Thomas felt rather cross. He had finally managed to get Janey to sit with him, and Edith had just driven her away. He had been terribly afraid to close his eyes these past few days – fearful that, when he opened them, his sight would be gone again. So, he had stared at Janey every time she was near, imprinting every detail of her in his mind – her soft green eyes, her copper curls, the blush on her cheek, the curve of her lips. He could stand going back to being blind as long as he had her image printed into his soul. But Janey seemed to be keeping her distance, like she was scared of something. Of him. He hated to see her like that. He want to hold her, take her in his arms and drink in the sight of her, but she was hardly there and, when she was, she stayed on the other side of the room. So, he was quite ticked off with Edith. Whatever she had to say, she could have done in front of Janey, he thought.
"What do you want, Edith?" he asked, trying to keep the irritation from his voice.
"Alan said you wanted to demolish the house. Are you sure?" Edith asked. She seemed slightly nervous, though Thomas couldn't for the life of him understand why.
"Yes. It's my past and it's no longer part of me. Besides, there isn't much left of it now, is there?" He had not been able to take a good look when they had pulled him out of the wreckage, but he had seen enough to know the mansion had collapsed entirely. He had been lucky to make it out alive. Or perhaps it wasn't all down to luck. Lucille had done what she always did – protect him. And Janey had taken over after that. His guardian angel.
"What about the ghosts? Wouldn't the miners be at risk?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Lucille is all right with it. She left, and so did the others. No one that visits the ruin now will be at risk. Not from ghosts anyway."
"How do you know?" There was a worried frown on Edith's face.
Thomas knew that, if anyone would understand, she would. So, he told her what had happened. Most of it. "As I was buried under the rubble, Lucille visited me. She was at peace. I have never seen her so calm. She looked like she was ready to move on, and so were the others. It was like the house was holding them, but as it fell down, they were freed... And so was I. I never knew how... it was like it was holding us all back. Do you think that is possible?"
"With Allerdale Hall... Probably. Being here is hard, you know? So many horrific memories." She pulled her arms around herself defensively.
He was starting to feel sorry for her. "So, why did you come here? You could have stayed home and saved yourself a lot of heartache."
"I had to be here after the accident. I'm not the kind of boss that doesn't care. And I also wanted to know if Janey was alright with you. Which she clearly is. You love Janey, don't you?" The look on her face was so intense that it made him shiver.
He had no idea how far Janey had gotten in telling her, but there was no use lying. "Yes, I do."
"I'm so happy for you." She was smiling now, relieved, which made him relax as well.
Thomas was as surprised at this statement as Janey had been. "You are? You're not mad?"
"No. Why would I be? We were never meant to be. The more time passes, the more I realise that I might care for you as a friend, Thomas, but I stopped loving you a long, long time ago. You two are perfect for each other. I knew that when I asked her to take care of you. So, when are you marrying her?" She looked pleased, almost smug.
Thomas sighed. "I don't know if that will ever happen."
"Is it because of me? Do you still have feelings for me?"
"No... I... When you and I fell in love, it was with the illusion of each other, not the real person. I see that now. All the secrets... They ruined us before we even got the chance to know eachother. With Janey, there are no secrets. I would love to marry her. I don't think she wants to marry me, though. I can understand why..."
Edith looked confused. "But she told me herself your past doesn't matter to her."
"It's not my past that is preventing her from marrying me. It's hers. She does not want to be bound to a man. I understand. It's not a big deal. I love her no matter what. If she needs her independence to feel safe, then I happily will give it to her... Though I could use your help with making sure she is provided for if anything happens to me. She doesn't want me to – she doesn't want to think about it. But I could have died in that house, and she would have been back where she started, penniless."
"I promise that will never happen as long as I live. You should sit down with a lawyer to arrange something like that. I can arrange that."
"Thank you. It would be a great relief to know Janey was provided for. I know she won't like it, but I want her to have it all if anything happens to me. My family, what is left of them, really doesn't deserve a cent. They could have helped us as children, but instead they raided Allerdale of it's valuables. Janey... I know she would give most of it away, which is fine, but see to it she keeps enough for herself, please?"
"You're not dying just yet, you know." Edith patted his hand.
"No... But I could have. Life is so fragile. Janey can lead her life however she wants but I want her to be able to be independent. I'd give her the money now if she would only take it."
Edith sighed deeply. "I wish Alan was as liberal as you."
Thomas shook his head. "Edith, you should really give Alan a chance, you know. Either that or cut him loose. That man dotes on you. Follows you like a puppy. It's not fair on him to let him hang like this. It's been over five years. If you can't love him, let him be free to choose someone else."
"But I do love him. He just… After all this time, he still treats me like a child. Like I'm not capable of making my own decisions. It... argggh... It drives me mad." Edith paced the floor as she spoke. "I know he loves me, but he can't stop babying me. I'm a famous author and I run a successful company besides that. It wasn't easy taking over my father's company, you know. No one would take me seriously. But I did it anyway. And I made a success out of it, partly because of your invention, but partly because I am my father's daughter as well. It's in my blood. And now I'm at the head of one of the most profitable companies in America. But when Alan sees me, he treats me like a weak, feeble-headed woman. Everything I do, he tries to interfere with. I know it is because he wants to protect me, and I love it when he takes care of me, but he can't belittle me. It's utterly ridiculous and it undermines my authority, completely."
