Chapter 26
London, 1820…
"I want to see him," Elizabeth murmured, barely aware of how Jason lifted her from the floor to one of the cushioned dining room chairs. He brushed a stray curl from her face, his hand lingering against her cheek until she pulled away. "I want to see Richard."
"No," Jason replied, refusing to even allow her to think for a moment that such a thing was even possible.
"I want to see him," she repeated, smoothing her shaky hands over the knees of her dress, her lip quivering as she fought to hold in her tears. "I have every right to see him, Jason." She shifted her eyes to his, the rims pooling with tears. "Are you forbidding me from it?"
She was challenging him; would he tell her no, pulling his weight as her husband to keep it from happening? Or would he allow it?
"No," he said again, pacing back and forth in front of her, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I – I don't want you to see him."
He was surprised at his inability to forbid this from happening, but he wouldn't make Elizabeth do something she didn't want, which was why she had to see his side of things.
"But I want to," she pressed, fisting the skirt of her dress in her palms. Her eyes fluttered closed, tears slipping through the lashes. "I can make him listen – make him understand. I can-"
"I saw your father this morning," Jason interrupted, hating to break the news to her this way, but not knowing how else was he going to get her to listen.
"What?" she gasped, looking between him and Johnny. "Did you know where he was?"
Johnny nodded hesitantly, clearly not wanting to be the cause of more tension between the husband and wife. "When he came to see me – when he told me that your father was going to trial-"
"Elizabeth, Johnny thought that we should discuss the pending trial with your father," Jason cut in, kneeling down in front of her, his eyes begging her to listen. "I didn't leave with the intentions of seeing him, and we weren't even sure if Johnny's connections could get us inside the jail, especially now."
"But they did," she said, cradling her face in her hands. "I can't imagine how terrified he must be of what's to come. He has to know that Richard will go – he'll want him dead for this."
Jason couldn't deny the accusation. Everyone knew; people in town, Johnny and Nadine, even the papers were all but declaring the once upstanding doctor already dead. "He's not afraid of dying," he shrugged, still amazed at how peaceful Jeffrey seemed to be with what was coming. "He's terrified forof you – of what will become of your life after this. I told him that you promised to leave and-"
"I'm not leaving," she interrupted, pushing herself to her feet and stepping past Jason. "I refuse to sit here and let – I did this. I have to talk to Richard and make him understand."
"Your father wants you to stay out of this," Jason said firmly, wishing they could avoid a fight, but nothe didn't expecting anything less from his wife. "You have to leave London, Elizabeth. You have to go somewhere else. Anywhere that you like, and I promise that your father will follow-"
"What about you?" she cried, narrowing her eyes at him. "I may have promised to leave London when this was done, but it's not yet, and you promised that you weren't going to sacrifice…" She shook her head, her eyes shifting to Johnny's, and then back to Jason's. "This is why you came, isn't it? Are you going to turn yourself in, Jason?"
Clearing his throat, he moved slowly to his feet, not sure how to answer her question. There seemed to be no other choice. Either he confessed to the crime or Elizabeth would, and he refused to let her take the fall -, and that was if Lansing was even willing to let him.
"You weren't here. You and I didn't know each other," she ranted, throwing up her hands. "Richard will laugh you out of his office. He won't give a damn about your confession because it will mean nothing."
"Or it will mean everything," Jason murmured, glancing at Johnny and tossing his head towards the door. "If you could excuse us, I'd like to talk to Elizabeth alone."
He was angry with his friend, but now wasn't the time to confront Johnny for going behind his back and coming to Elizabeth. He understood that it was done with the best of intentions, and that he wanted to keep the wrong person from paying for the crime, but in this situation, there was no right criminal.
"You should go," Elizabeth agreed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at her husband's best friend. "Go home to your wife and your children, and do not help Jason anymore with this."
"Elizabeth," he hissed, shaking his head.
"He's gotten himself into enough trouble already," she snapped, ignoring Jason's protests. "Johnny, you've done more than enough and my father is appreciative, I'm sure. I know I am, but you can't do anything more. I won't risk you getting into anymore trouble, and what happens now – well, I believe it's up to those really involved. And as I've said, I don't want you getting into anymore trouble."
