Night of Eden 83

 Chapter 83

***

Sponsored chapter by LC. Thank you ❤️ (½)

***

Dana stared blankly at the man coming up the stairs.

At first she thought she'd mistaken him for someone else-who would have thought she'd meet him in this great harbor?

But slowly her mouth began to open as she realized the familiarity of his dark brown eyes and neatly folded smile under his pressed hat.

Dorothy, next to her, also recognized him and froze.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

The man took off his hat.

"Noah!"

*** 

"So...."

Noah braced himself and tried to keep his voice from sounding angry.

"You're telling me you ran off and left, the two of you?"

"...."

Dana kept her gaze fixed on the floral pattern of the tablecloth, unable to meet his eyes. Dorothy could only stare back and forth between the two of them, frowning.

"Ha."

A long sigh escaped Noah's mouth. It was barely out of his lungs before looking away and gritting his teeth.

Dana was right.

Face slap…

Her favorite Lady…

Oh, fuck....

Noah barely swallowed the curse that came out of his mouth. Dana must be humiliated enough already. Why remind her again?

What the hell had happened, anyway?

He, like Dorothy, had guessed the truth beyond what was seen.

Unlike her, who knew the truth of the night, Noah could only come to one conclusion.

Something must have really happened with Edwin Hastings.

Dana had liked him for a long time. And if his sister would do such a thing to Dana, there was only one explanation.

His chest tightened. He wasn't the only one digging his heels in pain.

"No matter what... how... could you ... without consulting me... how could you do that...."

If they hadn't bumped into each other on the steps of the square, he might never see her again. Dana never told him where she was going.

He felt sick to his stomach at how insignificant she thought he was.

"I... thought we were... friends..."

"I was going ... to write a letter."

Dana muttered softly.

"Are you really not going to tell me where you're going?”

She suddenly squeezed Dorothy's hand. It was to restrain her, in case she said something, and the sight of it tightened Noah's chest even more.

"I'm... I'm sick of that place, and I want my presence there to be forgotten. If I told you where I was going... you might go back and tell them... Think about it."

"Dana."

Noah's hand, resting beside his teacup, clutched his hat. Dorothy felt uneasy, like he was about to slam it down on the table.

"Dana...."

Noah sucked in a breath as if to restrain himself, then called her again. But Dana was adamant.

"This is a decision that's been made regardless of your opinion, and I appreciate your concern, but I don't want you to interfere."

It was like cold water had been thrown on him.

Noah paled, and Dorothy didn't know what to do. The three of them looked away from each other, their unfinished cups of tea in the center of the table.

The sunlight streaming in through the window had risen considerably.

Noah, who had been sitting in a daze, suddenly jumped to his feet.

"Let's get out of here. I'll find us an inn. It's not safe for you girls to go to such a place alone."

"No..."

"If you don't let me, I won't let you go."

Noah picked up Dana and Dorothy's bags first and tossed them on his shoulders. They stepped back out into the square.

The two bags rattled in Noah's hands as he walked ahead. Dana followed closely behind, her legs tapping the ground.

Dorothy's mind raced as she watched them.

No matter how how looked at it,  Noah Miller was in love with Dana.

But Dana didn’t seem to like him at all.

It felt very strange.

No one could be as nice as Noah Miller.

He was handsome, for one thing.

Dorothy's eyes swept over his short, wavy hair, his nicely tanned skin, and his strong body that made two suitcases look like toys.

He wasn't just good-looking, either.

He was a very capable man, having become a trainer in six years. He was also very popular among the maids. His gentlemanly demeanor and sense of humor made him the best of all the more handsome footmen.

If Dana were wise, she'd realize that she'd be much better off asking that dashing Noah Miller for help than running away so blindly.

Dorothy turned to Dana with a frown.

Was it because she was entangled between two men, a wealthy nobleman and a capable commoner?

She found Dana seriously pretty. Enough to make her feel unnecessarily weird.

Before, she used to think she looked a bit like a child because of her soft eyes. But now that feeling had completely disappeared, and only a mature woman remained.

Her eyes had deepened, and her tightly pressed lips were full and plump.

