As he and Agatha settled in the small salon to share some tea and food, he looked at her but saw no sign that she was suffering in any way. “How fare you, Aggie?”
“I will be fine, Brant. It was frightening when Minden tried to steal me away. It also hurt to know my mother gave her full approval for it to happen. Yet, that pain was fleeting. I learned long ago that she has never really cared for any of us.” Agatha sighed. “That was hard for I was still very much a child and eager to please my mother. It eventually became evident that there was nothing I could do, nothing any of us could do, to please her unless we could advance her place in society or fill her purse. An ugly truth but one I accepted.”
“I should have been here, should never have left you in her grasp.”
“Brant, you seem very fond of shouldering guilt for things you could not have changed. She would do what she would do no matter where you were, she would just have done it differently. And, I lived with her more than you did, yet even I did not truly grasp how evil she was. That is a shock it will take time to overcome.”
“I think you pardon me too quickly. I was sunk in my own little world, paying no heed to anything but what I wanted. Too often I was sunk in drink as well and more useless to everyone who needed me than I care to think on.”
Agatha smiled at him and patted his hand. “You were grieving. I think you were also trying very hard not to believe that our mother knew exactly what would happen to Faith when she sold the poor girl to that house. I think she did but it took this latest trouble for me to accept that.”
“You know about Faith?”
“Oh, yes. Mother liked to keep her secrets but she was too arrogant, and too dismissive of me, to do it well. I know far, far more than she would have ever allowed if she had been paying attention.”
Brant forgot all his guilt for a moment. “Just what do you know, Aggie? Enough for me to see to some punishment for those who worked with her or knew what she was doing? Those who may have helped her hide her crimes?”
Agatha smiled even more. “Oh, yes. I know a great deal. Where would you like me to start?”
Brant soon discovered that his little sister was not making an idle boast. He did not wish to think on how young she must have been when she had begun to spy on their mother. The things she had learned about were not ones any young girl should have ever even heard about. Yet, he could not completely still his excitement as she spoke, telling him names, informing him of where he could find the papers to back up any accusations he made, and even how much money his mother had gathered and where it was.
“My God, Agatha, why did you not tell us this before?”
“You would never have been able to get to it. That much she was careful about. She also did not trust you and, for all her lack of care, she did respect your brain and your strength enough to be wary about you, to be on her guard.” Agatha shrugged. “I was nothing she ever saw as a threat.”
“More fool her,” he muttered and ran a hand through his hair. “It will take some time for me to sort this all out. Are you uncomfortable in this house now?”
“No, it is just a house. True, it carries her mark but she did have good taste. It will be awhile before the chill of her presence leaves, but if we must stay here for a while, do not fret that it will disturb greatly.”
“Good, for I have a need to bring some of these men to justice.”
“And to see Olympia, I suspect.” She laughed when Brant blushed a little. “She is a very good woman. Strong and clever, but with a very big heart.”
“I am not good enough for her.”
“Nonsense. You are more than good enough for her especially if you love her as I think you do.”
“I failed her as I have failed too many others.” He started in surprise when she gave him a light slap on the cheek.
“You need to rid yourself of that guilt.” She stood up and brushed down her skirts. “It is useless, unearned, and it will be a poison to whatever you might wish to build with Olympia. Do you love her?”
“Yes.”
“And you believe she loves you?”
“I feel that she does.” He was not about to explain why he felt that way since it involved matters much too personal to share with a girl of sixteen.
“Then you must go to her with a clean heart and mind.”
“What the devil does that mean?” he asked himself after Agatha walked away.
He sighed and realized he was utterly exhausted. Tomorrow would be soon enough to deal with this treasure of information his sister had handed him. He might even have to bring Dobson back into the mess his mother had made.
As he made his way to his bedchamber, he decided he would fix his mind on making some of his mother’s allies pay for their crimes. He would visit Olympia as often as he could as well. Once she was well enough, he would declare himself to her. As for all the rest, the talk of the guilt he carried and clearing his heart? There was time enough in the future to deal with that once he figured out how to do so.
Chapter 19