“I believe you,” Selina assured her tenderly, patting her sister’s back.
“I spoke to him during balls and dinner parties, and never, not in my wildest dreams, would I ever think that it was him,” Anna reiterated one more time, still sounding as incredulous as the first time she spoke.
“None of us could have ever imagined it,” Lydia added. “The truth truly is stranger than fiction, especially in our case.”
“What do you mean?” her father asked. Lydia then realized that he had been the one kept mostly in the dark about everything. In fact, only she and Edwin knew the entire truth. This was exactly the right moment to rectify that mistake.
“Well, this is the entire story…” Lydia started patiently. She spoke slowly, making sure not to omit a single piece of information so that they would all understand exactly what had been going on and why she and Edwin were spending so much time together.
Lydia felt that she had been talking for hours, although that was hardly the case, when she finally brought her story to an end. Everyone was stunned into silence. No one dared speak or say anything. She expected there to be questions, but all she could see were eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
“I’m truly sorry that Edwin and I kept this from you all, but we didn’t want to frighten you,” Lydia admitted.
“I understand,” Anna was the first to speak. “I am sorry that I didn’t believe you.”
“It is quite all right,” Lydia smiled at her sister. “This man was such a skilled manipulator; it was impossible for you not to believe him.”
“He managed to do that to many other girls including my sister,” Edwin interjected. “We are still hoping to find them all…”
“We must gather our men and go after him,” the Earl spoke up, taking a step towards the center of the room.
“But we have no idea where to go,” Edwin said. Lydia could tell that he felt defeated because he backed down when the Viscount pulled a gun on him.
“You could try the Viscount’s home,” Lydia suggested. “Isn’t it on the outskirts of the city?”
“Yes,” the Earl nodded. “That is the first place where we should look. I doubt he can leave the city just like that. He needs provisions and he needs resources of all kinds. If we are fortunate, we might catch him there.”
“In that case, we need to head out there immediately,” Edwin agreed.
The Earl headed towards the door, and Edwin followed, but Lydia caught him by the arm. He turned to her with a puzzled glance.
“You did everything right.” She smiled at him. That was all she said. That was all she needed to say, all he needed to hear. “Now, go, and bring Rachel back.”
She felt overwhelmed by the look that he gave her. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and kiss him from now until eternity. She didn’t care that he tried to push her away. She understood why he had done that. She could understand all of it now, and she could blame him for nothing.
She loved the man that he was. She loved him for all of it, and she knew that as long as she was alive, there would never be another man for her. Just him.
Silently, she gazed at him, hoping that he was able to read all of this in her eyes because she was unable to say it in words. Sometimes, silence spoke much louder than words ever could, and she was certain that this was one of those moments.
He smiled back, taking her hand into his and bringing it to his lips. He held it like that for a long time until he finally let go.
“Wait for me,” he whispered back to her fluttering heart.
“That is all I will ever do,” she replied, watching him follow her father through the door.
Once again, the three girls were left alone. There was still so much left to be said, but instead of speaking, Lydia walked over to her sisters, sat on the sofa next to them, and the three embraced firmly, just like they used to do when they were little. It was an embrace that proved to them that they were stronger than the world, stronger than anyone who wished to keep them apart. Their love could beat all the odds, and this time, this was proven.
Lydia felt a stray tear roll down her cheek. She let it. Her heart was full. All they needed now was for another lost sister to be brought home, safe and sound.
Edwin can do it,she kept repeating to herself over and over again.
* * *
“You go through the back entrance,” the Earl instructed once they found themselves in front of the Viscount’s home. There was a small group of trustworthy men with them. Edwin was certain that if the Viscount was still here, they would catch him. He would pay for what he had done.
“All right,” Edwin nodded, signaling a few of his men to follow him.
The two groups separated with both the Earl and the Duke at the helm on both ends. Edwin felt strangely empowered. He was certain that this was the last stop of this insane ride. He would finally find the answers he had been looking for.