Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

It was an ordeal at the Metropolitan Police. She’d been forced to rehash absolutely everything that Vernon Shaw had done to her for the official record. As had Ellen. Having James and Alice hear of her impurity made Ebony feel quite embarrassed. It was her dirty secret and now an entire court would hear of it.

The policeman taking her statement had described two Latin terms to her – actus reus and mens rea. ‘Actus reus’ meant ‘guilty act’ and ‘mens rea’ meant ‘guilty mind’. The policeman told her that a man’s guilt was all about aforethought. Ebony had no doubt that Vernon had a guilty mind. His mind was sick and sadistic. With Ellen’s statement and the physical proof that their faces showed, the police had more than enough evidence to arrest Vernon. Once word reached the theatre of Vernon’s arrest, Ebony was sure everyone else would come forward also.

The policeman told both women that they would be summoned to give evidence at the trial once the date is set. He asked for an address and James immediately gave an address in Yorkshire for Ebony and Ellen said that she would be staying with a cousin in Sussex. It saddened Ebony to think that she and Ellen would be separating for a time. They’d depended on each other for so long.

Ebony guessed that Yorkshire was where Celeste was and that they would be reunited at the home of whoever was housing her. She was very anxious to see her but she would refuse to leave London until she knew Henry would be alright. She couldn’t abandon him, even though, regardless of what Little J had said, she was inconsequential. She didn’t want to see Celeste until her bruises had gone down either. Frightening her was not what she wanted to do.

When they were finally permitted to leave, they saw a group of four policemen being sent to Vernon’s Aunt’s residence to make the arrest. It was finally over. His reign of destruction and manipulation was over.

It was close to noon the next day when Ebony, Ellen, James and Alice returned to Little J and Harrison’s practice. Alice regretfully had to leave to check on her children and then go to the orphanage where she worked. Ebony admired her for doing something so selfless.

When they came inside, Ebony heard voices in Little J’s office. James led her and Ellen into the office and she was overwhelmed to see all the people standing in it, talking worriedly. It had to be the rest of Henry’s family. She hadn’t realised how big it was. She would have loved to have had such a big family.

Unlike the night before when nobody had noticed her, her entrance silenced the room and all eyes were on her.

“Everyone, this is Miss Seaver and Miss Winterberry,” James introduced before leaving the office to go upstairs.

Henry’s mother came forward first with a smile on her face. Ebony hoped that meant that Henry was alright. “Miss Seaver, I’m ever so happy to meet you. I’m so sorry for what Vernon did to you. If I’d known his true character, and I swear to you I didn’t, I would have certainly reported him. Innocent girls like you never deserve this kind of treatment.” Henry’s mother didn’t seem to have any issue with personal boundaries, not that Ebony minded, as she cupped her face and ran a soft finger over her black eye. Ebony saw where Henry had inherited his chocolate eyes from.

“You knew Vernon?” Ebony repeated. How could such a vile man have such a classy acquaintance?

“I did.” She nodded. “As a child. He was a dear friend once. Though not anymore. It was very brave of you to go to the police. He will hang for his sins.”

“Thank you, your Ladyship,” Ebony replied with a small smile. She’d never met a fine lady before. And now she was in a room surrounded by them.

“Emilia, please,” she insisted. “And these are Henry’s sisters, Kitty and Annie.” She pointed to two women who offered Ebony the smallest of smiles before returning to their solemn expressions. “Their husbands and Henry’s father … well, you can know them later. Would you like to go upstairs and see Henry?”

Ebony wanted that very much. “Would that be appropriate?” she asked. She didn’t want to be a nuisance.

“Of course,” Emilia encouraged. “The first door on the right.”

“Thank you. Excuse me.” Ebony was sure that ordinarily the Alcotts were quite a warm and receptive family but she’d met them at quite a morbid time. She couldn’t help but feel as if they blamed her. Ebony would expect them to.

She made her way up the narrow staircase. The landing was a small square with six doors. The two on the left were open. One was a bedroom with gowns on the bed and bedclothes on the floor – it had to belong to Little J and Harrison. The other was Victoria, Georgiana and Clara’s bedroom. The girls were in there with several other children, no doubt their cousins. They didn’t notice Ebony standing there and carried on playing their game. She opened the first door on the right and saw Henry lying in a narrow hospital bed with James sitting beside him. The room was decorated simply. The walls were white and a small bunch of flowers sat on the only other piece of furniture in the room – a wash table. The window was open which was letting in the spring sunshine.

James looked up at her and she could tell he’d been crying. “Hello, Miss Seaver,” he said glumly.

“Hello, Mr Alcott,” Ebony replied carefully. There was nowhere for her to sit so she elected to lean against the wall adjacent to the bed. Henry looked almost peaceful. Just like he was sleeping. His dark hair was quite unruly from laying on a pillow and his skin looked a little pale. He was still shirtless with a white bandage fastened around his midsection. She hadn’t registered his state of undress until now, and she couldn’t appreciate his lean physique when he was possibly still dying. “I’m so sorry for this, Mr Alcott. I never wanted him to get hurt.”

