《The Hooded Quest》 Prologue Prologue An ear-piercing shriek echoed in the room at the end of the long hall. Pacing down the tiny corridor, Joseph spun around to face the room, his heart thumping in his chest. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he was that uneasy. His consultant approached him with steady steps. Joseph looked at him with an expression that screamed his hysteria. ¡°My Lord,¡± Mr. Lancaster said gently, curtsying lowly. ¡°Three hours,¡± Joseph said, shaking his right hand to eliminate the tension in his muscles. ¡°Why is it taking so long?¡± Mr. Lancaster looked at Joseph¡¯s hand, understooding why he was that perturbed. ¡°It took your mother seven hours to give birth to you,¡± Lancaster said, trying to choose his words wisely to placate the earl. Joseph looked him in the eye, the restlessness of his hands easing slowly. ¡°Really?¡± Mr. Lancaster nodded. ¡°I was right here, pacing the halls just as you are now.¡± Joseph smiled weakly. ¡°What if we lose it?¡± ¡°Only God knows what will happen. Have faith, my lord.¡± Another scream ascended from the room, startling Joseph and Mr. Lancaster. They approached the door and waited impatiently. Joseph closed his eyes, reciting a verse of the Bible to himself. A baby¡¯s cry broke into the tension, and Joseph opened his eyes. His prayers had been answered. The baby was born. He could just burst inside and ask to see his child, but he didn¡¯t want to invade the privacy of the birthing room. The midwife opened the door, holding a baby wrapped in a thick blanket.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Tears filled Joseph¡¯s eyes. He opened his arms for the midwife to put the infant in his hold. She gently guided him to embrace the baby without hurting the neck. The first connection with his child washed away all his worries. The baby mewled, and Joseph laughed, his tears making it hard for him to see. ¡°Is it healthy?¡± he asked the midwife. ¡°He is,¡± she said, indicating that the child was a boy. Mr. Lancaster smiled widely. God had finally smiled upon Joseph¡¯s life. After many years of failed attempts, a boy was born. He patted Joseph on his back. ¡°I told you,¡± he whispered. ¡°The new heir for the earldom is born.¡± Joseph nodded, still fighting tears. What could be better than that moment? ¡°Joffre Francis Ford,¡± he said. ¡°This shall be his name...¡± On the other side of the world, where the night had taken control, an old woman was sitting on the floor of a dark room with kittens around her and on her lap. A hooded man sat before her on the floor. His face was not visible in the darkness. ¡°What have you sacrificed?¡± The old woman spoke in an unknown language. The hooded man pulled a bloody heart out of a bag and placed it before the woman without speaking. The old woman¡¯s eyes lit. No one had dared take a heart to her. She smiled, watching her kittens approach the bloody heart to eat it. The white blind cat on her lap didn¡¯t move at all. ¡°A wolf¡¯s heart,¡± the old woman said, still staring at the heart. ¡°You¡¯re brave.¡± She grabbed the blind cat from her lap by its neck. ¡°And stupid,¡± she added, tossing the cat to the side without caring about the poor animal¡¯s condition. She knew what the hooded man was waiting for. So she stopped wasting both her time and his. ¡°I see your future,¡± she said, leaning a bit toward the hooded person. ¡°It¡¯s blurry, yet clear.¡± The hooded man stayed silent for the woman to elaborate. The woman watched her kittens eat the heart. She grabbed one of them and stared into its eyes as if the visions were coming to her slowly. The blind cat on the side seemed to be frozen. It kept looking at a wall, although it had no eyes. ¡°When the sun cripples you,¡± the old woman said, still staring into the kitten¡¯s eyes, ¡°And the sisters soak in darkness¡ª¡±All the kittens stopped eating and looked up. They had the same hollow gaze as the blind one. The old lady suddenly smiled and let go of the cat in her hands. She looked at the hooded man and continued, ¡°Dead eyes will speak thunder.¡± 1 The never ending sorrow 1 The never ending sorrow Life was complete. Joseph and Margaret finally had a son. They cherished his birth and did everything to make little Francis feel safe and loved. Joseph remembered his smile for the first time as he was in Margaret¡¯s hold, the first time he walked, and the first word he said, which was Dada. It all seemed like a brief dream of peace and happiness. How fast did time pass! With the priest¡¯s words, Joseph zoned out of his memories. The crowd around him in black clothes was a harsh reminder of the cruel reality. He wasn¡¯t with his family anymore. He was sitting in the garden close to a pit. The peers were there, silently watching the priest as he talked. The sight of the pit made Joseph¡¯s skin crawl. Before he could sort his thoughts about the depth of the darkness in that hole, four servants approached it while carrying a coffin. Joseph sat still, realizing he had a bottle of alcohol in his hold. He didn¡¯t remember when he had picked it up, but he appreciated his old self for doing so. As they lowered the coffin into the hole, the reality set in. They were not in a garden. It was a graveyard. Joseph sipped from the bottle, the longest sip he could ever take. It didn¡¯t soothe his pain. Nothing could. The loss was paralyzing. ¡°Margaret Elizabeth Ford¡± was written on a small tablet by the grave. Margaret, Joseph¡¯s sweet wife, was gone just like everyone else in his life. ¡°My lord?¡± The voice of Joseph¡¯s consultant broke through his train of memories. Joseph looked at him by his side while they were still in the graveyard with nobles around them. He was too drunk to speak, and the consultant, Mr. Lancaster, was aware. ¡°Do you wish to say a few words?¡± Mr. Lancaster asked. Joseph couldn¡¯t put two words together, let alone speak about his wife¡¯s death. He looked at the grave again, and suddenly something else caught his attention¡ªthe tombstone by his wife¡¯s grave with a familiar name, Joffre Franciss Ford. It was as if Joseph had forgotten about his son¡¯s death. Seeing the grave awakened a pain he never wanted to experience again. ¡°Lord Mainwood?¡± the consultant said, hoping Joseph would speak only a few words. Joseph ignored Mr. Lancaster¡¯s request and sat still. Margaret¡¯s grave was filled now. Not even the wooden sight of the coffin was visible. He took a slow and long sip of the bottle while everyone watched him. It wasn¡¯t like him to be this disrespectful and ill-mannered toward the guests. The voices around him didn¡¯t reach his ear anymore. He shook his head and stood as the world spun around him. Mr. Lancaster tried to steady him, but Joseph pulled his arm back and walked away from the crowd. Desperate for a moment of comfort, Joseph entered his wife¡¯s bedchamber. The place, he realized then, that he had never entered before. If they ever shared a bed, it would be in his bedchamber, not hers. The room was clean, and everywhere smelled like soap. The housemaids must have cleaned the whole place, and he hated them for it. He wanted to see his wife¡¯s room as she had left it. He wanted to see how she folded her sheets, left the curtains half open, or put her perfumes and jewelry on her dressing table. But he couldn¡¯t see any of them. The maids had done a quite good job at cleaning her room. Perhaps he could find her fragrance in her bedsheets. With one knee on the perfectly smoothened bed, he buried his face into a pillow and sniffed deeply. There was no scent. Would he even remember what she used to smell like? As he held the other pillow to search for the faintest hint of his wife, it suddenly struck him; he didn¡¯t remember anything about her. Were her eyes brown or blue? Maybe green? Did she use a bonnet on her head? What was her favorite dress? Did she drink tea as much as other women did? Joseph got back on his feet and looked around the room to find anything of Margaret so as to stop resenting himself for not remembering her and how she used to be. But there was nothing. He turned around and saw his reflection in the tall mirror. His heart thumped fast. Despair was the only thing in his sight, and it disgusted him to his guts. The frustration and rage took over him. He lifted his fist and punched the mirror so hard that it seemed like the time stopped. The mirror shattered to a hundred pieces, echoing through the large room and filling Joseph¡¯s ears. The shattered pieces took an eternity to settle on the floor. Joseph stood there, looking at his reflection in the remaining parts as if it could restore everything he had lost. He was broken, both on the reflection and inside. The outburst of emotions was rare from him. For a second, he saw his father within those broken pieces; the angry man with no control over his life. Wasn¡¯t he just like his father now? Angry, broken, confused, and a failure, just like him. An unfamiliar sound distracted him. He looked down and realized a heavy flow of blood was dripping from his hand without him even realizing. A piece of mirror was stuck between his flesh and bone. He grunted, pulling the piece out in one motion without thinking. As the wound widened, the stream of blood became impossible to stop. Joseph sat on the floor by the broken mirror and waited for what could be his demise at any second if no one found him. The servants found him immediately. They had heard the shattering and opened the door in a rush to help him. ¡°My lord!¡± one maid squeaked as she hurried toward him. Another maid ran outside to grab a clean cloth and attend to his wound.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Mr. Lancaster appeared in sight, standing in the doorframe. His eyes widened at the scene in front of him. What he feared was happening. Joseph was losing himself and his mind. Mr. Lancaster didn¡¯t approach Joseph. He didn¡¯t want to startle him or provoke him to do something unexpected. So he stood there and waited for the maids to wrap his wound. After that day, Joseph turned numb. He didn¡¯t scream or cry. He was always drinking and masking his emotions. The loss of the countess was a good enough reason for everyone at Mainwood to feel drained and hopeless. Joseph¡¯s lack of grief didn¡¯t help the matter. Mr. Lancaster decided to check up on him at midnight, thinking he could have a comforting talk with him, so he grabbed his lantern and walked the long hallway toward Joseph¡¯s bedchamber. ¡°Open the door,¡± he ordered the servent when he reached the room. ¡°His lordship is not in his room,¡± the footman said. Lancaster¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. The more Joseph wandered around, the more in danger he was. He could easily hurt himself with that state of mind. But Joseph was doing nothing. He was sitting in the graveyard by the tombstones of his family members, silently watching them. Mr. Lancaster saw him from a distance and thanked God that he wasn¡¯t in danger. He approached Joseph and stood by him. There were so many things to speak of yet no word could possibly describe the devastating situation they were living in. The first ray of light brightened the dark atmosphere of the graveyard, and Lancaster knew the sun was about to rise. ¡°I will go to the village tomorrow,¡± said Joseph, surprising Mr. Lancaster by breaking the silence. ¡°Mr. Prowley will bring ten sheep. I was thinking perhaps we could reduce it to five since it¡¯s mating season.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Mr. Lancaster asked in confusion. Joseph looked at him. ¡°Ten sheep, Thomas. Don¡¯t you remember? We discussed it.¡± ¡°I know what we discussed. But it was before the countess passed.¡± ¡°We shall take them tomorrow. We¡¯ve been too late already.¡± ¡°Because we¡¯ve been grieving.¡± Joseph desperately tried to avoid the countess¡¯ death. He ignored what Mr. Lancaster said. ¡°It¡¯s a bit cold,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡± ¡°The countess died!¡± Mr. Lancaster said in a louder tone to bring Joseph to his senses. Joseph looked at him, trying to understand why Mr. Lancaster would want to hurt him. ¡°What is this behavior?¡± Mr. Lancaster looked back at him. ¡°Is that all that you can do?¡± he said, infuriating Joseph even more. ¡°Your entire family is gone, and you want to bring ten lambs to the village?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand,¡± Joseph stuttered, wondering why Mr. Lancaster was hostile all of a sudden. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. You¡¯ve turned into your father.¡± He shouldn¡¯t have said that. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have compared Joseph to his father. As soon as the words reached him, Joseph lunged toward Mr. Lancaster and punched him in the face. Mr. Lancaster stumbled backward, almost losing his balance, but he didn¡¯t fall. He felt the pain in his teeth. Joseph didn¡¯t let Lancaster recover. He leapt toward him and grabbed him by his collar. ¡°I¡¯m not my father!¡± he shouted, tightening his grip on Mr. Lancaster¡¯s collar. Lancaster said nothing. He only stared back into Joseph¡¯s angry eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not that cold-hearted bastard!¡± Something broke inside him. His lips started trembling. Without releasing Lancaster¡¯s collar, he wept like a gloomy cloud on a rainy day. ¡°I¡¯m not him!¡± his repeated words echoed in the silence of the graveyard while he shook Lancaster by his collar to make him understand, but the emphasis was only to convince himself. Mr. Lancaster watched Joseph cry like he never had, but he kept his mouth shut and only stood still. Finally, Joseph let go of his collar and turned to the graves by them. His wife¡¯s grave was still fresh. The sight burnt Joseph¡¯s heart like an ignited coal that never turned into ashes. He walked toward it and lay on the mud and soil, wailing without considering Mr. Lancaster¡¯s presence. That¡¯s what Mr. Lancaster wanted. He wanted Joseph to mourn like everyone else would. Watching him like that pained him more than anything, but it was the only way to make Joseph understand he needed to explore his emotions instead of drinking alcohol to sink them into the depths of his soul. The sun was finally out, and there were no clouds in the sky. Joseph and Mr. Lancaster were still by the graves, sitting silently. Joseph had stopped sobbing. ¡°I am him,¡± he said, breaking into Mr. Lancaster¡¯s thoughts. Mr. Lancaster looked at Joseph, but Joseph kept looking at the graves. ¡°You knew him better than I did. I am just like him now. Cold, angry, and desperate.