"Oscar!" Emilie scrambles towards Oscar who is laying on the floor in the doorway.
Oscar groans and slowly lifts her hand to her temple. She starts to sit up as Emilie falls to her knees beside her. "Oh Oscar! Let me see!" Emilie gently pulls Oscar's hand away to reveal a superficial gash on the side of her head. The bullet had only grazed her. Emilie throws her arms around Oscar and sobs, "Thank God you're all right!"
Oscar blinks in bewilderment. "Emilie…"
"You." Roche seethes.
Emilie turns around as Roche limps towards them, holding the bloodied knife in one hand and drawing his sword with the other. Emilie frantically gathers up Oscar's sword and swiftly gets to her feet. She takes a defensive stance between Oscar and her uncle, her eyes more angry than afraid.
Roche pauses. "What do you intend to do? Kill me like you did my son?"
Emilie's face pales. "Don't…"
"Don't?" Roche lets out a rough laugh and looks down at Oscar. "Ah, I see. She doesn't know."
"What is he saying, Emilie?" Oscar asks hastily.
"Tell her." Roche demands firmly.
Emilie presses her lips together.
"Tell her!" Yells Roche, making Emilie flinch.
Emilie mutters something softly.
"Louder!"
"His son… My dear cousin… Is dead because of me." Says Emilie, without looking at Oscar.
"How does it feel to know you saved the life of a murderer?" Roche asks Oscar in a mocking tone. "Though I suppose I should thank you. I wanted her alive so I could cause her the same anguish she has caused me."
Oscar looks stunned and then confused. She moves to get to her feet.
"Stay where you are!" Roars Roche, pointing his sword at Oscar.
Emilie instinctively parries, her sword meeting Roche's with a loud clang.
Roche stares at Emilie for a long moment before his face twists with fury. He descends upon her with a ferocious series of slashes with both his sword and the knife. It's clear he is the better swordsman from his first move, but his wounded leg slows him down just enough for Emilie to keep pace with him. She artfully blocks him again and again which only intensifies his madness. She moves away from Oscar, leading Roche with her, desperately trying not to trip over her skirts.
"He was all I had left!" Roche cries out as he clashes blades with Emilie once again. "You took him from me!"
"It was an accident!" Emilie manages to blurt out. "We've been through this!"
"The authorities sided with you because you're a woman!" Roche's sword collides with Emilie's and they stand with their swords pressed together, Roche pushing so hard that Emilie begins to buckle under him. "I will never believe my son could have been so careless!" Roche pushes Emilie away and she almost falls. She just barely manages to stay upright. "He worshiped you and you wanted him gone."
"I loved my cousin!" Emilie is crying now, her tears pouring down her cheeks in torrents, but her voice is clear and unwavering. "He was my best friend! I will forever regret my role in his death, but I didn't murder him!"
Emilie makes her first offensive move since the fight started. She lashes out and disarms Roche of the knife which spins away across the floor. They exchange a few more jarring blows before Emilie manages to strike Roche's wrist with her blade, making him drop his sword.
"But you!" Emilie raises her sword, preparing to slash her uncle across the chest. "You murdered my family!"
"STOP!" Oscar shouts.
Emilie hesitates and Roche takes the opportunity to punch her in the stomach. She gasps and falls to her knees, dropping her sword and doubling over. Roche makes a move for the door, but Oscar is blocking his escape, standing in the doorway with her own pistol at the ready. She aims it steadily between Roche's eyes.
"That's enough." Oscar says sternly.
"Oscar!" Andre's frantic voice drifts through the broken windows followed by the sound of many horses entering the courtyard.
"I'm here, Andre!" Oscar calls back. "It's over, Lord de la Roche. Get on your knees."
Roche slowly sinks to the floor. He no longer has any fight left in him to protest. Moments later, Andre and several officers appear to apprehend him.
As soon as Roche is in custody, Oscar rushes over to Emilie who is still sitting on the floor like a wilted flower. Oscar helps her to her feet. "Are you all right?" She asks gently, pulling Emilie's arm around her shoulders to keep her from falling.
Emilie begins to nod slowly, but then shakes her head. Fresh tears flood her eyes and she can't will herself to stand. Oscar steadies her and leads her outside where a carriage is waiting to take them back to Jarjayes manor.
"She hasn't eaten anything today?"
Several days have passed since Lord de la Roche's capture. Oscar and Granny stand outside Emilie's room.
