Wham!!!
Carol flinched in her chair as her terrified wide eyes stared up at the towering figure of Lord Adelwood while he rammed his fist on the nearest wall, yes_ again. By her side, on the next chair, she heard Bella gulp audibly while a few other maids standing by jumped up in shock.
Mrs. Hopkins looked stern as she glared at Lord Adelwood.
Nothing was helping. Nothing could help.
Carol fidgeted in her chair nervously as Lord Adelwood paced back to the opposite of her table with his long, brisk steps.
“Miss Carol.” He hissed slapping his palm flat on the table_ eyes emerald blades. “I entreat you. Please try to recall at least the name of that damned tavern.”
Carol fearfully looked down at her shivering fingers and swallowed. Why, God! She hadn’t even properly read the address but had only caught a drift of something like Sigmund Valley. She wasn’t even sure if it was here in Hertfordshire or down London itself.
“I beg you Sir.” She whispered in a raspy, uneven voice. “Have pity. I told you that I didn’t see the name, in all earnesty.”
“Curse it all!”
He stood straight abruptly making Carol back into her chair and pinched the bridge of his nose in great annoyance. “There are nine damned taverns throughout Sigmund Valley! Where the hell might they be?”
He raked his long, slender fingers through his caramel blonde hair and was almost tempted to pull them out their roots.
“And here, I am to be strictly clear,” He declared sternly, addressing everyone. “_when I say that this ordeal is to remain severely confidential until Miss Eden and Miss Margaret return home safely. Any gossip, any blathering in this regard and I shall be very_ unsympathetic. You people have lately developed an interest in scandals.”
Several cheeks across the room acquired deep reds as the maid dipped their chins lower and footmen shifted uncomfortably.
They had not expected it. For Lord Adelwood to acknowledge the rumor of his and Eden’s tryst almost this openly, no one had imagined.
They all nodded their head obediently; a bit ashamed and much guilty that they had indeed broken their beloved master’s trust.
Lord Adelwood sighed, shaking his head. He was, as it appeared, extremely stressed by the situation which was respect-inspiring, considering his concern for his inferiors.
Loud thumping footsteps then filled the corridor outside, turning every head towards the door including His lordship’s as well.
The door opened and entered a man, tall, wide and rakish_ Mr. Clarke, one of Lord Adelwood’s guest. He was the only one of the guests who knew of this matter. Lord Adelwood chose him because he owed four out of nine inns from the Sigmund valley and that certainly would make the search easier.
At least that was what Lord Stephen believed.
And oh yes! This Clarke was the same man who had maltreated Eden down in the studio when she had been admiring Lord Adelwood’s portrait. Though right now, his face was all filled with sincerity of a man on a mission.
Clarke entered the room and walked up to Lord Adelwood with his brackish charm. “Stephen, I have sent my words at my taverns. If the girls are there, they would detain them both.”
And just then, Devin rushed into the room and bowed quickly to Lord Adelwood. “Master, it’s all ready. Your mounts are geared up.”
Lord Adelwood nodded at Devin and then Rochdale, signaling them both to rush after him as he himself marched out of the kitchen hall.
***
It had stopped raining altogether, outside.
Lord Adelwood headed briskly to the stable with a bunch of well built and well equipped guards behind him accompanied with Clarke and Devin. He had not cared to change into his riding suit. He was still in his formals, bowtie and black cotton overcoat as he mounted over his personal favorite, raven horse.
By him, his friend Clarke did the same while rest of his guards took their positions around him, ready on their stallions. Devin joined in too.
“Keep a sharp eye on the route we are heading.” Lord Adelwood commanded. “They might very well be on their way back.” They better be.
His men nodded ardently. Lord Adelwood turned to Clarke.
“We shall begin with the substandard taverns.” He said considerately. “I doubt a man like Eden’s uncle would have afforded the steep and costly ones.”
“Sure.” Clarke nodded with a frown. “You know him? This maid’s uncle?”
Lord Adelwood turned away, looking forward as he lunged his horse out into the open. Clarke followed in his wake.
“Quite well, Clarke.” He mumbled, setting speed through his ropes. “Quite well.”