James shook his head and looked up at her. “I don’t blame you, Miss Seaver, none of us do. It’s just affecting me so much because of all he’s done for me. He’s my only brother and I’ve spent the majority of his life teasing him because of his social anxieties. Regardless of how much trouble I gave him, he still sobered me up when I was going through a difficult time a few years ago. He’s the best brother a man could ask for and he doesn’t deserve this.”

“If I’ve learnt anything about him, it’s that his character is the truest I’ve ever encountered. He found my sister and he hardly knew me.” Ebony would be forever grateful to him. She stepped forward and took one of his hands in hers. If he could feel it in his sleep, she hoped his dreams were telling him she was ever so thankful and that she hoped he would soon wake.

“I’ve never seen Henry like that. He’s usually timid and quiet. He marched into that brothel with a vengeance and took Celeste back. She’s well now and with our grandmother. She’ll probably be plump when you see her, our grandmother makes more sweet pies then there are apples on a tree.”

“Hold on,” Ebony stopped him. “Celeste was ill?” Nobody had told her that … not that they’d really had on opportunity to of course.

“My brother-in-law was with us, the doctor, Harrison, you’ve met him. She had pneumonia and Henry wouldn’t leave her until she was healthy. Celeste was quite attached to him when I left.”

Ebony couldn’t help but panic at the sound of her sister suffering from such an illness. But again, the man in the hospital bed never ceased to surprise her with his kindness.

“What do you plan on doing now that Vernon is to be imprisoned?” James asked.

Truthfully, Ebony didn’t know. “Seeing Celeste is first on my list. Then I will have to find employment and lodgings. But I would like to sing again. As horrible as my life has been for the past two years, the stage was an incredible experience. I’d hate to never be there again.”

“From what I heard, your voice is rather remarkable.”

Ebony blushed a little. “Thank you.”

“Stop stepping on my toes, James, you are married.”

Both James and Ebony gasped when Henry’s brown eyes fluttered open. His voice was quite husky but he was conscious.

“Henry!” Ebony exclaimed, squeezing his hand even tighter.

“How are you feeling?” James asked desperately. Without waiting for an answer, he said “I’ll fetch Little J.” He quickly left the room with heavy steps, racing for the stairs.

Henry was watching her curiously, with a small, pained smile on his face. His wound must’ve been hurting, but she was so thankful he was awake, and alive. “I thought I was dreaming for a moment,” he said quietly, his voice raspy. “When I heard you. Are you alright?”

“I’m not the one who had a blade plunged into their belly,” Ebony managed to choke out. She felt a little tongue tied around him, perhaps their awkwardness had been exchanged.

“If my sister tended to me, I’ll be alright,” he promised. “Does your face hurt?”

Ebony shook her head. She felt the bruises but they could not nearly hurt as much as his wound. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered apologetically. “I never meant for this to happen.”

She expected for him to say something like ‘it’s not your fault’ or the nonsense she’d heard from his family but instead he surprised her. “I’d endure this a hundred times more if it meant your freedom,” he said simply. He looked down at his bandaged abdomen and smirked. “Perhaps a large scar will make me more attractive.”

Ebony resisted telling him that she found him attractive. She found him very attractive, she always had. The scar would always remind the woman who eventually won him of his bravery.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me … finding Celeste, finding me … you truly have done everything and more for me.” Ebony sat down on the edge of his bed. She really owed him everything.

“I’d do anything for you.” He started to sit up in the bed but Ebony immediately put her hands on his chest to make him stay down.

“No!” she exclaimed. “You must stay lying down. You must rest.” It was then that she realised that she was practically on top of him, their faces only a foot apart, her long curls creating a curtain that blocked them from the rest of the world.

She couldn’t look away from his eyes, and nor could he. They just stared at each other, their chests rising and falling.

“Please don’t die,” she whispered. “I should like to know you better.”

“I should like you to know me,” he breathed. “I should like that very much.”

The sound of someone clearing their throat disturbed them. Ebony quickly got off of the bed and tried to behave nonchalantly but that wasn’t successful when half of Henry’s family was standing before them with excited smiles on their faces.

---

Hope you liked it!!

I was replying to one of your comments regarding 'Bones' and when I was describing it I said 'It's the perfect combination of funny and smart' and I almost added 'like me!' on the end of it but then I thought that person would think I was an idiot :P Oh well, I've told you now but you guys probably already think I'm a huge dork :P Hahaha

I can't cook for shiz but I can make the best homemade sausage rolls. I made them today and I took a bite and I was like 'I AM A GOD! MMMMMMMM!!!!!' My mum thought I was insane but then that's just like every other Wednesday ;) I'll give you my secret receipe --- 8 sausages (like the inside, not the intestine skin bit), half a diced onion, one grated carrot and one chopped stick of celery. I generous amount of tomato paste and whatever herbs you like, I use oregano. And then you mix it up and place it along the pastry and then fold the pasty over and coat them with milk and then cook in the over on 180 degrees celcius (not sure what that is in farenheit) until golden brown and enjoy! Laura's Super Secret Awesome Sausage Rolls are delicious :D I am conceited about one thing :P Then put what you don't eat in the fridge and have them cold, they taste amazing that way too :)

Hope you like them as much as I do :)

And thanks to my Year 11 Legal Studies teacher, Miss Owen, as I've used the painfully boring material you taught us for the first time today :) Actus reus and mens rea, can't believe I remembered it :P Thanks Miss!

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