“Oh, my dear, what happened?” Moira asked, rushing over to hold her. Angeline fell onto her shoulder and let out all the pent-up worry, anger, and sadness that had been building in her for weeks. When her tears didn’t stop after a few minutes, Moira called for Fitz.
“Angie? What’s wrong?” her brother asked.
When she didn’t answer, Moira talked on her behalf. “I’m not sure. She went to Ravenswood to see Hazel, and when she returned, she fell apart.”
“Angie,” Fitz asked again, laying his hand on her back and bending to her level. “Can you look at me?”
Taking in a shuddering breath, she calmed enough to pull away from Moira and sit down.
“Angie, what happened?” Fitz asked again, his concern clear on his face.
“He’s falling apart, Fitz,” Angeline choked out. “I thought after I talked with him here at Geffen House that he was going to clean up his act. But when I went down to Sidney’s study to see him after my time with Hazel, he was practically passed out on his desk from drink. He can’t handle anything that’s happening right now and is turning back to his old vices to cope.”
“God-damn-it,” Fitz said. “I hoped this wouldn’t happen, but between losing his brother, inheriting the title, the marriage contract debacle, and you necessarily breaking things off—that’s a lot for any man. He’s clearly not even trying to handle it, though.”
“I feel like this is my fault, like I was the last piece holding him together and when I pulled away, everything came tumbling down and I broke him. I don’t recognize him anymore, Fitz.” Angeline was haunted by how he’d appeared, so unlike himself. “I still love him, but I don’t like who he is right now. He’s been pleading for me to believe in him . . . to find a way we can still be together. But I was so upset with his neglect of Hazel and seeing him that way . . . I told him that even if that were possible, I wouldn’t want to be with him now. You should have seen his face, how wounded he was.”
“First of all,” Moira said, “Hazel can stay here with us for as long as necessary so Sidney can clean up his act. Secondly, this is not your fault. A lot of terrible things happened all at once, and yes, we need to support Sidney, but that doesn’t mean sheltering him from his new reality. He knows deep down that you were right in ending your relationship, he just doesn’t want to accept it because it hurts too much.”
“Moira’s right,” Fitz chimed in. “Angeline, we can’t continue to indulge him forever, and hopefully your decision to pull away will be the wake-up call he needs. When he’s ready to ask for help, we will absolutely be there for him. But until then, I think we need to leave him to fend for himself.”
“I just want my friend back. Even if we can’t be together, I still love him and I want him to be alright.” As Moira hugged her again, she couldn’t prevent the tears from coming.
* * *
“You son of a bitch,” Fitz yelled, bursting into Sidney’s study and seeing him sitting on the floor, whisky tumbler in hand. Sidney didn’t try to defend himself, knowing he deserved everything Fitz was about to give him.
“Well? Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” When Sidney remained silent, Fitz continued to rant, unleashing his anger. “You know I love you like a brother, but when you started becoming serious with Angeline, you promised me you wouldn’t hurt her. You promised me! But you have hurt her, and it’s time you wake up and start to make things right.”
“I know,” Sidney whispered to the ground. “I know I’ve messed everything up. Oh god. Fitz, I don’t know what to do.” Cradling his head between his hands, Sidney sobbed uncontrollably.
Fitz looked at him in shock, not knowing how to react or comfort him. Finally, he just sat down beside him on the ground and waited for Sidney to cry himself out.
“Sidney, what happened?” Fitz asked when he had calmed down enough to converse.
Wincing, he recalled the conversation he had with Angeline. “Your sister rightly tore into me, and I was determined to clean up and do better, I was. But then I heard Lady Effie talking about Nick.” He recounted what he had overheard to Fitz.
“She said that?” Fitz asked, utterly shocked. Sidney then explained how he had convinced her to leave and not pursue the contract with threats of public exposure. “Good,” Fitz said, furious.
“I really was planning to clean myself up and start new. But then that conversation—I just fell apart again.”
Fitz let out a big sigh and leaned his head back against the desk. “Everything that’s happened over the past month isn’t fair, and you’ve had to deal with the brunt of it. But you’re not the only one affected, and you’re not the only one who’s hurting. You’re now the guardian of a fragile eight-year-old who needs the only family she has left. And if you don’t pull your head out of your ass soon, you’re going to lose one of the best friendships you’ve ever had. Angeline loves you, but she won’t suffer fools, she’s been through too much.”
Sidney flinched. “I know, that was another mistake. I may have implied that she didn’t know what it was like to lose someone so suddenly.”
“Sid. . .,” Fitz said with an exasperated sigh.
“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Fitz. I’ve loved her for over a decade and I finally had her. I can’t lose her too, I just can’t,” Sidney said, voice breaking.
“Then we’ll figure out a way, we’ll find your relations and train up the new heir. But first, you have to deserve her, Sidney. And right now, you don’t.”
He knew Fitz was speaking the truth. He needed to get away from Ravenswood to clear his head and dry himself out, so he could be stable for Hazel and be the man Angeline saw in him. “Do you think you can take care of Hazel for a while?” he asked Fitz.
“Of course,” Fitz said, squeezing his shoulder. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to visit Reid. If he’ll have me, maybe I can stay in the infamous dower house. I need some space, and I think the sea air will be good for me.”
“I think so too,” Fitz said.
