Sighing, you straighten yourself and kiss Benedict deeply, perhaps for the last time. “Goodbye, my love,” you say, fighting the tears welling in your eyes at the cruelty of a world that could not allow your love to be.
Solemn and bow-legged, you walk to your rooms and change out of your dress, which is now ripped to shreds. You put on your only other frock, a drab gray affair. Most fitting, for you must ready your mind for a future so undesirable, so colorless, that to dwell on its reality would only do a disservice to the wonderful dream you just had the opportunity of living.
You resolve, at the very least, either to flee the Dragon’s employ for someone less detestable or to ratchet up your kindness to her so that you may see Benedict as often as possible. You know you cannot be with him again, adding insult to his pauperhood if he decides to stay mum on the question of legitimacy for Henrietta’s sake. You just can’t bring yourself to decide if it is really possible to live without seeing him, even from a distance, forevermore.
As you stumble back into the great hall, you find yourself arriving the same time as your beloved Benedict. Your eyes bore into each other with knowledge of the intimacy that you once shared but now know can never be.
“Well, well, well,” says a voice laced with venom, sending chills down your spine. You turn and see Cad stalking into the room, one eye blackened and his nose looking gratifyingly broken. Remembering what he came so close to doing, you shudder involuntarily. To both your joy and anguish, Benedict strides over and places a protective arm around your shoulders.
Despite it being madness to do so, you lean into him, despairing at how very right it feels to be one with him.
“So…I see you have made your choice,” Cad hisses, his eyes narrow with rage. “It is a very stupid one and one for which you shall pay for the rest of your days.”
“Don’t you dare,” growls Benedict as he steps protectively in front of you. You are gratified to see Cad flinch.
“I want you gone,” snarls Cad. “Gone from my home, and gone from my property. I am the rightful heir, and you have more than outstayed your welcome.”
By now, Lady Evangeline has appeared from a side door to witness the display.
“I have a dear little cottage on my grounds that you may stay in, Benny,” she whispers gently before turning to you. “And you may stay with me while we resolve this whole messy issue.”
Suddenly, you hear a fierce shriek. Henrietta bursts into the hallway, her formerly meek face now lit up with righteous anger.
“You will not do this, Rafe!” she storms. Shocked that his mousy little sister seems to have grown a spine, Cad gapes helplessly for a moment, like a very surprised fish, before a chilling, icy rage crosses his face.
“You will hold your tongue,” he seethes. “You know what the consequences are.”
“I don’t care anymore!” she cries. “I have stood here being a coward while you hurt the one brother who has always been good to me, even though he had every right not to be!”
Henrietta runs over to you and grabs your hand.
“And then you tried to hurt my new friend, who in the brief time I have known her has been kind, and strong, and brave enough to put herself in danger for those she loves!” Henrietta throws her shoulders back and appears to grow several inches. “So I have decided to be brave like her. I have told all the newspapers how you lied about our inheritance, the truth of what Mama did, and every single other time that you have lied, cheated, and swindled! And, as you know, there are many of those!”
You all stare at her, shocked and impressed, with the exception of Cad, who is staring at her like a man condemned.
“Y-you didn’t…” he says incredulously, all color drained from his face.
“I did! With physical proof, too!” says Henrietta, her voice wavering slightly but her expression mutinous. You exchange shocked glances with Benedict and stand shoulder to shoulder with Henrietta. She barely needs the protection.
“I don’t care what you do to me anymore!” she cries. “All I care is that Benny and his true love are happy!”
“You—you little bi—” wails Cad before being cut off.
“It’s over, Cad,” Benedict says with frigid calm. “Get out.”
Cad hesitates for a minute, looking at each of you before turning tail and fleeing, never to be seen again.
Lady Evangeline gives a round of applause and then embraces Henrietta.
“Well done, my dear,” she says to the wide-eyed young woman. “You know, if it doesn’t work out with your young farmer, you would be very welcome to accompany me on my travels to Egypt…”
As Henrietta decides her fate, you barely notice, for you have already decided yours. Benedict grins, his dark hair falling into his silver-gray eyes, now clouded with desire.
“What say you to getting the banns published today?” he says to you. “I don’t particularly wish to wait any longer to be married, do you?”
You grin back.
“I think you are being exceptionally cocky, Sir Benedict, assuming that I even wish to be married to you.”
“Oh, you know,” Benedict says as he leans in and whispers into your ear, sending a shiver down your spine, “I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”
“Then persuade me,” you whisper back.
Benedict doesn’t answer, but instead pulls you behind a convenient pillar.
Within seconds you find yourself extremely convinced.
The End