Night of Eden 48

Chapter 48

****

“…”

A muffled voice pierces his consciousness.

"...Master."

As he struggled to lift his heavy eyelids, he made out the wrinkled hand and a blurry view of a watchband swinging from side to side.

"Master."

The butler's voice pierced through, making his head hurt like it was going to break. Grunting, Edwin groaned and rolled onto his side.

Stan's chest tightened pitifully as he looked down at his master, but he couldn't just stare at him wistfully.

"...Dawson has been looking for you since dawn... He's been waiting ever since."

Edwin's body jerked as if he'd been struck by a thunderbolt. The covers flung back and his upper body jerked upright.

"What time is it?"

Edwin asked urgently, reaching in and pulling out his pocket watch before the butler had a chance to answer.

"Shit."

Stan quickly handed him a cup of water.

"Fortunately, I don't think we're too late. They didn't realize what happened until after dawn. That's why Dawson's been waiting until this time."

He blinked, blue eyes coming into sharp focus. Edwin took a drink of water and wiped his face with the palm of his hand.

"...Get ready. Come on."

Stan set the basin and towel in front of his master. Edwin rolled up his sleeves and bowed his head in front of the basin. He scooped up a handful of lukewarm water,

"Go ahead, tell me. What are you going to do with her?”

The image of himself asking the question nervously, Theodore laughing leisurely, and the whiskey bottles lying around cluttered his vision.

Edwin squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. The water in his hand twitched as another scene flashed through his mind.

“If she’s so valuable, you shouldn't have bet on her. Should you?”

Why the hell had I done that?

He should have known that the name 'Dana' would stir up Theodore's petty nature.

In the end, he had given him the upper hand without even winning.

His heart sank with regret.

But he couldn't just sit around lamenting it; his pride wouldn't allow him to let Theodore play games with Dana.

"Okay, admit it, I lost, it's my fault, it's my mistake, so do me a favor, Teddy. I'll give you something else you want, but let's pretend it never happened.”

Theodore smirked instead of answering.

Edwin felt as if he were stomping on his face. He barely suppressed his simmering emotions and put on a pleading face.

"That's not what we have between us. The wager was a joke, and you've changed the terms on more than one occasion.”

His anger boiled over as he stared at the unresponsive man.

"Are you going to turn her into another Vincent? Don't you feel sorry for her, Teddy? Are you that cowardly, picking on the weak?”

"Why are you talking so much when you've lost? Stop preaching and start drinking.”

Edwin clinked his glass nonchalantly and lost his cool again.

“Whatever you think of her, remember one thing. You're engaged to my sister, and she's Liana's maid, and she's a woman, and no one will think well of you if they know you're doing this.”

Was he reminding him about Liana like a warning?

Theodore's eyes, which had been dull, suddenly took on a sharp glint.

Theodore shot Edwin a displeased glare, then swished the whiskey into his mouth. From then on, they drank.

...Six shots, seven shots, eight shots...

They drank nonstop, and for a moment, Edwin lost his memory. His thoughts came in and out, as if someone had cut the strings of his consciousness.

"Hah...."

Edwin sighed, burying his face in his towel.

"Are you okay?"

Stan asked worriedly. Edwin nodded and straightened up from his slump.

One lingering memory flashed through his mind as if it were the last.

He staggered to his feet, realizing that it was completely dark outside the window.

Somewhere in his subconscious mind, the idea of getting to Pemburg, even if it was late, must have lingered. But his shaky body couldn't take more than a few steps before he collapsed to the ground.

"Master!”

Theodore called out to the servant who was helping him up.

And...

Edwin pressed his hand to his forehead, trying to remember.

But that was the end of the memory. Everything after that was a blur.

Tucking his shirt into his pants, Edwin called out to the butler, who was just coming out the door to prepare a carriage.

"The girl... Fetch her, will you?"

 Stan paused.

"I'll wait outside, bring her."

A few minutes later, Edwin was hurrying across the parlor. He craved coffee, but he couldn't afford a leisurely cup of it.

Afraid to step outside, the coachman hurriedly opened the door for him. Edwin didn't get on immediately, but stared in the direction of the outbuildings.

"Master?"

"Wait."

He felt strangely nervous. He clenched and unclenched his fists, waiting, waiting, waiting, until finally, over the coachman's shoulder, he saw the figure of a man hurrying toward him.