He just looked at Jason, obviously torn between disagreeing and hurrying away as she demanded.
"Elizabeth is right," Jason spoke up reluctantly. "I've been selfish in asking you to help when there is so much at risk. Lansing is already checking into your connections and how you've poked around his case. It's better if you back off for now."
"What about tomorrow?" he asked, grimacing the moment the question left his lips. It took every ounce of restraint that Jason had not to hit him immediately.
"What is tomorrow?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes wide. She took one quick look between them and instantly put together the pieces. "Are you going to Richard, Jason? Why – don't you understand how completely-"
"Johnny, thank you," Jason interrupted, ignoring his wife as he ushered his friend out of the room. "If you wish to accompany me to the meeting tomorrow, that's your decision, but I advise against it."
With that he turned back into the dining room and closed the doors, wincing as Elizabeth swore under her breath. He supposed her anger was better than any hysterics this news cwould have brought on. "Elizabeth, please, let me explain."
"Explain?" she cried, clasping a hand to her mouth when she started to cry. "How can you – you promised you wouldn't do this."
"I'm not confessing to anything," he said, correcting her assumptions, though he'd thought about it. Of course, there was a chance that Lansing would allow him to take Jeffrey's place, and Jason wasn't sure if he could say no.
Jason hadn't been in town, let alone ever met Lucky Spencer, but this wasn't about the murder. It was about his wife, and who had her, and how much of her Jason had. None of the logistics mattered as long as Lansing took Elizabeth's husband away, leaving her with a broken heart and a formerly accused murderer for of a father. No man in London would want her, and she and Jeffrey would be outcasts while Jason rotted away in prison. Or worse, was hanged. Either of which would break her heart, but she and her father would be safe, and that was what mattered.
"You can't do this," she murmured, shaking her head at him. "You can't let him manipulate you – not the way he did me and my father and Lucky. It's all a game to him, Jason."
"I came to free Jeffrey. The first promise I ever made to you was that this would be okay, and I am going-"
"It would be okay as long as with you and my father were both safe," she stressed, crumpling back into the chair she'd just gotten out of. "But not – not like this."
"You don't even know what will happen tomorrow," Jason pleaded, kneeling back in front of her. He tried to take her hands but she jerked away, scooting the chair back when he started to touch her again. "Elizabeth, we don't have time. We thought there would be – I thought your father was innocent – I didn't realize that I married you and…"
"I was a murderer," she spat, her dark eyes flashing to his. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands and narrowed her eyes. "Well, you did, and I won't let you become one too."
**********
Elizabeth was used to being a lot of things by other people's assumptions. After Lucky's murder, they called her names, the kindest being whore, but and she always refused to let herself believe she was any of them. They didn't understand the circumstances that everything had happened under, and while she may have killed a man, she wasn't a liar and a cheat.
Until now.
Swallowing hard, she pressed her forehead against the side of the carriage, trying to ignore the churning in her lower belly. "He will never forgive me for this," she sighed, her eyes fluttering open to look across the seat at Sonny.
The servant grimaced slightly, reaching over to pat her on the hand. "Jason cares for you, but sometimes those that care for you make the wrong choices. You're trying to stop him from making a mistake."
"And what if I make one in the process?" she asked, closing her eyes again when Sonny gave her no answer.
She'd returned to her room shortly after her argument with Jason, stomping the entire way up the stairs and slamming her bedroom door forcefully beforeand locking it. He wasn't welcomed to be in her room or presence until he came to his senses, and unfortunately, she knew that was not going to happen.
Like Johnny had said, Jason felt things deeper than anyone else. He thought meticulously, always steps ahead of those around him, and he wouldn't go to Richard unless he knew that there was a way to save Jeffrey. Her husband was stupid if he thought his wife would believe he was going to have a cup of tea and sort this out with the man who had put all of this into motion.
No, Jason was going to figure out a way to turn himself in, and if he was breaking his promise, then so would she. Though technically, he hadn't forbid her from seeing Richard, only saying that he didn't want her to, and well, that left the door open to all kinds of ways out.
