Affections and the Axe - Part Four

Restorations and the Gift

Along a scenic route through sprawling countryside, William and Lydia spoke very little during their ride back to her home. Unsurprising, of course, for the two of them to be so silent on such a journey. When they normally made their return home, William would march right into the house to answer letters about his business, and Lydia would walk into the gardens to call upon Benjamin.

As they made their arrival this time, William most unusually changed his regular habit: He jumped out of the carriage, pulled something from his hunting trunk, and hastily made way to the gardens. Lydia was most surprised, confused, and concerned. She wondered if, and how, William might have found out the truth. And if so, she worried which gun or knife from his trunk he would use to murder Benjamin. She sat in the carriage, stunned and silent, for several minutes.

Her heart was panicked, her breath was rapid, but she finally made herself step out of the carriage to go into the house. Her parents wished to hear all about the visit, especially because of their early return, but she insisted how tired she was and asked to be excused for some rest. She went upstairs, but instead of going into her bedroom, she walked into the office that William used. She looked through the window, but she could not see William.

She paced around the office, returning to the window again and again, until finally she saw William. Beside him was Benjamin, writing some notes as William spoke to him. The two men shook hands, and William made his way back to the house. Lydia noticed an exhale of relief from Benjamin, though she felt no relief herself. William made his way inside, up the steps, and was startled to see Lydia in the office.

“We have traded places, I see,” said William. “You in the office, and myself in the gardens.”

“Most unusual, indeed,” said Lydia, fear in her voice. “What were you doing out there with Benjamin?”

“Oh, you have an interest in my actions now?” William chuckled as he sat down on a chair and began to unstring his boots.

“As I said, this is most unusual, or I may not ask.” Lydia was wringing her hands together, as William’s eyes were carelessly fixed on his feet. “It is rare that anything would come before your work, let alone our gardener. Truly, what were you doing?”

“I have been told that Benjamin is skilled in more crafts than gardening, and I had to hire him for some repairs.” William had finished removing both of his boots and stayed seated while Lydia anxiously stood opposite of him. He looked up at her and felt something was wrong. “Your curiosity feels concerning, what is the matter?”

Lydia stood in silence, having no answer to his question. She had not planned out what she would say next. William’s head tilted at her like a dog before a new expression overtook his face.

“It’s Benjamin?!” William asked plainly yet loudly, before turning his head to the door and hushing himself. “Benjamin is the man you’ve been seeing?”

“What do you mean?” Lydia felt her face turn red. “Of course I see him, you know how I love the gardens.”

“Well that would make sense,” William leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms. “How many years of your life you adored the gardens, of course you would gain some affection for the man responsible for them. I just never thought it was going to be someone on the property.”

“William, what exactly do you accuse me of?” Lydia’s panic molded with anger, though she knew she was in no position to be angered by the truth.

“Lydia,” William’s voice was calm and almost comforting as he looked into Lydia’s eyes, “have you been having an affair with Benjamin?”

She was silent again, but her face was all the answer he needed to hear. William announced again that he never would have guessed Benjamin, though it did make sense to him the more he thought about it. After a moment, Lydia found her speech.

“How long have you known?” she asked him. She decided not to deny his accusation, mainly out of surprise for his demeanor.

“I sensed it almost from the day we met. In truth, it is hard for me to even view it as an affair, since you two were likely intertwined before I existed in your life.”

“From the moment we met? That cannot be. I was nothing but polite and plain with you on that day. What sense could you have had?”

“That is exactly it: Your father introduced us for romance, and you were polite and plain, as you put it. I do not mean that I knew every detail from ‘hello,’ but the suspicion began there. Over time, I simply knew it to be true. I knew there was another man in your life, another man who had your affections. I could not explain exactly how, though I must say, this confirmation is almost a comfort to me.”

“A comfort,” Lydia blurted, as William now finally closed the door to the office to keep their conversation private. This could have been seen as improper for the yet-unmarried couple, though William believed it may be more improper if her parents heard the details of their discussion. “How can you find it a comfort? How can you not be angry? How little do you truly care for me after all?!” Lydia let the anger flow from her voice freely now that the door was closed.

“I was angry once,” William admitted, now standing from his chair and reaching out his arms in an attempt to keep Lydia somewhat quiet. “But what else could I do? Publicly dishonor you and risk your parents disowning you? Accuse any man who looked at you and challenge them to a duel? What else could I do but come to peace with it?” William calmed himself, as he now found himself getting loud. “So I did, I came to peace with it.”

“What was your plan once we were wed?” Lydia said, arms at her waist. “Would you let me continue my affair? Would you never address it?”

“I had not thought so far ahead. I only tried to live day to day. It is part of the reason why I focus so much of my attention to my work.”

 “Oh, another excuse to devote every moment of your life to your business, and another trip to the city,” Lydia scoffed, but before William could address that accusation, she had more to say. “Why continue with this engagement at all? You could have simply told my father that your feelings changed, be vague, and we could both walk away with no love lost, clearly.”

