Hello, my dears! Welcome back to a new chapter! This is definitely where things start to turn around.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of my supporters - particularly CCangel, for leaving so many wonderful reviews. Your encouragement truly means the world to me!

Disclaimer: The Haunted Mansion is not mine.

And now, without, further ado, please enjoy the chapter!

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The day of my father's funeral was the darkest day of my life.

The funeral party consisted of a fairly small number of people, including several of father's closest friends and even Ramsley and Lady Gracey, who took an inconspicuous place at the back of the crowd. It was Lady Gracey who had been kind enough to provide the funds and the land for a proper burial, though I suspect it was only after Ezra promptly reminded her of my father's service to the household and to her late husband. I was most certain it was not for me.

Emma and Ezra stood on either side of me at the front of the gathering, their hands on my shoulders giving me the strength to stay standing as I watched my father's casket slowly sink into the ground, and was forced to come to the realization that he was truly lost forever.

"And so we commend William's spirit home to our Father. Ut requiescat Deus animam eius." The priest concluded solemnly.

I barely registered the pitiful stares of the crowd as I numbly stepped forward and took a bit of earth in my hand, then stepped forward to the edge of the grave. The sheer nothingness I felt terrified me. As I stared down into that awful hole, I found that I had no compulsion to continue breathing, nor interest in the life that would await me once the moment was gone, and so instead of releasing the dirt in my grip, I allowed myself to continue standing and staring into the cold ground in silence for what must have been several minutes. The tension in the air was terrible, but I could not find the will to move.

Soon enough, Emma's hands gently pulled me back and out of my trance, and I watched as Ezra threw the first damning handful of dirt into the pit, the rest of the party immediately following. Lady Gracey and Ramsley, I noticed, were long gone.

And good riddance.

The guests began to depart one by one, each leaving me with an obligatory word of sympathy as they passed.

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss, dear girl."

"So young to lose your mother, and now your father as well."

"Your father was a fine man, Ms. Elizabeth."

"Why, Elizabeth, look how you've grown! I'm sure your father was very proud of you."

I stomached all of these awful phrases as best I could, with a stiff smile and nod, until at last I was alone with my remaining two companions in the world.

"Elizabeth, dear," Emma spoke softly. "why don't you come back up to the house, hmm?"

No. I can't stand to be in those suffocating walls.

I didn't respond, but merely turned my head to stare at her, making her hopeful smile dissipate.

"We could all make lunch together. How about that? I'm sure some food could do us good." Ezra added in a cheery manner. "Maybe afterwards, we could have a lesson-"

"No!"

All of my anger and despair was released with that one word, and I whipped around with a ferocity I didn't know I was capable of.

"I refuse to look at music again! It was nothing but a silly waste of time!"

The severity of my words hit me at the same time it hit them…and it increased my anguish tenfold.

With a cry of misery, I turned away and ran.

"Elizabeth, wait!"

Emma's shouts faded away as my legs carried me forward, past my father's grave and down a dirt path which I hoped would take me as far away from the mansion as possible. What reason was there for me to stay any longer?

I had lost everything. I had no one.

I was no one.

Not a daughter. Not a sister. Not a cousin, or a niece, or a granddaughter.

Ramsley had been right all along.

There was no place in this world for a girl like me.

As I ran farther and farther away from the manor, I kept thinking that perhaps if I put enough distance between myself and that empty place, the weight in my heart would start to disappear. But the longer I ran, the more miserable I felt. It was as if there was a chain wrapped around my chest, one that tightened with every step I continued to take, until I felt as if I were suffocating. My running slowed to a walk and I came to a full stop beside a large oak tree, which I stumbled up against as my legs started to burn and shake with effort and my lungs tried to suck in air. A sound somewhere between a sob and a whimper slipped from my mouth, and in that moment, I had never felt so alone.

I leaned against that tree in silence for who knows how long, taking comfort in the sensation of a cool breeze on my face and the track of a single tear as it made its way down my cheek.

For a while, the only thing I could focus on was the breath coming in and out of my body.

But then the sound of footsteps reached my ears.

I closed my eyes for a moment and let out a heavy sigh as I prepared myself to face a very hurt Emma and Ezra…but something caught my attention.

These footsteps did not belong to Emma or Ezra.

They moved slowly, but the stride was sure and steady, and – most importantly – wildly familiar. I could hardly dare to believe it. My breath hitched in my chest and my heart began to beat sporadically as the presence of my mysterious companion came up directly beside me.

I looked up.

It was him. It was absolutely him.

