Ours Is Just a Little Sorrow (18 page)

Phillip.

"What of Phillip, sir?" I asked.

"You'll have to ask the new master of the house. Phillip comes with Thornfield."

As if the boy were a vase or…or…a turnip. "And does the governess also come with Thornfield, sir? What of Oliver? And any other human beings on
the premises?"

He narrowed his bushy brows. "Based on appearances, I assumed the governess would remain stodgily by the side of my second son. I'll leave it to you both
to decide how to best deal with Phillip. Send him to a school, keep him here." He waved his hand to bat the pesky ideas away. "I haven't the gumption to
bother caring any more. I did my best, these years, though I know you judge me harshly for it. She was never faithful, I'm not even sure John is truly
mine, but I know for a fact Gideon and Phillip are not. I took responsibility for them, gave them my name and kept my wife untarnished. But I know I'm a
cold man. Phillip will be better off without my influence. It seems I'm not the best father."

I wasn't expecting the admission. I suppose owning up to one's shortcomings was honorable, however, it seemed to me the better man would not just admit to
them, but also try to change.

"I'm marrying Violet," Gideon said, the low, even challenge in his voice palpable.

"I can hardly stop you," the Colonel said.

"Would you want to?" I asked. "Is it such a blemish on your good name for Gideon to follow his heart?"

"Miss Merriweather, my good name is blemished beyond repair. I don't really care what you do. I have no use for any of you."

Though Gideon had long since realized that Colonel Winston had no love for him, hearing it aloud crushed him. I could see it in his eyes. A part of me
wondered if he'd revert to his usual pattern of dealing with the disappointment. I hoped that earning my heart would be enough for him to realize his own
worth. Gideon was a grown man, though, and it was Phillip I would concern myself with.

I started to say something to that effect when Gideon interrupted me. "We'll bid you good morning and see ourselves out."

He grasped my elbow, and if it hadn't been so important to show a united front, I would have balked. Instead I let him lead me out.

In the hall, servants passed us with trunks to pack up the Colonel. He certainly wasn't wasting any time. Gideon shushed me again as I started to speak.

"Stop
doing
that," I ground out. "I'll not be quieted. Not any longer. I'm quite tired of not being heard."

"Indulge me this once, sprite, and I'll endeavor to listen attentively from here on out for the rest of our days."

When he put it so nicely…

"We're keeping Thornfield."

"Well of
course
we're keeping Thornfield, Gideon. We can't very well let it rot."

"Let me finish, please."

I rolled my eyes. "Very well. But Phillip will be up soon, and we need to come up with a way to explain this night to the lad. "We're keeping him as well."
If I had to run away with the boy, he wouldn't be sent away to a cold, impersonal boarding school.

"I never entertained anything else."

"I'd like to move the academy here."

"Mrs. Witherspoon's Academy for Young Ladies of a Suitable Nature?"

The nonplussed expression on his face made me giggle, despite the horrid night's passing.

"That's the one, though perhaps we could shorten the name."

"I don't understand."

"Well, it's a bit cumbersome, don't you think?"

"Gideon!"

He smiled. "I want the world to be filled with women like you, Violet. I'd like you to lead an army of females into a brand new day."

"Gideon."

"I want to banish your ghosts," he added. "All the things that oppressed you, made you feel less than worthy, I want to blow them to smithereens."

"And what of your ghosts, Gideon?"

"You'll make short work of them, sprite. We'll fill this house full of children. Well fed, happy children. And you'll somehow make a family man of me. I
won't have time to dwell on what lurks in the shadows when what's in the light is so much more appealing."

We stopped outside the nursery, knowing we'd have to go in shortly. "I hope you don't plan on being too good, Gideon. I rather fancy being married to a
rogue."

"Violet, there's something else…"

My skin pricked at the foreboding in his words. "What is it Gideon?"

"It's the Juniper Society."

I felt my brows reach for the top of my head. "What about the Juniper Society?"

"It's quite humorous, actually…" The dubious expression on my face must have caused him to change his mind about that particular tactic. "Perhaps
it's not quite as humorous as that."

"You're a member, aren't you?"

He gently rubbed the crease above my nose. "I'm one of the founding members, sprite. Though it was all Min's idea."

"I don't know why I hadn't guessed it. You're a perfect match for a band of gin-soaked marauders. I suppose you'll want to have your midnight meetings in
the parlor now."

Once again, I found myself backed against a wall at Gideon's hand. "The only meetings I intend to hold at midnight will be in a four-post bed upstairs with
my wife. However, gin-soaked afternoons once a week in the parlor might be nice."

"I doubt Minerva will attend anything during the light of day, but if what you're saying is that you want to legitimize the Junipers, I won't stand in your
way."

"There's my girl," he said, right before his lips descended upon mine.

About the Author

Gwen Hayes lives in the Pacific Northwest with her real life hero, their children, and the pets that own them. She writes stories for teen and adult
readers about love, angst, and saving the world.
Gwen's first novel,
Falling Under
, was released in March of 2011 by NAL/Penguin and followed up by the sequel,
Dreaming Awake
,
in January of 2012.
She is represented by Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency.
For more information about Gwen, please visit her
website
.