Chapter 16: In the face of truth

Beatrice appeared in the doorway just as Violet finished speaking. Her usual lively demeanor was subdued, replaced by a rare seriousness. She approached Emma, her gaze steady and filled with determination.

"Emma," Beatrice said softly, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "I overheard what my mother told you. It's true—Harrison has been carrying this burden alone because he believes it's the only way to protect our family. But you love him, and he loves you. Love is like a home—it's not something you abandon when things get hard. You have to fight for it."

Emma looked at her, tears brimming in her eyes, and for the first time, a spark of resolve began to form in her chest. She nodded, wiping her face. "You're right. I can't let this end here."

Without hesitation, Emma turned and rushed back into the house, her gown swishing as she made her way to Harrison's room. She didn't knock; she flung the door open, finding him sitting on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands. He looked up, startled, as she entered.

"Emma—" he began, but she interrupted him.

"I know everything," she said firmly, stepping closer. "I know about the threats, the scandal, and why you feel you have no choice. But this isn't just your fight, Harrison. It's ours. You don't have to carry this alone."

Harrison's face crumpled, and for the first time, Emma saw the depth of his anguish. "Emma," he said hoarsely, "you don't understand. My father made mistakes that I cannot undo. If this scandal comes to light, it will ruin everything—the Ashbourne name, our estate, my sisters' futures. I can't let that happen. I can't let everything my father built fall apart because of me."

Emma knelt in front of him, taking his hands in hers. "Do you trust me?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tears streaking her face.

Harrison stared at her, his eyes filled with a mix of desperation and hope. "Yes," he whispered.

"Then tell me everything," she said. "Every detail. What exactly is the problem? Leave the rest to me."

Harrison took a deep breath, his shoulders slumping as though the weight of the secret was finally too much to bear. "It started nearly ten years ago," he began, his voice heavy with regret. "My father, Edmund, was a good man, but he was reckless with money. He made some poor investments—a shipping company, to be exact. He believed it would bring prosperity to the family, but it failed. Ships sank, goods were lost, and the company went bankrupt.

"To cover the losses, he took out a loan from Clara's father, Lord Weybridge. It was an astronomical sum, secured against the Ashbourne estate. He thought he could repay it, but the losses kept piling up, and then... he passed away before he could fix it. When I inherited the title, the debt became my burden."

Emma's brow furrowed as she listened intently. "So Clara's family is using the debt to force you into this marriage?"

Harrison nodded, his jaw tightening. "Yes. Lord Weybridge threatened to make the debt public if I refused. It's not just the money—it's the shame. A scandal like this would destroy the Ashbourne name. My sisters would be ruined. Beatrice wouldn't be able to marry well, and my mother... she doesn't deserve this humiliation. I've been trying to negotiate, but Clara and her father won't relent. This marriage is their condition."

Emma squeezed his hands, her mind racing. "Do they have proof of the debt?"

"Yes," Harrison said. "A ledger with my father's signature. They've kept it as leverage."

Emma's eyes narrowed as an idea began to take shape. "If we can get that ledger... if we can prove that the loan was unjust or find a way to pay it back, we can free you from this."

Harrison shook his head, a hint of despair creeping into his voice. "The loan is too large. I've already sold off part of the estate to keep them at bay. There's nothing left."

Emma stood, her resolve hardening. "There's always a way, Harrison. You trusted me, and now I'm asking you to trust me again. We'll figure this out together."

Harrison looked up at her, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. For the first time in weeks, he felt a glimmer of hope.

Emma sat in silence after Harrison finished his story, her mind whirring with the weight of his revelation. After a moment, she stood and faced him, her expression calm but resolute.

"Harrison," she said firmly, "I want you to continue playing along with Clara. Do whatever you need to keep her father at bay, but don't marry her. Trust me. I will handle this."

He looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Emma, you don't understand. This isn't just about the money or the ledger. Lives have been ruined because of my father's decisions. Even if I had the money to pay, Lord Weybridge refuses to take it. He wants control, not repayment."

Emma stepped closer, her voice steady. "I know this isn't simple, but you said you trust me. Let me do this. Play your part and leave the rest to me."

Harrison hesitated, searching her face for any sign of doubt, but all he saw was determination. "Fine," he said quietly, though his heart ached. "But promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise," she whispered before leaving the room.

As she exited, Clara and lady waybrigde were waiting in the hallway, their smug smiles betraying their satisfaction. Clara stepped forward, blocking Emma's path.

"I told you," Clara sneered. "You'll never be with Harrison. You're nothing but a distraction."

Emma stopped, her gaze icy. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Clara. You're terrified because you know you'll never be enough for him. Not in love and certainly not in honor."

Clara's face darkened, but before she could retort, Lady Weybridge stepped between them. "Come, Clara. Let's leave this... drama behind," she said with a dismissive wave.

Emma ignored their departure and returned home, her heart heavy but her resolve unshaken. Once inside the Hastings estate, she found Eleanor in the sitting room, sipping tea and reading a letter.

"Eleanor," Emma began, her voice measured. "I need to ask you something important. Aside from Thomas, am I an inheritor of this estate?"

Eleanor looked up, startled by the sudden question. "Of course," she replied cautiously. "As Alfred and I have no other children of our own, you and Thomas are our sole heirs. Why?"

Emma hesitated but then spoke with conviction. "I need access to the family's funds. There's a matter I must resolve to protect someone I care deeply for."

Eleanor's eyes narrowed. "Emma, what is this about? You can't simply—"

"Please, Mother," Emma interrupted. "You said you trust me to make my own decisions. This is one of them. I'll explain everything when the time is right, but for now, I need you to trust me."