And they all dashed right through the conduit, surpassing a dark, dense channel of pines and then, into the remote, bleak moors that fell within Ashleyton property like a haunted intermittent of two lively shores. Lord Adelwood rode ahead most, with Clarke galloping just behind him on the left and Devin and the rest of his guards forming a protective ‘V’ around him.
The air was cold, quite wet but all he felt was_ terror.
Pure. Unadulterated. Complete terror.
Not concern. Not anxiety.
Terror.
Downright.
Who was he?
An Assembly leader’s Son. A prosperous member of the aristocracy himself. A peer. A man with plenty.
And Eden? Who was she?
No one. Or rather_ nothing.
A nondescript.
That was why he feared. That was what terrorizing him.
Trampling down the formerly down, the lost, the degraded, the already on the unprivileged side of the deal was one of the favorite pastime this world sported. And a girl like Eden, alone, uncared for, the nothing kind, _ she was like a morsel dangling in the cage of bloodthirsty hound.
His blood froze in his veins as he imagined the possibilities_ the un-good possibilities. His heart beats stumbled.
And Magpie? That only little girl who had ever made him laugh by her unguarded mischief_ Heaven! He couldn’t lose them either.
When he re-emerged in the reality, from the unending depths of his thoughts, and that was long after, he realized that the marshes were past and another stroke of pine signified the end of his frontier_ the Ashleyton.
He flexed hard at the cord hard making his horse a raging storm and followed the mud-cultured narrow pathway.
His coarse driving had led him much farther from the group. He closed his sea-weedy eyes as the cold winds suddenly splashed onto his skin, but that did nothing. Altered nothing.
Made him feel no better, no worse.
“Stephen?”
Clarke’s voice startled him as he glanced a quick sideway.
“Yes?”
“Something’s troubling you?”
Stephen waved his gloved hand in a _ ‘Nothing.’
By the time they had reached the foot of the hill, countryside was almost visible, wet and misty, glistening lamps, fire-lit windows, locked doors with locked-in secrets, people within that locked door and more secrets.
Some too sinister. Some too sweet. Some too old. Some not much.
They rode uphill in a great speed but long right they had reached atop the first dune, a man holding lamp stopped them with his shouted out cries. “Not there Fellas, Tsk! Halt I say. Halt yeh!! In the name of the Lawrd!!!! Go on no more!”
His Lordship and his men screeched there rides into a bursting stoppage as the man with the lamp jogged his way toward them.
Stephen pulled on his cords so that he was facing the farmer now.
“What is it?” He inquired, in a high voice.
The farmer came closer squinting his eyes as his lamp casted light on the handsome face of the lord. The man’s eyes then widened in recognition. “Me Lard! Mater Adelwood! Begging ya pardon. But ye can’t head no fu’ther.”
“Why, pray, can’t I?”
“There’s been a mudslide, down hill, Me Lard!” The man answered. “The rain gawt the soil lose. Foxholes cor-llapsed. One big oak fell dawn the road.”
“When?” there was a little terseness in the voice this time. A fear.
A…terror.
“This mid-day, me lard!”
Lord Adelwood slid himself down his saddle. Not because he wanted to stand but because his head felt light and if he kept himself up there, he might just have fallen down, the way his body jerked. The hem of his pant got drenched in the mud and his shoes were spoiled, but alas! He cared not.
“Oh. And_” he gulped, the dread settling in his throat, his voice and his breath. “And I hope_ I hope there has not been any casualty.”
The farmer’s shoulders sagged, his mouth settling in a grim line which in the meager light of lamp gave an impression that he was pouting. Lord Adelwood might have found it ridiculous has his heart been not so wild and disturbed.
“Speak, man!” he insisted, impatiently.
“Unluckily, my Lard….” The man paused, looking over at the roadside and pulled off his woolen hat. “T’was quite a lethal occurring. On’ girl is dead, one other girl injured too bad to survive and three men broke their much bones. An omen, me lard! It was an omen.”
Lord Adelwood reached for the reins of his horse as he clutched it hard to stay upright. His body, on it’s own mind, got propped onto the beast as his slender figure froze. On his side, for the others too did hear what was said, he heard Clarke step down his mount and then, saw Devin come and stand at his side.