“I could not do that,” William said immediately.

“Of course you could! You admit that you knew I was unfaithful from the first. Every day of our engagement has been loveless. But no, do not leave me, because that would ruin your best business transaction yet: Putting up with your unfaithful wife to secure all of this!” Lydia motioned around to the very room they were in, and the whole Asher estate. “And now to find out, all this time, you knew about it. William, I admit my faults to you, but you have made me feel so low. I am nothing more than an investment to you.”

“That is not all true,” William replied.

“Tell me where I lied, then.” Lydia’s eyes were now welled with tears, her voice shaking with anger.

“I did not say you lied, I said that is not all true. There is a difference.”

“Oh William,” Lydia said adding annoyance into her angry voice, as she did not see why they must argue the details. “Speak your mind, please.”

“We live in a society where most marriages are imperfect. I accepted ours for the faults it came with, and I have been no angel either. But I always kept hope that one day we could work through their distance and be a compromising couple.”

“What work have you ever done to close any distance between us?” Lydia asked with accusation. “What compromise have you ever made to grow closer to me?”

“This is true, I have done very little. But I could not bring myself to fight for a heart which belonged to someone else. What love should I offer outwardly until it would be returned to me, and me only?”

“You are lying. If you ever hoped to build a bond without anyone else in the way, you would have begun this conversation months ago.”

“You are right,” William answered, facing the floor now, “but I was afraid.”

“Afraid?” Lydia paused, surprised at such an admission. “What could you have to be afraid of?”

“What if you chose him?” William looked earnestly at Lydia, who did not have a response to him. The two sat in the office in silence for a moment, looking into one another’s eyes curiously. They each realized that this was the most vulnerably they have ever spoken to each other. Further, it was the most they have ever spoken to each other at all. “Your lack of response,” William finally spoke, quietly, “is why it was always easier to go find what I needed in the city, rather than to wait around your homestead.”

“Why would you be afraid if I chose Benjamin?” Lydia asked, almost a hope in her voice that William might make a further admission. But he looked at her silently. Afraid, again, she thought to herself. She was disappointed, so she began to walk out of the room to go and be alone. But William moved in front of the door. As he stepped, Lydia saw that his boots were still off, his socks sliding on the carpet.

“Please stop,” he asked her desperately. She stopped where she stood at his request. “Do you love Benjamin?” he asked her, as they now stood close to each other.

She thought about the question for a moment. She thought about Benjamin, of their time together, and all of the feelings she felt when she was with him. She felt comfort, yet excitement. She felt wanted by a man. She felt pleasure and passion, and she enjoyed most moments in Benjamin’s cabin, or wherever else they found each other. But did she love him?

“I do not,” Lydia admitted to William, and to herself, for the first time.

“If I asked you to, would you put Benjamin aside, and commit only to me?” William’s voice was anxious, and Lydia still wondered how through all of this, he expressed every emotion except anger.

“Why would you not rather walk away?” Lydia asked him. “You can go and find someone faithful, someone whose engagement to you was not tainted before it began, someone who you might actually love. Might we both be happier that way? Might we both be happier to cast this time in our lives aside, go in peace, and pursue other marriages?”

“You have not been the only one of us in the wrong, Lydia, and I would rather not walk away.” William stated plainly.

“There are other daughters from other families with wealth and property. I am not that special.”

“Lydia, please, it is not about the money.”

“I thought you were finally being genuine,” Lydia said with an eye roll, “and now you are lying again.”

“I admit, were it not for my business with your father or the status of your family, you and I would not have been introduced. But our introduction did not establish our engagement.”

“I know that. My father established it, seeing how I never consented for myself.”

“Well… That is true.” William took a long pause after this admission. “And I do sympathize with you.”

“You sympathize with me. It is not about the money. You keep lying!”

“I have not lied here!” William sounded angry now, for the first time in all of this. But in William’s anger, as he continued to defend himself, a separate voice began to speak in the back of Lydia’s head. It was a voice she tried to ignore, as William brought her back into the conversation: “Lydia, when you and I met, I felt an immediate attraction to you. Of course, you are lovely, but I mean your presence. Perhaps, even the fact that you were disinterested in me is what drew me in closer.

“That attraction grew. Believe me or not, the attraction is now a firm infatuation for you, which until now I have kept to myself. I wish I could have walked away. I wanted to walk away. But I could not overpower my own heart on this issue.

“Equally as I could not walk away, as much as I might have tried, I am forced to admit to you that I would not pursue your affections while I knew there was someone else. I have felt trapped in this engagement, perhaps almost as much as you have.

“The only difference is that I had to obsess from afar, without the courage to confront your infidelity, in case that meant I lost you altogether. So, I waited. I hoped that things may change between us. Perhaps it was unchivalrous of me, indeed, not only to keep you captive in this engagement, but to wait for your first action of affection. For that, I apologize, but here we now stand.”