¡± Another tear left his eye as he spoke. ¡°They say you become what you fear the most. I feared that old man so much, I turned into him.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it, Joseph,¡± Mr. Lancaster said, trying to calm him by calling him by his first name. Formality meant nothing in that intimate moment. ¡°No. I am like him,¡± Joseph said, wiping his nose with his sleeve. ¡°Everyone in my family died, Thomas.¡± Thinking about his past caused him more pain. ¡°My mother died, and I didn¡¯t cry. You¡¯d say I was a child, and I didn¡¯t remember her. But then James died. He was my brother¡­ my only friend.¡± ¡°You were in shock,¡± Lancaster said, still trying to ease Joseph¡¯s pain. ¡°My father died. I wouldn¡¯t cry for his death in a hundred years. But my son?¡± Joseph¡¯s tears rolled down his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t mourn my son, Thomas. My one and only son, my Francis.¡± He barely controlled his emotions as he spoke. ¡°We had him after almost a decade. The day we buried him was sunny. There was no cloud in the sky. I remember it perfectly because I had convinced myself if it had rained I would have cried. But let¡¯s be honest. I would never cry because ¡®a man must never be that weak.¡¯ And ¡®an earl never cries because an earldom relies on him.¡¯¡± He hated repeating the words of his father. ¡°But God damn me, Thomas. I should¡¯ve cried. Why didn¡¯t I mourn my son? What is wrong with me? Why didn¡¯t I say that I loved him?¡± It was the first time Thomas Lancaster heard the word ¡°love¡± from Joseph. It was strange and heart-wrenching. Joseph had lost everything and everyone but never grieved normally once in his life. Lancaster knew Joseph wasn¡¯t like his father. He only wanted to aggravate him so Joseph would let out the piled up grief. ¡°He had to know, right?¡± Joseph asked, and Lancaster realized that he was finally looking at him. His eyes were swollen, and his face looked a lot thinner than before. ¡°Could he possibly not know?¡± Joseph repeated his question to get the slightest affirmation from Lancaster so his conscience would ease. Lancaster didn''t know what he was talking about. "He knew I loved him, yeah?" Joseph asked. It became clear now. Why did the three words ¡°I love you¡± matter so much now for a man who never experienced affection in his entire life? Joseph¡¯s mother died when he was but three. He didn¡¯t get to grow up with her love. His father was a tempered man who beat Joseph to death. So Joseph was raised with no love and affection. People assumed he was just as heartless as his father. But that morning under the dim light, Lancaster realized Joseph needed to love and be loved more than anyone in the entire world. Joseph was still staring at Lancaster, waiting for an answer, so Lancaster nodded repeatedly. ¡°He was your son. Of course he knew.¡± He approached Joseph and hugged him. Joseph wasn¡¯t used to affection, so he didn¡¯t know what he was supposed to do. But Lancaster¡¯s hug felt so safe and warm that he started sobbing again. He hugged him back and released all his emotions. 2 A walk in the past 2 A walk in the past While sitting on the chair in his wife¡¯s room for the thousandth time in the past months, Joseph held a hairbrush in one hand while caressing the few strays of gray hair inside it that the servants had missed. He always kept it close to himself as a reminder of his wife, Margaret. The only thing left of her was those strands of hair. Someone knocked on the door, and he watched one maid enter the room. ¡°My lord,¡± she said after a courtesy. ¡°I know you wish not to be disturbed.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Joseph asked, not letting go of the hairbrush. ¡°I found this,¡± she said, stretching her hand in front of the earl. She shouldn¡¯t have disturbed him, and now she was rudely offering him something. ¡°What is this?¡± the earl asked, not moving a muscle. The woman gulped hard. ¡°A wooden horse, my lord.¡± Her answer didn¡¯t help. He stayed quiet, waiting for her to explain more. ¡°Her ladyship had this carved for your son.¡± With this sentence, Joseph rose to his feet and examined it. He hesitantly grabbed the wooden horse from the maid¡¯s hand. It was small yet detailed. He looked at it and studied the curves on it. It wasn¡¯t a perfectly made woodcraft, but it was a safe, adorable toy for Francis. Tears filled his eyes. How had he not seen this toy before? How did he not know the things Margaret did for their son? He glanced at the maid with desperation. ¡°What else do you know about Margaret?¡± he asked, wiping his tears immediately. The maid knew Joseph wasn¡¯t around much, and that he hated himself now for his son and wife¡¯s death. She breathed deeply and thought for a few seconds. ¡°This way, my lord,¡± she said, walking to the door. Joseph followed her like a toddler who had lost his way. She left for the music room and opened the door for him to enter, and he did. He stood in the middle and waited for her to say something. ¡°The countess liked to play the pianoforte,¡± the maid said quietly. Joseph¡¯s jaw dropped, staring at the maid and waiting for more explanation. His grip tightened around the wooden horse. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I never heard her play.¡± The maid stepped aside so Joseph could see for himself. Papers filled with notes rested on top of the keys; not one, two, or three pages. There were at least dozen of them, placed disoriented. It was odd for him to see something untidy like that in a house filled with housekeepers. ¡°She played these all?¡± he asked quietly, realizing once again there was something about his wife he didn¡¯t know. The maid nodded as she looked down. ¡°I told her I hated the pianoforte,¡± he said in a regretful tone. That was why Margaret never played it while he was home. Joseph sat in the chair and looked at the irritating keys he had avoided all his life. He remembered the days he was forced to take piano lessons by his father. Joseph always wanted to learn the violin, so sometimes he would skip the classes. His father would notice his absence and punish him. Joseph hated that instrument because of his father, and he probably made Margaret resent him for not playing something she loved. He put his hand on the keys and pressed gently. The sound filled the empty house. It wasn¡¯t about him or the grudge against his father anymore. It never should have been, and he hated himself for not caring about his wife more. His other hand moved on the keys, and before he knew it, he was playing the notes on the sheets before him. All the house members went quiet so they could hear him play. It was the first time the earl had touched the keys of that resentful piano in more than a decade. The servants knew why. They were there each time the late earl physically hurt his son. The music was delightful. Even for his rusty skills, he played well, as if this would honor his wife in a way. While his fingers stroked the keys, memories of past resurfaced. The delightful rhythym took Joseph back in time to the first time he met Margaret. Margaret was beautiful and compassionate like no one else. There was a light in her eyes that Joseph hadn¡¯t seen before. But Joseph wasn¡¯t even supposed to marry her. He was only twenty then and had no purpose for marriage, especially not to someone older than him by almost eleven years. However, when his older brother, James, passed away, Joseph¡¯s life altered.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Joseph¡¯s father forced him to marry to secure their bloodline without giving him the time to grieve his older brother¡¯s sudden death. He was suddenly the heir and had to take immense responsibility. Margaret, who was betrothed to a second son of a Viscount, was coercively wedded to Joseph. Despite the lack of love and affection, the couple spent time together, talking about politics, the economy, finances, and the earldom. They would take walks with each other and occasionally dine at the same table. The bond between them was only constructed by respect and nothing else. Regardless of their age gap, there wasn¡¯t much conflict between them. Some assumed that Joseph spent his time with secret mistresses. A young man with a title and a substantial fortune was expected to meet his needs one way or another. But Joseph cared the least about bedding a woman. He was faithful to Margaret even though he didn¡¯t love her. Margaret¡¯s one true wish was to taste the sweetness of motherhood once in her life. After years of despair, she could only give birth to one baby. And since it was a boy, there was no need for another child. Joseph named their son Joffre Francis Ford, and they called him Francis. Francis was the center of Joseph and Margaret¡¯s life. It was a miracle to have a child after so many years, and the miracle happened to be a boy! Nothing could upset the Mainwood house anymore, or that¡¯s what they thought. It was only a light fever at first, like the fever Francis used to have as an infant. But his position as the only heir had everyone worried about what would become of him. Joseph sent his footmen in the middle of the night with the fastest horse he had to fetch the physician. The physician couldn¡¯t name the disease precisely. ¡®Fever,¡¯ he would call it. But which type? It was unknown. After fifteen days of nonstop vomiting and diarrhea, the only son and the only child of the Mainwood house passed away. It was the worst pain any parent could ever experience. Without thinking twice, Joseph burst into Francis¡¯ room. His lifeless body was on the bed, his lips purple and his skin pale. Little Francis¡¯ eyes were closed forever now, and the scene hurt Joseph like a knife stabbed into his back. Margaret, Joseph¡¯s wife, was crying on the bedside, holding the poor child¡¯s little hand in hers. Joseph walked toward the bed and watched his son. Could it all be a bad dream? Could it all just not be the reality? He sat on the bed and grabbed his son¡¯s other hand. The remaining warmth in his lifeless body devastated Joseph. He stared at the hand that would never move but did nothing because it wasn¡¯t right for a man to sob. It wasn¡¯t right to fall on his knees and lose his mind. So, he only stared while a part of him shredded inside. Margaret, in her forties, mourned her motherhood and the fatherhood of the earl, feeling responsible for their sorrow as if it was her fault Francis had died. Even after all the good things she had done for the people, they said say things that were not so kind, judging her for being infertile and therefore a bad wife for Joseph. One of the gossips¡ªthe worst of them, which she always heard between the whispers of the nobles¡ªwas ¡®the earl can get married again.¡¯ A few months after Francis¡¯s death, Joseph was sitting in a chair at his office with a bottle of whiskey and no one to disturb him. While the candles on his desk were being blown out one by one by the wind that came through the open windows, one servant opened the door of his office. Joseph looked up, ready to lash out at the intruding servant for not asking for his permission before entering. He was too drunk and unfocused. The world around him no longer made sense. Wasn¡¯t the purpose of life to get married and have children? Hadn¡¯t he been a loyal husband and a good father? Why did God test him like this? Why did it have to happen to him? He looked at the footman and waited for him to talk. Something was wrong, and it was evident on the man¡¯s face. Joseph pulled the bottle to himself to drink. Without saying a word, the footman stood still. A loud scream rose from outside. Joseph got startled, knocking the bottle off the desk with his hand. The bottle shattered to a hundred pieces. That¡¯s how he found out the sweet Margaret, the caring, loving, kind-hearted Margaret, farewelled the face of the universe... In a blink of an eye Joseph was left alone with nothing but a big mansion and a title that he hated deeply. He was supposed to move on and live for the sake of his earldom. Everyone relied on him. And if he lost his mind, there would be no earl to take care of the earldom. All he had learned from his abusive father was anger, yet he did not use it. The rage within him was toward only himself. That must¡¯ve been something that he learned from his father as well. By the time that the song he was playing with the piano ended, the train of his memories stopped, and he looked up, noticing no one was around him. He was alone in the room with nothing but his wife¡¯s music sheets and a piano that could cry if it knew what Joseph had been through. Joseph had the weight of a thousand tears on his shoulders and needed to release it. After that day, he learned to grieve in a way he never got to mourn his mother; the way he always wished he could mourn his older brother¡ªwhom he loved more than anyone in their family¡ªthe way he desperately wished he had mourned his son, Francis¡ªwho was a piece of his existence and had perished away. 3 The Fall of Fords 3 The Fall of Fords Almost two years after Margaret¡¯s death, things were better than they used to be. The heaviness of his pain taught Joseph that healing was only possible by one thing; detaching from everything that the universe offered. The young women who had reached the respectable age of marriage would approach Joseph and try to persuade him into a conversation. His stable social and financial status made him the best candidate in London for wedlock. But Joseph didn¡¯t want another heartbreak and decades of wasted energy and effort. He thought that he was old at the age of thirty-five and that he probably was impotent. Everyone always blamed Margaret for infertility, but Joseph knew that his father only sired two sons in his entire life. The absence of cousins and relatives only confirmed his assumption that the Ford men were reproductively feeble. So, no matter how high the promised dowries were, Joseph spared himself and the women around him the pain and the misery. He accepted that the Ford line would die with him and the title of Earl of Mainwood would pass to a distant cousin. Time passed, and Joseph got lost at work again. There was only a month left to Margaret¡¯s second deathday. Joseph planned a graceful ceremony a month in advance because the only thing that gave him comfort was grieving his wife and son in any way he could. It was a cold morning in the city of London. Joseph was riding on his horse with his advisor on another stallion. ¡°I guess it might rain, my lord,¡± the advisor, Mr. Lancaster, said while looking up at the sky and holding his hat with his other hand. Joseph looked up and breathed in. He loved the clean air with the scent of rain. