“You have nothing to be afraid of,” Baldwin whispered in Dinah’s ear as he led her down the stairs the next morning.
Her only response was to pull the shawl closer around her body. Sensing she needed the extra support, he put his arm around her shoulders. One wouldn’t have known it by looking at her that she was trembling. She was pale, but she didn’t seem like she was visibly afraid.
It’d taken him two hours to convince her that they were really alive. Only after going through all of the lies Donald had told her did she finally comprehend the extent of his deceit. But it was still with hesitation she had agreed to go to the drawing room with him.
“Your mother, aunt, and uncle missed you. They want to see you.” He stopped them both from proceeding down the stairs and turned her so that she was facing him. “They’re as worried about seeing you as you are about seeing them.”
“They are?”
“Yes. They feel terrible for not going over to the west wing to see you. Donald told them that you didn’t want to see them because you wished to be alone. In their way, they were doing what you wanted. They just didn’t realize he was lying to them.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, released her breath, and then opened them. “I don’t believe anything he told me.”
“I don’t think any of us do.” He brushed her cheek. “You can do this. I know it’s still a shock to find out they’re alive, but I don’t think waiting to see them will make things easier.”
“I know. I’m willing to see them. I just don’t know what to say.”
“They don’t know what to say, either. But I’m here, and my cousin and her husband are here. We’ll help ease the tension the best we can.”
When she indicated she was ready to go to the drawing room, he led her down the rest of the steps. Keeping his arm around her for support, he guided her to the room where he could hear Lewis talking.
“I don’t know which is better,” he said. “Dancing is enjoyable, but it’s easier to talk while playing a game of cards. The dances involve a lot of movement, and sometimes it’s hard to hear what the other person is saying.”
“But dancing isn’t done for business reasons,” Marcy argued.
“That depends on who the lady’s male relatives are,” he replied. “Sometimes the best way to get to know a certain investor is to dance with the lady. If she happens to like something you say, she’s willing to make an introduction.”
Baldwin saw that while Beatrice, Holly, and Clarence were listening to the two, they appeared to be too nervous to pay close attention. He wasn’t sure how the morning would go, but the only way to get past the awkwardness was to proceed in spite of it.
“Pardon the interruption,” Baldwin spoke up, “but I brought Dinah with me.”
Everyone turned to face them, and Beatrice and Holly jumped from their chairs.
Beatrice made a move toward Dinah but paused, a flicker of worry on her face. “Can I come closer?” she asked.
Since the lady glanced between Dinah and Baldwin, he wasn’t sure which one of them she was talking to. He glanced at Dinah who was looking at everyone. The way her eyes darted from one person to another made him think of a scared rabbit.
“Do you mind if your mother comes closer?” he whispered.
She turned her attention to him, and something in his gaze must have offered her assurance because she told her mother, “You can come closer.”
Her mother slowly walked over to her, and when she reached them, she took Dinah’s hand. “I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am that I let your brother lock you away on the other side of the manor.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she swallowed. “I should have known something was wrong. Thinking back on things, I realize I knew something wasn’t right, but I was afraid to investigate the matter. I wanted to be with you, but I also wanted to believe that Donald was telling me the truth.” She brushed aside a tear and added, “Your aunt and uncle were more willing to face what was happening. I should have been stronger and helped them.”
“I thought all of you had been mauled by terrible creatures,” Dinah whispered. “I was too scared to leave the other side of the manor in case they got me, too. I stayed there willingly. Donald might have lied to get me to go there, but it was my choice to stay.”
“Only because you believed creatures were lurking around the property,” Baldwin said, doing his best to keep the bitterness out of his voice.
Baldwin was determined to forgive Donald for the damage he’d done, but it would take him time to do it. If he felt that way, he could only imagine how much harder it would be for the rest of them.
He cleared his throat. “The important thing is that there aren’t any creatures and your mother, aunt, and uncle are still here.”
“He’s right,” Holly said. “We would do well to focus on the future instead of dwelling on the past. Nothing can be done to change any of it. When we bury Donald this afternoon, we should bury all of our regrets with him.”
“That’s wise advice,” Clarence spoke up, and Baldwin noted that he seemed to find some relief in accepting the logic of her words.
“I’m glad you inherited the title of this estate,” Beatrice told him. “This estate needs to be managed by someone who deserves it.”