William stopped himself for a moment if Lydia wanted to respond, but she was speechless. So William asked her again: “Would you put Benjamin aside, and would you commit only to me?” William took a deep breath, and then spoke more: “You were not asked about our engagement, but I am asking you now. If you would put Benjamin aside, I will be a good partner to you. If you would not, then I will end our engagement quietly, and give you another chance at life.”

She had no answer, though she did not walk away. They still stood close to each other, and William slowly approached Lydia even closer. He reached his hands out to her, and when he noticed she was not backing away, he held her hands for the first time he could remember. Perhaps it was the first time ever.

But while the two stood so close, and Lydia pondered all of William’s words - words she knew to be true - she could not help the voice in her head. The voice in her head noticed some things that William had said: I have been no angel either. It was always easier to go find what I needed in the city. She had begun to stir an idea of what he meant, but she still could not speak. She was dealing with many emotions in this moment.

“Lydia, I believe that love is not only a feeling. The feeling is where love begins, but beyond that it is more often a choice. I promise you now, that if you would choose to love me, I would choose to love you. If you would put aside Benjamin, I would put you above everything else in the world, and everyone else. I would be as affectionate as you would allow. We might enjoy one another’s company without having to flee to our own corners at the first chance of distance.

“I promise that I would be a good husband to you, if you would be a good wife to me. Lastly, I promise to never treat our marriage as a transaction. Any talk or thought of that is now over. Any decision I would make now shall only be for the benefit of our marriage. But again, I will promise you this opportunity that you were not granted before: If your answer is no, I will leave our engagement quietly.”

Lydia held his hands as he held hers, unable to describe the surprise and delight to hear such words from a man she thought incapable of love. Where she once saw a focused businessman who only viewed her as a ticket to high society, she now saw someone who might truly love her. She looked into his eyes, which had been gazing into hers for some time now.

“Before I can agree,” Lydia spoke gently to William, “there is something else you must admit to me.”

“What is it?”

“Who is she?” Lydia herself was surprised that she asked the question, so she was not startled to see William’s stifle before his response.

“Who is she? Who is who?”

“You have been no angel either, so you tell me. Is there a woman in the city?”

“Is there a- ” William stopped himself, felt the oddity of standing in his socks, no hope of lying to Lydia in this moment. “The answer is complicated.”

“That sounds like a yes, William,” Lydia tried to withdraw her hands, though William’s firm grip would have required some force to break apart from. And she did not want to withdraw them so badly.

“It is not a yes, but it is not a no.” William exhaled, rolled his eyes at the ceiling, shook his head, and looked back at Lydia again. “Most of the time, when I was in the city, I would not go to bed alone. Though my unfaithfulness was no such romantic affair, so to speak.”

“How could it have not been an affair? Who is she?” Lydia’s voice never grew into anger, instead it remained curious, as William’s was at the beginning of their discussion.

“She is… There were several women. Some only once, some several times.” William exhaled, like a weight was lifted off of him as another was placed firmly upon him. “To give you the whole truth, Lydia, if you thought that our pairing was a transaction, well… Well why don’t we just leave it at that.” William’s voice was overtaken by shame, and he looked down to his feet. “If it makes it any better,” he continued, “it was nothing more than a momentary distraction. A release. I regret not being forthright with this, in a discussion of honesty, finally. But I would leave it all behind. I swear I would leave it all behind.”

Lydia stood exactly where she had, and did not back away or let go of William. This revelation that William had been with another woman, or, with other women, was almost a relief to her. She understood a little more why he was not so angry, why he had not judged her, and why he was not repulsed by her. Further, she felt no animosity back at him. They were not angels, either of them. They were a match made in… Well, not Heaven, but they were a match nonetheless.

If you thought that our pairing was a transaction, Lydia continued to ponder William’s words. He was seeing multiple women in the city, and the implication was - oh, OH! She finally realized what he meant, and she began to laugh at the thought of it. It was not funny, in and of itself, but she could not help but laugh at the whole situation they found themselves in.

William looked at her with confusion, as her laughter grew until it forced her to bend over. Their hands were still together, and suddenly, before he could ask her what was so funny, he too was laughing. The irony, that the first thing these two had in common, was their infidelity. Yet there they stood, hand in hand, laughing over the absurdity of it all. The absurdity that, despite these revelations, they were as close to love as they had ever been.

They settled down, and spoke again. Lydia asked questions about William’s women, and he answered her fully and honestly. There were some details that were less pleasant than others. But just as William seemed to not judge her actions, she did not judge his. In the end, they both forgave the other, even though neither of them admitted an apology.

“William,” Lydia spoke again, after a moment. “There is someone else that we need to talk about.”

“Who else, my dear?” William asked her, confused at who else they could possibly need to discuss.

