Night of Eden 81

Chapter 81

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    "A caved in nose and missing teeth, that's the diagnosis for Master Marcus."

    Stan glanced at his master and continued.

    "The Marquis of Drayton is very upset right now. I don't know how many times he's told me to let you know as soon as you wake up."

    "Ha!"

    Edwin let out a humorless laugh.

    Theodore had beaten Marcus to a pulp. Then he disappeared without a word.

    ...Why on earth?

    "The Marquis wishes you to mediate in an amicable settlement with Master Macmilan."

    "Mediate?"

    Edwin's voice was bitterly sharp as he cut off Stan’s words.

    "Let them settle it between themselves."

    "Yes, sir," Stan said, unsure of what to do.

    It was none of his (Edwin’s) business whether Theodore beat or killed Marcus, who was being dragged around like one of his men.

    The problem was Liana, and Dana.

    He had to do everything he could to make sure his sister got married safely. The ball was coming up, the grand finale of the party, and he wanted Liana to enjoy it at least as much as he    did.

    Part of him was nervous about what else she might do to Dana. The butler and the head maid suggested waiting until the party was completely over, but he didn't want to prolong this uncomfortable    feeling.

    Clear up the misunderstanding first.

    He was faced with the difficult task of soothing his sister's anger while at the same time looking out for Dana's well-being.

    Swallowing a sigh that threatened to escape, Edwin dipped his hands into the basin of water that had been prepared.

    When he finished, a servant handed him a towel.

    "Can you check to see if Liana is awake?"

    As soon as the servant was out the door, Stan approached.

    "Excuse me, Master, I have something to tell you."

    Edwin turned in surprise, for he had assumed Stan had left as well. The old butler's eyes were strangely wavering.

    "Why, is there something else?"

    "..."

    Stan couldn't get the words out easily.

    A very strange story he had heard from Master Andrea the previous morning was stuck in his throat.

    "The timing of Teddy's beating of Marcus is very strange.”

    Master Andrea spoke very carefully. It was obvious that he was worried that his words might spark a serious scandal.

    "What is it?"

    Edwin asked again. Stan swallowed dryly and turned to face his master again.

    "What I'm about to tell you, sir, I hope, is nothing more than this old man's demented delusions."

    Edwin's face hardened momentarily. Avoiding his gaze, Stan handed him the letter.

    "Read this first, please. It's a letter from Celeste to Dana. It's the letter that prompted the Lady to hit Dana.”

    Edwin took the letter with a puzzled look on his face.

    "To tell you the truth, I didn't think much of it at first. I dismissed it as nothing more than a malicious prank that stemmed from the peculiar relationship between you and Master    Theodore."

    Edwin began to read the letter, frowning at the unseemly content just as Liana had.

    "What the hell is this...."

    Edwin said, and then stopped. He'd found the word that had shocked Liana.

    Pregnant?

    The insult was fleeting.

    Perhaps it was because he knew Theodore better than anyone. His heart began to race.

    Theodore had ordered Celeste to find out if Dana was pregnant with his (Edwin’s) child.

    It was more than a "malicious prank," as Stan called it. No Theodore he knew would go this far. If he was truly suspicious, he would have come to Edwin himself, quietly.

    "Yesterday."

    Stan's eyes were serious. Edwin's eyes were now fluttering uneasily.

    "Master Andrea told me that Master Theodore hit Master Marcus because of Dana…”

    "That's... What do you mean."

    Stan wetted his lips with his tongue and opened his mouth again. The events of the previous night were replayed through his words.

    Marcus had said mean things to Dana and Theodore had punched him in anger.

    Blinking, Edwin's eyelids fluttered, the shock intensifying with each movement. In his mind, the events of the day flashed by like a flashlight.

    "I don't think I'd get in trouble for scolding a maid either.”

    “Just tell me the truth, you can't stand the sight of her around me. You can't stand the thought of another man around her.”

    'Since you're betting on a maid, I thought I'd do the same.”

    Why... Why... Why did he never suspect anything? Theodore was doing something so uncharacteristically 'strange'.......

    Edwin stood there, dumbfounded, forgetting to breathe.

    "It is an embarrassing and absurd thought, but I think I must find out for myself if it is possible that Master Theodore harbors any feelings or desires for Dana beyond that of a mere    maid...."

    The color drained from his face. After a few seconds of breathless silence.

    Edwin looked up sharply, his eyes now wildly fluttering with shock beyond anxiety.

    "If you will allow me, Master, I will quietly find out......."

    Stan was speechless for his master had rushed out of the room without even putting on his jacket.

    "Master!"

    Stan gasped after him. He ran, his breath catching in his throat, barely catching up to his young master.

    "...Where are you?"

    Edwin muttered frantically. Passing servants stopped dead in their tracks.

    "Master...."

    "...Where is he?!"

    ***

    When Tilly entered the mill's outbuildings, he was momentarily speechless.

    The man standing in the center of the cramped room resembled a stallion. The languorous ease of a man who'd had a good night's sleep almost made him look erotic.

    He couldn't help but think of the poor maid as he looked at the spilled wine bottles and rumpled sheets.

    Imagine his surprise when, last dawn, he came up to her as he watched and spoke to her first.

    In the dim light of the lamplight, she had tried to appear calm, but she had not been able to completely conceal her fluttering pupils and uneasiness.

    Perhaps it was because Tilly had seen her vulnerable so many times. Now that things had come to this, he felt an uncontrollable surge of pity for her.

    "What are you doing?"