Combined with the darkened mood, it was as if Dana had become a different person.

If Theodore Macmilan was responsible for turning her like that, if he sensed the change, he wouldn't just let her get away. He'd be after her. A quick search of the employment agency would quickly reveal that she'd gone to Dodge....

Dorothy's heart sank again.

Then Noah stopped walking.

"Dana."

He turned so abruptly that Dorothy gasped to herself.

"...Come with me."

What?

"Come with me."

"...Noah, no, that's not... No."

Dana was flustered and didn't know what to do. Unlike her, Noah felt his heart grow lighter.

"Actually, I've been thinking about getting a new job and leaving Belvida. I've been to the employment agency while I've been waiting here for the ship, and I've met people and gotten some advice."

It was a surprising confession, both for Dana and Dorothy.

"So I've come to the conclusion that I need a change, and I can't stay stuck in the country like a frog in a well."

"But Noah... I... I'm leaving right away. I'm getting on the boat tomorrow. You have no reason to leave so suddenly...it's...it's... ridiculous. Besides, you've only just become a trainer...."

"I don't care."

"Noah!"

Dana exclaimed, unable to help herself. Passersby turned to stare.

"No, I'm coming with you even if you don't want to, like a dog on a leash."

He laughed, even jokingly, leaving Dana completely speechless.

"You always thought Belvida was heaven, but I don't. I never did."

His hazel eyes darkened as he turned to Dana.

"You know how I've been treated there for the past six years."

Belvida's stables were notoriously harsh. The hierarchy was so rigid and closed that not even butler Stan dared to touch it.

Noah was beaten and bullied from day one. It was no wonder that all his friends were footmen who had nothing to do with the stables.

"I never liked it there. I always wanted to leave."

"Noah......."

"So go with me. Let me come with you."

The sun shone through the clouds. A handsomely tanned face glowed in the light.

***

Tobias had never considered such a possibility.

Belvida's maids had gone missing, not one, but two.

But they did not return, not even when a night watchman with a lamp roamed the darkened streets.

Tobias went to the square first; the course of the out-of-town maids was obvious. He searched the government offices and shops, asking for their whereabouts.

But the answer was the same.

No, I haven’t seen them.

They didn't come today.

Eventually, he gave up looking for them on his own and called the Metropolitan Police. Then he hurriedly drove his horse to Belvida.

Belvida was shaken.

It was nothing compared to when Dana got lost in the woods. The entire neighborhood rallied to search for her.

Stan naturally suspected crime or kidnapping.

The location of their disappearance was on a street lined with bars, and there were plenty of drunks. Although it was broad daylight, it wasn't as if crimes against young women were unheard of.

Tilly, of course, was the most shocked.

He ran straight to the Shore and gathered the servants.

Dana was not alone, for Dorothy was missing as well. No one could have imagined that they had run away. It was not until long afterward that it was realized that the two suitcases had gone missing together.

***

Macmilan's main house, Heredon.

It was a mansion of such vast proportions that it could easily have been a sprawling country house on the outskirts of the city rather than a townhouse in the center of town.

With a long driveway, a man-made lake, and a large glasshouse the size of a botanical garden, it had been the symbol of the Macmilan family for nearly a century.

It was close to midnight, and the Duchess was enjoying a nightly massage after helping the Grand Duchess organize a successful yacht regatta.

Celeste's tea, fresh from her shift, was as aromatic as ever, and the chiropractor's work on her shoulders was admirable.

The moon was unusually large and bright. As she reclined on the oversized couch, she was on the verge of falling asleep, until the sudden appearance of a stranger interrupted her peace.

"Master?!"

Her eyelids flew open at the sound of Celeste’s cry. Nordstrom, who had come out with the cushions, and Ahim, the butler, who had been organizing the newspapers, all stiffened like dolls.

"Theodore!"

Realizing that it was her son, Isabella quickly checked the time. Seeing how late it was, they probably had left by noon. So.......

"What about the party?!"

She felt her heart sink in her chest as she stared at the unsmiling face.

"What... happened?"

Theodore opened his mouth without hesitation.

"I want to break off the engagement."

