The Master Finale | manxman | (Book Four: The Master Collection)

III - The Aspirations of a Chaotic Mind

Burying his face in his hands, Jasper's chest shook as he tried to stop the tears, drying his cheeks from the waterfall when he began to hear footsteps nearing his door. When a knock rapped lightly against it, he said, "Yes?" in the most controlled voice he could manage.

As if hearing that his voice had come from low near the floor, Alexander rutted his brow in confusion on the other side. "My lord," he said, "Lady Darcy asks for you to join her for tea."

"I will be there shortly," Jasper provided, and when he began to hear Alexander distance himself, he sat there at the foot of his door just a while longer. To face Darcy after a moment of weakness, Jasper feared standing before the woman. Not that there was anything to be afraid of, of course, but Darcy always had a sixth sense with Jasper, always so open to how he was feeling, and wanting to make him feel better. To have her worry about him yet again... Jasper didn't want to be a burden on the good time she was trying to have while Timothy visited the property.

The Master stood from the floor then and entered his bathroom, cleaning up his face and fixed the crinkles in his burgundy coat. He couldn't show Darcy how dejected he was at the moment, had to maintain that secure façade he put up most days. He tried to think about how much Elijah would want him to be strong, and that's exactly how he would attempt to carry himself.

Once he was satisfied with his composure, Jasper left the bathroom and his chamber entirely, and before entering the day room, he breathed in and out to cool himself off.

Rounding into the day room, Lady Darcy and Juliette were seated beside one another on a white sofa with a wooden design, and Timothy Creel was seated on a similar-looking one across the way. A low leveled circular, glass topped table divided the two, and a silver tray of cups with tea were sat on tiny discs.

"Jasper," Darcy acknowledged first when he stepped into view, "Come, dear, have a seat," and she gestured to the open space beside Timothy.

He shared a glance with the dark-haired man before sitting down, and suddenly Darcy stood quickly to close the doors of the room. She'd ordered that no servant interrupt them during this time, which was a good thing on her part. Given her topic choices, it was keen to make sure no one overheard them. "My apologies if I kept you all waiting," Jasper said, reaching out for a warm cup, "I was busy with Mr. Wade in the library a moment."

"Wade?" Darcy said inquisitively, "He is the young burly one, yes?"

Jasper nodded, "He assisted in putting the portrait into place."

"Wonderful, I am glad you have joined us. I was just telling Mr. Creel of the humorous demand your father has given us, and surprisingly he is not too fond of our proposal to merely disregard Ronald's demand."

"I meant no disrespect," Timothy added after Darcy finished. "I just — once I knew of a man who was in a slightly similar situation. Having a father who demands such crucial things is not a man you would want peering over your shoulder. Forgive me, but especially if the said man is that of a Lancechester, even a blood relation could cause unwanted trouble in your lives. With what you all have here now, it seems foolish to risk it all due to one problem."

Jasper brought the rim of the small cup down from his lips, "You believe Darcy and I should provide a grandchild for my father? Pardon, but you do realize just how impossible that is for the both of us, no?"

There was a tone in Timothy's voice that Jasper couldn't quite understand. If it was indeed disrespectful, he wanted to make it known that he didn't accept that kind of treatment from anyone inside or outside of his home, and he wanted to correct the man and his tone right away. Then again...Jasper also couldn't tell if the tone in Timothy's voice was in fact genuine concern or defensiveness for him and Darcy.