Edwin's face lit up with anticipation.

But the girl was nowhere to be seen, only Stan stood in his way.

"...Dana Bordon... She's not here. She went to Ponoa Square early this morning to see the market."

"To the market?"

"Yes, for tea leaves, I believe. Lady Liana will be here soon, won't she?"

"...I see..."

Edwin nodded. There was no time for further delay. As he leaned through the open door, an unexplained feeling of unease sneaked up on him again.

"...Theodore... When did he go back?"

"What?"

Stan paused, then answered.

"It was around midnight."

"And...nothing...unusual happened?"

"...Not much.. what....."

"No, never mind."

Edwin held up his hand and climbed into the carriage. The door closed behind him.

The wheels began to roll as he leaned back in the padded seat.

The statue in the fountain slowly moved away.

Nothing happened. Theodore was gone, and Dana was still here.

But why did he feel so nauseous?

His eyes, still hungover, turned to the window. The cloudless sky was frighteningly blue.

***

The most competent of the maids, in Dorothy's opinion, was Lou, the head maid.

She started and finished her work faster than anyone else, was dexterous and rarely made mistakes.

The second was Dana Bordon. She wasn't as fast as Lou, but she was just as good.

Dana's work was always perfect.

She always kept the clothespins neatly to one side and removed all the dust from the brooms. Even the coal and kerosene left little dust or soot behind.

Today, however, Dorothy found Dana as unkempt as she was.

Two blankets were strewn on the clothesline, wrapped up, and dust clumped wherever the mop had passed.

Earlier, she had left the polish cap off.

Looking down at the hardened wax, Dorothy could tell something bad had happened to Dana.

She put the lid back on and checked the time.

Two in the afternoon.

Probably back at the laundry. Dana would be out at this time every day, wandering all over Belvida with that cute little pup.

On the path that led down to the waterfront, Dorothy predictably spotted Dana.

She was trudging along with Willow in tow, looking like a rag doll with all her soul sucked out of her.

...What the hell is wrong with her?

Should I go talk to her?

What's wrong...

As she pondered, Dana's form disappeared into the distance. Dorothy wanted to punch herself in the head.

****

"No, no, Willow."

Dana quickly scooped the puppy up.

"Another way... Let's go the other way...."

She turned and started walking back the way she came.

Who was that plump woman peeking over the clothesline, if not the head maid?

If she met her today, she would definitely ask her what happened yesterday. Even if it was just a greeting, not because she was suspicious of anything, Dana didn't want to talk about it with anyone.

She needed time.

Time to calm this heart that felt like it would explode if anyone touched it...

Willow had been struggling earlier. Setting Willow down, Dana flopped back against a tree.

"Hah...."

She sighed, her temples tingling again.

“Alcohol is a fascinating devil, a sweet poison and a delightful sin.”

The day after he returned from a wild night of drinking with the townspeople, her grandfather could barely get out of bed and said these words.

Devil, poison, sin...

Her eyes squeezed shut and she gently pressed her hand to her forehead.

I'm crazy...

I'm crazy...

Was she having a nightmare?

A cold wind touched her face. Stray strands of hair tickled her cheeks and the tip of his nose, then touched her lower lip.

With a tingling sensation, her senses returned.

The memory of being bitten, sucked, and crushed was unbearable.

Theodore lost all self-control. He sucked on her lips and tongue as if he were going to eat it, then scratched it with his teeth.

Suddenly, she remembered Leah.

Whenever she returned from a vacation with her boyfriend, she always showed her a small bruise on her neck or collarbone.

“This is what a real kiss looks like,' she'd say, 'not some kid's peck on the lips.”

...No, no, no.

Dana breathed harshly and shook her head vigorously.

No, that's not a kiss!

Her heart pounded in her chest.

It wasn't a kiss. It couldn't be.

It was a grotesque thing that she really, really couldn’t understand or condone.

A kiss should be shared between a man and a woman who loved each other. Not between people who hate and despise each other.

He hates me.

And I hate him, too.

Dana pulled Willow into a hug.

She must forget it. She needed to erase it. Dana smacked her lips with her hand.

***

To donate for extra chapters for my series or to tip me visit my kofi page 

https://ko-fi.com/doradora