It had happened here. Father had made herbend over a chair, pulled up her skirt and began hitting her. Itstung and tore at her skin. The more she cried the more he hit herwith the switch, over and over. Maman was screaming at him to stopbut he wouldn’t. Jordan pulled at his father’s arm and wasbackhanded and fell against the desk. Her skin had been torn openand Juliette remembered blood running down that back of her leg.The only thing she had done wrong was cry over her doll and he hadbeaten her.
Juliette grasped the back of the chair tokeep from collapsing and then she saw it. A willow switch. GoodGod, did Bentley strike Eleanor’s siblings with that thing, the wayshe had been struck?
She grabbed it and flung it across the roombefore marching to her brother. “Why do you have that vile thing inthis house? So help me God if I find out you have ever used that ona child I will kill you.” Tears streamed down her face and Bentleygently grabbed her upper arms to steady her.
“I have never used that on a single person inmy life,”
“Then why do you have it,” she cried.
“To remind me,” he ground out. “So I neverbecome like him.”
Sobs racked her body and Juliette collapsedagainst her brother. He soothed a hand up and down her back andsaid something she couldn’t understand. All she knew was some innerpain that she had carried around without even realizing it neededto be released. Her father was a horrible man and as uncharitableas the thought, she was glad he was dead. When her sobs dissipatedand turned to hiccoughs, Bentley led her to the settee and settledher beside Matthew. Jordan came forward and pressed a snifter ofbrandy into her hand.
She sipped slowly and willed her hands tostop shaking.
“I am sorry,” Jordan said a few momentslater. “I should have never given you the doll.”
Juliette shook her head. “That night wasalready coming back to me. I couldn’t grasp hold of the memory. Hadyou not given it to me, I might have driven myself mad trying toremember.”
“I am also sorry for teasing you and tearingyour doll.”
She looked up at him. The discussion he andmaman had in London now made sense. “No, don’t be sorry. It wasn’tyour fault.”
He opened his mouth to speak but Juliette wasnot about to let him make excuses. “You treated me the way abrother does a younger sister. I’ve seen Eleanor’s brothers behavethe same way, and someone has been hurt and they cried, yet no onebeat them for it. Father was a monster and I didn’t deserve thepunishment he inflicted.” She glanced around at the faces of herbrothers. “I am willing to bet none of you ever did.”
Jordan looked away. He was still eaten withguilt. “Forgive yourself, Jordan. I do not blame you for whathappened and neither should you.”
He blinked a few times and Juliette saw amist of tears, but did not comment on it. Something told her he hadbeen carrying this burden his entire life. May her father rot!
Acker finished his glass of brandy and wasabout to suggest they speak with Juliette another time when sheburst into the room. He remained stunned with shock at the palenessof her skin and panicked look in her eyes. He was paralyzed, notknowing what to do. When Juliette nearly collapsed with hermemories and rage he wanted to go to her. Then she was in Bentley’sarms, sobbing much as a child. He wanted to be the one to hold andcomfort her. But, he didn’t understand. Not like they did. Hewished whatever memories she recalled would have been forgottenbecause he hated to see her in such pain. But, perhaps this is forthe best and she can begin to rebuild and form a bond with herfamily.
The four brothers were gathered aroundJuliette and Acker felt like an intruder. He should not be here,witnessing the personal family moment, but he couldn’t bringhimself to leave either. What if Juliette needed him?
Acker noted the concern on each brother’sface. They would take care of her and protect her. Juliette neededhim no longer.
Acker found Juliette standing in the goldparlor the following morning. He had been looking for her since herose because he had not seen her again the night before. She hadtaken a tray in her room for supper and he suspected it had more todo with exhaustion from the memories than the travel and then hehad missed her at breakfast today. He needed to see her so that hecould assure himself that she was fine.
Her back was to him when he walked in theroom and nobody else was present. She was gazing out the window andhe approached to look over her shoulder. Her mother sat with hismother and Rose beneath shaded trees. While his mother and Rosewore simple dresses, suitable for the warm day, Adele was alsocovered with a blanket and wore a hat. The sun was bright today andthere was no breeze yet she was cold.
“She is not going to recover, is she?”Juliette asked in a quiet voice.
Acker wasn’t certain how to answer. Adele’sface was pale and drawn and she clutched the blanket to her as ifshe were in a winter storm.
“The doctor said she wouldn’t,” Juliettecontinued before he could answer. “I didn’t want to believe him,but I can tell by looking at her that she is not doing well.”
“She also just traveled two days,” Ackerreminded her.
Juliette turned toward him. “As much as Iwould like to believe you and put hope in the fact, I cannot.”
She was correct. Adele grew weaker each day.How would Juliette go on without her? She was much too young tolose her mother. Was anyone ever old enough to lose their mother?Though he was a man of one and thirty, Acker knew he would feel theloss deeply if something happened to his mother.
“Would you care to stroll with me in thegarden?” Acker asked while offering his arm.
Juliette glanced