“Abigail,” William was surprised when Lydia said this. “I have seen the way you look at her, and her at you. There is a real adoration there. You know stories of each other’s whole lives, you know each other deeper than some couples do after a lifetime of marriage. How am I not to look at that and think I would not always compete for her place in your heart? How am I to win that competition?”

“Abigail and I have never had such relations,” William defended himself, though Lydia waved him off.

“Of course not, that is clear. But William, my goodness, you struck a man in defense of her honor.” Lydia found herself emotional now. “And that very night, when I questioned you, if you would defend my honor the same, you spoke about ‘whose honor would need defending,’ which now I know clearly was about my infidelity.

“You kept quiet about my affair for months, but you resort to violence in defense of Abigail’s honor. Yes, I know, we each had other romantic priorities in the way. But what am I to think about this vast difference in your response?” In all of this, Lydia and William continued to hold hands.

“Lydia,” William spoke softly, “she is like a sister to me, and nothing more. If my interactions with her ever make you feel uncomfortable, you can tell me, and I will mend my ways or explain myself. I must admit,” he chuckled, “before this moment, I would have never guessed you could be jealous over me at all.”

“Oh, and that pleases you?” Lydia said with a smirk at her betrothed.

“To speak the truth, yes! I am flattered. But I must promise you this: Abigail will always have my platonic affections, and that is all they will be. Perhaps one day, you will view her as the sister that I do.

“As for any leniency to Benjamin,” William continued, a little uncomfortably now, “I must defend myself. I would not commit an act of vengeance for what was done in the past, an affair that began before you and I knew each other. Especially when I was just as unfaithful, if not more. I must insist, instead, that I will try to forgive Benjamin, as we have forgiven each other. If he wishes, the man can keep his work on the property. Before today, I did not know it was him, but I am willing to let it be over now.

“But I must ask you, Lydia, do you truly believe that I would let another man publicly disrespect you and stand idly by while he did?”

“When we spoke about it at the ball, and if you would have asked that same question yesterday, I cannot say I would believe you,” Lydia answered honestly. “However, you look like a different man to me today than yesterday.”

“And I see a different woman before me today,” William replied affectionately. They stood quietly for a moment, holding hands and smiling. Finally, William returned to the question that remained unsettled between them: “Lydia, please answer me, would you continue this engagement, and commit only to each other, now and always?”

“I would,” said Lydia. The two of them embraced.

They held each other for a lingering moment. William teased that the door was already closed, if they wanted to take advantage of the privacy. Lydia laughed as she slapped his chest, telling him that for once the two of them should wait until marriage. They laughed, and agreed, and they spoke for a while longer.

They made plans and arrangements for how they would build a real bond between them. What started as a conversation of logistics became one of loving laughter. Compromises on behavior became promises of affection. Lydia entered William’s office with fear and anger, but she found herself leaving with the hope of a future with an adoring husband. Before they left, she promised that the first thing she would do is tell Benjamin that their time together was over. And she did.

When Lydia told Benjamin her decision, he was distraught for he truly loved her. Benjamin announced at once that he would leave his position with the Asher family. Lydia did not try to fight him, though her father was confused at his decision to leave. Benjamin offered no explanation, likely out of fear for the consequences he might face.

William later offered Benjamin a generous payment for his continued discretion. He agreed, though it was hard for him to look William in the eye and accept the terms. William did insist that, before he go, Benjamin must complete the job he hired him to do. He finished that work in a day’s time, so that he could leave the Asher property as soon as possible.

When Benjamin left, Lydia truly grieved the loss of this long-standing partner, and William gave her privacy for it. Days turned into weeks, and soon she spent more of her time around William. When he noticed this, he responded with the same effort in return, as they agreed. It was often imperfect; in truth, it was mostly imperfect. But the engaged couple finally appreciated one another and enjoyed the idea of a marriage together. Though some moments were uncomfortable, they found a way to laugh. Even when they fought, they secretly enjoyed it, for it was more heartfelt than the indifference they shared before. They each had doubts, but they allowed the other to prove them wrong. As each day went by, they grew happier for their efforts.

When Benjamin left the property, he had enough money from William to get by for a short while without work. This was good, as he was in not yet in any emotional state to seek any new employment. He spent much of his time at the inn where Abigail had her letters sent to him when she was away. He drank and he drank, crying over the old letters. He kept to himself out of fear for the wrong person hearing his troubles. Though, he could not hide forever.

Most of the inn’s patrons were either daily regulars or travelers passing by. One day, a new passerby entered the inn, and sat near Benjamin to have a drink. The stranger asked Benjamin what was on his mind. Drunken, Benjamin could not hold back, and unloaded the full story onto this stranger, breaking his agreement with William. Benjamin cried, and the stranger grabbed him and ushered him into a private room, away from other patrons. The stranger asked Benjamin to confirm several times the name of the woman he had relations with, and the man she was engaged to. Benjamin frightfully realized what he had done, and he asked the stranger who he was. He introduced himself as Arthur Bennett. The two men shared their stories and uncovered their similarities.