Eleanor studied her for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Very well. But be careful, Emma. Whatever this is, I hope you know what you're doing."

With Eleanor's reluctant approval, Emma made arrangements to withdraw the necessary funds. She then requested an audience with Lord Weybridge, intending to pay off the debt in full.

When she arrived at the Weybridge estate, she was met with hostility. Lord Weybridge, seated in his grand study, barely looked up from his desk as she entered.

"Lady Emma," he said coldly. "What brings you here unannounced?"

"I'm here to settle the debt," Emma stated, placing a sealed bag of documents and promissory notes on the desk. "This should cover everything Edmund owed your family, with interest."

Lord Weybridge glanced at the papers but didn't touch them. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, his lips curling into a cruel smile.

"I'm afraid you misunderstand," he said mockingly. "This isn't about the money. Edmund's mistakes cost a family their title, their estate, and their lives. No amount of gold can undo that. I don't want repayment—I want retribution."

"I thought he was your friend? Why are you doing this?" Emma said, trying to understand his reasons.

"friend? there's no friendship in business, only those who win and those who loose."

Emma's heart sank as she realized the depth of his grudge. "Who was this family?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"The Redwick family," he replied with satisfaction. "They trusted Edmund to invest their fortune alongside his. When the shipping company collapsed, they lost everything. Their estate was auctioned, their title stripped. Lord Redwick died of shame, and his widow and children were left to beg. Their eldest daughter was forced into servitude."

Emma's stomach churned at the revelation. "And you think marrying Clara to Harrison will... what? Restore their honor?"

"No," Weybridge said sharply. "But it will ensure the Ashbourne family never forgets the cost of their actions. Clara will control the estate, and I will ensure that Harrison's legacy is one of servitude, just as the Redwicks were forced to endure."

Emma felt a surge of anger but kept her composure. "You're punishing the wrong people. Harrison didn't cause this. Edmund did."

"And yet Harrison benefits from his father's ill-gotten gains," Weybridge snapped. "This is justice."

Emma realized she needed more than money to resolve this. She needed leverage. She excused herself, vowing to uncover any secrets that could expose Lord Weybridge's true motives.

As she returned home, her mind raced with possibilities. She resolved to investigate Edmund's dealings further, certain there was more to the story than Weybridge had revealed. For now, she would keep Harrison in the dark, protecting him from the weight of this burden.

Emma's heart was heavy as she returned to the Hastings estate. She had promised Harrison she would fix this, but now she understood the scale of the problem. The name of the ruined family, Redwick, echoed in her mind. She knew what she had to do.

Eleanor found her pacing the sitting room later that evening. "Emma, what is it now? You look like you're about to storm a battlefield."

"In a way, I am," Emma replied. "Mother , I need you to tell me everything you know about the Redwicks. Where are they now? What happened to them after... after Edmund's mistake?"

Eleanor sighed, setting down her embroidery. "The Redwicks were a noble family. They had a modest estate and a good name, but when the shipping company collapsed, they were ruined. Lord Redwick took his own life, unable to bear the shame. His widow, Lady Jane, sold their possessions to pay what debts she could, but it was never enough. Their eldest daughter, Margaret, was forced into servitude, and the younger children were scattered to distant relatives."

Emma's stomach turned. "Where is Lady Jane now?"

Eleanor hesitated. "Last I heard, she was living in a small cottage on the outskirts of London. She's... proud, Emma. She won't accept charity."

"This isn't charity," Emma said firmly. "It's justice."

When Emma arrived at the small, weathered cottage on the edge of London, she took a deep breath. She knew the Redwick name carried a history of pain and loss, but she had no choice. Her knock was answered by a frail but sharp-eyed woman with lines of hardship etched into her face.

"Yes? Who's there?" the woman asked curtly, eyeing Emma's fine clothes.

"Lady Jane Redwick?" Emma asked softly.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "I am. Who's asking?"

"My name is Emma Hastings," she began, but then paused. "I'm here on behalf of the Ashbourne family."

At the mention of the Ashbournes, Lady Jane's expression turned ice-cold. Her thin hand gripped the doorframe as though for support. "The Ashbournes?" she spat, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and sorrow. "What could they possibly want with me? Come to finish what they started?"

Emma was taken aback by the venom in her tone but tried to keep her composure. "No, I—"

"Save it!" Lady Jane cut her off, stepping closer. "Do you think I've forgotten? Do you think I don't remember how Lord Edmund Ashbourne ruined my family? How he betrayed my husband, promised him partnership in that wretched shipping company, and then left us to shoulder the debts when it collapsed? My husband trusted him—called him a friend!"

Emma's voice faltered. "I... I didn't know the details. But I'm here to—"

"Let me tell you what your precious Ashbournes did," Lady Jane hissed, her voice rising. "They took everything from us. Our land, our title, our future. My husband worked himself into an early grave trying to repay debts that weren't even his! And when he died, do you think Edmund Ashbourne came to help? To offer condolences? No! He turned his back on us like we were nothing!"

Emma could feel her heart breaking as Lady Jane's words poured out, each one heavier than the last.

"Do you know what it's like to watch your children starve? To sell every heirloom, every memory of a life you once had, just to survive?" Lady Jane's voice cracked, and she turned away, wiping her eyes. "And now you're here, with your fine clothes and your Ashbourne name, expecting me to listen?"

Emma swallowed hard, her throat tight. "Lady Jane, I can't undo the past. But I can try to make it right. Please, let me help you."

"Help?" Lady Jane laughed bitterly. "What kind of help can someone like you offer? Gold? Titles? None of that will bring my husband back. None of that will erase what was done."