Edward looked like he wanted to argue, but defeat—or perhaps resignation—dulled his fight. He released a long sigh. ‘It’s a funny thing. Since I’ve met you, Serena, I have been thinking about God more. You have such confidence in what you believe, and you live according to it. It made me question everything I had assumed. I know I argued with you like a pompous fool.’ He drew in a deep breath and swallowed hard. ‘Just before ... just before I tried to ... end it, I challenged God to save me if he could. I was done fighting. When Simon and Xavier stopped me at the tree, I thought little of it. But when you two came to Bedlam Point, I knew it. He heard me.’ Edward looked at them both, with tears brimming in his eyes. ‘He heard me.’
Serena and Mr Moncrief exchanged a knowing glance.
‘So, no more talk of a curse then, old man. Are we agreed?’
‘There is no curse?’
‘None at all,’ Serena assured him with a gentle touch to his forearm.
Edward sank onto the nearest chair. ‘I’m free?’
‘In more ways than one.’ Mr Moncrief winked.
‘It seems so simple. Too simple.’ Edward shook his head.
‘We all make life more complicated than it needs to be sometimes. I am guilty of the same.’
‘Me, too,’ agreed Serena, sitting beside Edward. ‘I had myself in a turmoil thinking my family couldn’t survive without me. It was all vanity—thinking more of myself than I ought.’
Edward turned to her and clasped her hands. ‘And I took you from them in my selfishness. Will they ever forgive me?’
‘It is already done,’ Serena giggled. ‘Papa has even given his consent to our marriage.’
‘Speaking of which,’ Mr Moncrief slapped his thighs and stood. ‘I’m sure you two have some planning to do. Shall I fetch some tea?’
‘Tea would be wonderful.’
With a nod, the young man departed and Serena had Edward to herself again.
Serena bit on her lip as she looked into his eyes. ‘I never dreamt I would have the happiness of planning my wedding. But, here we are.’
‘Yes, we are. However, I must speak to you about something.’ Edward drew her to her feet and clasped her hands.
‘What is it?’ Serena searched his eyes.
‘That last day on the beach,’ he ducked his head momentarily, scuffing at an imaginary lump on the floor. ‘I am not that man. I am not a fiend. Can you ever forgive me?’ He raised his face again, and held her gaze with his plea written in its depths.
Serena reached up and stroked a strand of his hair away from his brow, as all the love she possessed pooled in her eyes.
‘I know you are not a fiend. You are the man I love. A man who is exuberant and loyal and generous and very gifted.’
‘And you are the sweetest, most unselfish, loving woman I could be blessed to have as my wife. With just the right amount of impertinence.’ He gave her a sly wink.
Serena almost snorted. ‘Beast.’
‘Perhaps. But only a little,’ he murmured as he lowered his lips to hers in a kiss that promised many more to come.
33
Sunday 25th September, 1842
Yesterday, my bride stood beside me at the altar and we exchanged our vows. She indeed looked like the angel I often call her.
Through her, I found my healing. I stood, for the first time in many years, as a whole man, fully present in my mind. All along, Providence had his hand upon me, as I have discovered just as the Psalmist did.
‘So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.’
Serena and I married in the church, then celebrated in a gazebo with whitewashed columns and arches, which I built for her on the shore.
Our families surrounded us, offering their love and congratulations. Judith was subdued, but she has turned a corner and has now accepted that Serena and I are pledged to one another. She is slowly coming to accept I am not the source of her ruin, nor am I the source of her security. And I in turn have slowly learnt to forgive her. Serena and Caleb have shown me that holding bitterness against her will achieve nothing.
Caleb stood beside me yesterday, grinning like a school lad. I am eternally grateful for his friendship to me these years, even when I was no friend to him. It was a day I shall hold dearly for the rest of my life.
This morning, my wife and I will to go to church and then we shall leave for our wedding tour. We shall be gone a long while. To the Holy Land where Serena can see the places of the Bible and I shall see the incredible architecture of a millenia ago.
Enough, she is awaking, her golden smile drawing me away from these pages, and I would not resist her for the world. She is, and will ever be, my angel.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Thank you for reading Unhinged, and I do hope you have enjoyed Edward and Serena’s journey. Mental Health is such a widespread struggle in our society today, but it still holds a stigma of shame, even with the better understanding and treatments available in our day and age.
For the purposes of a Beauty and the Beast story, I have ‘magically’ allowed Edward to become whole. Sadly, for many people who struggle with mental health issues, the battle is an ongoing, lifelong one.
I do not wish to trivialise mental illness, even though I do believe that God can heal. The best approach seems to be to seek medical help, counselling and combine that with a spiritual journey of faith.
If you, or someone around you suffers with mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety, the best first step is to seek help. This can be from your GP or a mental health support agency such as