Weeks passed by, and the Westerly house was bustling with the plans for Abigail and James’ wedding. The date was fast approaching, and the whole homestead was eagerly preparing for the day to come. To add to this, Abigail was delighted when she received a letter from William that he and Lydia planned another visit, hoping to make up for the lost quality time when their last stay was cut short. This would work out quite well, giving the two engaged couples one last visit together before they were two married couples. Franklin and Ellen were equally delighted, and though James was not displeased by any means, he felt apprehensive to see William again.

Abigail urged James to forgive William, and though he did promise to be cordial, he could not put aside the anger he felt. They argued about this on and off again, but eventually Abigail left the issue alone. She did not want to resent James over this, though she was surprised that her otherwise calm and kind fiancé was harboring such a grudge against William, when they had otherwise got along as though they were brothers.

Despite Abigail’s delight to see William, she was no stranger to the anxiety that James felt. Though, her anxiety was different in nature. She decided that this time, she had to tell William the truth about Lydia. She thought so many times of writing a letter. However, she believed that it was the sort of heartbreaking revelation that had to be told face to face. She had kept this secret to herself this whole time, and the weight of it was starting to cause more and more harm to her. James had noticed something was different with her, though he blamed either the stress of wedding planning or his own strife with William.

Soon came the day that William and Lydia made their return. Franklin and Ellen eagerly greeted the two. James was in the house, and Abigail walked towards the guests from afar. On her walk towards them, she noticed a stark difference between the couple than the last time she laid eyes on them: They stood closer to one another, smiled when the other spoke, and their interactions seemed more pleasant than forced. Abigail was stunned to see this, and when she walked close enough to say hello, she was even more stunned that Lydia approached her to give her a hug.

Lydia spoke kindly, complemented Abigail, and asked questions about the wedding planning. This was more interaction, in only few moments, than every other time the ladies had shared altogether, perhaps even when they went horseback riding. Abigail did not know how to react, and she worried that her surprise might come across as rude.

To turn the conversation back to William and Lydia, Abigail asked them about their journey. Lydia walked back over to William and held his arm while he explained they had a fine carriage ride with views that were almost as pleasant as their conversation. The warmth and affection between the couple was most unexpected by Abigail, who now found herself quite suspicious. Though, her suspicion was more about what could have gone right, since she already knew what had been wrong.

Franklin and Ellen were happy to receive William and Lydia, but they apologized that they had to briefly leave their homestead. They had plans to meet with some friends in the nearby town. So off they went on their own carriage, promising that they would be back in the evening. After seeing them off, William asked where James was, and Abigail told him that he was inside the house. William said that he had done a lot of thinking and was going to go speak with James privately.

Lydia asked Abigail if the two of them could go on a walk together while their men spoke. The ladies were quiet, for Abigail did not know what to say. Her confusion at Lydia’s change in demeanor, along with her knowledge of the affair, created so many conflicting thoughts and feelings in her head. While her mind paced rapidly, the two of them walked at a relaxed pace together.

“I wanted to apologize to you, Abigail,” Lydia finally spoke up. “For our first several meetings, my behavior to you was inappropriate and impolite.” Abigail was stunned to hear this, especially with such a sincere tone from Lydia. “I must admit to you that my cold attitude stemmed from jealousy.”

“Jealousy?” Abigail was surprised. “Jealous of what? Of me?”

“Jealous of you indeed. Specifically, the relationship you have with William.”

“Oh, Lydia,” Abigail grabbed Lydia by the hand and turned towards her, stopping the walk. “I promise you, you have nothing to ever worry about, William is like- “

“He is like your brother,” Lydia interrupted, “I know this now fully. And I promise to never hold such an idea against you again, but I still must ask for your forgiveness for how I behaved. It was never your fault, and I should have discussed it with William much sooner.”

“I forgive you,” said Abigail, who was taken aback at her own instant words, but genuinely forgave Lydia. “I must confess, I am excited for an opportunity to get to know you better.” For a moment, Abigail forgot about the secret she knew. When this memory rushed back into her, Abigail kept her feelings more guarded, which Lydia sensed.

“Thank you, Abigail,” said Lydia. “This has been a time for many second chances, I believe. This was not the only thing that William and I had to work on together.” Lydia did not know why she was saying this, but had a feeling there was more on Abigail’s mind left unsaid.

“Well, now that you mention second chances, I must admit you and William seem like a completely different pairing.” The ladies had continued walking now, and Abigail noticed a smile on Lydia’s face.

“And we feel like one, too.”

“Truly, in just a few moments, the two of you seemed warmer, more comfortable, and more loving with each other than I had seen before. I am glad for whatever caused this change for you both.”

“As soon as we returned home from our last visit,” Lydia responded immediately, “William and I were forced to confront the distance between us. I would rather not share details on the matter, but I will say that a conflict between us was a long time coming. We had it, and now I am grateful for it. Now, William and I are in a better position than we ever would have been without it. Sometimes things need to break so they can be repaired again.”

