by Abigail Agar
Victoria watched his face, saw how it calmed when speaking of his wife. That was the sort of look she had always longed for her mother and father to have when thinking of one another.
“She is quite remarkable. Not simply because she has chosen to forgive me when I least deserved it. But because of her very nature and character. She is skilled in so many areas, talented in ways I never gave her credit for,” he lamented while praising her.
Victoria nodded, knowing that he was right. Her mother was a truly wonderful woman. It was good that he had finally seen that.
“I was humbled through this fall from grace and I believe that it was exactly what needed to happen for me to see how fortunate I was in other ways. I am working to be a better person. I want to be the man that your mother deserves. A good husband,” he said.
“And I want to be a good father,” he added with great intention in his voice.
Victoria nodded, understanding the meaning of his words.
“I love my daughter very much,” he said.
They looked out at the sky and watched the colours change for a moment, taking in the beauty of it all. The shades of the clouds very nearly took their breath away, but it was not the most important part of the evening by any means.
Victoria felt overwhelmed by her father’s confession and the fact that he truly loved her mother. His regret was genuine and his change had been difficult but true.
Seeing in his eyes that he wished he could take it all back, Victoria heard the happiness in her father’s voice that he had been given a new start.
“I am undeserving of forgiveness. Both from your mother and from you. But I must ask for it nevertheless. I must ask you to give me a second chance as your mother has,” he finally requested.
“Oh, Father! Of course it is yours,” she pronounced, readily.
Throwing their arms around one another once more, they began a new experience as father and daughter. It was the very thing they needed in order to move into the future and have the freedom to enjoy life once again.
“You must also know that I wholeheartedly approve of this man that you have committed to marrying,” he added.
Victoria looked at him and grinned.
“You do?” she asked.
“Most certainly. He sees in you what it has taken me this long to see in your mother. He appreciates and values you. A father could ask for nothing more for his daughter. I am glad that you two have found another and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for your life together,” he insisted.
“Thank you, Father. He is a wonderful man. And he has always treated me very well, even before either of us knew what was to come of our mutual feelings,” she told him.
“I can see that. And when I watch you marry him, when I see the two of you together as husband and wife, I think there shall be no greater joy in all my life than beholding that moment. You deserve it. With everything you have been through and how hard you have worked, you deserve this happiness,” he told her.
Victoria leaned against her father and he wrapped an arm around her. It felt so wonderful to have him be proud of her and it was good to finally be able to be proud of him once more.
With everything that had come as a result of his failures, she knew that one great thing remained. And that was the fact that she was able to marry the Earl for no other reason than having come across him in her time of desperate need for employment.
Had her father not made such terrible mistakes, she would never have known the love she now had. And that made everything worth it.
“Thank you, Father, for making the right decisions,” she said. “And thank you for having made the wrong ones. It was those wrong ones that brought me here. And it is the right ones that shall take us all forward.”
Chapter 36
Reginald was ecstatic. The whole day had been a wonder to him. He had never imagined that Mr. and Mrs. Jamison would be such lovely people. Not only had they been kind and devoted towards their daughter, but they had been loving towards him and Marian.
It was a wonder to him as Reginald had been curious to see the sort of father that Miss Jamison had had. Society had spoken of the gambling addict and adulterer but Miss Jamison had explained that was only one side to him. A side he had left behind.
It was also ironic to Reginald that society spoke so poorly of him when many members of nobility led similar lives and were also frequently misbehaving and indulging in pleasures that ought not to have been touched.
Still, he found it strange to come face to face with a man about whom he had heard so much ill, only to find that he was a wonderful person indeed.
“I had no idea what wonderful parents you had,” he had whispered to Miss Jamison earlier in the day.
She tried to refrain from laughing at him but had failed.
“Did you not believe me when I told you? If you recall, I informed you that they were both splendid, despite the problems which we have faced in the past and the rumours which still abound,” she replied.
“Yes, but you are intending to marry an Earl. We can make a concerted effort to get those rumours put out of the way. Your father is a good man. I have enjoyed hearing from him and seeing how he treats your mother with such dignity and respect. A man cannot be judged by his past,” Reginald declared.