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he said. ¡°There are clouds everywhere.¡± ¡°There are always clouds in London. If it is to rain, the scent must come first.¡± ¡°The scent?¡± Mr. Lancaster asked and then sniffed. ¡°What scent?¡± ¡°Rain,¡± Joseph replied shortly, expecting an agreement, but Mr. Lancaster had no idea what he was talking about. ¡°Rain has a certain scent, Thomas. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I certainly have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, My Lord.¡± ¡°Are you telling me you have never smelled the refreshing scent of rain?¡± ¡°I think you might be the only person who has.¡± They argued about it while heading toward the Mainwood mansion. Suddenly thunder bolted the sky, startling them. For a split second, Joseph felt his horse tensing underneath his legs. He knew the sound had scared the poor animal and tried to calm it, but another thunder in the sky made the horse stand on two hooves, neighing loudly. Mr. Lancaster tried taking control, but it was too late. The uneasy stallion paced down a hill and knocked Joseph off. Joseph landed harshly on the ground and lost consciousness. Mr. Lancaster immediately got off his horse and ran toward Joseph. He took Joseph¡¯s head in his hold and examined the injury on his head. There was blood on his forehead. Mr. Lancaster lifted Joseph and brought him inside. They put him on his bed and looked for injuries. His ribs were getting purple, and his shoulder was dislocated. Mr. Lancaster touched Joseph¡¯s ribs, and Joseph whimpered while his eyes were still closed. It was good to know that Joseph was conscious. They called for the healer. He came and examined Joseph¡¯s injuries, applying herbs and creams on his bruises and wounds to help his pain. After relocating his shoulder, the doctor wrapped his body in a long cloth and then gave the maids a few medicines to feed him every few hours. Joseph woke up after a day, but he kept coughing. There was an abnormal pain in his torso that he couldn¡¯t quite understand. Despite Lancaster¡¯s advice to rest, he returned to work with difficulty in breathing and walking. One morning, Joseph barely opened his eyes and realized he couldn¡¯t lift his blanket. Not a muscle in his body cooperated with him. What had happened to him? It was only a fall. Why didn¡¯t he heal already? The servants of the house were terrified. They didn¡¯t want to mourn another member of the Ford house. When the realization occurred to Joseph that his health was reclining by the day, he calmly accepted his fate that death was inevitable. He realized that he had been anticipating it for quite some time. Perhaps that was why he had already detached from everything on earth. While lying on the bed, coughing his lungs out, Joseph discovered nothing was better than meeting his son and wife again. He wasn¡¯t too religious, but one thing he still believed in was the afterlife. ¡°A horse?¡± Kathrine Capell hissed through her teeth as she heard the news of Joseph¡¯s injury. The Capell family lived in Rockfield, a deprived town not quite close to London. Although they were distant cousins of the earl of Mainwood, they had no prosperity and lived as peasants. Kathrine was sitting at the table with her family, which included her husband, Robert, their two sons, and one little daughter. They were having breakfast when the news was announced to them. Kathrine held the cup of tea tighter and shook her head. ¡°Poor man!¡± she said. ¡°How do you die from riding a horse?¡± her little daughter asked. Robert, Kathrine¡¯s husband, said nothing and continued eating. Dying from a fall off a horse was more common than his daughter thought, and Robert knew it. But he didn¡¯t want to elaborate. ¡°My uncle died riding a horse,¡± Kathrine said. ¡°The hunters shot arrows. The bloody horse knocked him off the fences, and he hit his head.¡± Kathrine put her cup of tea on the table and looked at her husband. ¡°Do you realize all members of Ford line are dead?!¡± she said. Robert didn¡¯t mind his wife¡¯s tone. It was rare for Kathrine to act like that. ¡°The earl of Mainwood is only ill. He¡¯s not dead,¡± he reminded, grabbing his fork again, ¡°yet,¡± he added to his statement.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°The curse is true then,¡± Kathrine said as she played with the cup on the table. ¡°Curse?¡± said the eldest son, Stewart, who was twenty-four, before putting half of the boiled egg into his mouth. ¡°Do you believe that, mother?¡± Louisa, the daughter who was only twelve, opened her mouth. ¡°Yes, they are real,¡± she said with a mouth full of food and was immediately met with Kathrine¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mama,¡± she muttered as she looked down. Kathrine wanted her children to have manners and etiquette like their distant cousin. She desired to be accepted into their society one day. ¡°Of course I do,¡± she said, looking at Stewart. ¡°What else explanation do you have for this? An entire family perishing from the face of the earth like they never existed before.¡± The younger son, John, didn¡¯t even bother looking up from his plate. ¡°It could be the pedlar,¡± he said, and Stewart snorted loudly. ¡°What pedlar?¡± Kathrine asked, looking worried. They both just shrugged and said nothing. ¡°Is this one of your jokes?¡± she pushed. ¡°Curse or not,¡± her husband said, looking at no one in particular, ¡°He might die. The trips are extravagant, and we¡¯re short of money. I will sell the lambs and the cow to prepare. We must make it in London in time for Margaret¡¯s anniversary. I won¡¯t leave Mainwood empty-handed like last year.¡± ¡°I know, dear,¡± Kathrine said, playing with the fork now. ¡°Ever since their son, Francis, passed, we have received no accommodations.¡± ¡°Do we have to go there?¡± John said, looking at his parents. Mr. Capell stopped eating and looked back at his son. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why do we go there all the time? That house has had so many dead people that now it smells like death.¡± ¡°We do, son,¡± Robert said as he chewed on his food. ¡°We¡¯re not even sure if you¡¯re cousins,¡± Stewart added to his brother¡¯s statement. ¡°Who are your shared ancestors?¡± Something changed in Robert¡¯s expression, which scared all of them. Stewart always found a way to anger his father. Robert looked at his son with furrowed eyebrows. ¡°What did you just say?¡± he said, holding the fork tighter. Stewart shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m merely pointing out that no one confirms you¡¯re cousins. There¡¯s no evidence.¡± Robert¡¯s nostrils flared. Katherine opened her mouth to say something and calm him down, but it was too late. ¡°You, ignorant small creature,¡± Robert said. ¡°Robert, dear,¡± Katherine said, but before she could complete her sentence, Robert raised his fork and stabbed Stewart¡¯s hand on the table. Kathrine covered Louisa¡¯s eyes to protect her from the violent scene. She shuddered at Stewart¡¯s hand¡¯s sight. Stewart opened his mouth to shout, but he didn¡¯t want to give Robert the satisfaction. So he choked on his pain and only watched his hand, stabbed with the fork and bleeding slowly. Kathrine was used to this and wasn¡¯t scared of her husband anymore, but their daughter was. She was worried about her. ¡°All I do for this family is get us out of this current status,¡± Mr. Capell said. ¡°If we don¡¯t go there, who shall pay for our expenses?¡± He didn¡¯t expect anyone to answer his question. ¡°We have to visit Joseph. If we talk some sense into him before he dies, we might get support. Never forget and never question that we are cousins.¡± Tears filled Stewart¡¯s eyes. He removed the fork from his hand and left the house, slamming the weathering door behind himself. The Capells arrived at the Mainwood mansion after a couple of days. They had sold their animals for that trip, hoping to return with more fortune. However, when they realized that the earl hadn¡¯t left his bed in two weeks, their excitement and hope shrank into a small ball. Robert clenched his jaw as he stared at Joseph¡¯s sleeping body. He didn¡¯t know Joseph was that sick. ¡°Does he ever wake up?¡± he asked the valet that was present at Joseph¡¯s bedchamber. The valet shook his head. ¡°We barely feed him, sir.¡± The valet told Robert that no physician could help. There was no hope for Joseph, and everyone was already prepared to see him gone. ¡®Who is going to help our family now?¡¯ Robert thought to himself. The only source of income he had considered was his dying cousin on the bed before him. No one close to them was as wealthy as the Ford family. The Capells couldn¡¯t even return to Rockfield at that point. Robert had to talk with the man who managed the earldom in Joseph¡¯s absence and seek his help. The valet approached Robert and cleared his throat. Robert took the sign and stepped outside while calculating his next moves. What would become of the Capell¡¯s when Joseph died? Surely the next earl¡ªwhoever it was¡ªwould not care for them. The next morning, Robert Capell was ready to meet with the head of Mainwood, Mr. Lancaster. Robert didn¡¯t know if Mr. Lancaster would help him and his family. However, there was no other choice for him. He wasn¡¯t going to leave empty-handed. Actually, he couldn¡¯t, since he had spent all their money on the trip to Mainwood. The footman knocked on the door of Joseph''s office, which was now run by Mr. Lancaster, and waited for permission. After hearing Mr. Lancaster¡¯s permission to enter, the footman opened the door for Robert and motioned his hand so he would enter. ¡°Mr. Lancaster,¡± Robert addressed him while entering the office. Mr. Lancaster stood on his feet behind his desk and nodded shortly. ¡°Mr. Capell,¡± he acknowledged him with a firm low voice. ¡°It¡¯s a lovely morning to make your acquaintance.¡± Mr. Lancaster gestured for Robert to sit, and they both took a seat. ¡°It sure is,¡± he said as he settled, ¡°although we have already met each other a dozen times.¡± Robert thought for a few seconds. ¡°Have we?¡± he asked, and Mr. Lancaster smiled as a yes. Robert didn¡¯t want to seem disrespectful toward Mr. Lancaster by not recalling him. ¡°Well, my memory¡¯s not so cooperative with me these days. I¡¯m getting quite old, I suppose.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say old, Mr. Capell. You look sharper than ever.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very kind. Thank you.¡± ¡°Is there something bothering you, sir?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± Robert gulped and tried to remember the sentences he had memorized all night. ¡°Well, not at Mainwood.¡± ¡°What can you mean?¡± Mr. Lancaster said, slowly putting his pen on the desk. ¡°You might have heard of our family''s situation, financially, I mean.¡± For a proud man, it was hard to state his family¡¯s finances. But Robert wasn¡¯t a man with pride. At least not when there was money involved. Mr. Lancaster didn¡¯t show any reaction. He just listened. ¡°It¡¯s harder to word these matters than to experience them,¡± Robert lied. ¡°My family and I were always under the blessing of my cousins. The lord and the lady of Mainwood took care of us and our finances, and for that, there goes no day that I do not pray for their souls.¡± Mr. Lancaster entwined his hands with each other. He remained still and only listened, wondering what Robert wanted to say. ¡°It¡¯s been long," Robert added, "since the countess¡¯ last assistance. I wouldn''t expect it to continue if we weren¡¯t in such deep debt now. I came here to seek my cousin¡¯s help, but I see that he¡¯s almost¡­¡± Mr. Lancaster¡¯s calmness made Robert even more anxious. He waited for some response¡ªanger, denial, rejection, anything¡ªbut Mr. Lancaster¡¯s face remained the same. ¡°Mr. Capell,¡± Lancaster said, and Robert thanked God that there was a response. ¡°Yes?¡± Robert said. ¡°The earl is very sick, yes. But he¡¯s not dead yet.¡± His tone was harsh and judgmental. ¡°Oh, God forbid!¡± Robert said. ¡°Of course, he¡¯s not. And hopefully, he¡¯ll live a long life.¡± ¡°Then what do you expect me to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something you can do. I really need help. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered you with my inquiries.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware,¡± Mr. Lancaster said, not believing him. He took a deep breath to calm himself. ¡°It¡¯s rather¡±¡ªhe thought for a few seconds¡ª¡°insensitive¡­ to expect the transition this soon when the earl has not passed away yet. What would everyone think?¡± ¡°No one has to know about it.¡± ¡°Everyone knows about it.¡± ¡°How could they?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a title, Mr. Capell. How do you think it so small?¡± Robert squinted slightly. ¡°The¡­ the title?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What about the title?¡± Mr. Lancaster separated his hands from one another. ¡°You¡¯re cousins,¡± he said. ¡°And?¡± Robert said, oblivious to what Mr. Lancaster wanted to say. ¡°His lordship has no other relatives.¡± 4 The distant cousin Robert wasn¡¯t a man of reaction. Nothing could ever have his jaw parted that widely. He was unable to find words. ¡°Y-you¡­ I-I¡­Are you¡­ saying that I¡ª?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lancaster sighed and continued with a heavy tone, ¡°You are the heir of Mainwood.¡± Robert had already gathered what Mr. Lancaster wanted to say, but he couldn¡¯t believe it until he heard the exact words from him. He was there to ask for money only to return to his home and live by for a few months¡ªmaybe a few years¡ªbut now Mr. Lancaster was promising him the earldom. Never in his life had he obtained something so astounding with such a convenience. Long gone was the misery of peasant life. A big smile spread across his face. He was going to be the earl, the lord of Mainwood! A loud chuckle left Robert¡¯s mouth. Mr. Lancaster frowned. He knew families and relatives would get ugly toward each other over titles and inheritance. However, seeing Mr. Capell¡¯s joy for the earl¡¯s death¡ªthe earl who had given him and his family a roof over their head and food on their table¡ªirritated him. Robert noticed Mr. Lancaster¡¯s frown but didn¡¯t bother to apologize. Who was he to judge Robert Capell, the new lord of Mainwood? ¡°Dear Mother of Jesus! How was I not informed?