Lydia did not have to explain the conflict, for Abigail already knew full well what must have been uncovered. She felt a great sense of relief not only for William, but for the guilt she carried with the secret. She decided in that moment to take the secret of Lydia’s affair to the grave. For better or worse, she decided that it would only cause pain to share it, even with James. She did not know whether she was morally right or wrong to hold onto it, but she decided to carry that burden and own up to any consequences that might later fall. Abigail stopped to give Lydia a hug.

“I am so delighted for you,” said Abigail. “I always wanted to have a sister, and even more than that, I always wanted to see William end up with a loving wife. I cannot hide my joy that, through you, both could be true.”

“William had something similar to say,” Lydia said with a smile. “I am happier now than I believed I would have been able to feel. Not only with my beloved William,” Abigail giggled when Lydia called William her beloved, “but now with a chance to know you as a friend.” They hugged again, and then continued their walk and shared some stories to finally get to know one another.

While the ladies were walking the grounds and making peace, William entered the Westerly house to find James. He was standing in the foyer, looking up at a mounted stag’s head on the wall that William did not recognize from his entire life at the Westerly house, and the home’s decorations were rarely, if ever, updated.

“When did Ellen allow a mounted stag in the main hall?” William asked, as he walked in with his hands behind his back.

“You should recognize it,” said James, still looking at the new centerpiece of the foyer, “it is the very stag you and I hunted together.”

“You don’t say? Really?”

“Yes, of course. Franklin commissioned it to be stuffed and mounted, ‘for my two sons,’ as he put it,” James said with a slight imitation of Franklin. This made William suddenly wished Franklin had not left the property so soon.

“How have you been?” William asked James after a moment of silence. Both men continued to appreciate the trophy of their hunt.

“I have been well. I only returned here a little over a week ago. I spent some time back with Edward to check in on my apprenticeship, but when I tried to discuss work he dismissed me. He said he only wanted a pleasant visit and then to send me back to Abigail.”

“That sounds like the Uncle Edward I remember,” said William with a laugh.

“Indeed,” said James. “And yourself?”

“I am very well, as is Lydia, she will be most pleased to see you again.”

“I am most glad to hear it.” The men were quiet again, this time awkwardly so. “I suppose that I should apologize to you,” James broke the silence.

“Nonsense,” said William, “I should be the one to apologize. I must admit to you that Abigail told me about the axe. She told me the story and what it means to you. What it means to your family, and I regret my behavior. I wish you would have told me, I would not have reacted the way I did after I broke it.”

“Well… You did not know,” said James with a sigh. “And why I do still owe you an apology. I reacted in anger, and in my pride I could not take a moment to explain where that anger actually came from.”

“You said that very eloquently,” William joked.

“I better have,” James joked back, “Our dearest Abigail had me repeat it a dozen times.” The men laughed and finally looked at one another, instead of the stag. “To tell you the truth now, I have not even been able to look at the axe since it all happened. Not only for sadness of the heirloom, but out of regret for the things I yelled at you. I am most glad we can now make amends.”

“Indeed, we can,” said William. “And in that spirit, I have a gift for you.”

William brought his hands out from behind him and held out a wooden case, with the Canterbury name engraved on the front of it. He presented it to James, who opened it to find a near-flawless axe.

“This is the Canterbury family axe,” William began, “restored and refined to a condition your forefathers may not have seen even when it was newly forged. I hired a man who worked on the Asher property to take the broken axe and make it a piece worthy of the Canterbury name. He replaced the handle, sharpened and polished the head, and even used some splintered pieces of the original wood to decorate the new handle. Also, you’ll notice engraved on the axe is your family seal, the very one commissioned by Edward at the time of the engagement ball.”

James admired the axe, still in the case, and was speechless to the gift presented to him. He did not even notice the axe was missing, for he was honest when he said he could not handle the sight of it. Now he could not look away.

“It is my hope,” William spoke again, “that this repaired axe will always be a reminder of the Canterbury family’s rise from humble beginnings as equally as it is a sign of your family’s future of prominence. May this axe be a token of good luck for you and for generations, my good friend!”

“Thank you, William,” said James. “I admit you are right, the family axe has never been so pristine. I must say, I do not think I will ever take this treasure on the hunt again.”

While the gentlemen discussed the axe and laughed as friends again, a new carriage arrived at the front door of the Westerly house. The carriage’s driver was Benjamin, and out of the back of the carriage jumped Arthur armed with a pistol. Arthur ran into the house madly to avenge his family. Luckily for Franklin and Ellen, this carriage took a different path than they did, or else they may never have returned home.

Arthur ran into the foyer to see William and James laughing together, and he screamed at the men with fury. They jumped back and turned to see a most unfriendly face, and a pistol pointing in their direction. Arthur was menacing, though by his stumbling and the slur of his speech, William and James could tell he was drunken again. Drunken or not, his arm seemed steady.