Two girls. One dead. One just about dead.
And the accident happened during the mid-day.
There was little doubt, or perhaps none infact.
Lord Adelwood’s beautiful green eyes were dilated and words had been whisked off his tongue. He stood their leaning on his beast, his heart hammering and frozen all the same, his lips parted. His face pale.
“Have you seen the_” It was Devin, with broken, uneven voice. “_ t-the body? The injured girl?”
“No, Sir.” The farmer shook his head gravely as the lamp dangled in his fist. “Not me. They see it, mah boys. They claim to ‘ave seen the deceased girl. Her jaw was tarn open, they say. The pine needles had peirce her eyes and lefthem bleeding like demon’s. Her limbs wer’ twisted like vague twigs and her bosom had been torn open by the branches. I can’t_”
“Enough.” Lord Adelwood raised his singled hand, sharply. “Have you, uh_ Can you tell where both the girls are? I mean..the dead body of one and the injured girl?”
His voice was so calm.
Too calm.
“Aye, me lard!” The farmer nodded eagerly. “Over there, into that cabin, itiz. The dead and the not dead. And those men as well. They are none from this village.”
Eyes followed the direction this farmer had directed and among the labyrinth of trees, not farther than twenty yards, they saw a small, haunted looking cabin with a lamp over its window.
“Would ye wanna check, me lard?”
Lord Adelwood’s eyes stuttered and his breath hitched.
He?
No.
“Devin.” He croaked, his eyes fixated at the ghastly Cabin. “Devin! Please, can you…”
His gaze met the dismay-filled gaze of Devin who just nodded understandingly in return. Lord Adelwood could clearly see it in those brown orbs how Devin was as upset as himself and was not wishing to go in there but Lord Adelwood doubted his own capability of being able to slither in the mud for even a hand away.
The farmer lifted his lamp and led the way as Devin followed him closely behind.
Slow drizzling rain began to pour down the heaven.
“Blessed are the deads on whom it rains….” Lord Adelwood heard that farmer mutter as he sauntered away.
He was not wearing his hat. He had forgotten to. The rain slicked down his hair, his skin, eyelids, cheeks with the dimples (only when he smiled), thin lips, his grey overcoat and then swallowed him whole.
He was glad for the rain. It contested the wet warmth that had stealthily filled his eyes. It’s wetness cooled the other down.
He heard Clarke speak by him. “What do you think Stephen? Is it them indeed?”
Lord Adelwood shrugged, his fingers trembling helplessly. He shoved them into his pant’s pocket.
Then they saw Devin emerge from the cabin.
Lord Adelwood’s breathing picked up several more paces. He clutched harder on the reins of his horse and the creature hoofed the ground uncomfortably, sensing the grief of its master.
Devin face was as unreadable as a doorknob and certainly more. It was simply void of any mortal emotion. It was simply shallow like an ancient well.
Lord Adelwood frowned at him when he stepped infront of him with the farmer near back.
“Devin?” He whispered tersely. “Tell me.”
Devin looked up at him. And blinked. “Master.” His face got shadowed with a sad smile. “It’s not them. Not Eden. Not Maggie.”
That day, Lord Adelwood did learn something new.
There was nothing in this world that human prayed for but relief of heart.
And despite how worst a thing it was to do in the time like this, place like this, however insensitive it may have been_ Lord Stephen Adelwood smiled a full, grateful smile.
By him, Clarke let out a deep, aiding smile.
Devin wiped the raindrops off his eyes. Or were those tears? Perhaps and perhaps not. It was to remain a secret and only Devin and Lord Adelwood knew.
And as they all mounted back their stallions, the farmer informed them another route to reach the valley very quickly and Lord Adelwood thanked him with a nod.
“Sigmund Valley.” He commanded as rode off way back.
And no matter what, the girls were going to have a long conversation with him, this very night.
________
I agree with him though!!!!
Those two packets of mischief need be taught lesson....Lol!!!!
(I hate the word 'LOL' even though I use it incessantly....LOLz!!!)