That evening Dr. Neville Craven invited some guests-friends of his to dinner. Nothing but medical talk ensued. They discussed Archie's condition and what attempts each would make to remedy his situation. Lilias could not bear to listen to them speak of him as if he were some science experiment. Archie was embarrassed, for he could see she was displeased. He hated being the topic of medical conversation.
"Let's go through to the salon, shall we?" Neville spoke. There, he proceeded to drink and drink. Drinking himself into what would seem a frenzied state...Archie and Lilias had just escaped the space to retire for the evening, when...
"Oh..." Lilias brushed her fingers to her chest. "My Rose brooch...It must have fallen off. I'll not sleep til I know it's safe. I'll check the dining room. Would you search the floor of the salon, my love?"
"Of course," Archie answered.
Nothing could have prepared him for the conversation about to reach his ears.
The men were all inebriated talking highly inappropriately.
"Is he at all able to Father her child, to impregnate her?" One spoke.
Another put down his glass, "Well, I'm sure your body is willing and ready to perform the task any time, eh Neville? Perhaps, there might be use for you yet." They all laughed. "Then the Craven name could be carried on. Who's to know which brother the son is by and for anyway? Craven is Craven." They laughed again. "Such a pretty thing she is. Any man would want to ravish her. Especially me of course. But everyone here knows Neville does." The men gorged themselves on liquor. "A divine goddess in body and spirit. Yes, we'd all-any of us-have her. God, how delicious that would be. Magnificent."
"Indeed. Had she chosen me, I would sire a son for her. Successfully at once."
Archie was outside of the entryway. His face contorted with wrath and ire. He burst in to the space and used his walking stick to smash the bottles of liquor on the table and began to use it to threaten each of the men who spoke of Lilias in such a way.
"GET OUT OF HERE!" he roared. "YOU...FILTH...ARE NOT WELCOME IN MY HOUSE!" "NEVILLE! YOU ARE TO LEAVE HERE IMMEDIATELY! YOU CAN PACK YOUR BAGS! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! He was beating Neville with his walking stick. "NONE OF YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!"
Lilias had heard Archie's roars.
"Archie? Archie, stop! What's happened? Stop. You must stop." Archie had flown into an uncontrollable rage. He was grabbing the men by their coat collars and dragging them to the door.
"GET OUT!" He looked at Neville.
Leclair burst into the room to break it up and saw the bleeding men and Neville.
Leclair held Archie back as Archie breathed violently in and out giving them all a deathly stare as he was catching his breath.
The four doctors walked out. As Neville passed, Archie continued to be restrained by Leclair and spoke, "You are no longer my brother."
When the room was empty, and Lilias's heart stopped fearfully pounding, she spoke.
"What on God's earth happened?" Lilias implored.
Archie was silent.
"Archie! Tell me." She begged.
"They were speaking of you...in the most vulgar manner. How...they all wanted to..." He paused, "ravish you. I couldn't let them talk like that. He held Lilias in his arms. No one speaks that way in my house about you. They gravely disrespect you. Even Neville. The liquor was only the agent which revealed the evil."
Lilias felt suddenly weak and faint with disgust. She sensed Neville's sinister nature all along but hoped it would not be entirely true.
"There was hinting that you should leave me or you shouldn't have chosen me, and that I couldn't sire a son."
Lilias returned Archie's embrace.
Leclair was deeply saddened by the scene. He dare not tell Aisling. Though it's a wonder the entire household staff had not come running.