"Bre...!"

Isabella put a hand to her chest, unable to continue.

Celeste, who had been watching wordlessly, tugged on the chiropractor's arm. Nordstrom and the head butler turned to face each other. The four of them quickly exited the master's room.

"Now... what do you mean by that?"

Theodore spoke again, his pronunciation clear and sharp.

“Breaking up."

"Suddenly... why?!"

"I don't want to get married yet."

"Oh, my God, Theodore!"

Isabella's voice grew shrill.

"I've already told Edwin and Liana. It's my responsibility to compensate them for the loss of the marriage." (Theo)

"What?!"

He had always been a wayward son. It was true that she had neglected him to some extent.

But not this. She couldn't let this go.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

Isabella shot him a cold glare and turned away.

Break up?

The ripples in her chest grew louder and louder. It was clear from the circumstances that this was not a consensual arrangement, but an arbitrary and unilateral decision by Theodore.

An arranged marriage was not just a matter of money.

It was about more than money, as Isabella had made it clear that she valued wealth as the least important factor in her son's marriage.

The Hastings family, though heavily tilted, was not a family to be treated so casually. He shouldn't have been so unilaterally and arbitrarily done that.

How could he not know that? 

How could he say such a childish thing?

Isabella could feel steam rising from the crown of her head. On the verge of being eaten up by her simmering rage, she came to her senses.

She'd always gotten advice on how to deal with boys his age. The one thing they all agreed on was that there was no point in getting angry.

She took a deep breath to control her emotions and opened her mouth again.

"Yes, Theodore... I can understand that. It's not that I don't understand why you're suddenly acting like this."

Isabella spoke as if she were soothing herself, not her son.

"It must be a strange feeling to be about to get married, especially for men, I've heard that some people run away on their wedding day...."

"No, I've made up my mind, and nothing you can say will dissuade me."

"Teddy!"

Isabella had forgotten her earlier resolve.

"Why?!"

Theodore was frighteningly calm.

"I didn't even get to finish the Grand Tour. I was going to cross the Western Hemisphere and go all the way to the Antartica Islands, but I had to give it all up."

He did.

Two years ago, Theodore had to return from an unfinished trip around the world.

His grandfather had died suddenly, and her husband, Anton, was devastated that his father hadn't been able to meet his great-grandchild.

His engagement to Liana, which had been stalling, took a sharp turn for the worse.

"Then why didn't you tell me then, when they were talking about your engagement in earnest?!"

“I am sorry and I feel regretful.”

There was no remorse, no regret, nothing, and Isabella had to wait another moment for her sanity to return.

"No, no, no. No way. If you want to travel, marry Liana and make her come with you!"

Theodore's eyes grew sharper.

"No, I do not wish to marry Liana, mother is mistaken. She is not fit to be the hostess of Macmilan House, she is not worthy of it."

"What?"

"I wouldn't marry her even if the sky splits in two.”

Isabella felt as if something had slapped her in the face.

He hates Liana.

Liana....

Liana....

Not the marriage itself, but the other woman.

No way.......

"Theodore..."

Isabella cleared her throat, her voice lowered.

"What happened? The Grand Tour was just an excuse, and there was something else that made you dislike Liana, wasn't there?"

Theodore met his mother's suspicious face calmly.

The entire train ride had been filled with possibilities.

His mother could be surprisingly stubborn, or she could find out about Dana first.

He didn't think the latter had happened, but it was only a matter of time before she found out.

What happened in Belvida was hard to hide. Sooner or later it would spread throughout Peron, and he had to prepare for the aftermath. Perhaps it would be better to say it first.

"Yes."

Her son's expression was so determined that Isabella covered her mouth with her hand.

Without waiting for a response, Theodore continued calmly.

“I touched the maid."

The terrifying implications of those words exploded like a bomb in Isabella's head.

"You touched...Dana..... Teddy. That's... that's... that's... What do you mean?"

Staring into her violently fluttering peridot eyes, Theodore answered right back. His voice was extremely calm and collected.

"I forced myself on a woman I didn’t like.”

***

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

https://ko-fi.com/doradora