It has come to This Author's attention that Viscount Hale has sent his mother out of the family home. Rumors swell round that the Viscount's mother had to take refuge in Lady Wellington's home.
A scandal as huge as this, This Author cannot foresee.
Lady Ravenscroft's Society Papers (15 April 1813)
Nicholas woke with a pounding headache the following morning as he stared at the ceiling above him. The contents of the letter from the previous night still recurrred in his mind as he gazed into space.
A knock interrupted his thoughts, and he heaved a sigh.
"What time are we to leave?" Julian asked as he entered the room.
"I have to leave for Lady Dorrington's place. I shall join you over there," Nicholas said, to which Julian frowned.
"Are you being serious, now?" Julian said with a glare.
"Did he abandon you?" Edward asked as he walked in.
"I was hoping you would prove Edward wrong, but truly, you gave your word last night," Julian said in anger, his voice rising.
Nicholas stared at the duo, wondering whether it was wise to inform them about the letter. They were his siblings; surely, he should be able to trust them.
Nicholas stood and took the letter from the drawer beside his bedside table and handed it over.
"What is this?" Julian asked, his brows raised.
"Read it," Nicholas simply said.
He watched the two of them as they absorbed the contents, and he observed their expressions change once they understood its import.
"Very well, I may have overreacted," Julian said, looking up at him.
"Are you well?" Edward asked.
"I am f-f-fine."
"I would venture to think the opposite," Julian said.
"Why would you think that?" Nicholas asked.
"Your hands are trembling, and you seem unable to control your voice as you are accustomed. You look as though you are about to lose consciousness at any moment. Need I continue?" Julian said without expression.
"Perhaps I should accompany you to Lady Dorrington's place. We shall inform her and then join Julian at Lord Granger's," Edward suggested with a calm voice.
"And why do you not follow Julian?" Nicholas asked.
"If I see that man commit an act I despise against Violet, he will be dead before you arrive," Edward said quite nonchalantly. "Besides, Julian possesses more self-control than I do."
"As you wish," Nicholas simply said.
Lady Dorrington stared hard at the letter when Nicholas and Edward arrived at her home. Nicholas stared at the Pomeranian by Edward's side in palpable fear.
"Mr. Finch is not in the country presently," she said calmly. "I shall write a letter asking him to return immediately."
"Why am I not surprised that you remain so composed about this?" Edward said as he petted her dog.
"She did not speak of it, but she may have hinted at it," Lady Dorrington explained.
"My question is, why am I here?" Helena, the elder Beaumont sister, asked.
"Because the properties are scattered all over Lyon, and you are familiar with Lyon," Lady Dorrington said.
"We require your assistance once more," Edward said, to which all eyes in the room turned toward him.
"We need you to accompany us to Lord Granger's house," Edward simply said.
"Why?"
"Nicholas always listens to you, and I have a feeling that he and Julian will end up killing the man," Edward provided with a smile. "Though, for my part, I would love for the man to be killed, but I know how that will affect Violet."
"And why can you not stop them from doing that?" Helena asked.
"Every time I see the man's face, my anger swells," he said.
"He is the last person you should be asking to restrain a fight," Nicholas observed.
"Wait here a moment. Helena and I will accompany you both," Lady Dorrington said before leaving the room.
"What of your younger sister?" Edward asked.
"She, along with James, is practicing the game of 'Doch,'" she explained.
"How on earth are two people to play the game of 'Doch'?" Nicholas asked with a frown.
"It quite beats me," Helena said with a smile, watching Lady Dorrington's dog fawn over the Viscount.
"Can y-y-you p-please r-remove the dog a-away from me?" Nicholas asked in a shaking voice, his words stumbling.
"He likes you," Helena said, to which he shook his head frantically.
"G-g-get him a-away," Nicholas said, hiding behind Helena in fear.
"You dislike dogs?" Edward asked in shock.
"'Dislike' is a strong word," Helena said as she scooped up the Pomeranian.
"I w-would m-much rather prefer the w-word loathe," Nicholas said, holding onto Helena for dear life.
"He is a sweet little creature, and I believe he adores you," Helena said, to which Nicholas frowned.
How on earth does that thing adore him?
"Shall we head out now?" Lady Dorrington said, announcing her arrival back into the room.
"Y-yes, immediately, please," Nicholas said, heading over to her side, leaving Helena and Edward chuckling to themselves.
The journey to Lord Granger's home was certainly not a quiet one, as Lady Dorrington decided the carriage was the perfect place to catch up with Nicholas.
"We never did discuss Oxford," she said with a sweet smile.
To Nicholas, it was a devilish smile.
"Oxford was acceptable," he simply replied, only to receive stares from Edward, Helena, and Lady Dorrington.
"What?"
"I believe this is the first time I have ever heard a man reveal that his stay at Oxford was merely acceptable," Helena said in disbelief.
"It was, in fact, quite boring, I might add," he said, to which the trio gasped.
"Do cease being so dramatic," he said.
"Says the man who declared Oxford boring," Edward retorted.
"W-Why on earth would I tell you about my experience at Oxford when a Lady is present?" Nicholas asked, staring at Helena.
"Oh, ignore her. She is just a spinster," Lady Dorrington said, waving her off.
"Indeed," Helena said in mock shock.
"Oh, pardon my manners, but I do believe you much rather enjoy the life of a spinster."
"That I do, but you need not rub it in my face," Helena said, bringing a rare smile out of Nicholas.