¡± Robert asked with a loud, cheerful voice. ¡°How did you not know by now?¡± Mr. Lancaster said, mocking Robert¡¯s lack of intelligence and current knowledge of what was happening around him. ¡°Haven¡¯t you come all this way to hasten the process?¡± ¡°Oh, I assure you, Mr. Lancaster, if I knew I am his only relative, I would never leave Mainwood.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope His Lordship finds his strength again.¡± ¡®He will never gain his strength,¡¯ Robert thought to himself but didn¡¯t say it aloud. He rose to his feet and stretched his hand in front of Lancaster while smiling widely. ¡°It was splendid to make your acquaintance, indeed,¡± he said, shaking his hands aggressively, unable to hide his excitement. ¡°Again,¡± Mr. Lancaster said, pulling his hand away from Robert in annoyance, ¡°We have met before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I would¡¯ve remembered you if we had,¡± Robert said, this time not worried if Mr. Lancaster felt disrespected. Secretly he enjoyed showing his dominance to the man who would soon become nothing but his worker. Robert exited the office, ran to his family, and told them everything. They screamed and shouted, celebrating the twist of fate in their favor. It was a surreal moment. Things had finally changed in a way one could only dream about. Their youngest, Louisa, couldn¡¯t stop dancing around the room and screaming in her high-pitched voice even though she didn¡¯t quite understand what she would gain from that turn of events. ¡°Louisa!¡± Kathrine called her loudly to discipline her. ¡°Ladies never scream!¡± ¡°Oh, for the love of God, Kathrine,¡± Robert intervened, ¡°Let her scream today.¡± Louisa smiled widely at his father. Things were already changing. His father was getting kinder and gentler. ¡°You can discipline her tomorrow,¡± Robert added, wiping the smile off Louisa¡¯s face. ¡°You can torture her all you want, my future countess!¡± He took his wife in his arms and twirled her around the room. Louisa¡¯s joy lasted only for a few seconds. She realized that her father wasn¡¯t going to change. Maybe now that he possessed power and a title, he would be even more insufferable. ¡°When is the earl going to die?¡± Stewart teased after wrestling his brother in a silly excited way. ¡°Perhaps we can arrange something. A quick and silent way.¡± He didn¡¯t mean it, yet a harsh slap from Robert met Stewart¡¯s face, and Stewart stumbled backward. Kathrine gasped, immediately taking her daughter¡¯s hand so she wouldn¡¯t be scared. ¡°You need to learn to open your mouth when you are allowed,¡± Robert said, his authoritative, scary look replacing his joyful smile. What made him angry wasn¡¯t the lack of empathy in his son¡¯s words but rather his indiscretion in speech at the presence of servants. He got closer to Stewart, who had his cheek in his hand and tears in his eyes. ¡°I will be the earl soon,¡± Robert said, ready to charge at him again if provoked, ¡°and if you open your mouth only once, by God, I swear, if it only happens once, I will have you removed from this town, or maybe, from the earth.¡± Stewart¡¯s tears streamed down his cheeks. There he was again, not the twenty-four-year-old man with a height taller than his father, but the toddler who got beaten up by him for the tiniest inconveniences. By abusing his son, Robert made him feel smaller each day. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Robert growled, and Stewart nodded without looking him in the eyes. The word finally spread that the earl had only a few days to live. The Capells had an immense role in spreading the news because Joseph¡¯s death would benefit them in a way they had never imagined. Joseph, the sick earl, grew weaker and thinner by the day. The doctors were so helpless that they could only offer prayer Peers didn¡¯t like Robert as the new Earl of Mainwood for many reasons. First, no one was sure if the Capells and the Fords were really cousins. The earl¡¯s family tree was known only to the seventh line. There were arguments about the lines before that. Second, the peers thought low of Capells because Robert and his family were not as high as them in class, education, prosperity, or social status¡ªwhich was the most important one. The servants and the average class were also upset by the turn of events. They loved Joseph as much as they used to love Margaret. And now tragically Joseph was going to die before Margaret¡¯s second anniversary. Time in Mainwood did not pass easily for anyone living there, especially the ones in the house. Capells, most importantly Robert, gave everyone the worst time of their lives. He treated the servants poorly, shouting at them with any minor error, throwing his glass of drink on the floor when he wasn¡¯t pleased with their job, or demanding overwork. The servents had never been treated that way during Joseph¡¯s management. Joseph had grown up in a tense environment with his father and grandfather abusing everyone lower or the same class as themselves. So, he promised himself that he would break the cycle and respect everyone including his children and the lower class.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. As the death day of Margaret approched, Robert grew angrier because the title was so close to being his, yet none of the servants took him as seriously as they should have. He woke up early and started his day by promenading in the garden with nothing but his pipe. The sunrise was mesmerizing. One of the footmen appeared by Robert¡¯s side. ¡°Mr. Capell,¡± he said, and Robert turned his head only a little so he could look at him from the corner of his eyes. ¡°You called for me,¡± the footman said. ¡°Why are my boots not polished?¡± he asked while his pipe rested between his teeth. The footman looked down at his shoes and then back at his eyes. ¡°They are,¡± he said. Robert took the pipe out of his mouth, clenched his jaw, and stepped toward the footman. ¡°Did you give the lord the same service you give me now?¡± he asked, towering above the young footman. The footman gulped hard and said nothing. ¡°If you keep going like this, I will have you removed from your job.¡± ¡°Please,¡± the footman begged. ¡°I¡¯ll do everything you ask.¡± ¡°I shan¡¯t ask!¡± Robert shouted, startling the footman. ¡°I mustn¡¯t ask! This is your job! Do you understand?!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Mr. Capell!¡± the footman stuttered. ¡°Get lost!¡± Robert shouted, and the man walked away. Robert leaned toward the tulips and plucked one that looked prettier. For some reason, tulips interested him. Despite his anger and coldness, he cared for flowers. Robert put the tulip in his pocket and returned to the house. He stopped by the kitchen and looked at all the people working there. It didn¡¯t look that crowded. Of course, there were only the Capells to feed, so the servants weren¡¯t in much haste. ¡°Mr. Capell,¡± an old maid said, approaching him. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Robert said as he took his coat off, which surprised the maid. It was strange to remove a piece of clothing in front of ladies, but the servants weren¡¯t ladies, so Robert didn¡¯t care. ¡°This jacket needs mending. The buttons are loose.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the maid said as she took the coat from him. ¡°I need it by afternoon.¡± The maid nodded, and he left the kitchen. He waited for his tea as he looked at the paintings of the big ballroom. Art never amused him. He had never studied nor took any interest in it. But there was a painting in that hall that intrigued him. It reminded him of the house he grew up in. He hated it there. It was a rat hole in his mind, tiny and dirty. If it weren¡¯t for Joseph and Margaret¡¯s help, Robert would be staggeringly destitude even more than his childhood because he had gambled everything he owned. ¡°Mr. Capell,¡± the old maid¡¯s voice interrupted Robert''s thoughts, and he turned around to look at her. ¡°Your jacket, sir,¡± she said, extending her hands before him. He took it and checked for the loose buttons. They were mended nicely. ¡°That is all,¡± he said, dismissing the maid. He wore it and put his hands inside his pockets while looking at the painting. His eyes widened when he felt something amiss. With angry steps, he walked toward the hallway and stopped the maid, who was halfway toward the kitchen. The maid looked scared. ¡°What happened, sir?¡± she asked while Robert¡¯s hand was on her arm. ¡°Who mended this?¡± Robert asked, anger rising within him. ¡°Why, sir? Isn¡¯t it done nicely?¡± ¡°Who mended it?!¡± he shouted. ¡°Lily!¡± she blurted out the maid''s name. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°The earl¡¯s bedchamber,¡± she said, not meaning to telltale, but she had no other choice. Robert let go of the old maid¡¯s arm and climbed the stairs toward the earl¡¯s bedchamber. The valet by the door wasn¡¯t there, and Robert took advantage, barging in, ready to lash out at anyone present in the room. A young maiden was sitting by Joseph¡¯s unconscious body and cleaning his face with a wet towel. ¡°You!¡± Robert said, and the maiden turned to look at him. She read the anger on his face, so she put the towel into the big bowl of water, placing it on a table near Joseph¡¯s bed. Then she stood up, fixing her skirt. Robert strode toward her and grabbed her by her arm tightly. His fingers pinched her so hard through the fabric of her dress. ¡°You steal from me?!¡± Robert said, his fingernails almost digging inside her flesh. ¡°I would never,¡± she defended, not looking even a little frightened. Robert¡¯s wrath tended to be petrifying since it always followed violence. He found her composure irritating. A servant stupid enough to steal, now she was lying too? ¡°On the table,¡± she said, and his head jerked toward it. The tulip was there, inside a small vase half filled with water. He ground his teeth and returned his look at the maid. ¡°How dare you take something from my jacket?¡± His tone was harsh enough to make a grown man shiver. ¡°How dare you steal from me?¡± ¡°The tulip was dying,¡± she stated with no sign of regret or fear. Robert pushed her toward the table and followed there to grab the tulip. He threw the flower on the floor and stomped on it with his boot. It already looked wittered, yet he purposely dragged his foot on the floor to show Lily the smashed sight of it to intimidate her. ¡°Now it¡¯s completely dead,¡± Robert said, grabbing the maid¡¯s neck. ¡°Do you wish to get fired from this house?¡± The maid remained silent, but her lips parted due to the pain. He was finally starting to feel authoritative over her. ¡°Do you wish to never work with any household again?¡± His voice was now in a whispery tone. ¡°Your life is in my hands. I could crush you like this flower.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no doubt, Mister,¡± she replied, and it made his ears burn. ¡°You don¡¯t believe I could,¡± he hissed through his teeth. ¡°If there¡¯s a man who could ruin me here,¡± she spoke with an unbalanced voice while her breath was short, ¡°it would most certainly be you.¡± Was she challenging him? Did she not fear him? How was this possible? No one ever was stupid enough not to believe his wrath. He made sure to hurt them so they would believe him, and it always worked. He let go of her neck and pushed her to the table. She let a whimpering sound slip her lips as she stumbled to the table. Robert caged her. ¡°Why did you even look into my pockets?¡± he asked while his head was only a few inches away from hers. ¡°I was curious.¡± Her answer was firm. ¡°Ask for forgiveness,¡± he demanded, unable to part his gaze from her lips. Was he affecting her, or was it the other way around? ¡°Say you¡¯re sorry.¡± She parted her lips, and he stared. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± she said, and he felt both happy that he got what he wanted and disappointed that she easily gave up. ¡°But I would save the tulip again,¡± she added, interesting him even more. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of me?¡± ¡°Should I be?¡± The frown on his brows deepened, and he clenched his jaw. There was no way a maid would say something this silly and not fear the outcome. When he made his way to the bedchamber, he was sure someone would get hurt by him. But he could never hurt someone like Lily. With the back of his fingers he traced her soft skin. Lily questioned his intention with only her gaze. She was an innocent girl, too young to experience romance or any sexual relations. Robert lowered his head and moved his lips to her throat very softly. Her body tightened with his intrusive kiss. It was odd and uncomfortable. She wanted to free herself, but Robert held her tight. There was a stubbornness in her eyes, which made Robert want her more. Lily finally escaped his grasp and walked away from him. ¡°Please,¡± she whispered, looking mortified by his touch. Finally, Robert thought, something scared her. Lily glanced at Joseph¡¯s unconscious body to ensure he hadn¡¯t woken up. ¡°This is wrong!¡± Even though she was a virgin, she had heard what happened between men and women, and she knew it was wrong. ¡°You have a wife, sir.