“If only…” Miss Jamison said in a morose voice.
It was true that society always judged people by their pasts. But it did not mean that Reginald could not make an effort to reinstate the man into a good position by speaking highly of him. He could easily share about the strides he had been making to benefit his family and get them into a better place than the position they were now in.
Reginald determined to do so. He would not sit idly by while his wife was covered in scandal by a past which no longer mattered. No, he would make every effort.
Not only that, but he had a grand plan to prove to his in-laws that he cared for them and wished to see their lives bettered.
Miss Jamison had already spent a great deal of time with her mother and father. But now it was his turn. He had watched as her mother had played with his daughter. He had watched from the window as his betrothed hugged her father and gave him forgiveness. And now it was his opportunity to enjoy their company.
An idea had been swimming around his thoughts for quite some time. Knowing their situation, and despite the fact that it was one which Mr. Jamison had gotten them into, he stood by it.
The estate had plenty of room. But Reginald had lived a wealthy life. One that had come with many privileges. With that came the pleasure of having more than one home.
Although he enjoyed traveling between his residences now and then, he had no need for all of them to remain empty at all times in preparation for his visits.
It had seemed only proper that he should give a gift to his wife’s mother and father in light of their wedding.
In the previous weeks, he had hired a great deal of maids and staff to ensure that the home was fully prepared. It was one of his smaller estates, but it still remained beautiful.
He had furnished it with the most fashionable that society had to offer. It would have delighted almost anyone.
After all, such a gift ought to bring them happiness and prosperity. Or so he hoped. He wished only that they understood that it was a gift and not mere charity.
“Mr. Jamison, Mrs. Jamison, I wish to have a word with you both,” he announced as dinner came to a conclusion.
The two looked at him expectantly, waiting for whatever it was that he wished to say, but instead, Reginald stood and gestured for them all to exit the dining hall.
“We shall make our way outside, if you will,” he announced.
The couple and his soon-to-be bride followed him as he led the way through the outer doors to where a coach was waiting for them. It was evident that no one quite knew what was happening or why Reginald was insisting upon this little adventure, but he didn’t mind surprising them. He had plans that he was putting i
nto place now that mattered a great deal to him.
And until they reached their destination, he would not say a word about what it was that he wished to show them.
“You must forgive me that darkness is soon upon us. I had not intended to depart so late, but as it is, I think we must make this venture now and once again tomorrow,” he decided.
The three Jamisons looked at each other in curiosity and wonder.
“What is this all about?” he heard Mrs. Jamison whisper to her daughter who simply shrugged in reply.
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” she confessed.
“Your betrothed is rather a vibrant man, is he not? These are quite the theatrics if he was wishing merely for a discussion,” she replied in a hushed tone that was not quiet enough to escape him.
Reginald tried not to laugh as he listened to their conversation, but once they were all loaded into the coach, they moved swiftly away from the house.
“Darling, are we going far? It is nearly Marian’s bed time,” Miss Jamison noted.
“It is not so far, but I have already instructed Miss Franklin to put her to bed this evening and explained to her that I have a surprise which would keep us away for a time,” he explained.
Reginald was enjoying the mystery that he had created around this grand surprise and when they arrived at the estate, something like twenty minutes later, he was quick to step out of the coach and give each member of the family a hand down, along with the coachman.
“How beautiful. What is this place?” Mrs. Jamison asked.
“What a lovely home,” her husband added.
“You think so, Mr. Jamison?” Reginald asked. Delight filled his soul as he wondered about the response he would receive upon his pronouncement of the gift. Would they compliment it once they knew it was theirs? Or was this merely the sort of flattery they knew they were expected to give?
Reginald could not allow himself to worry. Although the estate was not quite what their former had been all those years ago, it was a space of their own that would give Mrs. Jamison’s sister her own space and home back. And that had been the very thing that they had wanted.
It seemed as though this must be the best solution, and yet Reginald could not help second guessing himself. He hoped that he would not wound Mr. Jamison’s pride, nor cause any rift. And more than anything, he hoped that they would be content with the location in which they were placed.
