Scarlet Rose

Chapter 74 (Part 4)

He held the telephone receiver in his hand while he waited for a response.

The silence from the other end of the line was filled with the monotonous ticking of the old Victorian Grandfather clock. While he waited, his grip on the receiver weakened and so did his resolve. As if time was eating it away, second by second, with each ticking of the clock, like the chisel eats away the marble with each hit by the hammer on the hands of a sculptor.

"Hello?" A voice was heard from the other end of the line.

Tic-toc, tic-toc, tic-toc.

His heart beat matched the sound of the clock. The words did not come.

"You have reached the New Scotland Yard, how may I help you?"

Tic-toc, tic-toc, tic-toc.

The Duke let the receiver down, in slow motion.

Tic-toc, tic-toc, tic-toc.

The clock was ticking away the time. Bringing him closer to a reckoning he now knew he had left unresolved, had tried to ignore, had tried to bury even, for too long.

He rung the bell that sat on the dining table. He kept looking at the Grandfather clock, its elaborate carved tower, the cold bronze pendulum swinging without mercy.

The decision waited to be taken.

His butler appeared not long after.

"James, I want you to take the night off." The Duke said quietly. 

He turned his eyes from the Grandfather clock on his butler's surprised face.

"Excuse me sir?!" He said, wanting to confirm he heard his Master correct.

"I want you to wear your best suit; your top hat; take the Rolls, ask Stewart to drive you, and I want you to go to the Rules, have dinner at my table at my expense, and then spend the night at the Savoy. You can use the suite they have reserved on my name..."

James stood at his spot, feeling his jaw stretching wide open. So much so that he feared it would hit the floor. It was the most unprecedented request he had ever heard coming from the lips of the Duke for all the years that he was under his employment and that was almost all his life.

"But Sir..." He begun to-

Duke cut his butler's question even before it left his mouth.

"James, when I give an order, I expect to be met with a Yes, Sir and nothing more, understood?!" He raised his voice, to match the sound of his hand slapping with force the mahogany table next to him.

The Duke's explosion startled the man who stood by the door, down to the marrow of his bones. His whole behaviour had been so alien, and had changed in such an abrupt way, it made his request even more bizarre. Whatever James may had felt at that point, he kept behind a mask of complete and utter stillness.

"Yes, Sir." He replied with a steady voice, without a hint of questioning his master.

After Jame's answer, it did not take more than a couple of seconds, for the Duke to close his eyes, lower his head and pinch the bridge of his nose.  He felt remorse for having erupted in such a way to the man who grew up with him side by side, never mind of him being his butler.

"I am sorry, James..." He said. His voice was deep and apologetic. "I shouldn't raise my voice to you. I apologise."

It was clear to James that the Duke had been under a great deal of pressure in a short amount of time. From the moment he entered the house and saw that handkerchief. A thousand and one questions were born inside his head but he knew well, they would remain unanswered, perhaps even forever. He daren't open his mouth again however.