The Corinthians Series: Rules of Masquerade

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

William absent mindedly rubbed along the lines of his shaven jaw as his eyes scanned the spacious ballroom of Moonhurst Manor slowly being filled in by guests. Chairs had been lined in rows, enough to accommodate two dozen guests. The stage’s burgundy red curtain was drawn closed. On the side, stood refreshment tables piled with snacks, fruits and drinks. Excitement was in the air as guests took their seats, smiling and reading through the play’s pamphlets. And yet, William wasn’t feeling particularly happy or excited at all.

Charlotte it seemed was missing from the crowd, again. How utterly unexpected, he thought sardonically. From his vantage point, William spied his sister ushering the guests into their seats and wasted no time to demand from Lorelei any news of Charlotte’s whereabouts.

“According to Charlotte’ aunt Lady Burnham, your fiancée is feeling rather ill this afternoon, so it seemed.” Lorry supplied. William felt a crude twist of anger knotting his windpipe.

“She won’t be able to attend the play because she is resting. It’s rather unfortunate isn’t it?” She added, nodding with a knowing glint in her eyes. “A pity indeed.”

William clenched his jaw and balled his hands into knuckles as he strode purposely out the ballroom, muttering under his breath. “Yes, a pity indeed.”

William climbed the stairs leading to the guests’ quarters two steps at a time, grumbling to himself as the liquid anger swimming about in his chest simmered. It annoyed him, gnawed at him, and shortened his breath when despite his earlier warnings, she still chose to disobey him. It angered him to think of her blatantly ignoring his instructions. She was to be his wife damn it, and this show of disrespect cannot be allowed to continue. He did not dream for a biddable woman as wife, but he was at least expecting an agreeable one. However, he would not tolerate a chit who refute his every word.

A few more strides and William finally found himself standing in front of Charlotte’s door: a polished wooden door, quite ordinary looking with a shiny brass knob handle. Without hesitation, William pushed the door open and mentally prepared himself for Charlotte’s customary verbal assault. She was Charlotte after all, and William suspected that he would be the receiving end of something dreadful, and no less than a bloodcurdling scream. Loud enough to echo along the hallways and alert the guests below.

However, while the door remained ajar and William stood in the threshold of the room, a healthy dose of cheerful sunlight greeted him instead. He peered around the bright room and quietly entered, trying not to make a sound. To be honest he had never ventured inside one of the guests rooms before. There had never been a need for him to do so.  However, when Lorelei was planning to room the guests for the sojourn, William made sure that Charlotte would be placed in the best room available. Upon his inspection of the spacious, cheery lavender colored room, William was sure that his betrothed must have found it no less than comfortable.

William began looking around the room: the bed was white and made. Everything seemed to be in order, pristine almost. He spied a pair of baby blue gloves neatly placed on top of a travelling trunk. William reached for the silk gloves, so forlorn looking left forgotten on the trunk. He glanced around once more around the empty room.

Where the hell she had disappeared to?

Suddenly, a gush of chilly late September wind brushed his hair, blowing the parted curtains from windows that stood wide open. His legs took him to the window before his mind could register the unexpected feeling of suffocation he had felt in chest, originating from his heart. Clutching the gloves in his hand, William peered down the opened windows.