Granny shakes her head solemnly. "No, nothing. I made this lemon cake she likes as a last effort, but she won't let me in." She looks down at the elegant china plate in her hands containing a generous slice of the delicious looking confection and a small silver fork. "I thought maybe you could convince her."
Oscar sighs and leans towards the door. "Emilie?" There is no answer. "Nanna made lemon cake. Would you like to have some with me?"
There is a long pause and then the latch of the door clicks. Oscar takes the cake from Granny and gently pushes the door open.
"I'll bring up more cake and some tea." Says Granny, smiling hopefully. She bustles off down the hall as Oscar shuts the door.
Oscar turns to see Emilie drifting towards one of two cushioned chairs by the window. She sinks into one without saying anything. She is still in her nightdress and her long hair is unkempt. The curtains are drawn and the room is quite dark despite the cheerful afternoon sunshine outside.
Oscar crosses the room and sits in the chair across from Emilie. Setting the cake on the small table between them. "Nanna said this is your favorite."
Emilie looks at the cake and then briefly at Oscar. She lowers her eyes and nods slightly. It's obvious she has been crying.
"You have to keep your strength up." Says Oscar softly. "You're expected to appear at Lord de la Roche's trial tomorrow. Without you, he is unlikely to be convicted of any wrong doing."
Emilie reaches for the cake and balances the plate on her lap. She picks up the fork and takes a very small bite. She covers her mouth with the back of her other hand and makes a small choking sound.
"What's wrong? Is it bad?" Oscar is taken aback. Granny's baking is usually quite good.
Emilie shakes her head, lowering her hand. "No. It's… Wonderful." She smiles weakly.
Oscar smiles back at her gently.
Emilie continues to eat the cake with a little more enthusiasm. She hasn't eaten a full meal since returning to the manor. This is also the first time she has allowed anyone into her room since that night or said more than a few words. Oscar has tried to be kind and give her space considering the unfathomable news of her family's passing. The death of her husband had since been confirmed, but her son's body had not yet been recovered.
"I'm sorry." Says Emilie, lowering her fork.
"What for?" Oscar asks, puzzled.
"For getting you involved in all of this." Says Emilie quietly, sounding ashamed. "You could have been killed…"
"I can't say it hasn't been an adventure being your friend." Oscar starts to chuckle, but stops when she Emilie's melancholy expression.
"Oscar…" Emilie looks away, leaving whatever it was she had intended to say unspoken.
The two friends sit in silence until Granny returns with tea and the entire remainder of the lemon cake.
Late that night, for the first time in what seems like ages, Oscar awakens to someone lifting the blankets and carefully sliding into the bed beside her. She rolls over and brushes Emilie's cheek with her hand. "Hello, little bird."
Emilie shivers. "Hello."
"Can't sleep?" Oscar asks gently.
"No. I've been thinking about my uncle… And my cousin." Emilie's voice is hardly louder than a whisper.
Oscar holds her breath. She has desperately wanted to ask Emilie about what happened between her and Lord de la Roche, but hadn't dared.
"It was in the summer. We were practicing swords on the beach like we had done thousands of times before." Emilie begins, closing her eyes. "He slipped in the sand and my sword hit the inside of his arm. It was such a little cut. We laughed about it… But then… The bleeding wouldn't stop. There was so much blood... By the time we got back to the manor he could barely stand. The surgeon came, but it was too late."
Oscar stays quiet, unsure of what to say.
"My uncle pressed charges believing that I had done it on purpose. That I was disturbed by my cousin's affection for me and he was getting in the way of my courtship with my future husband. The judge dismissed the case after I explained what had happened and my uncle lost his mind, swearing he would get his revenge." Emilie sighs. "He disappeared after that. I got married and tried to move on. After my son was born, he returned… And that's when this current nightmare began."
"Oh, Emilie…" Says Oscar quietly.
"I cut my cousin on the arm by accident and he died. I was stabbed in the chest and here I live and breathe. How is that fair?" Says Emilie angrily. "And now my darling husband and baby son are gone as well… All of them gone forever… Because of me."
"It wasn't your fault." Oscar states firmly. "None of this was your fault."
Emilie shudders, stifling a sob.
Oscar moves closer to Emilie and wraps her arms around her. "It's not your fault…"
This chapter is far from perfect, but I feel bad for leaving you hanging for so long! If I decide to make any edits, I'll try to let you know. I hope you have enjoyed the story so far. I believe the next chapter will be the last. Thank you so much for reading! See you next time.
