Cruel Shame (Knights of Templar Academy #3) - Sofia Daniel Page 0,78

still don’t know what he gave me, but they weren’t painkillers. When I woke up, I was in his bed, naked and he was on top of me.”

The words hit me like a punch in the gut. Even though I’d suspected the archbishop had raped Mother, I’d never expected it to happen like that.

“No,” I whispered.

“He wouldn’t stop, even when I cried.” Mother paused to catch her breath. “He said the only way to erase an act of hatred was with an act of love. Afterward, he performed a spiritual marriage, wrote up a shitty certificate, and gave me a ring that would symbolize our connection in the eyes of god.”

“What?”

“Check beneath the base of the grandfather clock,” she muttered. “The police seized the ring when they tracked me down to London and arrested me for theft.”

My eyes blurred with tears. Twice within twenty-four hours then got thrown into prison while pregnant? “Mum, I’m sorry.”

“Well, there’s your truth, Lilah. It might have been better that Thomas Neapolitan was your father. At least he was honest in his hatred.”

I glanced across the room at Gideon, who leaned forward, his lips parted with shock. He seemed to be struggling to absorb what he was hearing. There was so much I wanted to say to Mother. After everything she’d gone through, I couldn’t blame her one bit for being cold and distant. Nobody had helped her in her hour of need but Billy Hancock.

It wasn’t one terrible trauma, not even two, but three because the Liddells sent the police after her to get back their ring.

“When the old bastard finally opened the door to let me go, Miss Gabbage was standing in the hallway. The way she looked at me was like she knew exactly what had happened and it was my fault because I was trash.”

Mother swallowed, sounding like she was having a drink.

“She brushed past me and stepped into Father Liddell’s room for a word.” Mother snorted. “I guess she was negotiating with him for her silence.”

“Those bastards,” I whispered.

“Now that you know everything, I will not have you bring up the subject again.” Mother hung up.

I stared at the screen’s recording app, which counted off the passing milliseconds. “Everything makes sense.” My voice was a monotone. “Why the archbishop was so willing to accept me as the daughter of Father Neapolitan and why he married a woman who he’d previously brushed aside.”

Gideon shook his head. “It was to hide his own dirty sin.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Later that evening, I told the knights what I had discovered, all three of them were furious on our behalf. All this time, we thought Lady Liddell was the evil one, when she’d been covering up for the archbishop the entire time.

When it came to Mr. Burgh, I couldn’t say the words. The boys walked me back to the headmaster’s quarters, where a dim light still glowed in the window. I expected to find him brooding in front of the fire, but I voices drifted from the basement, and a chink of light shone from the door that led down to the kitchen.

My throat dried. Was he talking to a solicitor so late at night? I descended the stairs, treading hard on the creaky steps, and found Mr. Burgh at the kitchen table, sharing a cup of cocoa with Mrs. Campbell. Curled tendrils of the older woman’s hair hung loose from her bun, framing her freshly made-up face. While she still wore the same tweed suit I’d seen her in at lunchtime, it was with a pussybow blouse that accentuated her bust.

Pink bloomed across her cheeks. “Good evening, Lilah. I trust you’re well?”

Normally, I would make an excuse to leave them to enjoy their evening, but time was critical. Mr. Burgh hadn’t decided on whether or not to accept the archbishop’s offer of his job back. According to the solicitors, Elizabeth’s apology was inadequate and strengthened Mr. Burgh’s grounds for a defamation suit. If I let him make a decision without the full facts, Mr. Burgh might never forgive me or himself.

“I’m sorry, but something’s happened and I need to speak to my grandad.”

Mr. Burgh’s eyes widened. I’d never referred to him out loud as anything except by name. “Are you alright?”

I shook my head.

Mrs. Campbell rose from her seat. “I won’t be keeping you.” She turned to me, her eyes softening. “If there’s anything you need from me, you need only ask.”

“Thanks, Miss,” I murmured.

As the older woman swept past in a cloud of lavender perfume,