The Governess

Chapter Seven

Edmund burst into his brother's study in a fury. It was becoming a habit of his to do this, and quite frankly, it was getting old. Alfred was sitting behind his desk, cupping a glass of brandy in his overly large hand. Upon entering the room, Edmund shut the door behind him with a little too much force. The sound of the door banging echoed in the small, dark room, causing Alfred to startle. Without so much as a greeting, Edmund began interrogating his elder brother.

"Do you know what Katherine has just done?" Edmund inquired. He stood over his brother, the only thing separating them was the massive desk between them. Disinterested, Alfred took a sip of his brown drink and sighed.

"Likely something I care nothing about," said Alfred. Then he pressed his index finger to his bottom lip and squinted his eyes, as if in deep thought. "But as I am a betting man, let me guess: has she decided to change the wallpaper in the parlor again? Or acquire a new China pattern for our dishes?" Alfred's facetious tone made Edmund's blood boil.

"She has accused her maid of stealing the jewelry that you took."

Edmund waited for some kind of reaction from his brother, but Alfred's countenance was completely unfazed. He took another sip of his drink and set the glass down on the oak desktop.

"How unfortunate."

Edmund stared blankly at Alfred.

"Do do realize the maid has been let go of your staff? Katherine falsely fired a young girl with no money or prospect of a new position."

"As I said, it's unfortunate. What more do you wish me to say?"

Edmund's fists tightened as they propped themselves on Alfred's desk. His knuckles whitened and his shoulders hovered over his brother. Edmund had never had a close relationship with Alfred, but he thought he knew is brother better than this. How could Alfred be so cold-hearted?

"For starters," Edmund spat. "You could tell your wife what really happened to her jewelry, and why you had to pawn it. Then you could re-hire the maid."

At this suggestion, Alfred laughed. Laughed. And rose from his chair.

"You know I cannot do that, Ed."

Edmund clenched his jaw, biting down hard on his teeth. As Alfred strolled across the room to the hearth, Edmund followed him from behind.

"Then perhaps I will," Edmund threatened. This seemed to catch Alfred's attention, causing him to turn around and face his brother.

"Will you, Edmund? Will you really? Have you already forgotten that you owe me?"

"How long will you try to hang that over me, Alfred? Oxford was a long time ago. And I never asked for your help then." A tinge of guilt pricked at Edmund, but he kept his expression hard.

"And yet I gave it. And I know you. You don't have it in you to tattle on me," Alfred said. He took a step closer to Edmund, staring him down like a wild animal, ready to make his kill. "You also know that you do owe me for Oxford, and because of that, I doubt your conscience will allow you to tell Katherine my. . . folly."

Edmund hated that his brother was right. Deep down, he couldn't expose Alfred. Though the truth of what Alfred had done would come out eventually, if nothing was to be done about his situation. Still, it angered Edmund that Alfred appeared to have no conscience or empathy for the poor maid.

"Perhaps you are right. But that does not change my disgust in you," Edmund said with a sigh of defeat. His eyes were still hard on Alfred, and he wondered how he was going to stomach helping his brother when Alfred clearly did not deserve it.