The Ruby in the Storm

Chapter 11: Not a Drop to Drink

Chapter 11: Not a Drop to Drink

Belmoran Island, 1842

Ross entered his home and didn't stop to gather his thoughts. He feared if he did, he would never be able to leave. The events of the night made it seem as though years had passed even though it had only been mere hours.

Ross was not sure if his mother was awake, but he hoped she was. He didn't want to leave a note, not after he promised her that he would not leave her behind again, unless he had no choice. Lucy was his fiancée and the love of his life, so by all respects, he did have no choice, but he knew his mother would not see it that way, especially since it would be a painful reminder of what happened with Charlotte.

Ross found his mother buried in a book in the library. Since his father's passing, his mother spent a great deal of time reading his books. His father's collection was astounding, and it was her own way of keeping him close.

"Mother."

She looked up from her book and smiled when she saw Ross standing there, breaking his heart even more. "You're home late, my dear."

"I know, I am sorry," Ross stood in the doorway, refusing to step forward. "Something has come up, mother."

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Lucy's mother has taken ill," he said, trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible. "She is leaving tonight, and I am going with her."

His mother slammed the book shut and stood quickly. "No, Ross."

He felt gut churn seeing the look on her face. It was the same betrayal that she had shown when he left the first time. "Lucy is my fiancée, mother. I have to go with her. She cannot grieve her mother alone."

"She will not be alone, she has a family!" His mother protested. "Your place is here, Ross! Shorewind needs you, and I do too. I cannot be alone anymore."

"You won't be!" Ross hurried forward and placed his hands on his mother's shoulders. "Mother, we will not be gone long. Lucy and I will come back, I swear it! But I need to be by her side, you know I do."

"Why must you always do the noble thing, Ross?" His mother asked, tears in her eyes. "For once, my son, be selfish! Be selfish for me!"

He was being selfish. He was not doing the noble thing. He was lying to the face of the women who had given him life, like it was the easiest thing in the world to do. He couldn't even look her in the eye, because if he did then all of the events of the day would come back to remind him that he had murdered a man. But James would have done worse if Ross had not intervened... He would have raped Lucy.

"Ross..." His mother reached forward to stroke his face. "Lucy is a wonderful girl. I saw that the moment I set eyes on her, the moment she care forward with the truth of her circumstance. She is no Charlotte, but she cannot take you away from me!"

"She is not," Ross took his hands off his mother's shoulders. "But if you were dying, mother, I would want to be by your side, and I would not want to be alone. I am big enough to admit that. Losing a mother..." He sighed, "Even Lucy knows the pain of that."

Another lie. Lucy wouldn't be by her mother's bedside. Ross wished he could feel remorse for what he was doing, but the moment he allowed himself to feel was the moment he realized the brevity of what he did, what he was going to do, all for Lucy. And he knew he would do it again, all for her. That was why he couldn't allow himself to feel.