“Certainly, it is a magnificent home to be sure. But I fear that we are underdressed if we have come to visit a friend of yours,” Mr. Jamison replied, seeming concerned about his appearance and the trousers he wore which showed their age and the fact that he was no longer a man wealthy enough to afford new clothing, but rather depended upon a tailor to mend things time and time again.
“Indeed, a dear friend of mine does live here,” Reginald began. “But he may dress however he wishes. And you need not worry for a moment about your appearance for I think it is perfect for the resident of this home.”
Miss Jamison looked at him with a sudden, understanding smile.
“Oh, darling. Do you mean…?” she trailed off. He saw the glint in her eyes as she grasped what they were suddenly doing at this beautiful home and what it meant for her mother and father and the future they were working so hard to build together.
The same understanding had not yet struck Mr. and Mrs. Jamison, but that meant that Reginald was able to tell them himself.
“Mr. and Mrs. Jamison, you have seen rather difficult times in the previous years. But I know that you are good people. I know that your daughter is astounding. And I can think of nothing better to do with a property of mine than to bestow it to those who are most deserving,” he announced.
Like their daughter, the two appeared to be unable to accept right away what they hoped he was saying. Reginald laughed at the disbelief on their faces, having seen the same expression on Miss Jamison’s.
“You may allow yourselves to believe it. This home belongs to the both of you now. It is yours. It is my hope that you can make it into the sort of place that you might have dreamt of having. And while it is not so grand as the home in which you once lived, I hope it is to your liking,” he continued.
The two were evidently speechless and Reginald was glad that they had responded so strongly to this gift. It made him want to have more opportunities to do generous things for others, although he wondered what might be next.
His wife was a woman of compassion and forgiveness; that he had already seen. She was strong and loyal. She was kind and brave.
He wished to have some of those same characteristics, but knew that they were two very different people. And if he wished to be a better man, he thought that he would like to be a generous one.
Miss Jamison had tears in her eyes as she watched the exchange. Reginald felt overjoyed that he had been able to do something to please her while assisting her mother and father in their efforts to build a new life.
She gazed at him with wonder, with appreciation, and with respect. Miss Jamison brushed the tears from her face and hugged each of her parents, telling them that she had not known about this but was thrilled that they would now have a place to call home.
“You deserve it for all that has happened. Father, for all the work you have done to change and become a better man. And Mother, for all the suffering you experienced. I cannot be more thankful to the Earl for what he has done to bless our family,” she said in as formal a manner as her emotions allowed.
Reginald watched the exchange with his own emotions threatening to come to the surface. But he managed to push them down and rather enjoy the scene that played out before him.
The lights of the estate burned brightly and the door opened to show the signs of life that waited within the walls of the beautiful home.
Reginald had been there only a few times. When he had stayed, it had been short-lived. Indeed, he knew that there was no better thing he could have done with the home than that which he was doing now.
The housekeeper of this new estate welcomed the occupants and showed them some of the primary features, while Reginald and his soon-to-be bride waited outside in the carriage.
“I cannot thank you enough for this grand gift that you have bestowed upon my parents,” she told him.
“It is an honour for me to do so, my love. I am overjoyed at having such an opportunity to care for them,” he replied.
“What brought this about?” she asked.
Reginald eyed her with longing and joy. This woman who sat before him, a question on her lips, had been more than he could ever have dreamt of for a bride. She was perfectly what he might have asked for if anyone had given him a choice.
He allowed his lips to gently find hers, giving her the softest of kisses. Her lips were sweet and though the meeting of their lips was brief, it was powerful.
“My dear, you rescued my family. You ensured that we did not end up in the despair that would most likely have found us. Thanks to you, Lady Ingles was brave enough to tell me the truth. And then once you shared your feelings for me, I was able to admit my own truth. That was all the strength that I needed. And in the same way that you rescued my family…I suppose I felt compelled to rescue yours in return,” he told her.
Miss Jamison nodded and leaned into him as they sat, waiting for her mother and father to return.
With a promise that they would come back in the daylight, all eventually departed and returned to the Earl’s estate to get a great deal of rest in the following two days before the ceremony that would change their lives forever.