So she sat in her bedroom, veering back and forth from hysterical crying to rough, loud bits of anger that forced her to smash everything she could get her hands on. It seemed that nearly every time she calmed down and started to make peace, Jason would appear on the other side of the door, trying to convincing her to open it, and she became a mess all over again.
It wasn't until Sonny came, long after the sun had gone down, begging her to open the door and take the tray of food he'd made. She was reluctant, sure it was a trap, but the servant promised her it was nothing of the sort. Upon opening the door, she found Sonny, a silver tray of food, and an empty hallway, which prompted her to usher the servant quickly inside and beg him to help her fix this.
She was no idiot and knew that with the right set of eyes and pout, she could convince Sonny to do wonders. It was how she snuck cookies and cakes as a child and how she kept a stash of candles in her bedroom so she could draw late into the night. She was a weak spot for the old man, and while it made her as selfish and insensitive as Carly and Lulu to use him, she'd really been given no other choice.
And that was how they'd ended up side-by-side in the carriage, en route to Richard Lansing's house at half past eleven.
Sonny had tried to talk her out of leaving, but she threatened to sneak out and go alone. He'd gotten angry for just a moment, and she feared he was going to wake Jason, but he asked her to give him enough time to round up the carriage and a driver first. She wasn't sure how he acquired a member of Jason's staff to drive the carriage, and she almost stopped herself when she realizedknew the poor man would most likely be fired, or worse, but she knew that she couldn't stop now.
She had to see Richard and she had to fix this before she lost everything that mattered to her.
"Elizabeth," Sonny murmured, squeezing her hand. She lifted her head and looked out the window, surprised to see that they'd already made it to town. Had Jason woken up yet and realized she was gone? How long would it take him to find her? "We're almost there. I have to ask, are you sure you want to see him alone?"
She nodded, smoothing the wrinkles from her skirt and patting her pinned up curls. "It's the only way he'll listen to me. If I would have come with Jason, he would have seen me as nothing more than a beggar and not listened to a word I had to say."
"I'm afraid you're right," Sonny sighed sadly, opening the carriage door after they rolled to a stop. He slid from the seat and held out his hand to help her out. "Elizabeth, you have been nothing but good to me in every way – you and your father."
She smiled warmly as she shook out her skirt. "You've been like a second father to me, Sonny, which is why I appreciate you doing this tonight. I know that Jason will be angry, but I won't allow him to fire you or send you away."
"I don't think you'll have much of a choice," he muttered quietly, holding out his arm. She slipped hers through his, her grin widening as they walked around the carriage and up the stairs to Richard's large mansion. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Sonny, I understand why you're worried about me being alone with him. I assume that he knows the truth and I only want to make him understand what really happened."
"You'll wait?" she asked, lifting her hand to the door knocker as he stepped away from her side and started back down the stairs.
"I'm going to send the carriage away so we don't draw attention," he murmured, speaking to the driver in a low voice as she knocked one more time.
Her hands trembled when she heard someone fumbling with the lock on the either side, and she began to worry about waking him up in the middle of the night,, and if he'd be angry to see her. Though if he was pleased, she supposed that should worry her too.
"Ms. Webber," a tiny, grey-haired servant said upon opening the door. He flashed a grin that made his eyes twinkle and motioned her into the foyer.
"Thank you," she whispered, afraid to disturb the silent house. "I realize it's rather late, and if Richard isn't awake-"
"He's waiting for you in his study," the man interrupted, walking swiftly to her side and nodding in the direction of the room at the end of the hall.
She could see the faint glow of candlelight beneath the door, but something kept her from moving forward. "Waiting?" she asked, the tension that was buried in her stomach slowly spreading throughout her body. She felt the need to leave, to go back to the carriage, to be in bed next to her husband, but suddenly Richard was standing in front of her, his lips pulled in a tight smirk.
"For – forgive me," she stammered, dropping her gaze to the floor, "I realize it is rather late, but upon hearing that my father was going to trial, I wanted – I needed…"
"To confess?" he filled in, leaning towards her, the stench of whiskey heavy on his breath.