¡± Robert was thirstier than ever. Lily¡¯s soft skin lingered under his fingers and mouth. He didn¡¯t want her to stay away longer. ¡°I don¡¯t love her,¡± he said, walking toward her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lily said, going around the table in the middle of the room to avoid Robert. Robert clenched his jaw, stroking his fingertips on the table and longing to have Lily¡¯s taste again. ¡°But it does,¡± he argued while chasing her around the table. Lily shook her head, and before Robert could reach her, ¡°Goodbye, Mister Capell,¡± she said, rushing out of the room to avoid Robert¡¯s dominance. Robert¡¯s hand stayed in the air. He was so close to catching Lily and taking her in his arms, but she slipped through her fingers. The lack of her touch burnt Robert¡¯s heart. His fingers smelled like her scent. He would lose his mind if he didn¡¯t have her soon. In his heart and mind he promised to have her even if it was the last thing he would do. 5 Lily, the maid 5 Lily, the maid Only the Capell family was present on the Countess''s death day. Joseph had everything planned before falling ill, and his consultant, Mr. Lancaster, only had to ensure all would be fulfilled with no complications. The nobles refused to attend the ceremony simply to deplore the succession that would soon take place. The Capells were sitting in the big yard of the Mainwood mansion in chairs placed in a half circle. Mrs. Capell was sizing up the house with her eyes as she waved the fan on her neck. She had already done it a thousand times since they found out that they were the only relatives of Joseph Ford, but still, she couldn¡¯t believe the future awaiting her family. She was thrilled beyond words. It was a sunny day, and the Capells tried to enjoy it before the rain started pouring on them again. ¡°I wanted a lemonade a quarter of an hour ago,¡± Louisa, the young daughter of their family, said to his father while sitting by him. ¡°Where are the servants?¡± she asked with her arms crossed on her chest and her legs separated while sitting. ¡°Louisa!¡± Mrs. Capell said as she darted her eyes at the young daughter. Louisa immediately uncrossed her arms and sat properly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mother,¡± she said, looking down at her hands. Mrs. Capell continued fanning herself slowly. ¡°Must I remind you how a lady¡¯s behavior must be in public each time?¡± she said. ¡°Please. Not now that we¡¯re this close to being the center of all attention.¡± Robert Capell ignited his pipe and took a drag while looking around the yard. ¡°We¡¯re close, you say,¡± he said lowly after emptying his lungs of the smoke. Robert was always cautious with his voice. He had grown up among many servants, so he knew how sharp their ears were and how they spent their time eavesdropping in any place they could. ¡°Yet our son has not appeared after an hour and a half,¡± he continued and took another drag, waiting for his wife¡¯s response. Mrs. Capell¡¯s fanning got faster, and her chin rose a little more. ¡°It¡¯s not Stewart to inherit the title,¡± she said in a lower tone. ¡°At least not yet.¡± Mr. Capell held the pipe with his lips. He chose to stay silent when he saw one of the maidens approaching with a lemonade. ¡°Your lemonade, Louisa,¡± said the maiden, who was only a couple of years older than Louisa. Louisa smiled at her. They had become friends since the Capells arrived in Mainwood. Louisa took the glass and started drinking without hesitation. ¡°Miss Capell,¡± Robert corrected the young maiden with a hand on his knee. ¡°It¡¯s Miss Capell, not Louisa.¡± The maiden¡¯s smile disappeared. She straightened her height and nodded. ¡°My apologies,¡± she said, holding the empty tray. Robert took his pipe out of his mouth. ¡°Miss Capell wanted the lemonade fifteen minutes ago.¡± The maiden looked down at her shoes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Capell.¡± ¡°Not ¡®Mister¡¯,¡± Robert said, his eyes piercing through the maiden¡¯s skin. She knew how angry he would get for a simple mistake, but no one ever asked her to call him anything but Sir. She felt the crossness of his heavy gaze even though she wasn¡¯t looking at him. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®My Lord¡¯ now,¡± Robert said, and the maid didn¡¯t do anything this time. She hated how Robert and his family were so hungry for the title and how they acted before inheriting it. The current lord of Mainwood, Joseph, was still alive and breathing even in his worst state. No one could call Robert ¡®My Lord¡¯ yet. ¡°Are you deaf?¡± His voice interrupted the maiden¡¯s thoughts, and she looked up at him with shock on her face. Her silence riked him more. He stood on his feet and approached the young girl. ¡°How dare you remain silent when you¡¯re asked a question?¡± he said while staying only a foot away from her. Robert¡¯s tall height and short temper terrified her. The maiden chose silence over saying something that would bring him more inconvenience. Robert leaned closer toward her and wanted to lash out as he always would, but Kathrine stepped in and cleared her throat. ¡°My lord,¡± Kathrine said, catching his attention. Robert''s head turned slowly to his wife standing by his side. Finally, someone was calling him by the right term, he thought. ¡°It¡¯s the countess¡¯s death day,¡± she reminded softly to prevent a scene. ¡°We must make an exception today for our servant¡¯s lacking. I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t repeat their mistakes.¡± Robert looked back at the maiden, and she immediately glanced down. ¡°Just today,¡± he murmured. ¡°Just today.¡± Kathrine waved the maiden off to dismiss her. She sat down again and watched the yard and everything that would soon become theirs. Robert put his pipe back in his mouth and started walking away. ¡°Where are you going, dear?¡± Kathrine asked out of curiosity. Robert turned around, and a simple glare was enough for Kathrine to shiver with fear. She fanned herself and didn¡¯t utter another word. Robert continued and headed inside. The house was still empty. The nobles had successfully disrespected the Capells by their absence. Robert passed each hallway and looked through all the doors to check for visitors. However, there was none. While striding on the pine planks of the second floor, Robert saw a maid exit Joseph¡¯s room. It was Lily, the beautiful maid who had occupied his mind completely over the last few days. Robert dusted off his clothes and stopped. It was rare of him to be nervous to see a woman. Lily closed the door and walked in his direction without noticing him. ¡°Mr. Capell,¡± she said when her eyes met his shoes. She stopped in her tracks, her face losing color as her gaze met his. Robert inspected the room around them, and after ensuring their solitude, he stepped toward her. It had been a week, and he missed her. ¡°What were you doing at the Earl¡¯s bedchamber?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°I was changing his sheets, Mr. Capell,¡± the maid said, looking down to avoid his dominance.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Not Mister,¡± Robert said. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®My Lord¡¯ now,¡± he reminded her. She glanced at him again, looking shocked since Joseph was still alive. Robert took another step toward her. He seemed calmer than he should have been. ¡°Do you think Joseph¡¯s getting any better?¡± he asked even lower. Robert cared about her opinion, which was odd. He never cared for a servant¡¯s opinion, or anyone else¡¯s, for that matter. Lily gulped. ¡°No, Mr. Capell. He looks worse each day.¡± Her answer was firm, and her body lacked the attraction Robert thought he had implanted in her. He took another step toward her. ¡°What did I say about Mister?¡± he asked, staying only a step away from her. She looked down and said nothing. Not answering Robert''s question made his blood boil. Why wasn¡¯t she as excited as him for their reunion? He grabbed her chin aggressively and lifted her face upward. She didn¡¯t flinch or move. Her gaze glued to his. There was something about her that challenged Robert. She was either too stupid to defy him and his wrath, or too brave. Robert was going to find out which it was. ¡°Do not forget who I am, girl,¡± he said, his tone jarring. ¡°It would be hard to do so, My Lord,¡± Lily replied, meaning to end that silly argument and leave immediately. Robert watched her pink lips. He focused only on the two words she said. My Lord. One foot stepped to the side to walk away from him, but Robert grabbed her by her arm and stopped her. His heart thumped in his chest. It was the first time a servant¡ªnot any servant, this rebelling maid who was too young and beautiful, said the two simple words. Her eyes were the dark shade of a bear¡¯s fur, making her look brave and strong. Under the hideous garment over her head, Robert could see strands of dark blonde hair. Her skin was fair, and there were freckles on her face. Robert moved his face closer to hers and stared at her as she watched him back. ¡°Please,¡± she said with a low voice to bring him to his senses. ¡°Someone could see us. I must leave.¡± Robert¡¯s lust had taken control of his logic and mind. Before Lily could protest, he devoured her mouth to feed his hunger. His hands grabbed her buttocks through her dress, and she screamed. Lily pushed him on his chest and broke the kiss. ¡°Mister Capell!¡± she said in shock and frustration. Robert clenched his jaw. She shouldn¡¯t have called him that. He tugged at her skirt and pulled Lily to himself again, his hands moving on her back to hold her still. She kept hitting and pushing him. Robert was afraid someone could see them or hear her voice, so he dragged her toward Joseph¡¯s room. Lily tried to escape, but Robert¡¯s grip was much stronger than hers. He opened the door in haste, not letting Lily part from him. After closing the door, he pressed her to it and locked it. ¡°Mr. Capell!¡± Lily pleaded, but Robert couldn¡¯t see reason. He crashed his mouth on her neck, aggressively smooching. ¡°Please,¡± she begged against his violent kisses. ¡°I can¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Yes, you can,¡± Robert said, his touch getting stiffer and more painful. His other hand pulled at her skirt enough for him to access her. He put his hand on her thighs and moved it further and further until he could feel her entrance. She stopped his hand with hers and pushed at his chest with all her force. Robert stumbled backward, not believing Lily¡¯s refusal. ¡°No!¡± her voice rose. ¡°I won¡¯t do this! I don¡¯t want this! Let go of me!¡± Robert thought he could tame the little maid and have her to himself, but she turned out to be more resilient than he imagined. His seductive methods didn¡¯t work, and Lily didn¡¯t want him. The rejection hurt his fragile ego. So, he lost the bit of tenderness he had. Fear grew inside Lily as his eyes glared with a demonic intention. She knew Robert wasn¡¯t gentle but never thought he would dare to assault her. Her feet moved, putting distance between them by going to the other side of the room. Robert followed her steps slowly, knowing Lily had nowhere to escape. Lily circled the chair and again reached for the door, but it was locked. Robert grasped and caged her, grabbing her as she fought. She managed to escape him again and ran toward Joseph¡¯s bed, but he caught her near the table. ¡°Mr. Capell,¡± Lily begged again. ¡°What are you doing? This is wrong and sinful!¡± Robert¡¯s mind didn¡¯t work. He didn¡¯t want to be too fast, but he was hungry and needed it to happen before something or someone would interrupt. In a swift move, he turned Lily around and pulled her skirt up her waist. He pushed her head to make her bend over the table. Lily fought his hold and tried to escape him, but Robert kept her still like a sheep about to be beheaded. He lost all control with the sight in front of him and pressed his groin on her bare bottom, grinding her and hissing through his teeth. ¡°Mister Capell!¡± Lily said as she felt the rigid fabric of his trousers on her private parts. She was no longer brave or strong. Terror had taken control of her body, and she was shaking vividly. ¡°Mister Capell, please!¡± she begged. Robert removed his trousers, putting his member out, and in a fast movement, he slid in her. Lily¡¯s hands were clutched onto the surface of the table. Tears streamed down her face. She was silent, but a lot was going on in her mind. ¡°Where did Papa go?¡± Louisa asked her mother as they were still sitting in the yard. John and Stewart left to find some activity that wouldn¡¯t bore them to death. Kathrine took a deep breath. ¡°How do I know?¡± she mumbled, drinking her tea and looking around, hoping to see a new face. The night came, and everyone retired to their rooms. Robert returned to Joseph¡¯s bedchamber and noticed the young valet by his unconscious body. He could do whatever he wanted to Joseph. No one would find out. He looked at Joseph¡¯s unconscious body and sighed deeply as his hands were on his back, wondering when all that misery would end for his own sake and Joseph¡¯s. After Joseph¡¯s death, Robert would discipline the servants, and everything would fall into order. A cough brought him to reality, and he looked at Joseph. He was coughing lowly. The valet hurried to his side and sat next to him. Robert didn¡¯t know what to do. Anytime he entered the bedchamber, Joseph was asleep. They hadn¡¯t thoroughly met each other. He watched as the valet put a piece of cloth on Joseph¡¯s mouth for him to cough freely. Robert approached the bed and stared at him. The valet removed the fabric from Joseph¡¯s mouth. The red sight of the blood made him gasp. The valet tried to wipe it off with another piece of cloth. ¡°We need to call for a physician,¡± he said. He wanted to get on his feet, but Robert¡¯s hands planted on his shoulder to stop him. The valet looked up at him in confusion. Robert held the valet and prevented him from getting up. ¡°Don¡¯t you see it, boy?¡± He said, staring at Joseph¡¯s bloody mouth. ¡°He wants to say goodbye. You would only torture him more if you brought a healer.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s no but. I am the Earl¡¯s cousin. I know what¡¯s best for him. We shall wait for this night to pass. Tomorrow may be the day he finally rests in peace.¡± The young valet tightened his teeth. He pushed Robert¡¯s hands away from his shoulders and stood. ¡°We must save His Lordship,¡± the valet said, only a step away from Robert. ¡°I won¡¯t let him die.¡± Robert grabbed the young valet by his neck and pressed his fingers tightly around his throat. No matter how hard he tried to hide his true self, his actions exposed him. The valet started to cough as Robert¡¯s tight grip stifled him. He wanted to free himself, but Robert wouldn''t loosen his hold. ¡°I will kill you,¡± Robert hissed through his teeth with an anger he hadn¡¯t surfaced before. ¡°I will kill and bury you in the gardens, do you hear me?