Westminster 1822

Sibling Horns

The tea party had ended, the castle was dark and quiet. Lady Amelia and Lucia had gone to bed. Elton was having a hard time closing his eyes knowing the love of his life was in danger and his brother wasn’t home. His heart screamed at him to grab a horse from the stable and ride to Westminster to get her.

In the dead of night, he strolled down the stairs in his pyjamas. He raked his fingers through his hair. He paced the length of the foyer waiting for his brother to return.

He told her he loved her. He couldn’t lose her. How would he love again if he did? He knew marrying Ella wasn’t in his plans either. He’d sooner disappear with the woman he loved than marry Ella.

The double doors finally creaked open and Elton released the tension weighting down his shoulders.

‘My, my, wait up for me, did you? You care more for me than my own wife.’ Liam staggered.

Elton grabbed the collar of his shirt and tightened his grip.

‘How could you?! How could you conspire with that woman?’

‘What woman?’

Elton groaned and shoved his brother away. Liam stumbled and landed on his back.

‘Why Liam?’

Liam chuckled, ‘Oh brother what would you understand? You have everything! A title—’

‘This again Liam? There are many opportunities—’

‘No, no those are opportunities best suited for you. Ella has promised me great rewards.’

‘What is that?’

Liam shook his head.

‘If you hurt Emily, you’ll be hurting me.’

Liam laughed, ‘Don’t take it personally, brother.’

‘Stay away from that woman. You have a child to think about now.’

‘It’s for that child I’m fuelled now.’

Elton roared, he picked his brother by the collar again and rattled him like a toy. ‘You will regret it if anything happens to her. I’ll forget we’re blood.’

***

Agrona closed the door behind her and found a fidgeting Emily waiting for her.

‘How is he Agrona? What did the doctor say last night?’

Agrona took her hand and gently led her away from Oscar’s bedroom. They stopped in the hallway of Emily’s bedroom.

‘He isn’t happy at all. You know he doesn’t like it when you too fight. That could have been a terrible accident you know? Even Madam Furlong was terribly upset.’

‘I know! I just…I was upset and I really believed… I really believed—’

Agrona squeezed her palm, ‘Ella can be hard to live with I know, but she’s your sister. Oscar raised you as such.’

Ella never saw them as such it seemed. The walls of Westminster echoed nightmares instead of loving memories with her father. There was escape at the end of the tunnel, by summer Westminster itself would be nothing but a memory.

Before the sun vanished completely a white carriage rushed into Westminster. A short footman hopped off the carriage and staggered to the front door. He banged on the wood; a white letter gripped in his hand.

Furlong strolled to the door, Agrona and Emily a distance behind her.

‘Goodness,’ she muttered then dragged the door open.

‘I must urgently speak to the Marquess,’ the footman panted.

Furlong frowned, ‘He’s unwell. You can’t see him.’

‘I come with grave news from the Kelly family in Birmingham.’ He swallowed and extended the letter to Furlong. ‘Please see to it the family receives this letter.’

Furlong nodded, ‘Goodness young lad, what happened?’

Emily and Agrona rushed to peek over Furlong’s shoulder.

‘I regret to inform you Madam that Lord Harris Kelly has passed away today.’

The white envelope slipped from Furlong’s fingers. Emily stumbled back, searching for a wall to support her.

‘How can this be?’ Furlong asked.

The footman shook his head. ‘The doctor is yet to give his report. I’ll return with another letter with more news.’

Furlong closed the door when he turned around. She looked at the two pale faces before lifting her head to the landing where Ella didn’t bother to conceal a smirk.

Emily raised her head to meet her sister’s devilish smile.

‘I can’t… I can’t believe this. I hope you’re happy!’ Emily darted out the door. Furlong ran after her.

She went all the way to the stable and demanded a carriage to carry her to the Bentley castle. When Furlong reached her Emily was already in the carriage ready to leave.

‘You can’t stop me Madam Furlong. You know she did this.’

‘I’m not going to stop you child.’ She said.

Emily gazed at the woman who raised her, governed her, scolded her and didn’t know who she was either. All her insults, downcast words and reprimands suddenly didn’t match the face of the tired woman staring back at her.

‘You can’t abandon your father, Emily.’

‘I promise I won’t abandon him.’

‘Be safe child.’

Furlong stepped out of the carriage’s way and watched it disappear with the sun. How had this happened? Where did she go wrong? Or had Lady Cecilia simply succeeded? Furlong wandered to the old Lady’s Garden the place she buried each child that died in her arms. When Furlong arrived at Westminster the girls weren’t four yet and Cecilia had given birth to a son. Finally, an heir to Oscar Hamilton’s fortune. An heir that didn’t last the night.

Furlong could still hear the baby’s cry; the thunder rumble and the lightning illuminate the nursery. Agrona had delivered each baby. Furlong remembered that night as if it were yesterday.

‘A son. He’ll have to forget her! Even she didn’t give him an heir. I’ll have control. Oscar will have to dispense of that wretched woman’s spawn now!’ Cecilia said, covered in sweat.

Agrona cleaned the boy while Furlong semi watched the storm rage over Westminster.

‘All I did has been justified. Emily must disappear now.’

Lighting screamed and filled the nursey. The baby wouldn’t last another hour. Whether it was punishment for her sins, but Lady Cecilia never held another child in her arms again. Instead, she poisoned her daughter.

Furlong left the cursed garden she had half a mind to spit in it. A bolt of lightning cracked across the sky. She placed a palm on her chest. She hurried back to the front door, she paused when she saw a golden carriage parked in front of the fountain with the Bentley flag flapping on top of it.

She turned and went the other direction and entered through the kitchen door.

‘Perhaps, Lord Bentley is looking for Emily.’ Furlong murmured.

‘Let me go! Help!’

Furlong shrunk beside the cupboards. Shuffling and screams came from the downstairs servant rooms.

‘Be quiet, dear Agrona. No one’s going to save you anyway.’

‘Ella! Please Ella it’s me for heaven’s sakes I helped raise you.’

Ella laughed, ‘You raised a beast.’

Two men dragged the elderly woman out of the kitchen. A young slender man with black hair followed them out.

‘Up to the tower,’ Ella ordered.

Furlong remained rooted to the spot. Agrona’s cries faded as they neared the tower. Furlong couldn’t let them hurt Agrona still she had no army to defeat three men.

She allowed them to put distance between them then started her ascend.