"Do not change the subject. How was Oxford, truly?" Edward asked with much eagerness.
"Honestly, there was not much to enjoy after what transpired," he said, to which everyone fell silent.
A knock disrupted the conversation, announcing their arrival at the Granger household.
"Finally, you are here," Julian said as he rushed over to the entrance, his hands bloody.
"What have you done?" Edward asked, staring at his hands.
"The question you should be asking is what have I not done?" Julian simply replied.
"Where is she?" Nicholas asked.
"She will not move and will not leave the children," Julian responded while gesturing for them to enter the house.
Nicholas and the rest entered the house only to behold a scene of mayhem. The portraits in the living room were scattered everywhere, vases broken and shattered, and in the corner of the mess was Lord Granger staggering, likely from the aftermath of whatever Julian had done to him.
In the midst of the chaos was Violet, towering over her children as though she was shielding them from danger. Lady Granger—Dominic's mother—was also in the room, quiet and still.
"V-Violet?" Nicholas said as he stepped closer to her.
"Violet, it is I, Nicholas," he called out, and she finally raised her head.
Her face was bruised, marks were all over her body, and there was fear written all over her and the children's faces.
"Miss Beaumont," Nicholas called out, looking at his younger sister's face.
"Yes."
"Take Violet and the children back to the Hale house," he said calmly while glancing at Granger.
"Everything is going to be alright," he assured Violet, and the tears that she seemed to be holding back began to fall.
"Do not kill him. He does not deserve a merciful death," Helena said in a stern voice as she carried Simon—Violet's young son—in her arms.
"I shall endeavour not to."
"What right do you have to come into my house and interfere in my affairs?" Dominic Granger yelled, clutching his nose.
It was clear the nose was broken from whatever punch Julian had delivered, but Nicholas needed him to hurt more.
"I n-need to take someone along," Violet said in a small voice, turning the attention of the room to her.
"Who?" Edward, who had been silent all along, asked.
"Lady Granger," she said, beckoning to Dominic's mother, who was staring vacantly into space.
"She is going nowhere. She is my mother, and you will be back in this house in no time!" Dominic yelled in anger.
"Lady Dorrington, I am sorry to impose, but can you depart at once?" Edward said.
"Miss Beaumont, take Lady Granger along with you as well," Nicholas said.
"Try not to kill him," Lady Dorrington said.
"I shall not be late for the 'Doch' game," Nicholas said with a smile to Helena.
And with that, Lady Dorrington, alongside Helena, Lady Granger, Violet, and her children, left the Granger household.
"Violet is mine by marriage, and I have the right to treat her however I wish," Dominic said with a devilish smile on his face.
Nicholas stared at the piece of scoundrel with cold anger; he had failed Violet and her children by not showing up earlier. Heaven knew how long he had been treating her like that.
"How long?" Nicholas asked as he walked closer.
"What?" Dominic said in confusion.
"How long have you been raising your hands on her?" Nicholas asked.
If, by chance, it had been since they were married, he would send him to meet his Maker, but if it was only recently, he would merely bruise him up a little.
"Since we met. She is mine to do as I please." He said, and in the blink of an eye, Nicholas's hand connected with his jaw.
Nicholas did not give him any chance to recover and started raining blows all over. Dominic Granger needed to understand the gravity of what he had done.
"What on earth is going on here?" Lord Granger—Martins Granger—asked as he walked into the room.
"Were you aware?" Edward asked, his fists tight.
"Boy, you must be specific. Aware of what?" he asked.
"Aware that your bastard of a son raises his hand on my sister?" Edward said, his voice gaining momentum.
"Oh… we did not enjoy last night," he said, and Nicholas raised his eyes to look at him. Julian and Edward also shared his confusion.
Enjoy?
"Oh, pardon me. The reason I had to beat that piece of filth is because she did not satisfy my father last night," Dominic said with a smile, his face all bloody.
"Y-Y-You did what?" Nicholas asked in disbelief, praying quietly that it was just a dark jest.
"What did you think all that money we paid to settle your father's gambling debts was for?" Martins said calmly.
"You—You slept—wait—You forced yourself on Violet?" Julian said, his anger evident.
"You make it seem as though it is a bad thing. A couple of friends and I had a party last night, and we needed Violet and my wife to attend to us," he explained.
Each word coming from his mouth annoyed Nicholas the more.
"Correct me if I am wrong, you and your friends forced yourselves on Violet?" Edward asked, and the man nodded.
"She did not even satisfy them properly," Dominic said, and all hell broke loose.
Nicholas did not know who moved first; all he knew was that he needed to shut their lips with his fist.
Nicholas heaved a sigh as he stared at Dominic's bloody face while his brothers handled his father.
He hoped that he was calm enough not to go against Helena's wish not to give the bastard a merciful death.
***
Meanwhile, the entire ride back to the Hale household was silent. Violet Granger refused to say a word and instead held her children tight against her.
The carriage came to a stop at the hall, and Lady Dorrington got down.
"Is she at home?" Violet asked, referring to Grace.
"Nicholas sent her away," Lady Dorrington replied.
The other Hale siblings all headed towards her. The silence was evident, and no one knew what to say; the bruises all over Violet's face spoke volumes.
"How about we allow Violet time to have her bath and tend to her wounds?" Helena suggested as they headed into the family home.
"And perhaps we can play the game of 'Doch' that Lord Hale so highly recommended," she said in an effort to cheer them.