In a moment of shock, Ivy fell backward onto a large stone outside of her home where she rested, probably dirtying up her beautiful green dress, and she let her head fall into her hands. The loneliness that she had not really contemplated up until this moment hit her hard. She was truly alone in all of this now; she had no one to rely on to help solve this. Without an adult or a man of the house, it was all down to her.
Ivy had led a very carefree life, aside from the loss of her mother, she had never had anything really negative to deal with. If the Winters family had ever faced problems, her father had shielded her from it. Probably even more so than Ewan, who even though he was younger, was male and treated differently. This was exactly why she should not have been treated differently for being a female because now there was not anyone around and she did not know how to cope. Ivy wanted to do something, but she did not know where to begin.
“I can help you,” Royce continued softly, ignoring all the insults that she had just thrown his way. “I know this must be a difficult mess that you find yourself in, and I can help you out with it.”
The offer was so tempting, it was exactly what Ivy wanted to hear, but because she had a lot of suspicion for this person, she simply could not take it. If Duke Merrick was willing to poison her father because she turned down his marriage proposal, then what would he be willing to do to her? This could be a dangerous man.
“I do not wish for anyone to do anything,” she told Royce wearily. “I simply want to be left alone.”
Royce nodded slowly, looking as very uncomfortable. Ivy narrowed her eyes as she attempted to work out what that look meant. Was it guilt or was it because he did not want to leave her so helpless.
“I shall write down my address for you and leave it by your front door,” he eventually said. “That way, if you need any help I can be there for you. I do not want you to think that you are alone.”
Ivy parted her lips, ready to reply to this kind comment even if she did not think much of Royce at the moment, but she could not seem to manage it. A thick ball of emotion had lodged itself firmly in her throat, and she knew that the moment any words burst out of her lips, she would burst into sobbing tears. She could barely hold it in any longer, she needed to have that cry, but that was something she wished to do alone.
“Goodbye, Lady Ivy Winters,” Royce sounded reluctant. “I hope that I shall hear from you soon.”
Finally, he left, taking a warmth with him, but Ivy knew that was only because he was the last person around. From the sound of it, Mary and her husband had cleared out the rest of the house so that she could be alone. Now, it was only her and the house staff, and the memory of what had just happened.
Sucking in a deep breath of the fresh air, Ivy worked up the courage to head back inside. She hoped that without everyone around her, staring at her as if she was some sort of exhibit, which she would be able to work out a little bit more of what had happened. Ivy was angry at herself; she could not believe that she had been upstairs wallowing in something that really meant nothing, while her family was torn apart. She shook her head angrily at herself, promising that if things turned out alright in the end, that she would not behave so childishly and selfishly again. She would start to grow up and act more like her age. Maybe she would even do what her father wanted and actively look for a husband. Anything to take the pressure off his shoulders.
Nothing, Ivy thought to herself as she wandered through the hall, searching for some sort of meaning. Even if it was some sort of stirring in her chest. Absolutely nothing. Disappointment consumed her, almost swallowed her up whole, making the tears flow harder. Why is there nothing? I need something!
“Lady Winters?” the quiet voice of one of the handmaidens called out to her. “Would you like some help getting ready for bed? I know that this is not the best time, but I am sure you need to sleep.”
Ivy did not think she would ever be able to sleep again, even though there was an exhaustion in her body, her brain buzzed with alertness. It was either that or wander around this hall all night long just waiting for the morning light to burst into the room so she could go to the hospital or the prison. At least if she was lying in her bed, she could work out a proper plan in her mind.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Thank you very much.”
The young girl went with Ivy up the stairs to her bedroom and helped her undress. They did this in silence, not even speaking as the girl washed Ivy’s body. Ivy did not have the energy to speak, she could not think of anything to say, and it seemed that the handmaiden was lost for words, as well. This whole evening had been a real shock to everyone; no one saw it coming, so now they were all utterly lost.
It was not until Ivy climbed into the sheets that she finally spoke out. “Will you stay with me for a while?” she asked quietly. “Just for a little bit, I know that you have things to do…”
The handmaiden nodded and took a seat by Ivy’s bed. Eventually, the girl also reached out and took the Lady’s hand in hers, in what she hoped was a comforting way. All the staff in the Winters’ home knew that Ivy was fiery, but also a little lost. None of them knew how the Lady would cope without her father and brother and they were all frightened for her. As the girl watched Ivy lying there -- like a scared child in her bed -- she hoped that this would all be some big misunderstanding and that everything would be okay in the long run, for all of their sakes. Everyone would suffer if things completely fell apart.
Ivy stared up at the ceiling, clinging to this girl’s hand as if it was the only thing keeping her fixed on the Earth. She knew that it was pathetic and childish, certainly not the more adult way that she wanted to begin behaving, but just for tonight, she was afraid. In just a few short moments, her entire worlds had been turned upside down. If this did turn out to be the work of Duke Merrick, then she had no idea what she was going to do. Fury would not even begin to cover her emotions; she would lose it completely. But first, she needed to be sure. Just because he had a potential motive and an opportunity, did not mean that he had definitely done it.