Clarence offered a sad smile then looked at Dinah. “Your father was a good person. Do you remember him?”
“A little,” she said.
“Would you like to learn more about him?” Clarence asked.
Dinah nodded. “I want to get to know the rest of you as well.”
Beatrice smiled at her. “You will, my dear. We’re going to do our best to make up for lost time.”
Beatrice held her arms open, and Dinah left Baldwin’s side and went into her mother’s embrace. Holly ran forward to join them, and Clarence soon followed behind in his wheelchair. The four were soon crying and hugging each other.
Baldwin glanced over at Marcy and Lewis. Marcy’s gaze met his, and he saw the tear going down her cheek. She wiped it away but smiled at him. He smiled in return. Yes, this was a good start. They might have a long way to go, but this was definitely a good start.
***
May
Baldwin had wanted to take Dinah to Hyde Park when they arrived in London last month, but she had been overwhelmed by all of the people and had wanted to stay inside the townhouse. She spent an entire week watching people walking up and down the sidewalk or traveling by carriages.
At one point, he had offered to escort her in a carriage through London so she could see it from the safety of the carriage, and while she seemed interested, she ended up declining the offer. “I thought if I ever came to London, I’d want to see everything right away. Now that I’m here, I’m scared,” she’d admitted. “It’s so busy and loud.”
“You’ll get used to it,” he had assured her.
Then he had returned to the card game he’d been playing with her uncle.
Finally, in the first week of May, she’d told him she was ready to go outside, but she’d asked him to avoid the shops. “Take me somewhere where it’s not as busy.”
He picked a time of day when most people didn’t go to Hyde Park then arranged for her mother and her aunt to join them, thinking the walk would do them as much good as it would do for Dinah. Her uncle had expressed an interest in staying behind to read a book instead, so it was just the four of them.
Now, as they passed by flowers blooming on some bushes, he asked, “What do you think of the park?”
“It’s lovely,” Beatrice said. “I especially like how the trees and bushes have been tended to. Donald refused to let the gardener anywhere near the trees on our property even though my husband liked to keep them neat in appearance.” Her voice trailed off, and she looked at Dinah. “I’m sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be sorry, Mother,” Dinah replied. “You were only stating the truth.”
“I know, but I don’t want to ruin this morning by talking about your brother,” her mother said.
“You haven’t ruined anything. Donald was a part of our lives. All we can do is what Aunt Holly says. We need to accept everything that’s happened and continue on.”
Holly’s face went pink with pleasure. She turned to Baldwin. “May I pick two of the flowers, or is it forbidden?”
“As long as you don’t take all of them, I’m sure picking a couple won’t upset anyone,” Baldwin replied.
Holly went to one of the bushes and plucked two flowers from it. She returned to them. She gave one to Beatrice and the other to Dinah. “You two are very special to me, and I want us to always be close. We have a wonderful future ahead of us.”
Baldwin noted the way Dinah and Beatrice teared up. He didn’t know if it was the fact that they were ladies or if it was because of all the time they’d lost as a family, but it seemed to him that they were prone to a lot of tears. Even when they were happy, as they were now, they had a tendency to cry.
“I like the trees and bushes,” Dinah said after they continued their walk. “They provide shade, and they’re pleasant to look at.”
“They are, aren’t they?” Holly agreed.
Dinah sniffed her flower and smiled. “Now I know why the air smells so sweet. It’s the flowers.”
“The breeze helps,” Baldwin said. “I thought you three might enjoy this place.”
“We do. We’ll have to come back,” Beatrice replied.
Baldwin promised him they would and continued to lead them down the path.
***
January
It was snowing when Dinah gave birth to twins: a girl and a boy. Dinah had wished to be in London when the children were born, and Baldwin was more than willing to accommodate her. She was glad it snowed. Since the day Baldwin had taken her outside in the snow shortly after they married, she loved the snow. It reminded her of him and how much joy he’d given her since they married.
A week after giving birth, she stood by the window in the drawing room and took note of the way of the morning sunlight made the snow sparkle on the rooftops of the townhouses across from her.
She turned to Baldwin, her mother, her aunt, and her uncle as they sat close to each other. Her mother held her daughter, and her uncle held her son. They’d all been trying to help her come up with names for the children. She’d had months to plan for the names, but there weren’t any she could settle on.
Baldwin looked up as she approached and gestured to the empty spot next to him on the settee. “You should sit.”