¡± The valet¡¯s face turned purple. He nodded finally and agreed to keep quiet. Robert released him and dragged the valet out with himself. Then he locked the door and kept the key to himself. That night was Joseph¡¯s last night; Robert would ensure of that. He threatened the young valet that if he told anyone about Joseph¡¯s current state or tried to save him, he would kill him. The ruthless rain catalyzed the midnight¡¯s numbing cold. Robert lay beside his wife, but he couldn¡¯t get Joseph out of his mind. He had finally done it. Joseph would die, and everything would be Robert''s. He expected to feel guilty about it¡ªmaybe a little angry and disappointed with himself for doing such a horrible thing to leave Joseph to die, but he didn¡¯t. The only feeling he had was anticipation. He longed for the power that was his to possess. He had to obtain it tomorrow, or he couldn¡¯t live any longer. After becoming the Earl, Robert wanted to claim Lily as his mistress. He almost drooled as he thought of her. Kathrine was awake when Robert came to lie by her. She didn¡¯t say anything. She didn¡¯t want to hear a mean comment from him, so she closed her eyes and tried to sleep without knowing Joseph''s fate that night. 6 Dead eyes will speak thunder 6 Dead eyes will speak thunder The night hadn¡¯t passed yet, and it seemed the universe didn¡¯t want Joseph gone. The clouds covered the moon, and a staggering rumble shook the earldom. The Hoffman orphanage was as restless as the earl¡¯s house. A young boy at the age of seven tossed and turned in his bed. An unknown cause was slowly devitalizing him. The caregiver nuns rushed to his side. ¡°Empty the room!¡± shouted the superior nun, who wore a white coif that distinguished her from the others. The nuns obliged, running to the curious boys standing at the door to take them out of the room. The superior nun wanted to touch the boy¡¯s body, but she was afraid she would contract his disease. The nuns closed the door and approached the ill boy¡¯s bed. ¡°When did this start?¡± the superior nun asked the anxious middle-aged janitor. The man wiped the sweat off his forehead with his gray hat. ¡°The boys say two days ago.¡± ¡°Oh, Dear Lord!¡± the superior nun said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he come to us sooner?¡± ¡°We can still help him, aye?¡± the janitor asked in despair. The nun hesitated but decided to tell the truth. ¡°The disease takes them in three days.¡± The wrinkles on his forehead deepened as he frowned. ¡°Let us pray it doesn¡¯t,¡± one of the nuns said, catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Praying won¡¯t stop the contagious disease, sister,¡± the blue-eyed nun said. ¡°While you do that, I¡¯ve asked for my own kind of help.¡± They were confused. ¡°What can you mean?¡± one nun asked. The candles were no match for the darkness of the night. Cold air blew, and the doors and the windows rattled during the scary night in the orphanage. The afflicted young boy was kept separated from others to prevent passing his disease. Thunder bolted the sky, lightning the orphanage for only a few seconds. The nuns looked at each other for reassurance, but none could console the other. ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± the janitor said, and the nuns turned around to see the newcomer. ¡°The Pedlar,¡± he said again. The superior nun took only one step toward the door in anticipation. She was impatient to meet him. A figure appeared, with a long cloak that covered his average height and a hood that shaded his face. The nun wanted to know who he was so she could trust him, but the darkness didn¡¯t allow it. Without any introduction, the hooded man walked toward the sick boy''s bed while limping on his right foot. As he got closer, his masked face became apparent to the eye. The nuns watched him silently, wondering who he was. The superior nun stepped aside to give him space. The man stretched his hand with gauntlets to examine the ill boy. One of the nuns couldn¡¯t let him since she didn¡¯t trust the masked man and questioned his intentions. So, before his hand touched his skin, she grabbed his wrist to stop him. A thunder lightened the sky, and the following growl startled the skeptic nun. She instantly released the man¡¯s wrist and stepped backward, clutching the cross on her rosary as she mumbled something under her breath. If he was a demon, perhaps she could eliminate him. But nothing happened to the mysterious man. Even with a mask, he managed to induce fear through them. Was he really a man with power? Wouldn¡¯t that question everything they had been worshipping? They didn¡¯t want to believe in it, but when the young boys in the orphanage got too sick one after the other, and every one of them died only three days after their first symptom, the nuns had no choice but to use the infamous Pedlar¡¯s help. Everyone held their breath as his head turned back to the ill boy. He didn¡¯t react to the nun''s impulsive action and instead focused on the important matter. With a strong grip on his shoulders, he steadied the boy¡¯s restless body. The poor child was still tossing and turning. One nun understood that the hooded man only wanted to heal the boy, so she decided to help. She helped keep the boy in place, and the hooded man turned him on his left side. He put his hand on the boy¡¯s bare back and moved his fingers on his body until he stopped at a spot. Everyone watched as he examined the boy, and they all grew impatient. The rain started pouring down, frustrating everyone more than they already felt. The hooded man took something out of his bag, something small that looked like the seed of a date. Then he bared the bottom of the young boy. The nun wanted to protest again, but the superior nun grabbed her hand and stopped her. She squeezed the nun''s hand as reassurance that nothing would happen, although she wasn¡¯t sure herself. The boy had been sick for two days, and she didn¡¯t want him to die. The hooded man put the small thing that looked like a date''s seed between the legs of the young boy and gently pressed it until it was inside him. It made the nuns look away. Suddenly the roof started dripping, and a pile of cold water poured on the nuns, soaking them in only a few seconds. They gasped and stepped away from the dripping ceiling. The masked healer looked at them for a few seconds as if he was remembering something. He shook his head and returned his gaze to the boy. The soaked sisters stood in another spot while trying to dry themselves. The boy was still tossing and turning but slower. The stranger put his finger inside the boy¡¯s mouth and stayed there for a few seconds. The nuns suspected what he was doing. Did he cast a spell or some witchcraft on the boy¡¯s body? The man retrieved his hand from the boy¡¯s mouth and approached the nuns. He handed the superior nun two more of the same small thing and a small bag of some powder. Drenched like a rat, the superior nun looked at the things in her hand with confusion. She wanted to ask how to use the powder but saw a note on the small bag and kept silent. It was the instructions. The superior nun looked up to thank the man, but the hooded man had vanished. Her eyes widened at his sudden disappearance. In the dark hallways of the main foyer, the limping man¡¯s figure appeared in sight, walking toward the exit with his long cloak. Another thunder struck the sky, and a face on a portrait on the wall was revealed to him, a woman, beautiful with blue eyes and dark blonde hair. The masked stranger looked at the painting shortly as if it reminded him of something, but then started walking away. ¡°Pedlar!¡± someone shouted his nickname, and he stopped, turning to see who would dare shout for him. It was a young man with clothes that looked like a servant¡¯s. He ran to the hooded man to talk to him. ¡°I mean no harm!¡± the young servant said when he stood only a few steps away from the hooded man. His face was seen better as he stood closer. He was the valet of the Mainwood house, the one Robert threatened to kill if he talked about Joseph¡¯s state to anyone. The rain had soaked the valet. His face was a mix of agony and despair. ¡°I need your help, Mister,¡± the valet said. ¡°It¡¯s quite urgent.¡± The man had no clue who the valet was. And even if he knew, he didn¡¯t care. He turned back to his way and started walking.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Please!¡± The valet cried, ¡°For the love of God. I need your help!¡± But it didn¡¯t stop the mysterious stranger. The valet started following him. ¡°The earl is sick. Please. I beg of you! Have a look at him. He¡¯s dying, and no physician can help him.¡± The man was in a rush. He had to leave immediately, but the valet¡¯s words made him hesitate. He was making up his mind to ignore him and leave the orphanage. His steps were fast and clumsy. A heart-stopping thunder louder than the rest hit the sky, and the sound growled through London, lightening the night as if it were a day. The hooded man stopped dead in his tracks, too affected by the sound and the face before him¡ªthe blonde noblewoman in the massive portrait on the wall that could be seen only with lightning''s force. This time the woman in the frame somehow looked angry. The hair on his neck stood. The valet stopped only a few feet before the hooded man. He looked at the same painting. ¡°Countess Margaret,¡± the valet said as the shadowy healer stared at the painting, unable to take his gaze apart. ¡°The earl¡¯s dead wife who helped build this place,¡± the boy added. The man stared at the painting that was now lost in the darkness. His pause lasted only a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime for the valet. As if the portrait had spoken to the hooded man, he turned around and approached the valet in haste while he limped to accept helping the earl. A moment of joy passed the young valet¡¯s face, and he walked toward the door, guiding the healer to his carriage. He knew Robert Capell would kill him if he found out, yet he didn''t care. The night growled, and the rain ruthlessly washed over every living being. The carriage was fast; It had no other choice. The earl was dying, and the servants were the only people concerned for him. The sound of the horse¡¯s hooves got lost through the night''s madness as they rode to Mainwood. The carriage stopped a few houses away from the Mansion. The valet wanted to explain why. People were ashamed and scared of seeking a man''s help known as the Pedlar. But the man didn¡¯t care. The house''s backdoor opened, and the soaked bodies of the hooded man and the valet entered the house. It was dark everywhere. No one was there except one of the young maidens. The maiden had a candle in one hand. She moved her finger on her mouth to emphasize that they had to be quiet so the Capells wouldn¡¯t hear them. The masked stranger entered the house and followed the young maiden as she made her way to the earl¡¯s bedchamber. The valet followed them as well. They tiptoed and looked around to make sure no one was there to see them. The young maiden¡¯s skirt got stuck to a small object, knocking it off. A loud thud rose as the object hit the floor. They turned around and saw a decorative silver cup hitting the floor tiles, making loud noises. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± said Stewart, the eldest son of the Capells in the darkness. The young maiden almost gasped when she heard his voice. If he saw them, he would tell his father, Robert. The sound of Stewart¡¯s footsteps was getting closer. Seeing them was inevitable. The hooded man acted fast although he knew nothing about why they had to hide and be quiet. He pinched the candle''s flame in the maiden''s hand, and it got blown out. The darkness took over the entire manor. The footsteps sounded sharper and closer until Stewart was only a few feet away. They held their breath as Stewart inspected the hallways. He couldn''t see anything in the darkness, so he walked away, and a sigh of relief washed over them. They were safe once again, but the maiden was unable to guide the unknown man in the darkness. The valet was familiar with every step and stair, so he walked in front of them and led them in a low tone. The maiden followed along, grabbing the hem of the man¡¯s hood so she wouldn¡¯t fall. They were now in the second floor¡¯s hallway. ¡°Left,¡± the valet whispered, and the man followed him as the maiden tailed them. The Pedlar walked discreetly and calculated as if he knew every turn and step. He was fast and focused even with a limping leg, which fascinated the servants. The bedchamber''s door was locked, and the key was in Robert Capell¡¯s hand. But the valet had a spare key. He opened the door and carefully observed his surroundings to ensure no one would see them, especially Robert Capell. After they entered the room, he closed the door and instantly lit some candles for the healer to see the earl. The man took a look at Joseph¡¯s unconscious body. His face was nothing but a skull covered with skin. He had lost much weight while lying on his deathbed. Joseph¡¯s mouth was red, indicating the vomit of blood. The man sat by his side on the bed and looked at him. ¡°He¡¯s dying,¡± the valet said, which made the man start examining Joseph¡¯s body. He took Joseph¡¯s hand, turned his wrist around, and examined it for a few minutes. Then he uncovered Joseph¡¯s chest and lowered his ear on it. He stayed there for a few seconds, then asked for help to turn Joseph around and lay him on his left. He lowered his ear on his back and stayed there for a few seconds. Then he moved his hand to Joseph¡¯s side. The valet and the maiden wondered what he was doing. The hooded man pressed his fingers on Joseph¡¯s body and waited for a reaction while moving his hand to the lower right side of Joseph¡¯s torso. A sudden wincing sound left Joseph¡¯s mouth. The valet was shocked and confused. He hated being helpless and trusting a complete stranger with Joseph¡¯s life. The healer put one hand on Joseph¡¯s arm as the valet held his torso. Somehow the young boy sensed that something violent was about to happen, but he was too slow to stop it. The healer hauled Joseph¡¯s shoulder backward, and a crack came from his chest, startling the valet and the maiden. Joseph winced in pain, and the young valet intervened. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked in shock. ¡°Did you break his ribs?