Garden of May — Chapter 19

HONESTLY, I CAN NEVER FIGURE BLAIR OUT.

CAN YOU BELIEVE WE CAME FROM THE SAME WOMB?

CANCELING THE GRAND TOUR OUT OF THE BLUE LIKE THAT...

HE'S COMPLETELY LOST HIS MIND!

ANYWAY, I'LL BE RETURNING TO LINDEN WITH BLAIR SOON.

UNTIL THEN, WE'LL BE STAYING AT A HOTEL IN BATH.

WON'T A HOTEL BE UNCOMFORTABLE?

YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY HERE LONGER, IF YOU'D LIKE.

IF I STAYED ANY LONGER, MY MOTHER WOULD PROBABLY DRAG ME OUT OF HERE HERSELF.

YOU KNOW HOW SHE FEELS ABOUT ME STAYING WITH YOU...

OH.

SORRY...

...NO, IT'S TRUE.

SHE TOOK SUCH GOOD CARE OF ME WHEN I WAS LITTLE, THOUGH.

WE GREW DISTANT AFTER MY PARENTS DIED,

BUT I'LL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO HER.

MY MOTHER ONCE REMARKED THAT SHE ASSUMED YOU’D ALREADY LOST YOUR VIRGINITY TO YOUR UNCLE.

SHE BLAMED ROSALIND’S INSOLENCE ON YOU,

AND SHE EVEN TRIED TO WRITE TO THE HEADMASTER DEMANDING YOUR EXPULSION.

BUT–!

SHE SHOULD BE FINE FOR A WHILE.

BLAIR’S WEDDING HAS BEEN MOVED UP.

IT’S BEEN MOVED UP...?

HE BACKED OUT OF THE TOUR, SO OF COURSE HE’S BEING DRAGGED STRAIGHT TO THE ALTAR.

STILL, IT SEEMS HE QUITE ENJOYED HIS TIME HERE,

SINCE HE’S BEEN LOOKING FOR A HOME NEARBY.

Honestly, Making His Poor Bride Suffer Out In The Sticks Like This!

ALL DONE, MISS.

VANESSA, HURRY! COME ON OUT.

O-OKAY. JUST A MOMENT...

WELL?

DOES IT LOOK STRANGE?

IT'S SO...!

IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!

SO BEAUTIFUL, IN FACT...

OH MY GOODNESS!!

THAT IT MAKES ME WANT TO GO AND KILL

THAT OLD EARL YOU'RE ENGAGED TO.

...ROSALIND.

DID YOU KNOW?

THEY SAY THE BRIDE'S BEST FRIEND SHOULD BE THE FIRST TO SEE HER IN HER VEIL.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BRING HER A HAPPY LIFE.

SO, EVEN THOUGH

I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE THE MAN YOU’RE MARRYING...

I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW HAPPY I AM TO BE HERE TO SEE

THIS ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME MOMENT FOR YOU.

I’M ALWAYS SO GRATEFUL TO YOU, ROSALIND.

TRULY.

I HEARD BLAIR INTENDS TO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE SOUTH, EVEN AFTER THE WEDDING.

SEE? I TOLD YOU WE SHOULDN'T HAVE LET THE CHILDREN STAY IN SOMERSET.

I DON’T MIND THE CHILDREN SPENDING TIME WITH VANESSA.

WELL, I DO.

LOUISE WINCHESTER

I DESPISE IT WHEN OUR CHILDREN KEEP ASSOCIATING WITH THAT GIRL!

HENRY WINCHESTER

BUT

YOU GET SO WORKED UP EVERY TIME, LOUISE.

YOU TRULY HAVE A CRUEL SENSE OF HUMOR.

LOUISE.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT BLOOD INSTINCTIVELY RECOGNIZES ITS OWN?

I WONDER IF OUR CHILDREN

WOULD BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THEIR REAL FATHER.

WHO ELSE KNOWS YOU’RE PREGNANT?

I HAVEN’T...

I HAVEN’T TOLD ANYONE.

BESIDES YOU... AND THAT MAN.

HAH...

LISTEN CAREFULLY, LOUISE.

IF THERE'S A CHILD IN YOUR WOMB, THEN THAT CHILD IS MINE.

SO, OUR WEDDING WILL PROCEED AS PLANNED.

HAVE THE CHILD, LOUISE. I'LL BE WITH YOU.

THAT IS

THE ONLY PUNISHMENT I CAN BESTOW

UPON YOU AND THAT MAN.