CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Jane stepped out of her carriage into the familiar lands of the Stonehave manor, immediately met with the sight of her father and sister in the distance, expressions of shock and disbelief fixed on their faces.
She let out a tired sigh. Despite having sent a letter ahead to avoid immediate reactions, their astonishment still appeared incomparable. Not that she could blame them. It was shocking to her as well that she’d truly ended up at this point.
"Thank you, Williamson," She acknowledged the coachman as he began immediately unloading her luggage.
“Jane!”
She drew in a deep breath as Sarah’s voice sounded merely a couple feet away, her footsteps pattering louder by the second.
Of all the explanations she had set out to give, she hadn’t managed to perfect her performance for her sister. Sarah knew her all too well. It would be hopeless to lie. Yet, she wasn’t sure if it was safe to let her know about the truth either.
“Jane.”
When she turned, she was face-to-face with her elder sister’s worried and anxious expression. Sarah, unable to contain the curiosity seeping from her, grabbed Jane’s hands and shook her head in confusion. "Oh dear sister, what is happening?. Tell me this is all a misunderstanding. Surely, it cannot be true?”
Doing her best to keep her calm, Jane jumped past the questions and greeted her sister with a smile, "Greetings, dearest Sarah, it is good to see you again."
Then swiftly and smoothly, she shifted her eyes away from Sarah and back to her coachman as she instructed, "Do make sure all my belongings are taken inside properly, please. You may as well call on the servants to help you, they are quite a lot."
“Of course, my lady.”
With a small smile, Jane nodded and her eyes began roaming everywhere other than where her sister stood before her, waiting. She made her nose scrunch in confusion as she replied with another question, desperate to stall the topic as long as she could.
“Where are all the servants anyway?”
Sarah shook her head. “Father instructed them to stay in the house and not come to offer their services unless they are called upon.”
Jane’s heart plummeted as she realized the situation she was in once again. She sighed; there was nothing she could do other than face the storm now.
"Now, putting all that aside,” Obviously still in shock from the events unfolding before her eyes, Sarah implored Jane to pause. "Father said you sent a letter, sister. You must tell me, is it true that you are ending your marriage with the duke?"
Jane stood there, feeling the weight of Sarah's worried gaze upon her. She looked at her sister, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find the right words.
There was nothing else to say other than to agree, however, doing such would only serve to make the situation true. Somehow, not yet saying the words made it seem as though all this was a bad dream and she could still return to Colin as his wife.
"Is it… Did the duke do something to you? It’s impossible that any of this is true, right? It must be some sort of misunderstanding?" Sarah paused, and a surge of anger seemed to flash behind her eyes as she continued, “But rest assured sister, if he did indeed hurt you in any way, I would let Father know and make sure-”
“Oh no, sister, please,” In response, Jane quickly reassured her, "No, the duke did not do anything wrong, nor harm me in any manner."
The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her as she gazed at her sister, whose worried eyes held even more questions at this revelation. Taking a deep breath, Jane opened her mouth and allowed the words as she finally admitted.
"Yes, it's true. I ended my marriage with the duke, and I have returned home."
. "For what reason?"
Jane hesitated for a moment, contemplating her response. She glanced around at the bustling activity of the servants moving about them. Even if she was going to let her sister in on the situation, it was not the right time or place for the conversation.
With a small sigh, she shook her head, indicating to Sarah that it was a private matter to not be discussed in the open.
Sarah’s eyes widened slightly; having followed hers for the few seconds she was staring at the movements about. She nodded slowly, and gave Jane’s hands another gentle squeeze.
Both sisters turned, and nearly immediately locked eyes with their father in the distance, his expression of intense irritation unmistakable as he glared their way.
Sarah, offering silent support, gently squeezed Jane's shoulder and whispered, "It shall be fine. You need not worry."
Jane simply nodded, clinging unto the beacon of light that came from being in her sister's presence as they slowly made their way towards their father.