His face had matured a few years and he held himself with such a sophistication and confidence that I felt almost intimidated by him, but his eyes – which I realized were shining with emotion – still held the same warm and loving gaze I had known four years ago.

The tears that had been welling in my eyes spilled over my cheeks as we stared unmoving at each other. And then:

"I'm so sorry, Elizabeth."

I knew that it was more than an apology for my father's death. And it was all I needed to hear to collapse weeping into an embrace more safe and comforting than anything in the world.

Edward was here.

I don't know how and I don't why, but Edward was here.

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Merely an hour later found the two of us sitting across from each other on the library floor, fingers firmly entwined as we let the warmth of the fireplace banish the chill of death from our bones.

"Ezra sent a telegram to me in New York the day after your father passed away. I couldn't believe it was true. The last time I saw him he was shaking my hand and telling me not to give the other boys too much trouble." Edward murmured wistfully.

His thumbs running over my fingers set my stomach aflame with an emotion deeper than any I had known before. I hardly dared to breathe.

"Your father was one of the most generous men I ever knew, Elizabeth."

My heart clenched painfully.

"He was all I had left." I whispered, focusing all of my attention on our hands where they rested between us to keep from releasing what was left of my tears.

At my words, Edward's grip suddenly tightened.

"No, Elizabeth, you know that's not true." He spoke fervidly. "Look at me."

I hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised my head up from the ground to meet his dark eyes, which glowed with a passion and devotion so familiar I knew I couldn't stand to look away.

"Elizabeth, when I received that telegram I was greatly hurt by William's passing…and yet, all I could think of was you."

I straightened up a bit in surprise.

"I know how close you and your father were, and how very deeply you loved him. I also know from experience how excruciating it is to lose someone who means that much to you, and it is an agony I could not wish on my greatest enemy. I couldn't bear the thought of you going through that pain, Elizabeth. So, I finished my exams early and made arrangements to return to Gracey Manor as soon as possible." He explained.

"You came back for me?" I whispered reverently, entranced by his unfaltering gaze.

He smiled softly.

"I keep my promises."

My spirits dropped slightly at this answer, and though I was sure I would regret it, I couldn't stop myself from responding rather bitterly.

"If that were true, you wouldn't have left in the first place." I muttered.

A hurt look appeared on Edward's face. His lips pressed together in a grimace and then it was his turn to avert his gaze to our hands.

"I had hoped after all this time you would have forgiven me." He sighed.

"…What made you decide to go?" I asked stiffly.

"That is a story for another time."

"But, why-"

"Please, Elizabeth." Edward raised his eyes imploringly back to mine, and I was caught off guard by the agitation in his features.

Whatever the reason was had affected him a great deal.

"I have spent the past four years wondering if you would ever talk to me again." He admitted. "I know that I hurt you, and I swear that I'll explain everything soon, but…just for this moment, can't we enjoy being together again?"

The expression on his face was so open and earnest, and his voice when he spoke was so fragile and unsure. This was a side of him I had only heard all those nights when he'd stood begging for forgiveness outside of my room, and now that we were face to face, and I could see the vulnerability in his eyes, I silently thanked God that this had not been my last memory of him while he was away. It would have killed me.

"Did…" I ducked my head as my cheeks began to redden. "…did I hurt you when I threw my shoe at your head?"

A barking laugh of surprise burst from his lips, and I was relieved to see him relax back into his old self as he shook his head, his eyes sparkling at me with mirth.

"Nothing but my pride." He grinned.

He chuckled once more to himself, then his expression sobered and a bittersweet look came over him.

"You did break my heart that day, Elizabeth."

I stared at him in stunned silence, my mouth falling open wordlessly as I tried to imagine what could possibly be the right response.

"I'm sorry."

The irony of the phrase was not lost on either of us as Edward smiled and resumed the stroking of his thumbs on my palms.

"It doesn't matter now." He smiled. "I'm here with you, and we have quite a bit of catching up to do, now haven't…"

His voice suddenly trailed off, and I saw that he was staring at me with a strange look on his face.

"Edward? What's wrong?" I asked him.

I started to turn my head to see if there was something behind me, but then his hand shot up and took hold of my chin, turning my face back towards him.

"Edward!" I protested in confusion. "What are you-"

"Elizabeth, what happened to your eye?"

My face paled in alarm.

My eye.

Though the bruise had faded significantly since Ramsley's assault over a week ago, a visible mark still lingered, and it was at this mark that Edward was now staring with his brow furrowed in concern.

"It's…it's nothing! I just got kicked by a horse." I quickly excused.