The smell was so strong it made her eyes flutter closed, made her head tip back, and she started to stumble on her feet. "I – I shouldn't have-"
"Uh, uh," he clucked, grabbing her by her arm when she turned abruptly and started for the door. "You came for a visit, Elizabeth, and I have to make sure you get a proper one."
"No, I just – I wanted to talk about my father," she murmured, falling back against his chest, when his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her against him. His hands were too familiar, too strong, too much like Lucky's, and before she realized what was happening, they she waswere in the study, the door closing behind them.
"Relax," he said softly, releasing her as he flicked the lock on theher door. "I'm not going to hurt you, but I must admit, I've been waiting on this visit for some time now."
"You're sending my father to trial," she replied, determined to stay focused on the reason she'd come here. She wasn't going to let him shake the walls she'd put up the entire way. If he knew – had even the slightest idea – about what occurred that night, he would try to use it to get her to confess.
"He'll be hanged," Richard shrugged smugly, leaning against the door. "For a crime that I don't believe he committed."
"Then why – why arrest him?" she asked, slumping onto the edge of the desk when she backed into it. She braced her hands on the edge to hold herself up, looking around the room for another possible exit. Of course, there wasn't one, and the only way out was through him.
"He confessed," he replied, slinking towards her, "and honestly, I thought you'd come to your senses. I didn't believe you'd marry the first man that came along, especially one like Jason Morgan, and trust that he would free your father."
"He knows my father is innocent," she murmured, stiffening as he came to a stop in front of her, slowly leaning forward and resting his hands on either side of her.
"Does he know that you're a murderer?" Richard pried, causing her to flinch at the warm stench of his breath.
"You don't know what – what happened that night," Elizabeth replied, holding her eyes on his, refusing to let him win.
"Tell me then," he challenged, his palms pressed against her thighs. "I imagine that Lucky, in his drunken stupor, came onto you – that you fought him off -, and the exact events are complicated, but what matters is that someone died in the end, Elizabeth. And I would have fixed it for you-"
"I didn't want you to fix it, but I knew you would never treat me fairly," she interrupted, suddenly sliding off the desk and pushing him away.
"There's my confession," he laughed, grabbing her by the arm and jerking her towards him again. "Now I just have to decide what to do with it."
She swallowed hard and inched away from him, trying to ignore the smell of his breath. "Let me go, please."
"So, what? You can walk away?" he asked, dropping his face so it was next to hers, his lips brushing over her ear. "You can go back to your husband? Let your father take the fall?"
"What's my other option?" she asked, clenching her jaw as she glared at him. "Stay with you?"
"You say it as though you're disgusted by the thought," he grinned, tightening his grip on her arm.
"I'm very much taken, and a man like you doesn't want a used woman," she replied, failing to jerk herself out of his grip.
"Yes, you'll be another one of the many women that Jason Morgan has conquered, and if you weren't a murdering whore, I'd send you back to him," Richard sneered, backing her towards the wall, and all but slamming her against it. "You've confessed Elizabeth-"
"I did no such thing," she cried, bucking against him, which he seemed to enjoy. His hands were on both her wrists now, pinning her back against the wall, and the position was all too familiar, and the panic that rose through her body bursting from her mouth in a scream. "Sonny!" The shrillness of her cry ripped from her throat, and Richard flinched briefly, but not enough for her to catch him off guard. "Sonny! Help me!"
He chuckled and shifted on his feet in front of her, his smirk returning. "He's not going to save you."
"Sonny!" she screamed again, wiggling against him, but she was pinned too tightly to do anything. "Sonny! Please!"
His laughter grew louder as he nuzzled the side of her face, his breath hot against her ear. "Why do you think he brought you hereear so willingly, Elizabeth?"
"No," she spat, disgusted by his accusing tone. Sonny was waiting outside for her, and he'd hear her and… "You're lying, you son of a bitch."
"Naughty words for such an upstanding woman," he scolded, his hands so tight around her wrists that he was sure they'd bruise. "Maybe some time in jail would suit you."
Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to cry, not wanting him to win his game. "Sonny!" she screamed, suddenly defeated as her chest heaved and she fought to catch her breath. Taking a deep breath, she cried out one last time, his name leaving her lips in a sob, only to be answered by silence.