He didn’t seem regretful about it, instead he had a tranquil expression like it was meant to be.
“Timothy’s father, Sir Malcolm Rufus was part of the council. He retired a decade ago. Even though it was an obvious fact for an heir to be chosen as the lord, some subjects were suspicious and we didn’t want trouble lurking. You see, Heidi, people are simpleton creatures and perceive what they see from their eyes. It might be simple changes but there is a higher impact to it,” he said as the music drowned to a still state to let the quietness of the room take over.
He had changed his appearance to please the people, to let it adjust with his subjects of his land. She couldn’t deny that his previous appearance gave off a gentle and comfortable vibe, not that it had changed now. She wanted to know more about him. To know and understand why he had killed his own father but she felt now wasn’t the right time. Curiosity was part of her nature but she was never intrusive, she knew well when to stop asking questions.
Her mind was in the process of digesting with what he said and decided to change the subject to a lighter one, “By the way, Aunt Guilene was asking about the necklace you broke.”
“Did she now. That must have been quite a conversation,” he smiled crookedly, “And what did you say?”
“That I had it up my room.”
“Ahmm,” he raised his eyebrows, “I will be sure to remind her the next time she visits.”
“You enjoy my plight,” Heidi frowned, sighing and looking away from him.
“I was joking, darling. I will do something about it.”
Somewhere fearing he would ask her the reason for her not wanting to go back to Woville, she excused herself after some time and left the room.
At midnight, Lord Nicholas sat in front of the fireplace in his room, filing his nails with a small piece of metal in one of his hand. The night was cold and dark just like him. Whispers of wind carrying into the room and hushing down in the atmosphere. Nicholas didn’t think much about his past. Even if he did, it didn’t bother him. What was supposed to happen, happened. Filing the last thumb, he put the metal on the side table to hear a knock on the door which was none other but the butler, holding a lit candle in his hand.
“Master, you asked for me?” Stanley asked his lord politely after he closed the door.
“Yes. I think there’s something you forgot to mention when Ms. Curtis first arrived here,” Nicholas reminded his butler, “Why did you say Ms. Curtis was uncomfortable and fidgeting that day. What gave away?” he asked the butler.
The butler should have known that this tiny little detail would be brought up in the future.
“That. The day I went to pick the miss, we made a small stop at an inn because the miss wanted to attend the bathroom. She took longer than I expected and therefore I went looking for her,”the butler paused, “But on my way, I met the owner of the inn and heard that the bathroom had no water and there was only a sink there. Nothing else.”
“Was there a backdoor at the inn?” Lord Nicholas asked him.
“I don’t think there is one, milord,” the butler replied to hear a long sigh from his lord before he spoke.
When he had taken her to the musical play, he had noticed the way her heart rate had increased after he had mentioned the possibility of her running away. At that time it had only been a hunch.
“Why do you think the lady spent a long time in a room when she specifically asked for a bathroom before coming to the mansion?” Nicholas leaned his back and used his hand to support the side of his head, looking at at the crackling fire. Stanley realized this wasn’t a question because it looked like both of them understood the purpose and his lord didn’t wait for an answer, “Is there anything else you missed to tell me?” the butler gulped seeing the gaze his lord passed him. It wasn’t that he was hiding it but he didn’t know it could hold any significance.
“Yes, master.”
“Speak.”
“This afternoon when I went with the maid to Lady Heidi’s room to replace the bed sheets, I found that the letter I gave her was unopened,” Stanley remembered the seal that was still stuck to it, “Um and master. The day of the engagement of Sir Warren and Lady Heidi, there was a man talking to the lady. I don’t think he was a family member.”
“What about him?” Nicholas inquired.
“He seemed angry with the miss about something and Lady Heidi looked a little upset. I couldn’t see him well except for his back,” Stanley informed him. A man? Nicholas thought about it. Previously he had sketched something on a sheet of paper which was currently lying on the table. Picking it up he said,
“I want you to find this man and get him here. Nicely of course, treat him like a guest and don’t scare him,” Stanley looked at the handsome man whom he had never seen before, “Also send someone to find information on the Curtis family in the town.You will find the man in Woville.”
“What are you going to do master?” the butler asked curious. Maybe it was someone the Lady knew.
“Just have a little talk,” Lord Nicholas said before he ordered, “I want you to have a maid watch over Heidi.”
“Yes, master,” the butler bowed his head.
“You can leave now,” he dismissed the butler with his hand.