He shook his head, and my heart sank.

"No, no. I've seen enough fights to know where a bruise like that comes from. Someone hit you."

He raised his hand up as if to gently trace under my eye and I batted it away.

"Edward, really, you're making too much of this!" I insisted.

"Elizabeth, I care about you! I cannot ignore the fact that someone hurt you!"

In all honesty, his distress over my well-being made my heart flutter, but his persistence made me worry about what his reaction would be should I chose to reveal the truth to him in this way.

"Please…tell me." Edward pleaded.

I bit my lip in hesitation.

"…I can't."

"Elizabeth-"

"It will only make things worse!" I argued, trying to make him understand what I could not tell him.

"Make things worse? What on earth are you talking about?" He frowned.

I looked away, trying to avoid his inquisitive gaze.

"Please, Elizabeth…"

I realized too late that his hand had come around to turn me towards him by cupping my cheek – the same cheek that Ramsley had struck so many times – and I couldn't stop myself from crying out as his fingers pressed against the still-tender skin there.

Edward drew his hand back immediately, but my relief was cut short as he once again took my chin and forced my eyes to meet his. His usually soft features were hard and stern. He didn't have to say anything for me to know that struggling against him would be useless, and so all I could do was nod in resignation and turn my cheek towards him.

The shaky breath I heard him release made me cringe.

"…Who did this to you?"

He spoke in a voice so quiet it sent shivers up my spine, and after a moment, I could feel his fingers gently brush against my cheek, an action so simple, yet such a change from the harsh blows I usually received that my eyes grew wet with tears.

"Edward…there's something you should know about your mother."

XXXXX

I awoke very early the next morning to a sharp rapping on my door.

"Hello? I called out groggily, raising my head from my pillow to see the sun's first rays coming through the window.

The knocking came again, more insistently.

Slowly, I forced myself to crawl out from beneath the covers and make my way across the floor to answer it…but the sight of Ramsley on the other side made me regret this decision. His tall figure glared down at me with a hatred that would never fail to make me stomach twist. I was suddenly panicked.

What did I forget to do? Did I leave something out in the library? What if I-

"Lady Gracey demands your presence in the study at once. You had best not keep her waiting, Ms. Henshaw."

Ms. Henshaw?

I gave him a small, bewildered nod and shut the door to get dressed, all the while puzzling over the strange and uncharacteristic use of my formal name. He hadn't called me Ms. Henshaw since…

I froze halfway through pulling off my nightdress.

Edward had been enraged when I'd told him of my situation following the twins' departure, and had promised me quite seriously that he would 'take care of it'. Could this be his doing?

These thoughts sped up my usual dressing process and soon I set off for the study, with a heart lighter than it had been in years.

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As I approached the impending doorway, I slowed my walk, and my attention was caught by the sound of Edward's impassioned voice wafting through the crack beneath the door. I came to a halt just outside, unable to quell my curiosity.

"I don't understand you, mother. Really, I don't." Edward was saying.

"Oh, honestly, Edward! All of this fuss!"

"Yes, and for good reason! How could you do something like this to her?! How could you disrespect the wishes of your own son?!"

"Edward…you were still young, and your request was simply not plausible! If the girls had stayed, perhaps. But now? When she has been a servant in this house for several years? What would people say?"

A long silence followed, and I had to strain to hear Edward's next words.

"I can't believe it's taken me this long to see how truly despicable you are."

"…You don't mean that."

"Do I look like I'm in jest? Mother, the actions you have taken against Elizabeth are inexcusable! I left here on the promise that you would treat her as a member of the household and I come back to discover that not only did you go back on your word…you abused her. And you used Ramsley to do it, no less!"

"Ramsley! How dare he-!"

"He told me all I needed to know. Every cruel word you ever said to her. Every time you forced him to beat her. I don't know how I can forgive you for this."

So that's the angle that devil is playing.

"Edward…everything I have ever done was for you! For your father! He spent years working to ensure your future! And how do you repay him? By siding with that girl?!"

"That girl, as you call her, happens to mean a great deal to me!"

"Why, she's nothing but a half-breed!"

"ENOUGH!"

My hands flew to my mouth.

I used the deathly silence that followed to quickly scurry away from the door and out of earshot, leaning against the wall a little way down and sliding to the floor to wait for the outcome, whatever it would be.

It was at least another five minutes before the door finally clicked open, and I climbed back to my feet as Lady Gracey emerged. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and I could see a faint pink tinge to her cheeks as she turned and instantly spotted me waiting nearby.