Somehow, Ivy would have to be patient.
Chapter 5
Anxiety raced through Ivy’s system as she stepped into the one building that she never thought that she would come to; the local jail where her brother was being held. It was one of those places which she often passed while in her carriage, heading towards the shops to buy herself a brand-new outfit or two, but barely even shot a glance towards the grey, crumbling, rotting building. It was ugly, unappealing, and injected a spike of horror into absolutely everyone. No one wanted to end up there, and that was exactly how it should be.
The smell hit Ivy first, the disgusting scent of a building that was never cleaned and filled with men who did not have any cleaning facilities either. For someone who lived in a home which came with staff to take care of everything for her, this was a huge shock. Undoubtedly, Ewan was not having the best time either.
I cannot believe that my baby brother is here, she thought with a little shiver. It is horrible.
Ewan was not a spoiled child, but he had lived a life sheltered by the protection of his lovely home and his name. He was not weak, but this was not an environment in which he would survive well. Ivy had struggled through the last few days, worrying about her brother while she waited for a distant male cousin whom she barely knew to come with her. She could not visit alone, so she had been forced to wait for Jonathon Winters to arrive. He was a very quiet man, a year younger than her, but unfortunately, right now she needed him.
Inside this prison, she knew more than ever that she needed to solve this mystery quickly and get Ewan out of here. Especially before there was any chance of him receiving a punishment.
There were not many prisons built, not even in London. So jails and prisons shared the same space which meant prisoners had to be dealt with quickly, and harshly. Again, this was something that Ivy had never had an issue with before; she knew that prisoners deserved to be punished. But she had never considered t
he idea of that affecting her family before. She did not want Ewan to be transported to America or Australia, and she certainly did not want him to face the death penalty. If he were found guilty of the crime of murder --especially that of his father -- anything would be possible.
“How may I help you, Sir?” one of the stern looking guards asked Jonathon. Ivy could feel his eyes darting towards her as if she did not belong. Maybe her outfit was not suitable for a place like this. Ivy had not thought much about it when she allowed her handmaidens to dress her in the morning, but now she felt out of place.
“I would like to visit with my cousin,” Jonathon said with a grave tone of voice. “Lord Ewan Winters.”
Ivy held her head up high and jutted out her chin while she stood beside her cousin. She felt intimidated inside and she could not allow that to show. Her father was always confident and strong, as well as friendly, and that was something she wished to emulate. Since Ivy was not familiar with the prison system, she did not know if visits were acceptable. Luckily, she was aware that they were never well run, so she did not think that many rules would apply.
“Oh, I see.” The guard nodded his head a couple of times. “I will see what I can do. Please, take a seat.”
But as Ivy glanced around, she realized that she did not wish to sit anywhere here. Every scrap of the building seemed to have a layer of grime across it. It was challenging enough for her not to let her nose screw up in disgust. There was no way that she could keep her composure up if she had to sit herself down. She stood up straight, clasped her hands together, and waited for the man to return with hopefully positive news. Jonathon took her cue and stood beside her.
“I do not think that it will be possible,” the man told them both regretfully. “I am not sure we can arrange a meeting.”
The anger inside of Ivy had not subsided, it remained to bubble there all night long and now hardened her facial expression as a determination flooded her. She could not help but speak. “I am here to see my brother, and I am not leaving until I do.”
The man sucked in a deep breath of air, staring at Ivy with wide eyes as if he did not expect a reaction like that. If he had any experience with the upper classes at all, he obviously would do exactly as he was told and walk away with his head down, not wanting to create a scene. People would want to keep any criminal issues a secret in an attempt to salvage any of the reputations that they had left. But Ivy was desperate, if she had to create a scene, she would. She had nothing left, her father was lying in a hospital bed clinging to life – or so she hoped he was still alive – and she needed Ewan.
“I would like to speak with my brother,” she reiterated. “I need to find out what is happening.”
The man looked around the room as if he was searching for some escape, but he did not see one. Eventually, he nodded at Ivy and Jonathon, and he indicated with a flick of the finger for them to follow him.
Ivy resisted the urge to wipe her forehead to remove the sheen of perspiration that stuck there. She needed to excuse herself to spend some time to make herself look better, but the time for that had passed. She found herself walking through a hallway of prison cells, refusing to look inside, even as some of the men inside called out to her, making lewd and uncouth remarks, Ivy kept her eyes faced forward. She was doing this for her brother. If she kept Ewan at the forefront of her mind, it all felt worth it.
The guard unlocked the cell where a man dressed in rags curled over himself in the corner. It took Ivy a few seconds to realize that this was her brother. He already looked like someone who did not come from money at all. How had he become so unclean already? It was not even just the clothes; it was him. It had been mere days!
“Ewan?” Ivy asked curiously, cocking her head in his direction. “Ewan, are you alright?”