¡± The healer ignored him, pulling a pipe and a small container out of his bag. Curiosity was killing the valet. The man took something small and brown out of the container and put it in the pipe. In a surprisingly short time, he ignited it. A bad smell filled the room, which made the maiden cough. The valet shook his head to warn her. The hooded man blew on the flame. When the fire was extinguished, a very thick smoke started rising, smelling worse than it already did. The healer asked for help to put Joseph in a sitting position. Then he pulled a blanket over Joseph¡¯s head and moved the pipe under the blanket, close to Joseph¡¯s face. A few seconds passed, and Joseph started to cough slowly. The valet looked at the hooded man, waiting for an explanation, but he got none. After only a minute, Joseph¡¯s cough worsened, sounding purulent, and it scared the valet. ¡°What are you doing to His Lordship?¡± the valet asked, doubting the unknown man¡¯s intentions. ¡°He¡¯s going to die!¡± He held Joseph by his shoulders and wanted to uncover the blanket, but the hooded man stopped him. He kept the pipe exactly where it was, and Joseph coughed even more. ¡°He can¡¯t die!¡± The valet said. ¡°You¡¯re killing him!¡± The maiden approached the valet and put a hand on his back to stop him from interfering with the healer¡¯s methods. The valet wanted to stop him with every cell in his body, but he decided not to. He knew Joseph was going to die either way. The Capells would keep him in his bedchamber long enough to pass. If Joseph didn¡¯t die, then they would find a way to kill him. So, the young valet didn¡¯t protest. He kept Joseph in place as the man continued what he was doing. After five minutes, the hooded man uncovered the blanket from Joseph¡¯s face. He took a bowl from the table and moved it before Joseph. Suddenly Joseph started vomiting. At first, it poured outside the bowl. The man relocated his hand and held the bowl a little farther. Joseph coughed between throwing up, and it made everything worse. He puked worse the second time; it was like his body was rejecting whatever was inside of him. The valet kept him still, and he puked another time. The man grabbed a piece of cloth and put it on Joseph¡¯s nose, which made the valet realize that whatever was in the bowl wasn¡¯t only coming from his mouth. The Pedlar cleaned Joseph¡¯s face, and Joseph¡¯s tired body again fell unconscious. The man grabbed another piece of cloth, soaked it in cold water, and bathed Joseph with it. He threw all the blankets to the side and barred Joseph¡¯s body to wear only a thin layer of clothing. Then, he handed the valet four small bags containing herbal medicines. The valet took the bags and wanted to pull his hand away, but he stopped when the Pedlar didn¡¯t let go. He stared at him and noticed what his concern was. ¡°I can read,¡± the valet said. ¡°The countess made sure I learned how to read.¡± The hooded man finally released the bags and got on his feet. He left Mainwood as the sky had calmed down a little. His hood was still wet, and the rain dampened it more. His steps were fast even with a limping leg. While looking around the empty city, he wondered why he agreed to help the dying earl. Of course, the ill man in deathbed needed help, but was it worth the risk of getting caught by others? The valet looked out the window at the mysterious man fading into the darkness and remembered that he hadn¡¯t paid him. Regretful and exhausted, the valet sighed and promised to find the masked man again and pay him for his services. But first, the valet had to ensure something. Would the earl survive? 7 The son killed his father 7 The son killed his father The sound of hooves reached Robert¡¯s ears early in the morning. He opened his eyes, and a blinding light welcomed him, piercing through the windows. He covered his face, sighing. Another horse¡¯s arrival awakened him entirely, and he sat as his eyes widened. Someone was here. He looked around and saw his wife, Kathrine, lying beside him on the bed. The room was too bright. It must have been noon. Sleep deprievation had made him sleep more than he intended, and his wife hadn¡¯t woken him up. He left the bed and started wearing his clothes fast. Someone could have found Joseph¡¯s dead body. Maybe the horses arriving were relatives or the priest. But Robert had had to unlock the door of the bedchamber first. He suddenly remembered that he had locked it the night before. ¡°Damn me!¡± he mumbled as he forcefully fit his feet into the shoes. He exited the room and scampered upstairs to the second floor. No one was near Joseph¡¯s room. His dead body was rotting under layers of sheets and blankets, and no one had even checked on him. Robert felt faint. He was forced to announce his death. Everyone could suspect him. He pulled the key out of his pocket and put it through the keyhole while inspecting the hallways to ensure no one was coming. With one twist the door opened. Suspicion and fear grew within him. He was sure he had turned the lock at least three times last night. Someone must have opened the door or at least tried to do so, he thought to himself. He budged the door to enter, seeking Joseph¡¯s dead body. It was the only wish Robert had. ¡°Mr. Capell!¡± a voice came from the hallway and startled Robert. Robert stepped outside and closed the door immediately. It was too late. Mr. Lancaster was standing behind him and had already seen him. ¡°Visiting the earl?¡± the consultant asked with a straight face. ¡°Mr. Lancaster,¡± Robert said with a deep sleepy voice. ¡°You startled me. Yes, I always check on Joseph. It seems I¡¯m the only one who cares for him.¡± ¡°You mean the death day of the countess?¡± Mr. Lancaster said with his hands on his back. ¡°No one was here yesterday.¡± Robert was glad that he had diverted the subject of their conversation. ¡°My poor cousin¡­ Good thing he wasn¡¯t conscious to witness the day. No one respects this man. He¡¯s the earl, for God¡¯s sake.¡± Mr. Lancaster said nothing and just stared at him. He managed to unnerve Robert by doing nothing. ¡°I must admit, Mr. Lancaster,¡± Robert said. ¡°I shall not tolerate such disrespect. When I inherit the title, I shall have everyone know the consequences of their behaviors.¡± Mr. Lancaster stood for a few seconds without showing any expression. He knew that Joseph was dying, and no one else but Robert was to inherit the title. Yet he couldn¡¯t bring himself to accept that man as the lord of Mainwood. Robert was too ignorant to preside over and have such a tiresome obligation. The thing more insufferable than his ignorance was his ego and obsession with power without showing any worthiness. Mr. Lancaster raised his chin a little. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, Mr. Capell,¡± he said, aggravating Robert even more. ¡°I must get going," Lancaster added. ¡°What chores have you always running, Mr. Lancaster?¡± Robert asked, not pleased with how Lancaster dismissed himself to avoid the conversation. ¡°I must return to the village.¡± ¡°The village?¡± ¡°Yes. You were asleep when I rode there first thing in the morning.¡± Lancaster said, gently mocking Robert¡¯s incompetency. ¡°Many houses were ruined by the thunderstorm of last night. I hadn¡¯t seen such rain in a decade. We are in grave detriment. Restoring can take up to two months. If we do not help our tenants on such cold nights, they shall perish. Two herds of sheep are lost. Farmers are losing their minds. I shall return to them as soon as possible.¡± Robert nodded. He wanted to embarrass Mr. Lancaster for not getting any jobs done but had failed. Robert didn¡¯t know being an earl came with such complicated responsibilities. Must he take care of the villagers whenever it rained? It rained consistently in London! Robert started thinking about how many other responsibilities were awaiting him, and it was not as appealing to be the earl as it used to be anymore.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Would you care to join me, Mister Capell?¡± Lancaster asked. Robert shook his head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to get in your way.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite shaken by the rain. I¡¯d rather stay here.¡± Lancaster nodded. ¡°Not quite as shaken as the villagers, I assume.¡± ¡°One could argue.¡± ¡°Perhaps a good nap in your warm bed restores your concentration and strength.¡± He curtsied lowly and started walking to his room with a straight height. Robert watched him and clutched his fists by his side. The first thing he would do as a lord would be to fire that man from his house, or maybe from London. Thomas Lancaster seemed to care a lot about the earldom, but Robert didn¡¯t like him at all because of the way he mocked Robert. Now that Lancaster was gone, Robert was once again left with the paralyzing anticipation to see Joseph¡¯s death. But it wouldn¡¯t be wise to find him after the encounter with Lancaster. He didn¡¯t want anyone to suspect him. So, he walked to the garden and nervously ignited his pipe. His hands were shaking. Was his conscience suddenly awake? He had left his cousin to die and easily slept through the night without having any regrets. What had become of him at the Mainwood? He took a long drag and started to cough loudly. The situation had his lungs malfunction. He had to stay calm, or someone would notice how miserable he looked. As he was planning his next moves, he saw Lily, the beautiful maid, working in the garden a hundred meters away. She had a basket in her hands and was plucking flowers. She must have been collecting them for the house. Robert felt better already. He started walking toward her. She saw him approaching, and her face fell. Her body froze as she remembered the thing Robert had done to her in Joseph¡¯s room. He waited for a word from her, but she only stared at him. ¡°Gathering flowers?¡± Robert asked to initiate the conversation. Lily gulped. ¡°Tulips,¡± she answered shortly to avoid further conversation, but that was enough to make Robert smile. He took a long step toward her to have her in his arms. ¡°Please, sir. People are watching,¡± she reminded, and he pulled back. ¡°Where?¡± he asked as he looked around. She looked upward, and he did the same. The house had complete sight of them. If anyone was standing by the window, they could see them. ¡°Find me in¡­ in the¡­ bedchamber of the countess. It must be available,¡± Robert said as he breathed deeply. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Robert¡¯s brows furrowed. He wasn¡¯t pleased that she rejected him. He thought she shared the same interest he had in mind, even though she palpably showed her disapproval. ¡°Why not?¡± Robert asked. ¡°I need to leave.¡± She started walking away. Robert grew impatient. He grabbed her hand and forced her to stay. ¡°It seems that you haven¡¯t learned your place yet.¡± His dominance over her made her feel small and helpless. She pulled her hand away from his grip and started walking in another direction, which led to the back of the garden. He watched her steps, and something snapped inside him. He started following her. Lily noticed Robert behind her and sped up. How could he not understand she didn¡¯t want him? Suddenly something became clear to her. Robert liked it. He liked having someone by force. The realization made her heart pound in her chest. His speed increased. With long strides, he finally grabbed Lily and stopped her. She struggled in his hold and hit him to free herself. ¡°I must go!¡± she shouted while shrugging off Robert''s hold, but he was too hefty and persistent. Robert nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± She pushed him on his chest and got a second to run away, but Robert grabbed her dress, and she fell on the ground, making him fall too. She started crawling while she was on her stomach. Robert was fast to lie on top of Lily and cage her body. He turned her around so she could face him. Her face and clothes had become muddy while crawling. Robert kept forcing his mouth on her neck and her breasts while she kicked him. ¡°Let go of me!¡± she screamed when his mouth found her cleavage. He didn¡¯t let go. He was nibbling on her body like a vulture. ¡°I beg of you! I don¡¯t want this! Please! I beg of you! Please!¡± There was no stopping. He was an animal, whether he was thinking or not. Lily¡¯s taste would make him feel powerful and wanted again. He was angry and disappointed for many reasons, and Lily¡¯s rejection wasn¡¯t something he wanted to add to the list. With one aggressive tug on her dress, he bared Lily¡¯s breast and bit her skin. She cried and begged, but it was useless. Robert didn¡¯t hear, nor did he care. His other hand slid under her pleated skirt and gave himself access to her. He pinned her down once again with his weight, ridding himself off the layers that were covering his cock. His pelvis forced her thighs to open further. He had to arrange the entrance with his hand. Lily sobbed, accepting her fate that she was once again going to be molested by that savage man. Something heavy crashed into Robert¡¯s head, and his mind stopped working. Before he could react, another impact hit him so hard, his eyes rolled back. Lily¡¯s eyes widened, her body shaking in fear and shock. Robert fell off Lily to her side on the ground. He looked up for a few seconds to see what had happened, but the strike had already taken away his consciousness. His eyes closed, and his head fell into the mud. Lily couldn¡¯t believe it. She was finally saved. Robert was not on her body anymore. She gulped hard and kicked Robert¡¯s legs off herself with shaky legs. A man was standing above her with what looked to be a stick in his hands. She couldn¡¯t see clearly. Her eyes filled with tears. The man was holding the stick tightly even though Robert was unconscious. Lily lifted herself to her elbows as she was still on the ground. Her eyes sought Robert. He was lying on his side with his trousers down on his knees. She wondered if the man with the stick had killed him. Suddenly she became self-aware that her body was exposed. She replaced her breasts inside her dress and pulled down her skirt to her feet. After wiping her face, she rubbed her eyes to see the man clearer. It was Stewart, the eldest son of the Capells. 