“Arthur, what are you doing?” asked William, still holding the axe in its case.

“Something I should have done- ” Arthur stammered his speech as he stumbled where he stood. “Something that I should have done a long time ago, William.”

“Arthur, you do not need to do this,” William reached out one of his arms to calm Arthur, though it was too late to reach out now.

“I do not need to do this?!” Arthur shouted, stumbling again with breath that stank like beer from ten feet away. “My family… Is ruined. Ruined because Abigail the kind, Abigail the wise beyond her age, Abigail the angel is too angelic to forgive. Hypocrisy!” He stamped his foot in the ground and yelled so loudly his voice cracked.

“Arthur,” James spoke sheepishly, “put that pistol away. That will not help you here.”

“Won’t it?” Arthur shouted, pointing his weapon directly at James now. “I am good as dead as I am. Why not see you in Hell with me?” He took a deep breath, as if attempting to sober himself, before squinting an eye to take aim at James. “Almost poetic, for you to die at my hand, in this house.”

“I understand why you are here,” William surprised Arthur with speech that was close to compassionate, “and what you believe you are doing. But any act of violence you commit today, Arthur, you are damning yourself.” Although he believed the madman to be misguided, William was unarmed and in no standing to intimidate the armed Arthur.

“You have all already damned me,” Arthur stumbled again, then repointed his gun to William. “You have all already taken everything from me, from all the Bennetts. Why should I let you walk innocent?”

While William cautiously approached Arthur on his left side, still speaking calmly to try urging him to lower the gun and leave. James too walked slowly on the right, though neither of the gentlemen could communicate. However, this was a similar tactic they had already practiced on their hunt, on the very stag mounted behind them.

“As of late,” William continued, now standing closer to Arthur who drunkenly did not notice the narrowing distance, “I have made a habit of forgiveness. To all who are around me, I have tried to let go of wrongdoing and forgive. Especially since I have been no saint. Arthur, if you would only put away your pistol and leave this house, I would forgive you.” William took a deep breath and stood tall, looking Arthur in the eye as genuinely as he could muster himself to do. “What is in my power to forgive, I will. And I will speak to Abigail. And I will speak to Franklin. I know the tax on your family has been extreme, and perhaps we will be owed some forgiveness as well.” William noticed that James was now staring plainly at him, not at Arthur, which concerned him but he could not draw attention to it.

“So please,” William concluded, “lower your weapon and leave this house. Then we will talk about what comes next.”

Arthur thought about William’s offer. What he tried to achieve months ago at the ball, what he failed to achieve that night, was now right in his grasp. Forgiveness. Redemption. All he had to do was listen. All he had to do was leave.

But I am going to let this servant’s son command his orders at me? Arthur thought to himself. I am going to let this lesser man continue his charade of superiority? He looked around the foyer, noticing the decorations over the doorways. He saw the doorway that led to the Westerly’s ballroom. This servant boy will not give orders to a Bennett, not in the same house where I let him lay his workman hands on me. He has done enough.

“I will not,” said Arthur, aiming his pistol straight and solidly at William. He now stood more still than he had since he sprinted into a stumble.

“Arthur,” William pleaded, but before he could finish his statement, he could tell Arthur was going to fire. William only had a moment to act, and he realized now that he was not entirely unarmed. Arthur pulled the trigger and the gunshot’s echo filled the hall. William tried to lunge away, but the bullet struck him as he yelped out at the impact.

“James!” William saved his breath to shout to his friend. In his attempt to escape the bullet, William did manage to reopen the case. William threw it in the direction of James. Luckily, the axe flew out of the case, and James was able to reach for it while Arthur laughed over William’s body. James gripped his family’s axe with a deep breath and charged at Arthur who celebrated his vengeance.

Arthur heard the footsteps and turned so quickly that his feet shuffled beneath him. He could not gather himself in time, and he fell to his knees before James. Arthur sprang his arm forward to attempt a killing shot at James, but James used the butt of the axe to smash Arthur’s wrist, forcing the gun to clatter to the floor.

Without a second thought, James had already committed his arms to pull the axe back and swing again. With the full force of his body, he swung the axe and drove it into the chest of the intruder. Arthur Bennett’s heart was broken in the Westerly house, again.

Arthur dropped to the floor, as James dropped the axe and ran to his friend William. The victim was breathing with agony, though he could speak through it. William held the wound tightly, and assured James that he might live.

“Praise the Lord,” said James assessing William’s body, “the wound is at your side, nowhere near the belly or the chest.” James reached his arm around William’s side, positioning his hands under his armpits, and helped him stand. “You still need care most urgently. We will go into town at once.” The men walked arms wrapped around each other past Arthur Bennett’s body to find a carriage fit to take them into town.