    Tilly snapped out of it. Avoiding his master's stinging gaze, he pulled out the items in his bag.

    New clothes, a belt, brushes, perfume.......

    And finally, bandages and antiseptic.

    "You'll need to be treated first."

    He disinfected and bandaged the back of Theodore’s hand, where the blood had dried.

    Meanwhile, his master gave him instructions.

    Tilly knew them all already. Dana had told him first thing in the morning.

    “Mr. Bryson will take me to Kreutz later? The master has told me to go to the castle with Mr. Bryson first.”

    He was very puzzled, but he nodded eagerly without showing it.

    “But I have business to attend to, and I must go now; it will be afternoon when I am done, I suppose; may we start late?”

    Traveling at night in a horse-drawn carriage was the worst option in terms of cost, safety, and efficiency. But he said yes. He told her to take her time and not to rush, that he would be waiting    for her here.

    “The master has just fallen asleep,” she had said, “and I don't want to wake him, as he looks tired. Oh, and I think he’ll need a change of clothes, maybe some bandages, as I think he’s cut his    hand.”

    The last part made Tilly's mood wistful.

    He couldn’t help himself.

    Dana seemed to meekly accept that her situation had become unavoidable.

    Dana Bordon, of course, would be surrounded by expensive jewelry and dresses from now on. As far as he could tell, her feelings had some depth to them, and she wasn't just another mouth to    feed.

    But that was the mistress, after all.

    She would be as if she were to be staying in the old castle.

    Whether that would be a good thing or a bad thing, he wasn't sure, but one thing was certain. Tilly felt a little responsible, and he wanted to help Dana as best he could, to make sure she    wouldn’t get hurt.

    "I know, Master."

    Theodore paused, wondering if there was a doctor at Kreutz Castle.

    "The girl told me all about it at dawn. Don't worry, I'll wait until she gets back and make sure she's taken care of at Kreutz."

    Tilly surprised himself by realizing that his voice had become a little gruff, so he cleared his throat and added quietly.

    "I wouldn't have thought to pack those clothes, or these bandages, if it weren't for her."

    So I hope you'll be a little nicer to me in the future.

    He didn’t dare say that, but the master looked a little strange.

    He was staring at the bandages on his hands. His clear green eyes beneath his slow-blinking eyelids seemed to be pleased, and Tilly felt a little more at ease.

    When Theodore was finished, he was more or less back to his usual self. His slim jacket, newly tailored for the coming social season, and cologne hid the truth of the night's promiscuity.

    They headed straight out of the outbuilding.

    "Why don't you go to the Shore first, I have a carriage ready for you. As you may have guessed, the Marquis of Drayton and some of his guests are waiting for you in a rather furious state. I    think it would be best if you didn't go to the main house for now."

    Tilly expected his master to say yes, of course, but the instructions that fell on his head were unexpected.

    "Get me a man, a quick one."

    "What?"

    "Get me a ticket for the fastest train to Peron. By any means necessary.”

    Tilly stopped dead in his tracks, suspicious of his ears.

    "But, Master, isn't there a ball later on?"

    "No, the party's over."

    An ominous feeling of foreboding rose in his stomach. An unknown energy overwhelmed him, and Tilly stumbled to his feet.

    "Huh?"

    Tilly's mouth fell open, then froze.

    A figure was striding toward them from the end of the driveway.

    Beneath the dazzling blond hair, the other person didn't bother to hide the fury burning in his eyes. Then there was Stan, panting behind the furious Master Edwin.

    "Theodore!"

    Edwin stood straight in front of Theodore. Tilly panicked, looking like Edwin was about to punch his master in the face.

    "You...!"

    Before he could say anything else, Theodore stepped forward.

    "Oh, good. I was on my way to see you anyway. I need to talk to you."

    His tone was calm, but there was a certain undercurrent of force that momentarily overwhelmed the atmosphere. Edwin's timing was off, and Theodore wasted no time.

    "First of all, I'm sorry to tell you that I have the unfortunate news that your sister and I are breaking up."

    The words fell from the sunny sky. Tilly froze, and Stan sucked in his breath. Edwin looked stunned.

    "Break up?"

    "Yes, break up."

    Theodore answered lightly, as if on purpose.

    "...what do you mean...."

    Edwin's face went blank, as if he'd just heard a language he didn't understand. Then he arched an eyebrow and smiled.

    "Break up, Teddy, that's a bad joke."

    "You think I'm joking?"

    Edwin's blue eyes began to flutter wildly at the serious, matter-of-fact answer. The consciousness that had been floating in thin air was being sucked rapidly into the abyss.

    Break up.

    Above the confused words, the conversation he'd just had with the butler jumbled dizzily.

    “This is an embarrassing and absurd thought, but I think I'll have to check it out. I wonder if Master Theodore has feelings for Dana…”

    Slowly, through narrowing vision, he looked back at Theodore.

    "You're doing this because...... Dana...?"

    Theodore stared calmly into Edwin's bloodless face. There was silence, but only for a moment. He answered immediately.

    "Yes."

    With a crack, the frozen glass cracked, and then crumbled violently. The simultaneous cracks shattered everyone in the room, accompanied by an eardrum-splitting tinnitus.

    "Yes, Dana."

    Theodore, now heartless, leaned suddenly toward Edwin and whispered.

    "Because I slept with her."

    The icy voice landed on the top of Edwin's head like hail. Theodore spoke coldly, as if to crush the shards.

    "So I’m getting Dana out of here."

    Theodore ran his fingertips through Edwin's hair, then stabbed him in the chest.

    "Here, too."

    ***

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