Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 423: Letters From The Past

Chapter 423: Letters From The Past

"Is this how you’re going to play it?"

Ralph gathered his strength to stand up, and Talia used the shock collar once more.

She didn’t even feel bad doing it. Some people advised her to train Bear using a shock collar and she found that idea inhumane. But for Ralph, she found it acceptable. In her eyes, he was lower than a dog.

Talia ordered, "Keep your distance from my grandpa!"

"MaryAnn..." Jerome tried to get the remote from Talia’s hands, but Talia held it close to her.

Furrowing her brows, she looked at her grandpa intently. She wanted to assure her grandpa that she is not going to be soft towards Ralph.

"He deserves everything I give him, grandpa. Don’t stop me."

Jerome sighed looking at Talia. He was not worried for Ralph. When he saw how he was kept in this place, he felt vindicated for the sufferings his adorable MaryAnn endured in his hands for years.

Rather than for the sake of Ralph, Jerome was more worried for Talia. She’s a kind soul and to see her make another human suffer in the name of vengeance made him feel scared. She should not lose her humanity even for the sake of vengeance. That’s where he wronged: when he lost his composure for a moment and he forgot that he was talking to a child.

And that’s what led to his precious grandchild’s sufferings.

He saw Talia picking up the papers and Ralph was shivering as he lay on the floor. He was mumbling something inaudible.

I’m the one to blame here, not these two kids.

Talia got the papers and started reading. Those were the photocopies of the letters sent by Jerald Brunton during the war. He had written from the army bunkers and most of the letters were dated closer to his death.

In one letter, he complained about a woman named Dorothy Grimes who had found out about his ’secret’ and is now threatening to spread the secret if he doesn’t take responsibility for the child in her belly. Dorothy was one of the s*x workers who’d visit the camp at night. Soldiers meeting women was not allowed, but the women would sneak in and men would pay them for their "company" all the same.

But Jerald Brunton didn’t want to give the Brunton name to some child borne out of indecency (his thoughts aligned with the thoughts of most during that time plus that was not his child and he didn’t want to acknowledge it as his as it involved his pride) and refused to give in to Dorothy.

Talia read Jerald Brunton mentioning that her grandpa asked him to give in to Dorothy’s wishes if that would make his life easy, but Jerald didn’t want to do that. He even asked Jerome Brunton to not pull his weight as a Duke with his superiors which will only make his life harder in the camp.

Then there was the other letter from Jerald Brunton which was dated the day before his death. It was a letter filled with distress and fear for his death.

’She did it, Jerry. She spilled my secret with everyone in the camp and everyone is looking at me like I am a maggot. I don’t think I can handle it anymore.’

There were tear marks that had smudged the ink in various places of the letter and Talia’s heart sank, wondering what made a grown man who was fighting in a war to cry this much when he writes home.

What kind of secret had this devastating effect? Did he murder someone or tried to desert the army?

Talia read the letter further and Jerald Brunton wrote how much he was grateful for the Brunton family and how he was devastated to pay the kindness he received from the Brunton family with his shameful behaviour which he tried to change with no results.

Jerald Brunton was deeply sorrowed knowing how his ’secret’ will tarnish the reputation of the Brunton family and yet cursed his inability to change himself to save the reputation of the Brunton family.

’Shirt lifter’, ’Invert’, ’Poof’ - those were the terms Jerald Brunton had written here and there where he mentioned the names people will call him from thereinafter. And Talia had no idea what those words meant.

Talia looked at her grandfather with mixed emotion. She understood what Dorothy did was despicable: to blackmail a man to take responsibility for something he is not responsible for.

And she had a feeling that it won’t be the only reason for her grandpa to end up getting that mad at Dorothy and her daughter.

"Since the rumour reached the Colonel, he was about to issue a dishonourable discharge for Jerald. But... my brother volunteered himself to become the cannon fodder to maintain the dignity of the Brunton family; to keep his secret from getting recorded in any records."

Talia saw her grandpa’s eyes getting red and got closer to him for a hug.

"Haha..." Ralph laughed. "Is this the story you cooked up to cover up how you sent him to his death? It was not you who ordered the Colonel to send my granddad as cannon fodder?"

"No Ralph, this is the truth. I loved my brother and it was Dorothy who ruined his future by exposing his secrets knowing very well what it would do. If only she didn’t happen upon my brother, he’d have returned from the war with honours and would have lived the life he wanted." Jerome wiped the corners of his eyes.

He remembered that day after he chased after Jerald to stop him from enrolling in the military.

’Jerry, I can never be fruitful and ensure the next generation of the Brunton family. But you can. And for that, I cannot let you take even a single risk.’

He hugged him ever so tightly and Jerome feared that might be the last hug he’d receive from his brother.

’Go back, brother. Get back to Anna. She’s an amazing woman. Make a lot of babies and protect them all from the Boswells. If possible, end the feud and ensure the safety of your generations. I bet our ancestors will be proud of you if that happens and won’t blame you.’

"Lies! Liar! There is no way this is true! If this is true, what about MY truth I lived by? You’re saying my entire life is a lie? No, I will not accept it!" Ralph held his head with his hands and screamed, making Jerome come back to reality.