Benjamin paced anxiously around the carriage, looking in all directions while he waited for his avenging acquaintance to return. Benjamin was horrified to see a surviving William being helped out by James. William looked up, and in an instant he realized why Benjamin was there. William also realized that James had not been outside of the house yet, so he had not seen the carriage that he and Lydia arrived on.

“This man,” William shouted between deep breaths, “repaired your axe.” James and Benjamin exchanged a surprised glance at each other through the chaos of the situation. “Benjamin!” William yelled in command. “Help me into the carriage and take us to a doctor in town.”

Benjamin and James loaded William into the back of the carriage. Benjamin made his way back up front, while James told one of the house stewards what had happened. Abigail and Lydia were still out on their walk, so the steward promised to send them into town at once.

Benjamin drove the gentlemen into town with haste, sweating with anxiety for what William would do once this journey concluded. Though Benjamin was a dedicated conspirator in this murder attempt, he had not contemplated the depth of his decision nor how he might handle the aftermath. When he saw William coming out of the house, he realized it fully. The guilt was crushing him as he drove the carriage for the man he wanted dead just moments ago. He was only able to think of what was right in front of him: Getting William to a doctor and finding a way out of justice.

When they arrived into town, James jumped out of the carriage before it stopped, and he ran into the doctor’s house to inform him of what happened. Benjamin stopped the carriage in front of the house James had entered, dismounted from the front, and walked around to open the side door. He stepped in to help William walk out. For a moment, the two shared no words, but when Benjamin reached his hand to offer support, William grabbed it with a bone breaking grip. Somehow, he still had the strength.

“Your quick service… May have saved my life,” William spoke quietly, as he was losing energy with each drop of blood. “For that… I thank you. Take this carriage, ride far away… And I should never see you again.” Benjamin nodded frantically at William. James and the doctor came out, grabbed William, and helped him walk inside. As soon as they all walked in the door, Benjamin rode the carriage out of town. He did not know where he would go, but he had no plans to ever return.

Someone was sent to find Franklin and Ellen so they could come to see William. By the time they were found and arrived to the doctor, his condition was already noticeably improved. The bullet had been removed, the bleeding stopped, and the wound sewn shut with no infection visible. The doctor made quick work to help William, and he would survive just fine. It was a miracle indeed.

After several hours of rest, a second carriage arrived with Abigail and Lydia on board. Lydia ran to William’s bedside, and Abigail made sure that James was alright. William held Lydia’s hand and mentioned to her repeatedly that he was alright, though his speech was quiet and his eyes were closed.

After many tears of relief, the room settled down considerably. William rested while James explained his account of what happened. Franklin expressed his worry of the Bennett family, and how their already ruined reputation was now ransacked evermore. He had a hard time putting into words his further feeling about the whole event happening in his own home, as if he was responsible for what happened to both William and Arthur equally.

William tried to comfort Franklin for his own condition, though Franklin felt no comfort hearing those words through his weakened voice. And no words would alleviate what he felt for Arthur and his family in the aftermath of those final deeds. Ellen suggested that perhaps they now had a responsibility to now help the Bennetts, lest that family fall worse than they already have. Franklin was open to this, though he voiced he worried that anything they might do would be too little too late now.

Almost everyone in the room, except for William who was resting his eyes, began to share ideas for how to welcome the Bennett’s back into high society. Abigail stayed mostly quiet, still feeling conflicted over the whole event, and her involvement in it all. She heard her father blame himself, while she contemplated what guilt she should feel, what burden she should carry.

Franklin believed that if he were to tell other families to reopen their relations and commerce with the Bennetts, they would all follow him. Though, Ellen urged him to not be so eager until the Bennetts had time to privately grieve their son. Opinions and ideas were shared by all, but ultimately they promised to discuss it at a later time when things had calmed down.

Lydia leaned over to William, rubbing the side of his face and whispering in his ear while he smiled gently. Abigail could not hear the whispers, but could see the affection between the two, and she gripped James’ arm tightly in happiness. She forced herself to leave these events in the past, where they belonged. Indeed, this was not the first time she kept something suppressed within herself.

Everyone was getting ready to leave so that William could get a good night’s rest. Franklin and Ellen planned to return home to make sure the foyer was properly cleaned up, and Franklin planned to personally see the body brought to the Bennett homestead to be buried. Lydia, Abigail, and James would each stay at a local inn to be with William when he awoke. As everyone said their goodbyes for the night, James shook William’s hand, gently, and had one final word for his friend.

“I must say, William,” said James, “magnificently well-built axe.” William laughed, though this caused a pain in his wound. “Do tell your man he did a fine job.”

“Yes, you swung it quite well,” William said quietly, as he turned to look at Lydia, “I will be sure to tell him at once. We have all enjoyed some of Benjamin’s efforts.” She blushed at this, and smacked William on the shoulder which made him laugh as much as he grimaced from pain. James did not get the joke, though Abigail had some idea of the implication.

The end.