She shrugged as she wrapped the shawl around herself. The nearby fire was roaring, but she still experienced a slight chill. Probably because she’d been standing by the window. She eased into the settee beside him. The doctor had warned her it was going to take some time before she wasn’t so sore. As long as she took it slow, she didn’t notice the soreness so much, and she shifted until she was comfortable on the settee.
“Can we take a carriage ride through London?” she asked. “I want to see the snow on the trees and grass.”
Baldwin nodded. “We can go after we have something to eat.” With a smile, he put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close. “I want you to keep your strength up. You’ve been through a lot.”
“Yes, but it was worth it,” she replied as her gaze went to their children. “I had a feeling there was more than one baby.”
“You were right,” he admitted. “I’ll never doubt you again.”
She chuckled. “I’m glad we have a girl and a boy. I couldn’t decide which one I wanted more.”
“You couldn’t decide something like that,” her mother spoke up. “Some things are beyond our control, and whether we have a boy or a girl is one of them. You can, however, decide on a name. And,” she smiled at the girl in her arms, “I think Justina might be a good name.”
“Why did you pick that name?” she asked.
“I always liked it. My favorite name was Dinah, and your father graciously allowed me to name you that. If I had had another girl, I would have named her Justina. But, this is your child, and you should be the one to name her. I just can’t think of any other name but Justina.” She offered her an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid I can’t be much help.”
“I like that name,” Dinah said. With a glance at Baldwin, she asked, “What do you think?”
“Justina is a nice name,” he replied.
“We’ll name her Justina then,” Dinah said.
“What about Frederick for the boy?” her uncle suggested. “When you were a little girl, you used to create stories and tell them to me, and I remember a few of them involved a lad named Frederick. He was a valiant knight who rescued people.”
Surprised, Dinah asked, “I used to tell stories like that?”
Her uncle nodded. “You’d sit with me and your father, and we’d listen to you while sitting in front of the fireplace or while playing a game of chess. They weren’t long stories. They were simple ones. There was one where Frederick saved a princess who was in a burning castle. There was another where he found a baby in the forest and gave it to a lonely widow who wanted a child.” He paused and smiled. “You had such a vivid imagination. Your father used to say it was good that you could entertain yourself since there wasn’t much to do at the estate.”
Dinah thought back to that part of her childhood. She couldn’t recall anything specific about those stories like he could, but the story of the widow and baby was familiar to her. She also thought she recalled something else. “Did Frederick have red hair?”
Her uncle nodded. “He did. He was also tall and strong.”
“All heroes are tall and strong in stories,” Holly spoke up. “I think it’s because the tales seem more romantic that way.”
“In that story where he rescued the princess, he was able to rip the door off of her bedchamber so he could get her out of the castle.” Her uncle chuckled. “He was very strong.”
“I think Frederick would be a good name,” Baldwin told her. “Justina and Frederick. What do you think of those for our children?”
She did like the two names, and since he did as well, she finally felt at peace with settling on them. “We’ll name them Justina and Frederick.”
Baldwin kissed her. “This afternoon, we’ll take them out in the carriage and show them London, and you can see the snow at the park.”
That would be nice. Maybe she would even get to collect some snow in her hands. When she stayed outside, the snow didn’t melt as fast, and it gave her the chance to see some of their designs.
“You do realize the babies will probably be sleeping during this trip,” her aunt teased.
“All that means is that we’ll have to take them again in the future,” Baldwin replied with a grin.
“I can’t wait to go out,” Dinah said. “Will the rest of you come along?”
“I want to take a nap so that I can help you with the darlings tonight,” her mother replied.
“I’d like to go,” her uncle said. “It’ll be nice to get out.”
“I’ll come along, too,” her aunt agreed.
Satisfied, Dinah leaned into Baldwin. While she had now been to the menagerie, balls, the stores, dinner parties, and the theatre, she still preferred the quiet afternoons of taking a stroll or carriage ride through London. She didn’t know if it was because she’d been locked away for most of her life, but she was most comfortable when she wasn’t around a lot of people.
Besides, the ones she wanted to be with most were in this room with her. The addition of Justina and Frederick only made things better. She had more than she could ever ask for. The aching loneliness had long since passed, and in its place was an endless supply of contentment. Her life couldn’t get better than this, and the best part was knowing that it was just the beginning.