“What does it say?” Flora asked gently.
Valaria forced herself to look at the other three. She had not wished to do this with an audience, but it seemed there would be no hiding the truth from anyone anymore. Not if someone else, someone with a terrible agenda, already knew it.
“It…it says that the author of the letter, whoever they are, knows what I did to my husband,” she whispered. “They know…they know that I murdered him.”
CHAPTER 22
Valaria couldn’t tear her eyes away from Callum, from his confused expression, from his dawning realization about what she meant. That she was being truthful. And then it was just…horror on his face. And when she dared to look at the others, the same was on their faces, as well. But the room remained silent, as if no one knew what to do, what to say.
Until Theo moved forward. His usual playful expression was now serious as he gently squeezed her hand. “I think you must explain, Valaria. Explain, and I hope we can help you.”
There was such kindness in this man’s eyes. Such gentleness she’d never seen before. And it gave her some of the strength she lacked.
Slowly she looked at Callum again. He was the one she owed the explanation. And he was the one whose response to her words she cared most about.
“I-I think you have all guessed that my marriage was a deeply unhappy one,” she said, hating that her voice broke when she wanted to be strong.
“He was harsh to you,” Callum said, his voice shaking. “Cruel. And I’ve guessed, though I didn’t push, that he was also…physically abusive.”
Valaria’s breath hitched. “Yes,” she admitted. “Once we were married, he moved swiftly from verbal cruelty to physical. Pushing, then slapping, then backhanding, then with a closed fist.”
Flora lifted a hand to her mouth. “Oh, Valaria.”
“I’m so sorry, dearest,” Bernadette breathed, tears filling her eyes. “I’m so, so sorry.”
Their kindness, at least thus far, buoyed her, and she drew another shaky breath to continue. “He always reminded me that I had nowhere to go. That I had no escape.”
“What about your family?” Theo asked gently.
She shook her head. “I was a commodity to my father and brothers. My value was in my match. Once I had fulfilled that obligation, they had little use for me. I once tried to tell my father and he brushed me off. Told me I should be a better wife if I wanted a better husband.”
Callum made a harsh sound in the back of his throat and his face reddened, but he did not speak.
And so she continued, “I tried so very hard to please Silas. To never invoke his anger. To stay out of his way. And sometimes it worked. He had his lovers, of course. I know you thought that was the source of my anger toward him, Callum, but I was always pleased when he had a steady mistress. They took the focus from me in many ways.”
“Things must have…escalated,” Flora said.
Valaria’s legs felt unsteady and she clutched the back of the closest chair to remain upright. Images of that horrible night bombarded her, images she had tried to forget in the past few months as she healed and hoped for a better future.
One that was very likely lost now.
“H-he came home, very drunk, after a night of carousing and gaming and…and losing.”
Callum straightened. “The night he died?” he whispered.
She nodded. “Were you with him?”
“I was.” His tone was strangled now.
“When he came into the bedroom, I was almost asleep. He…” She turned her face. “He attacked me without any warning, dragging me from the bed. And when I resisted, he began to hurt me.” Tears were streaming down her face now, but she didn’t wipe them away. She just focused on the words, focused on the truth.
“I told him to stop. I told him that if he didn’t stop, I would tell his friends what he was. I would tell everyone what he was, scandal be damned.” She shivered. “He stood over me with the most horrible look in his eyes. And I saw that he would…he wanted to…” She swallowed hard. “He wanted to kill me.”
“Oh, Valaria,” Bernadette sobbed.
“He dragged me down the stairs by the hair, reminding me all the way that he could end me without anyone even noticing or caring. And then—”
She cut herself off. This was the point when Fanny had entered the fray that night, chasing after them as Silas hauled her from the house, out into the rain, down toward the stable.
But she had promised Fanny that she would be protected. So she shook her head and continued without adding that moment to the already horrific tale.
“He dragged me toward the stable, and then he was distracted by…” She hesitated. “Something. I grabbed a hammer from the wall and I swung it as he headed for me again. I hit him in the forehead.” She choked on the words. “He was so enraged. I hit him again and he fell.”
“He died,” Theo whispered.
She heard those words and nausea rose up in her. She fought to keep it down, fought to regain control before she said, “Y-Yes. He…he died. And I panicked. I knew what would happen if I was found out. I knew what it would bring down on me and…on me. He had this wild horse, this animal he was so excited to break.”
“Firebrand,” Callum breathed.
She nodded. “So I rolled him into the stall with Firebrand so it would look like he’d drunkenly come into the horse’s space and been trampled. And I went inside and snuck up the back stair and went back to bed and…and waited.”
“And no one knew? No one saw?” Bernadette asked.
“I thought no one knew,” Valaria whispered. “But…”
She held up the note that had started her confession. The one that left her feeling wrung out, but also…relieved. She had born this for so long and even though her world would collapse now, at least she was no longer living in a lie.
“Someone knew,” Theo said. “And waited until now to reveal themselves to you.”
“I don’t know why or what they might want.” She threw up her hands, feeling the surrender of it all. “I have enough money to keep myself comfortable, but I am by no means rich in my widowhood.”
“But I am,” Callum said softly. “And Lady Pittsgreen caught us together and has likely begun the whispers about us. The fact that we will marry when your mourning period is over is already being spoken of, I’m sure.”
“And suddenly blackmail has value,” Valaria whispered, bending her head. “Oh Callum. I’m so sorry.”
He said nothing, but looked at the others. “I would like a moment alone with Valaria. Please.”
Valaria stared at him, heart throbbing so loudly she was certain everyone in the room could hear it. She glanced toward her friends and saw that Flora and Bernadette were waiting for her to verify that she wished to be alone with Callum. And she adored them for it, even if she feared what they now thought of her.
“It’s fine,” she said softly.
Flora sighed and turned toward Bernadette and Theo. “Come. It’s a fine day and I think we could all use some air.”
She moved toward the parlor door with the other two behind her. As she passed Valaria, she gently touched her hand, and Valaria could almost feel her friend’s strength and love pour into her. Bernadette kissed her cheek and she felt the same. Even Theo held her stare for a moment, that warmth and kindness he had shown earlier still bright on his handsome face. He also squeezed Callum’s arm as he left the room, shutting the door behind them.