"Kendall Moore. You and your parents have been summoned to the Harper house. At once."
Kendall stared at the lanky, peg-nosed servant standing on her step, as did her mother and brother. She raised a brow. "Me? Are you sure?"
"I am certain, Miss."
"What's this about?" her mother asked suspiciously. "If this has anything to do with finances, I think we can wait for my husband to come home. He's still at the shop."
"I'm afraid Mr. Harper insists that you come to the house right away. We can pick your husband up on the way."
"I don't like this one bit," Brandon stated.
"I suppose we'd better go see what this is all about," their mother sighed. "It's ... probably nothing." She fetched hats for herself and her daughter, but when Brandon reached for his coat, the servant raised a finger.
"Your presence is not required, Mr. Brandon."
"What?"
"Mr. Harper made it very clear that he does not want you at the house."
"Are you serious? Whatever this is concerns the family, doesn't it? Then it concerns me too."
He shrugged. "I am only carrying out orders, I do not question them."
"So you have no mind of your own, is that it?"
"Alright, alright," their mother piped up, reining her son in. "We'll be fine, Brandon."
Brandon did not look convinced, but he did not want to argue with his mother so he kept quiet. Kendall sent her brother a worried look before making her way outside with her mother.
The Harper carriage was waiting, dark and ominous like it was waiting to take them into the underworld. Mother and daughter clambered in, sitting stiffly despite the comfortable interior. The carriage started moving, and they saw Brandon looking on helplessly. This can't be good, Kendall thought. Her guess was that Mr. Harper had found out about the bet and was going to tell her parents all about it. She knew she couldn't have trusted Lilith when she'd said the bet was off. Perhaps Lilith had told her father about it, or perhaps he had found out some other way. It didn't matter. However he had learned of it, she was in trouble now.
A short while later, they stopped at their father's shop and after some puzzlement and whinging, he closed things up and got in with them. "Do either of you have any idea what this is about?" he asked.
Her mother shrugged, while Kendall pretended to stare down at her hands.
"Who does he think he is summoning us like we were his servants? Sometimes, I think the man is not in his right mind."
That didn't stop you from borrowing his money. Kendall pressed her back against the velvet seat, watching with dread as the Coser scenery floated by like a never-ending painting. She felt like she was experiencing the calm before a storm, the wait before an execution.
Before she knew it, the carriage came to a stop outside the Harper fortress. For someone who hates the Harpers, I've come to this house far too often lately. The trio got out, following the servant up and inside to the parlor. "Have a seat," he said, and her parents did so, but Kendall was far too nervous.
"The Harpers will be down shortly," the servant said, before pivoting and trotting out.
"The Harpers?" Kendall's mother repeated in surprise. "Did he mean that Black woman? Why is she involved?"
"The woman's his wife now," Kendall's father reminded her.
"Still, the debt has nothing to do with her."
If only this were about the debt, Kendall thought, morose. As if reading her mind, her father spoke up, "One thing I don't understand - why would Richard want Kendall here? It must be a mistake."
They heard footsteps approaching, and Kendall became rooted to her spot. In walked Tyler of all people, and the two of them blinked at each other.
"You," he went rudely. "What are you doing here?" He turned, noticing her parents waiting there and looking all formal. "Is this what I think it is??"
"Oh, get over yourself already," she retorted.
"Kendall!" her mother exclaimed. "That is no way to speak, young lady."
Kendall narrowed her eyes. You wouldn't think that if you knew, Mother.
"Good, everyone's here," Mr. Harper's voice sounded as he made his entrance, with his new wife on his arm.
"I'm not involved in this, am I?" Tyler asked, directing it at his mother.
"Involved? You're the cause of all this," she answered, pointing to an armchair at the end of the room. "Sit."
Looking peeved, he turned and trotted across the floor to drop into the chair.
"Now then," Mr. Harper said as he and his new wife sat on a sofa across from the Moores. "I am sure you must be wondering why - Miss Kendall? Aren't you going to sit down?"
She shook her head stubbornly. Her mother reached over, grabbing her arm and dragging her onto the seat forcefully.
"I am sure you must be wondering what this is all about," Mr. Harper finished.
"Why don't you tell them, Tyler?" Regina Harper spouted.
"Tell them what?"
"Tell them about you and Miss Kendall here."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Because of your actions, the engagement with Lilith will have to be called off and you will have to wed this girl instead."
"What?" Kendall's parents crowed, cocking their heads at the same time.
"My actions?" Tyler echoed in disbelief. "Wait a minute. If you're implying what I think you are, nothing of that sort has happened between us."
"That is not what people around town are saying," she said sternly. "Can you imagine how upset Lilith will be when she finds out?"
"You're making a mistake."
"The mistake was yours."
"You mean he - " Kendall's father piped up, gesturing at Tyler. " ... and my daughter?"
"I'm afraid so."
Kendall's father blinked, astonished. Across from him, Mr. Harper cleared his throat. "I understand how distressing this must be for you. I'm sure you will agree that the two must be married as soon as possible in light of this."