He turned to face her, flashing his blue, terrified eyes in his sister’s direction. The grime across his cheeks made Ivy visibly shudder. Gone was the strong man in a suit that networked at the party last night and he had been replaced by a child who needed someone to hug him tightly. Ivy almost cried.
Jonathon held back. This might have been his family, but he did not know them at all. He was not sure about coming at all because of the possible tarnish to his reputation, but a sense of duty and his mother had forced him here.
“Ewan, what happened that night?” she asked desperately. “I missed it; I was not there.”
Ewan glanced behind her, indicating towards the guard who remained at the cell door. Ivy had already pushed her luck enough; she did not think she could make him leave, too.
“It is fine,” she said quietly with a very insistent tone. “Just tell me. I need to know.”
Ewan hung his head low and sighed. “I do not know. I was talking to Mr. Smith one moment, then I went to find father to talk to him… about you actually.” He let out a mirthless laugh. “I wanted to know how you were getting on. But I did not get to speak much to him because he collapsed to the ground, just as I arrived.”
“Why do they think that you poisoned him?” Ivy needed to know. “I do not understand that.”
“I do not either,” Ewan replied desperately. “I believe it is simply because I was standing near him. How is Father? No one will tell me anything. Is he…” His face turned pale. “He is still alive?”
Ivy felt her chest tighten, panic set in. She had been trying to focus more on Ewan, so she did not have to worry about her father’s current state, but now that wound had been burst open, and it terrified her. If her father passed away, she and Ewan -- if he ever got out of this horrible cell-- would have to fend for themselves.
“I have not been to the hospital yet; I came here first. I am… I am afraid to find out.”
Ewan looked like he might be sick, it was clear that he was terrified to learn that his father might not have survived. If Ivy had even a scrap of doubt in her mind, the look on her brother’s face completely erased that.
“Why is he in the hospital? Why is he not at home?”
Ivy did not know how to answer that. She felt like she had weakly allowed it to happen because she was in a state of shock. Now, she needed to fix it.
“I shall go this afternoon once I have finished speaking with you.” Ivy felt determined to face this for Ewan. “I will ensure that you know what is happening. I know that it must be torture for you being in here.”
Ewan nodded sharply. “It is horrible; I absolutely hate it. Especially since I do not belong here.”
Ivy leaned in closer to her brother. Now was the time for her to get her suspicions out so that she could get Ewan’s opinion on the matter. Her brother had seen far more than she did; there might be something that he knew.
“So, if you did not get to father in time, then who was near him when you arrived? Who was he talking to?”
Ewan shook his head helplessly. “I do not know; I was not paying attention.”
This frustrated Ivy. “Do you know Duke Merrick? Was he around?”
“Do you know something?” Hope built in Ewan’s eyes. “I thought you did not see anything.”
“I did not, but just before it happened, I sent Father off to speak to Duke Merrick to tell him that I did not want to see him again.” Ivy felt guilty; this was more her fault than her brother’s. “We shared a short conversation when I knew that I did not like him. I suspected he might approach Father and ask to court me, so I put a stop to it before it could happen. Father said that he would talk to him, which happened just before…”
Ewan pushed himself into a standing position as hope filled him. He had spent the entire night panicking that this was going to be his future, so to hear that his sister might know something was hopeful.
“You think he might have wanted to get revenge for your rejection? It is possible!”
“I have heard all sorts of other things about him, too, that he has a gambling issue and that he has run his business into the ground, so he needs a wife who comes with a large enough dowry to help him.”
/> “You…” Ewan gasped. “He had his heart set on you, so he got annoyed…”
Hearing Ewan confirm what Ivy already suspected made her even more determined. She could not see her brother blamed for something that he did not do, not when she might have lost her father.
“What shall I do?” Ivy asked her brother. “How can I make this better?”
Ewan tapped his chin thoughtfully. He knew that one wrong move could affect his life for the worst and he did not want that to happen. Ivy was the only person who could help him escape this hell.
“You need to see Duke Merrick,” he said to her. “You need to find out more about him and work out what sort of person he is. You need to find out if this is something that he might have done?”
“But won’t that be dangerous?” Ivy wanted to help her brother, but she was scared.
“Do not allow yourself to be alone with him, that is not a good idea anyway. Keep it public but try to find some evidence.” Ewan felt terrible for everything that he was putting on his sister’s shoulders, but he really did not have any other option. “I would not ask you to do this if I thought that there was any other way.”
Ivy nodded, even as she felt the colour drain from her face. She would do it; she was going to have to, to salvage the Winters family. She could not stay protected and hidden away from the world forever…
Chapter 6
Ivy could hardly understand it; the hospital was even worse than the prison. It was dirtier, busier, and filled her with even more fear. Usually, when anyone in her home needed to seek the help of a medical professional, they would have someone come to their house to take care of them, but because of the situation last night, her father was taken away and brought to this place. It felt more like an environment where someone would come to die, rather than a place of healing. It felt utterly riddled with disease.
The Betrayed Lady Winters Page 3