His Redemption, Her Legacy

Part 3

'There was a long hard time when I kept far from me the remembrance of what I had thrown away when I was quite ignorant of its worth.'

-Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

~~~

Hayworth Estate;

Zachary’s heart swelled with pride as he glanced at the faces surrounding him on the table.

All his children were there.
His darling daughter was sitting beside his mother and had a heavenly smile on her face as she listened to something that his youngest son, Philip was trying to gesticulate, his small hands flying wildly in all directions.

Zachary had learnt to treasure moments like these as they were few and far apart.
He could not spend as much time with his children as he desired. It was a price that he had to pay for the responsibility of handling two big Estates. Hence, he had made sure that supper time was the time when his entire family sat together.

Naturally, they all had moments together besides the suppertime but he was not privy to them.

Zachary’s gaze fell again upon his beautiful daughter and he was again reminded of his visit to the Palace that morning.   
He had yet to tell anyone about it but he knew that he could not put it off for long as the Prince was due to visit them any day now.

Maya had grown into a wise young woman.
He could see the kindness emanating from her eyes, same as her mother’s.

She was the voice of reason amongst his children. She took care of her brothers and her grandmother as much as they took care of her. Her absence would leave a gaping hole in all their lives.

Lady Margaret saw the wistful look that Zachary had directed towards Maya.
Although she had seen the same look innumerable times, this time there was something different about it.

She cast an inquiring look in his direction.
“Is there something you want to tell us, Lord Hayworth?”

Zachary heard his mother’s questioning tone and sighed. He knew he had to tell them. There was no point in delaying the inevitable.

All his children were now looking at him.
Scarlet’s brows furrowed as she sat beside him.

“I went to the Palace today. The King had called for me.”
He began in an uncertain tone. He knew what he was about to tell them would not be received well.

Lady Margaret looked at him expectantly.
“What did he say?”

She was well aware of the tension that had enveloped their friendship and knew that Zachary was not on very good term with his friends anymore. Hence, this new was not something that she had been expecting.

Zachary took in a long breath before continuing,
“He asked for Maya’s hand in marriage for Prince Edward.”

The atmosphere of the hall had turned tensed.

Lady Margaret was filled with apprehension.
She had anticipated this day- a day when her dear Maya would have to leave them to start her own family but this was too soon.

“What?”
The disapproving voice of Brandon Hayworth echoed in the hall. He was looking at Zachary with an unmasked anger in his eyes.

Zachary met his gaze fixedly.
He knew his son’s dislike for him. It had grown steadily over the last few years once he was wise enough to grasp onto the unspoken truths regarding the circumstances of his mother’s death.