Chapter 284 - Sorry is not always Enough. (2/2)
”I know,” Eileen whispered. ”But I still came even if it is late.”
”It is much too late,” Reginald said as he began to turn away.
”Please papa,” Eileen desperately pleaded with her father one last time. ”Please let me see mama.”
Reginald froze as he burned with anger, loss, pain, and so much more. ”How dare you! You have no right to call either of us that. No right at all!” Reginald hissed as he turned to face her.
Eileen flinched as though she had been slapped across the face, while Roderic looked on in confusion and moved to step forward to defend his wife. Argus grabbed his brother by the sleeve and shook his head at him. ”Brother, this is not your place,” Argus whispered. ”Please trust me on this little brother, this is between the two of them.”
”She is still your offspring, grandfather,” a voice from behind Reginald flatly said.
They all turned to study the figure of Rowan coming down the stairs. ”Let her at least just this once view grandmother's grave no matter how much she may not deserve to do so.”
Eileen's eyes fill with hope and tears as she sees her daughter now older and grown. Almost a young woman in her right, but her daughter refused to meet her gaze. Closing her eyes to keep the tears at bay, she understood only too well. A coward she had been like scurrying away in the night like a thief. She should have returned for them once she gained a proper job in Diagon Alley, but she did not. She had so foolishly convinced herself that her children would be better off with her father and mother.
In the end, Eileen had turned a blind eye to her own selfish actions and had once more committed the same mistake as in her past only this time she had betrayed her children. She had excused herself with the plea that she would be happy and that Roderic would never accept the children of another wizard much less that of a muggle. But she had been so very wrong in judging Roderic in that way for he was a good man and a far better person than herself. And now, her daughter refused to look her in the eyes nor much acknowledge her as their mother.
Tragically, she was acutely aware that she more deserved such a thing, and nothing else could be argued otherwise. Perhaps, it would serve a penance of sorts to know that she had lost her two firstborn's by her own two hands. They had not been stolen away but rather abandoned by her own two hands. And only the worst of mothers could possibly do that.
Eileen's thoughts are interpreted by the frigid words of her father, Reginald, ”My granddaughter has pleaded on your behalf, Mrs. Filch, consider yourself lucky.”
Reginald takes a deep breath and shouts, ”Tadbey!”
The male elf still in a black mourning suit appears with a soft pop. ”Yes, Master?”
”Please escort, Mrs. Filch to-,” Reginald's face breaks as his voice drops down to a whisper, ”To my Sirsa's resting place.”
”Yes, Master,” Tadbey said, before coldly turning towards Mrs. Filch. ”Mrs. Filch, please come right this way,” Tadbey said as Eileen glanced once or twice at her daughter and father, but neither turned to look her in the eye. With her head bowed forward, she rocked her son to her chest as she followed the house elf to her mother's resting place in the Prince family cemetery.
If it was the last thing she did, she could at least ask her mother for forgiveness even if it was much too late to make a proper penance. And as for her children, she would find a way to make amends before it was much too late. But that was easier said than done for Reginald Prince had no intention of letting his once called daughter anywhere near his grandchildren.