Promises Unkept

The unloved

“Dear Lord Adelwood, your father is right down breakfasting, in the backyard.” The butler informed industriously. “Pardon me, but is something the matter, Lord Stephen?”

“No...” Lord Adelwood shook his head absent-mindedly, already heading to the back verandah. “No, Anton. All is well.”

His brisk steps took him down the corridor to where he had seen his father break his fast since his childhood. Truly enough, his old father sat on his reed chair into the garden, sipping his tea and reading the dull piece of the gazette with all attention.

He didn’t stop until he was one hand away from his father but it was not the expanse that had made him to stop. It was the heaviness that he felt at his chest.

With restricted breath, he called out. “Father.”

The old lord looked up from his article, quite with a start. “My! Stephen. My boy. Is it a reverie or are you truly here. Did they put something in my tea?”

Stephen chuckled slightly at that, though the amusement never went far enough to reach his eyes. He moved closer to his father, sat down near him, on another chair.

“You just met me in London two weeks ago, Lord Adelwood.” Stephen remarked. “And you are putting on the way you did when you returned from India after two years.”

“Oh you won’t understand what a father feels when his unavailable son suddenly shows up. You are not a father yet.” Lord Adelwood explained placing his gazette down on the table. “And….oh! Are you unwell, son. Look at yourself, you look so grisly.”

“No. No, father, I am fine.” Stephen sighed. He was certainly not well but there was no way how he could explain to his father all that he felt right now. “I didn’t sleep well the other night.”

“How repugnant!”  Lord Adelwood reached for the bell with his shaky fingers. “Let me get some tea for you, or no! An infusion will do you well.”

“Father, please. Let it be. I am not here for tea.”

Lord Adelwood’s suddenly paused. “Is something wrong Stephen?”

The cold snake along his heart let out a cold Hiss. It’s eyes darkened, coldly. It clenched its loop harder, around his heart.

“Father…” His demeanor suddenly darkened, his jaw got clenched. He swallowed. “Who is Eden?”

Lord Adelwood the senior regarded his face for a moment, his similar green eyes gauging Stephen’s face with frigid energy. “She is your wife.”

“No, Father. Let me rephrase. Who is Eden Henley, apart from being my wife and…..an illegitimate?”

For a moment, his father looked horrified. “Who told you this?”

“She did.”

“Well, you know enough then.” Lord Adelwood picked up his paper from the table.

“I wish to know more, father. It’s been too hard.”

“And you are only making it harder, Stephen. Her past……” Lord Adelwood glanced at him sternly. “…will only make you more distressed. You are supposed to build up your future with her and not to dig down her past.”

“For one, father, there is no future of me with her.” Stephen affronted, suddenly as an angry feeling lashed him over. “And secondly, since you are the one to have arranged this match, you will tell me all that I rightfully should know_ about my wife.”

“I did it for your own best.” Lord Adelwood whispered soberly.

“You might have, father but you never know.”  He felt sorry for his father but there was a palpable truth sitting between them both and that could not be altered.