"Have you told him that?" It was a simple enough solution, and Edith was a smart woman. She looked surprised though.
"No.. Do you think I should?"
"The man isn't clairvoyant, Edith." In fact, Thomas found Alan rather thick at times. But the one thing Thomas was sure of was that Alan was devoted to Edith and loved her with a passion. And he was a good man. He had moved heaven and earth to save her, and Thomas was pretty sure he would do it all again if it was called for. Alan deserved some credit for that. "Talk to him."
Edith giggled. "When did you get so wise?"
"Janey has opened my eyes in more ways than one." He thought about where he would be now without Janey. So many times he had almost lost the will to live, only his cowardice holding him back, but now... The world was new, and he had gotten the second chance he had never deserved.
"You two are perfect for each other. You are absolutely fine with her not wanting to marry you?" The way she said it, made it sound like Edith could not believe men were capable of such a notion.
"Why wouldn't I be? I don't need to own her. All that matters to me is her love. And I know I have that."
Edith shook her head. "Alan would never go for that. He wants a good little housewife, like Eunice is. She has gotten married, by the way. Three children they have already. Spoiled brats... even Alan thinks so."
"Talk to him, Edith. He might surprise you." He thought about the passionate way Alan had spoken to him at the mine. He had sounded like a man that would do anything to win her love.
"But what if I lose him?" Edith worried.
"He crossed an ocean to save you, even though you had rejected him by marrying another man. He stayed with you for five years after that, even though you never told him you loved him. You are divorced, which is scandalous enough. Knowing his mother, he must have gotten a lot of flack for that. The boy is persistent. He won't give up on you now, trust me."
"You're right... So, I should tell him?" Was she asking him now?
"Yes, and be gentle. He loves you, but he may need some time to get used to the idea of taking a step back. Like you said, he is just trying to protect you."
Edith threw her arms around Thomas. But it wasn't a lover's embrace – it was the hug of a good friend. "Thank you, Thomas. Now, go find that lovely lady of yours. I know she wants to talk to you. I'll talk to the doctors and get things ready for your release. And I'll contact my lawyer today so you can set up that will. But if you ever do get married, I expect to be invited."
Thomas was so relieved – everything that had weighed him down through the years had been resolved. The scars were still there, but he could live with them. All he wanted was to be with Janey right now. He smiled at Edith. "I'm so glad you're alright with us."
"She makes you happy and, more importantly, you make her happy. Just know if you ever hurt her, I will hunt you down and kill you," she said, raising a finger in warning.
"I wouldn't be able to live with myself anyway. Janey is special... Not that you weren't, but..." It wasn't Edith's fault that she had not been the one.
"We were never right for each other. I fell for a man that was never there in the first place. I should have never made you into my champion." She sounded so… defeated.
"I'm sorry about that." He didn't know what else to say.
"Don't be. It wasn't just your fault. I was blindingly naive at the time. You were like a dream, a handsome prince coming to sweep me off my feet. I swore I never wanted any of that, and yet when you came along I was like a lovesick puppy. "
"I'm sorry," he said again.
"Its alright. Just promise me you will keep on making Janey happy. She so deserves it. I led a golden life compared to hers. I was always loved. You two, you never had that. That's why I asked her to go to you. If anyone was going to understand her, get her over her fears in life, it was you."
Thomas couldn't believe it. By sending Janey, Edith had shown more faith in him than he had in himself. "You weren't afraid I was going to hurt her?"
"No. It took me a while to realise it, but you were innocent during that time. You were just stuck trying to make the people you loved happy. Lucille took advantage of that."
That wasn't quite fair. His sister wasn't a monster... Or perhaps she had been at the time of her death, but... "Lucille didn't know any better, either. If you knew the things Father did to her... And Mother. And, through it, all she tried to keep me safe. And succeeded, mostly."
"I didn't know." There were tears in Edith's eyes, now. "I do feel sorry you know... That I killed her."
"You had no choice. She wouldn't have stopped until you were dead." He hated to admit it... But that was also what had cost him his sight.
"I know. But that doesn't always make it easier. It still gives me nightmares."
"As it does me." He took Edith in his arms to comfort her, softly stroking her back.
She soon pushed him away, though. "I'll be fine in a minute. I feel relieved, in a way. I'm glad we had this conversation. It's like a weight has gone."
He felt the same way. For the first time in his life, he felt true freedom. No more house, no more obligations from the past. He could go where he pleased. Do whatever he wanted to do. But there was only one thing he really wanted.
"You're sure?" he asked, not wanting Edith to be in distress.
"Yes. Be with your love and make her happy," she smiled through her tears.
Since updating to Windows 10 my internet got dodgy, and every time I try to upload it, it seems to disappear altogether on me... Oh well, wish me luck, the story is nearly at an end.
PrincessPrettyPants: Oh just 5 years of catching up... And such, lol
Belco: Glad you liked it.
Zoe: I hope you liked catching up. Just a little further to go
The Raven May Fall : This is what she had to say, better?
TheDoctorsTrueCompanion : Sorry, is this better?
I.C.2014 : I wouldn't say disrespectful. We are fiv years after where Crimson Peak ends and they have not spoken since. Issues have festered between them and they are getting resolved finally.