"Elizabeth…" She addressed me, and I was shocked by how tired she sounded. "…dear girl, I'm afraid I've treated you rather unjustly since your arrival here at Gracey Manor."

"Oh, ma'am-"

"Don't interrupt, girl, for heaven's sake. It's not becoming of a lady."

A new understanding blossomed within me at these words and I gradually relaxed, giving her a small nod to go on, despite how unnatural it felt. She herself grimaced at this, but continued.

"When you first showed up here with your father, I believed you were perfectly harmless. True, your heritage was scandalous, but it could be forgiven while you were still a child, and the girls certainly liked you well enough. However, then my son began to form an attachment to you. I spent many nights praying that it was a brief infatuation, and yet the children kept insisting on your being included in family affairs as much as possible. As you got older, I knew steps would have to be taken."

"Was my skin such a burden to you?" I asked, unable to keep the spite out of my voice.

She sighed.

"My dear, we live in a ruthless and ravenous world. It is a great tragedy that you were forced to pay for the sins of your father, but it does not change what people see when they look at you. I did what I had to for the sake of my family."

These words, for all they made me understand about the woman in front of me, did not lessen her cruelty. Still, I remained silent, unwilling to stir up any more animosity between us.

"I do believe you will make a fine young woman, Elizabeth…and I sincerely apologize for any grief I may have cause you or your father."

I was still unsure she deserved my pardon, but as I stared into her exhausted face and saw the utter defeat and hopelessness in her eyes, I couldn't help but pity her. This, combined with the honesty in her expression, was enough for me to grant her my next words.

"Thank you, Lady Gracey. I forgive you."

At this, I could feel a sudden lightness come over both of us, and I felt that I was able to breathe easier than I had in quite some time. There was a new respect between myself and the woman I had once called my oppressor.

"I don't pretend to imagine it is possible for us to ever be friends, but I hope that, should we meet in the future, we will be able to coexist peacefully with each other."

Though her words baffled me, I nodded.

"For Edward's sake."

The first genuine smile she had ever given me appeared on her face.

"Until we meet again, my dear."

She bowed her head respectfully, then gave me one last look and departed, her footsteps fading behind me.

I turned and jumped to see Edward standing in the doorway, watching me with his elbow propped up against the doorframe and an affectionate smile on his lips.

"Come in. There's something important I have to tell you." He explained.

I followed him inside and watched as he crossed to the desk before letting the question burst from my lips.

"Edward, what did she mean 'until we meet again'?"

"My mother and I have come to an agreement." He said, holding a document up. "I have officially claimed the manor as my birthright."

My eyes snapped up to his in surprise and an amused smirk crossed his face as I tried to process the news he'd just told me.

"And…your mother…"

"My mother has decided to return to England, to live with my uncle and his family."

I felt a sharp stab of guilt as I saw the sorrow that briefly flashed across his features, and I crossed the room the stand on the other side of the desk.

"Edward, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If only I hadn't-"

"Hadn't what? Hadn't told me that you were forced to be a servant in your own home?" He came around the desk to stand in front of me, his expression incredulous. "Don't be absurd, Elizabeth, this has nothing to do with you. After all this time…I'm finally claiming my independence."

He leaned in close to me, and when he spoke again, the feeling of his breath on my lips made me shiver with delight.

"I'm free, Elizabeth."

BABOOM!

The moment was broken by a deafening clap of thunder that made me squeak and whip around to see that the sun had been overtaken by dark and ominous clouds.

When I turned back to Edward, he was smiling down at me.

"Well, Mademoiselle Lightning, I believe we have some business to attend to."

I didn't try to hide the smile that spread across my lips.

"It's been an awfully long time, Monsieur Thunder."

"You know the rules." He whispered teasingly. "Go on ahead. I'll meet you in the library after I put this away."

"Whatever you wish, Master Gracey." I teased.

He snorted and gave one of my curls a light tug that sent my cheeks flaming, and so I swiftly pulled out of his reach and made to leave the room, my heart so light I could have flown.

"Elizabeth, wait."

His voice paused me in my steps, and I turned my head to see him with his hand out towards me, as though he meant to take ahold of my arm.

"Have Ezra move your things into your old room tonight. You are a part of this household, and from now on, you shall be treated as such."

It took every ounce of restraint in my body to prevent me from screaming for joy as I gave him a little curtsy and continued through the doorway, and as soon as I was out of sight, I took off running.

"Ezra!"

My life was finally returning to me.

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Yay! A chapter with a happy ending! Well, now that Edward is back, we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

See you soon, readers!

Elactress