the opportunity to work for you. But I want to be a policeman. I won’t steal anymore, I promise.

But I talked with a few officers, and they told me I could join a special investigative unit where my skills would be useful. ”

Samuel squeezed his shoulder. “It’s your life and your path. I’m sure you’ll be a great officer.”

William beamed. “You’ll be proud of me.”

“We already are.” Vivienne patted the footman’s shoulder.

They entered the station together, and a little shot of tension rushed down his neck as an officer led them to the cells.

“Thank you for coming,” the officer said, going down the stairs. “Dr. Tucker was quite insistent.”

He could imagine.

Holding Vivienne’s hand, Samuel walked over to Murdock, who was locked up behind the bars in a damp grey cell.

Murdock straightened and put down the book he was reading. “You came. I didn’t expect that.”

Samuel signed, and Vivienne spoke for him. “What do you want?”

“Have you thought about my proposal?”

“We don’t want anything from you. I used to be afraid of you, but you’re only a pathetic, little man.” Vivienne’s voice quivered when she said that, translating from Samuel’s sign language.

“I’ll tell you everything if you help me get out of here,” Murdock said. “This is your last chance to know everything. I’m the only one who knows where to find your parents.”

“Is this why you dragged us here?” Vivienne asked.

Murdock smirked. “What’s more important than family?”

“Goodbye, Murdock.” Samuel turned his back to the man who had abused him. Although he also felt he’d turned his back on his family.

They walked back upstairs, ignoring Murdock’s shouted pleas.

Vivienne rested her head on Samuel’s shoulder. “I’m so proud of you, husband of mine.”