"Yes," Mrs. Harper seconded. "I sincerely apologize on behalf of my son, Mr. and Mrs. Moore."
Kendall's father paused, blinking over all her jewels and finery, and the frown on his face actually began to ease somewhat. "Yes ... I suppose you're right. There's nothing else to be done about it."
The money! All he sees is money! Kendall began shaking her head. "No, wait .... "
Her mother turned to glare at her. "I can't believe you were so foolish, Kendall."
"But I wasn't."
"Hush! I'll deal with you when we get home."
"Why don't you believe me? Or Tyler? We told you nothing happened."
"Did you really think you could have your fun and there wouldn't be consequences? Do you know what people will say if the two of you do not marry? Not to mention if you were found to be with child!"
"There is no child because nothing happened. How many times do I have to tell you that?"
"Enough." She stood up, as did her husband. "Mr. Harper, Mrs. Harper, thank you for informing us about this. We are very grateful."
"Now we just have to break it to Lilith," Mr. Harper said.
"We will begin preparations as soon as possible."
"Let me," Mrs. Harper offered, standing and leveling a gaze with the other woman. "As a form of recompense for my son's behavior."
"Alright then," she didn't put up much of a fight, of course. She pinched Kendall's arm, making her jump. "Let's go, Kendall."
Kendall scowled, trailing after them. She couldn't help shooting a glare at Tyler as she went, as if to say, Look what you've done!
Unsurprisingly, it was not a pleasant journey home. Her mother switched back and forth between berating her and moaning about her 'lost virtue' while her father seemed quite unbothered, even whistling to himself at one point. In his eyes, this was a good thing - a fortunate alliance even if it was surrounded in scandal. "Oh, come now," he said to his wife eventually. "What's past is past. Everything will be made right once they are married."
"She has ruined our family name, or do you not see that?"
"She may have ruined our name but she has secured our future. Do you not see that?"
Kendall's mother raised a brow. "I should rather be penniless than have such a man for a son-in-law."
"You wouldn't say that if we really were penniless. Need I remind you of our situation?"
"No," she admitted grudgingly.
He glanced at Kendall, releasing a sigh. "Still, this is not the way it should be."
Kendall said nothing, knowing it was futile to continue trying to convince them of her innocence. As soon as they got home, her mother went to Brandon to tell him everything, no doubt expecting a shocked reaction.
"Mother, do you really think Kendall would do a thing like that?" he responded, and she felt like hugging him. Then again, they had already been through this once. Initially, he had believed the rumors too.
"She's always running off at odd times, and I know how she feels about that boy."
Kendall let out an aggrieved sigh.
"But what if it's not true?"
"It doesn't matter. Everyone thinks it is."
"That makes no sense," Kendall exclaimed.
"You, be quiet. Go to your room."
"Gladly," she shot back, before fleeing. She went into her room and locked the door, before sitting on her bed. The bizarre doll that Brandon had given her sat on the nightstand next to her, and she took it out of its case, rolling the little shape between her fingers.
A few minutes later, someone turned the knob. "Kendall," she heard her brother's voice.
She bounced up, unlocking the door for him. He slipped inside, watching as she quickly shut and locked the door again. "This is a nightmare," she hissed, walking back to her bed.
"I didn't want Lilith to marry Tyler, but not like this. This is like having your wish come true, in the most twisted way possible."
"Mother and Father refuse to listen to me. They refuse to believe nothing happened."
"I know. I tried to talk to them too, but I don't think the truth matters to them - only what other people believe is the truth."
"That's not even the worst part. The worst part is I think they're sort of ... glad this is happening."
"Glad??"
"Father, at least. Remember, Tyler's rich and he still owes Mr. Harper a huge debt."
Her brother stared at her. "Are you serious?"
"You know how money-minded he is."
"Argh!" Brandon cried. "I should have throttled that Tyler Black up at their house when I had the chance. You know he started these rumors."
"Well, for what it's worth, he's not happy about this either."
"No, it's not worth squat to me."
"I don't know what to do."
"I don't think there's anything you can do. It's alright, you just leave it to me."
"Are you sure?" she asked doubtfully. "I don't want you going to jail for murder .... "
"I'm not going to murder him."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. But I'll think of something."
She smiled faintly. "I don't think anything can be done, to be honest, but thank you, Brandon."
He peered down at her, noticing that she was thumbing his gift to her. "I'm glad to see you like it."
"What?" She glanced at the doll. "Oh. Well. I always wondered why you got me this."
"Really? You don't remember?"
"Remember what?"
"How you always wanted a dollhouse? When you were a little girl, you wouldn't shut up about it. You got the idea when I took you out to the Hurtmore place for the first time. I thought ... this could be a start, you know?"
She stared at him, her heart warming over. "Oh."
"You mean you forgot about all that?"
"Um .... "
"I can't believe this! And there I was congratulating myself for it being such a thoughtful gift."
"It is thoughtful. And sweet. Thank you." She got up, planting a peck on his cheek. "And thank you for helping me with everything."
"Well, what are heroes for, right?"