Melissa watched as Darragh reached for Avery’s arm in a protective manner, while Daniel held her gaze, searching her face for any kind of reaction that would let him know how she felt.
“Thank you, dear,” George said to Daphne in an overly sweet voice, making Melissa feel ill all over again. “I don’t expect any of you to forgive me without having seen any change in my behavior,” he added, taking turns to look his daughters in the eye. “I can only promise that given the chance, you will see that I’m a changed man and a hopeful father coming to his daughters in utter repentance.”
“What is it that you expect to gain from all of this?” Daniel finally asked after examining his wife’s face for a second. “Surely you must have a goal in mind if you came here to ask for forgiveness. What is it that you hope to gain?”
Melissa felt a wave of pride at the way Daniel spoke to her father after reading her face. It wasn’t an emotion that she’d ever expected to feel toward the man, but she was glad she could count on him at present, nonetheless.
George took a step into the middle of the room and addressed his daughters directly rather than replying to Daniel. “Only the relationship restored between a father and his beautiful daughters. I know it’s hard to believe at this point, but that’s all I want at present, and for the rest of my life.” He wrung his cap in his hands.
“But what do you expect us to do?” Avery asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “Just allow you back into the family as if nothing ever happened? Invite you over for supper and talk like we used to in the old days?”
“I know it won’t be that easy,” George replied with tears in his eyes. “I’m not expecting you or your sister…” He turned toward Daphne with a smile. “Or even your mother, who has been gracious enough to hear me out, to forgive me without any kind of penance on my behalf.” He turned back toward the others. “Perhaps you could start by allowing me some time with your children. I’d love the opportunity to spend some with them.” He looked at Darragh and Avery. “Get to know them and see what they are like.”
Avery looked up at Darragh and bit her lower lip before looking at her father again. “We will need to discuss the matter before we give you an answer.”
“If we agree,” Darragh said, hostility in his voice. “It willnae be alone. The bairns will only be allowed in your company if one of us is present.”
“That’s fair,” George said solemnly and nodded with eyes downcast before turning toward Melissa. “Perhaps you would consider spending some time with me alone. We could talk about your wedding and everything that has happened in your life,” he suggested almost cheerfully. “I’d love to hear how you and Daniel fell in love.”
Shaking her head, Melissa massaged her temple with her fingers, still nursing the final remnants of her lingering headache. “I will have to give it some thought as well, but I doubt that I’ll change my mind.” She looked at her father with a serious face.
“Don’t tire yourself out, dear.” Daphne came forward and placed her hand on George’s arm when his demeanor seemed to fade back into a saddened state. “Let the girls think about what you have said, and they can come back to you later with their answer.” She guided him to the door, but not before looking over her shoulder and giving Melissa a disappointed look.
“I dinnae trust the man,” Daniel was first to say when the pair had left.
“Neither do I,” Darragh agreed. “But it isnae up to us to decide. I dinnae want to deprive Melissa and Avery of reconciling with their father if the man has genuinely turned a new page.” He bent down and placed a kiss on the top of his wife’s head. “Take yer time an’ think things over.” He straightened his spine and looked her in the eyes once again. “Dinnae let the bairns alone with him until we’ve had enough time to see if he’s changed.”
“I will leave the decision in your hands as well,” Daniel said to Melissa. “You know the agreement between us. I trust your judgment,” he said bluntly and left the room with a stiff expression on his face.
“Agreement?” Avery asked her sister with a frown.
“I have no idea what he’s talking about,” Melissa answered. “Everything from last night is still quite foggy.” She shook her head and continued to massage her temples as if the act alone could bring back her memory.
“I’ll leave the two of ye to discuss matters, then.” Darragh excused himself and left the room.
“Let’s go and have a walk in the gardens.” Avery looped her arm through her sister’s. “Perhaps things will become a little clearer when you’ve had some fresh air.”
“Do you think we should give him another chance?” Avery asked as they walked over the damp grass surrounding the castle.
The sky was grey and clouded as they passed beneath a cluster of birch trees that grew beside the castle. Melissa had chosen a light shawl to wear over her bright green day dress in an attempt to ward off the chill created by the rainy weather.
“I honestly don’t think we should,” Melissa said in annoyance and pulled her shawl a little tighter around her shoulders. It had taken her a long time to make peace with everything that had happened, she wasn’t about to ruin that in the space of one conversation.
“I actually think we should give him another chance,” Avery claimed to Melissa’s great surprise. “He seemed truly repentant, and it would be great if the children can know their grandfather. I’d hate to explain to them why we never spoke to him again.”
“I guess…” Melissa let out a tired sigh as she stopped beneath an overgrown oak tree that stood in the middle of the grove.
“What’s the matter?” Avery asked with concern. “Is the headache still bothering you?”
“No, it’s not that.” Melissa shut her eyes as images came back to her mind from the day before with shocking clarity. “I kissed Daniel,” she uttered in surprise.
“Yes, dear, that is usually what happens at a wedding.”
“No, I mean, we went up to his secret tower and kissed each other passionately after opening a bottle of his hidden ale,” Melissa explained as best she could.
“Wait, what?” Avery shook her head in confusion as she tried to make sense of everything her sister was saying. “What secret tower, and what hidden ale?”
“Is that really the most important part to you?”
