Charlotte stared. “I can’t believe you found something so quickly. A stone too. It seems valuable—”
The faint sound of yelling pulled Charlotte from her wonder. She held her breath, but the voice wasn’t Miss Gardner, or any female. It sounded like her father, low and urgent and calling for Christopher and Alexander. If he found her here, having scarpered away from her governess and lessons, he’d have her head. She shrank into the shadows and behind the nearest tree just before her Father came into the clearing. Once she heard his footsteps stop, she peeked out as far as she dared.
“I should have known you’d go into these woods.” Father was out of breath and staring at Christopher.
“I did not think I’d be missed, Father,” Christopher said with all the practiced deference of a firstborn son.
Charlotte had never seen her father enter the forest without a hunting party or flanked by many of his rich associates. And never on an errand to fetch one of his offspring.
“I came to inform your friend that he must go home at once.” Now Father’s wrathful eyes turned toward Alex. “Mr. Jenkins, you are never to set foot on this property again. Your father and mother will be taken within the hour to the debtors’ prison in Alnwick. Any friendship that existed between our families is forever expunged.”
Alex stumbled backward. “No, sir, you can’t mean—”
“I was at your house, Mr. Jenkins.” Father’s mouth pressed into a tight line. “Heaven knows I am one of the men to whom he is indebted, not that I called in those large sums.” He sighed, the first bit of sadness eking through his stoic exterior. “But enough other men have asked for their money to cause your family utter ruin. I fear your life will never be the same, and we can no longer associate with you. Now, be gone. And never come back.”
Charlotte strained her head out a little farther, and the gold buttons on Alex’s coat glinted in the light. It was a fine jacket, to be sure, just like everything he wore. She’d always assumed the Jenkinses were even wealthier than her own family.
Alex had no reply. Not a single rebuttal to her father, and his flesh seemed to turn to stone, pale and hard. Had he feared this would happen? Or known it would? He didn’t even look at Christopher. He simply slid one hand into his trouser pocket and moved slowly down the path past Charlotte, as if she’d never existed.
When he passed, she turned her gaze toward Christopher, whose head kept darting between his friend and his father. He took two strides toward Alex, but Father hissed, “Christopher, not another step!”
“But, Father, please—”
“No!” Charlotte could feel the coldness in her father’s tone. “You have a duty to our family.”
Alex paused on his way, looking back at them, and Christopher’s eyes filled with heaviness. His face contorted as every muscle in his body went taut, frozen in turmoil. In the tight silence, Charlotte waited, hoping Chris would be brave. She couldn’t stand up to her father, but maybe he would. But after a few more seconds and a defeated sigh, her brother squared his shoulders and turned his back on Alex. His chin pointed in the direction of the house, and his steps made quick work of the distance until he was at Father’s side.
Once Christopher had retreated, Alex continued down the lane. Charlotte marveled at how the boy maintained so much dignity as he continued down the path.
“There’s a good lad,” Charlotte heard her father tell Christopher. “I know you will always do what is best for our family.” His voice dropped, but not so low that she couldn’t make it out. “We’ll have a devil of a time keeping ourselves above reproach with all of this. Most of the town knows I encouraged Jenkins to take on his riskier investments. Supported a few deals, even.” His voice and their footsteps grew fainter. “Now we must act as though we never knew them. We cannot let them threaten our reputation in any way, ever. Promise me you will always protect our name.”
Charlotte glanced at Alex, who stopped again, his back still turned as he clearly listened to the conversation behind him.
Christopher cleared his throat, and in a firm voice he said, “Of course, Father. I am a Roylance.”
Charlotte wanted to cry. She’d never been strong enough to push back against Father; he’d never listen to her. But couldn’t her oldest brother at least try to influence him?
She thought back on his time before Harrow. She’d watched him grovel before Father before, but his easy acquiescence now was a revelation of his true character. Did his friend mean nothing to him at all? Alex shouldn’t have to pay for his father’s misdeeds.
As she watched Alex, and despite such a direct slight from his friend, he squared his broad shoulders. Suddenly he seemed to Charlotte as grown up as a man. With his head held high he moved in the direction of the sloping hill that led to his home.
All at once Charlotte’s body caught up to her thoughts. How could her father do this? And Christopher too? They both seemed to always get their way, to boss people around and care for no one but themselves.
She stepped out from behind the tree and tried to make her footfalls as quiet as possible as she hurried to catch up to Alex. When she thought she was close enough to him not to have her father or brother hear her, she sucked in a breath and called quietly, “Wait!”
Alex continued walking, as though his stone pallor had rendered him deaf.
She sprinted until she stood in front of him, blocking his path. “I don’t care what your father did or where he and your mother have gone. Why does that matter anyway?”
“Leave me alone.” He tried to push by her, but she scurried around again to block his way. She watched his face, his brows lowering in defeat, his posture suddenly dejected. “Oh, Stars.” Alex’s eyes shone dark and watery. “You’re too young. You wouldn’t understand why it matters.”
Indignation mingled with her already heightened emotions, and she crossed her arms. “I am not too young.”
When Alex tried to brush past her again, she reached out and grabbed his arm. She knew he was strong enough to pull away, but he didn’t. Her indignation melted into a compassionate smile as she looked into his forlorn eyes. “You can’t just walk away.” She drew in a breath. She wanted so badly to help him. “You said it about me, and I’ll say it about you: I trust you, and I think you should stay.”
He studied her for a moment before twisting his arm away. “You’ll see, Stars,” he said as he walked past her down the road. “No matter what you say, your words will never matter.”
His steady steps faded in volume, but her heart would not quiet its pounding. He had stood up for her, had been her champion in her time of need. Now, when she’d tried to return the favor, he’d reduced her to mere nothingness. Just like her brother and her father, Alex agreed that even her words meant nothing.