8 The Capells’ end 8 The Capells¡¯ end Stewart had beaten his father with a thick wooden stick, not once, but twice, only to save a servant. He looked at Robert on the ground. The moment was unreal. Stewart had killed his father. The heaviness of the wooden stick made him realize he was still holding it. Finally, he dropped it on the ground, and the thud against a rock sank deep into his heart. The silence was too loud. He knew Robert was up to something ill, but Stewart shouldn¡¯t have interfered. His attention was drawn to Lily¡¯s tiny, shaking figure, but he looked at another spot to give her privacy. After she fixed her dress, Stewart stepped toward her and moved his hand in front of her. That was the least he could do to that poor girl; to lift her from the mud and help her escape. ¡°Get up,¡± he said softly, knowing a loud voice would traumatize her more. Lily hesitated. ¡°You must get up this instant, or we will get caught,¡± he warned her. She took his hand. He ignored her shaking, lifted her with a heavy pull, and then released her. Lily tried to dust off the dirt from her clothes and realized it was impossible to remove the mud. She had to clean herself and bathe. Her life was forever altered. There was no place in Mainwood for her. Robert Capell as the heir of the earl was dead. If they caught her, they could execute her. Stewart stayed there and watched as she walked away. He wanted her to be safe but wasn¡¯t sure if that could be possible after everything Robert had done. At first, she took slow steps, but then her survival instinct rose, and she sped up despite the heavy aching in her body. Darkness welded into the heavy air. Stewart paced the gardens, calculating his next move. How could he face his family after killing his father? Was he supposed to confess? No. He would not confess to killing his own father. He would receive hate from not only his family and friends but also the nobles and the judge. The judge would possibly sentence him to death. Stewart had only helped a woman survive his father¡¯s assault. He didn¡¯t deserve to be executed. It wasn¡¯t the right thing to do. He shook his head and decided to return to the mansion to avoid suspicions. Kathrine was having dinner with her daughter and younger son in the dining room. Stewart breathed deeply and took a seat by them. He had to act normal even though it was the hardest thing to do after murdering his father. ¡°Where were you, dear?¡± Kathrine asked before putting the silver fork into her mouth. Stewart fixed the handkerchief on his lap and lifted the fork to eat without answering his mother¡¯s question. Kathrine was used to this behavior, so she didn¡¯t push further. Stewart had his dinner, even though he wasn¡¯t hungry. He had to look as normal as he could. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to feel guilty for killing his father? The only thing that concerned him was his family¡¯s reaction to finding out what he had done. He didn¡¯t feel powerful but was certainly relieved since there was no aggressive man to hurt him anymore. Through all the years that Robert abused him, Stewart thought about fighting back, stopping, and shouting at him, or escaping the house. Wouldn¡¯t killing his father end all his misery? He was ashamed to consider it, but it was an inevitable thought. At the back of the gardens of Mainwood, where the crickets broke through the silence of the night, no one but a body was lying on the ground. Robert opened his eyes slowly, the darkness surprising him. He looked straight at what was visible, which was the garden in dim lights reflecting from the house. He lifted his dizzy head and closed his open mouth. The mud beneath him had masked half his face and most of his clothes. His body ached, and his head was about to explode. He looked down at himself and noticed his exposed private part. His mouth half opened. It took him only a few seconds to recall what had happened. He had intended to rape Lily, but someone had hit him in the head with a stick. Who was he? Stewart. Before getting unconscious, he had seen his eldest son''s face. He couldn¡¯t believe it. His own son had attempted to murder him and then he left him to die. Robert got on his feet very slowly and pulled up his trousers. He had to find his son immediately and give him what he deserved. Kathrine watched Stewart fill his mouth with the food in front of him and wondered when the last time Stewart ate with such an appetite was. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The sound of the dining room''s door slamming open startled the Capells. Their heads jerked to the door at the same time. Stewart saw the sight of his father, and his whitened as a chalk. Robert was alive. A thin stream of blood was running down between his eyebrows. He spotted his son and walked toward him. Stewart jumped to his feet and stepped around the dining table to run away quickly. ¡°What is going on?¡± Kathrine asked, watching Robert¡¯s muddy face and clothes in shock. ¡°What happened?!¡± she asked again when no one answered. Robert caught Stewart and grabbed him by his collar. Kathrine rose with worry. Before she could protest, Robert threw a hard punch in Stewart¡¯s face, and Stewart stumbled backward, hitting the wooden closet behind him. Kathrine¡¯s mouth opened in shock. She stepped toward them to stop Robert, but Robert slapped her so hard that she fell on the floor. The younger son ran to her to help her. ¡°Don¡¯t get closer!¡± Robert shouted at Kathrine, who was holding half her face with her hands. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Stewart didn¡¯t back away. He had beaten his father to death, so it was only fair to get beaten by him¡ªAt least that¡¯s what Stewart thought. He gathered himself and prepared for another impact. Robert lunged at him again, grabbing and hitting him into the closet behind him. Another punch got thrown at the poor boy, and he took it without complaining. Stewart''s face was bruised now, and his lips had torn. Robert kept him steady with one hand and clutched the other into a fist. ¡°You,¡± he said when Stewart almost fell unconscious. ¡°You, small, pathetic of a human being.¡± Stewart¡¯s swollen, bruised eyes were barely looking at his father. He could hear but couldn¡¯t respond. Another punch would take his conscious away. ¡°I fed you,¡± Robert said as he shook Stewart once. ¡°I gave you a house. I gave you your life. And you repay me like this?!¡± Stewart¡¯s eyes followed his father¡¯s movements, but his body couldn¡¯t defend or move. ¡°You, idiot!¡± Robert shouted. ¡°You attempted murdering Lord Mainwood!¡± Louisa, their daughter, started crying. Kathrine wanted to get back on her feet and hold her daughter, but she couldn¡¯t. She was too affected by the punch Robert threw at her face. ¡°I¡¯m the earl now!¡± Robert shouted. ¡°I shall have you imprisoned.¡± He hit Stewart again into the closet. The glasses shattered, falling on the floor, and the rest stayed dangerously close to Stewart¡¯s back. Robert snaked his hand around Stewart¡¯s neck and pressed his throat hardly. ¡°I shall have you dead!¡± Kathrine¡¯s blood went cold. She was frozen, as were her daughter and younger son. They had seen Robert¡¯s wrath many times before, but this time was different. He had an uncontrolled rage like he never had. It seemed as if he really was going to end Stewart. Robert let go of Stewart¡¯s neck. He had other plans to torture his son. ¡°You thought you saved her,¡± he said, watching his son gasp for air. He grabbed a piece of the broken glass and pointed it at his son. ¡°Who¡¯s going to save you?¡± He pushed the shard into Stewart¡¯s ribs, and it sliced through his flesh, opening a nasty wound. Blood poured down, and Stewart¡¯s legs went numb. ¡°No!¡± Katherine wailed, clutching her skirt while her other hand moved toward Stewart as if she could save him from that distance. Robert wasn¡¯t done. He pulled the shard out and watched his son cough blood. Stewart was slowly falling, but Robert didn¡¯t let him. He held him tighter and lunged his hand again, this time at his son¡¯s face, and Stewart closed his eyes. But Robert¡¯s hand didn¡¯t meet Stewart. It was stopped in midair by someone. ¡°Leave him,¡± a weak voice said. Robert clenched his jaw, his head turning to look at the intruder and hit them, if needed. Instead, his heart skipped a beat. The pair of exhausted green eyes, which he had dared to close forever last night, astounded him. Robert let a scream out of his mouth and jumped backward, hitting the dining table with his back. His face went white, and his heart started beating fast as if he had seen a ghost. He believed he was seeing a ghost. His cousin, Joseph, was standing only a foot away from him. Robert held onto the dining table and watched Joseph with an open mouth. It was impossible. Joseph had spent the recent month in his bed. He was vomiting blood last night. He was going to die! Was he hallucinating? ¡°M-my lord,¡± Kathrine said as tears streamed down her face. She saw Joseph too, which meant he wasn¡¯t a ghost. She was relieved that Joseph was alive. She didn¡¯t care about the title or the fortune, not anymore. Kathrine only wanted to escape her husband and live without fear of dying at his hands. ¡°You¡­ get out,¡± Joseph said with the weakest, authoritative voice he mustered. Robert stepped backward with shaky legs and didn¡¯t stop until he ensured the door was behind him. He still couldn¡¯t believe what was in front of him. When he reached the door, he bolted with clumsy steps and exited the house. Stewart was on the floor, coughing with whatever strength he had left inside of him. His throat and chest were burning. His breath came in short and fast attempts. The young valet, who helped Joseph heal, appeared by the door and saw Joseph standing by the broken glasses. ¡°My lord!¡± he shouted and ran toward him. ¡°My lord! You mustn¡¯t get up. You haven¡¯t regained your strength yet.¡± Joseph covered his mouth and coughed a few times. He was much thinner than he used to be. The flesh on his face had disappeared. He looked too sick and weak. ¡°Help the young Mr. Capell,¡± Joseph said with his low voice, referring to Stewart. He held onto the wall to steady himself. ¡°And Mrs. Capell,¡± he added. The servants came one by one and stood by the door. When they saw Joseph standing on his own feet, they gasped. At first, shock took over them, then joy. Nothing made the Mainwood house servants happier than seeing Joseph alive and well. They didn¡¯t want to mourn another Ford, especially not when the heir would be from the Capell line. Robert had tortured them enough, and they couldn¡¯t have more of that. 9 Rebirthed 9 Rebirthed Life returned to Mainwood. Everyone was shocked at the news of Joseph¡¯s health. His death was inevitable, yet he survived. He was feeble and small, but he was alive. Lily, the maid Robert assaulted, ran away from London. Robert returned, believing he had done nothing wrong. Stewart confessed everything to Joseph. The way his father had pursued Lily and raped her, and how Stewart lost his temper and hit Robert on the head with a stick to save Lily. Robert claimed his son¡¯s words were nothing but lies. But with Joseph¡¯s valet¡¯s confessions, Robert¡¯s crimes doubled. The young valet told Joseph about the night of the anniversary. He told him how Robert left Joseph to die and prevented others from helping him. The valet also confessed that he had witnessed Robert assault Lily at Joseph¡¯s bedchamber. He was in the room that day but couldn¡¯t make a noise or show himself because he was afraid. Robert got imprisoned for assaulting Lily and attempting to murder his son. Joseph didn¡¯t let the news about Robert¡¯s intention to kill him spread because he didn¡¯t want Robert to be executed for betrayal. The Capell family was sent back to their home with a notable amount of money so they could live by for a few months. The second chance at life felt surreal. Joseph had succumbed to the pain and was ready to leave, but fate had other plans in hand. Everything had slipped through his fingers, including his youth and will to live. He spent most of his time in his bedchamber, and the reason was not his physical condition. He simply despised everything and everyone for no apparent reason. Seeing others and hearing them frustrated him. The servants tried their best to look after him and make him find his vigor. ¡°My lord,¡± the valet said, peeking inside the bedchamber to see if Joseph was all right since he did not respond. Joseph was in his bed, covered with blankets. He opened his eyes and looked at the valet, then coughed a few times and said nothing. The valet stepped inside and rushed to Joseph when his coughing didn¡¯t stop. He grabbed the medicines from the table. ¡°Here,¡± the valet said as he moved a spoon of the syrup that the hooded man had given him to Joseph¡¯s mouth. Joseph coughed again and pulled back his head, refusing to take the medicine. ¡°Please, my lord,¡± the valet said. ¡°You have to take it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Mary told me you haven¡¯t taken it for two mornings.¡± He tried to feed him again. ¡°No!¡± Joseph argued, pushing the valet¡¯s hand away from his mouth. ¡°You won¡¯t get better if you don¡¯t drink it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to get better!¡± Joseph shouted, surprising him. The valet looked at him in disbelief. ¡°Get out,¡± Joseph said with furrowed eyebrows, but the valet didn¡¯t move. ¡°I said get out!¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot do that,¡± the valet said lowly. ¡°Are you disobeying me?¡± Joseph asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes! I won¡¯t watch your health recline. I shall stay here until you take your medicine.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to get better! Why do you feel the need to save me?¡± The valet¡¯s hand fell by his side, and he watched Joseph with a half-open mouth. It shouldn¡¯t have been hard for him to understand how upset Joseph was, yet he found it difficult to see someone awaiting death. ¡°I was to reunite with my family¡­¡± Joseph said with a lower voice. ¡°I was to see my son¡­ My only son. You took it away from me!¡± His tone rose, and his eyes got teary. ¡°You kept me alive so I would die every day in this resentful life!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Yes! You did! Look at me! Look at the pathetic man before you! Why must I live when I have nothing and no one?¡± ¡°My lord¡­ Please, don¡¯t say that¡­¡± ¡°How did you do it?¡± Joseph asked, and the valet looked at him blankly, not understanding what he meant. ¡°I was dead¡­ You gave me something.¡± ¡°I gave you medicine.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t medicine! I remember a smell and a lot of vomit. What was that?¡± ¡°My lord¡­¡± ¡°What was that, Jack?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± the valet blurted. ¡°I got it from someone.¡± ¡°From who?¡± ¡°I-I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Talk!¡± ¡°The Pedlar!¡± Joseph coughed lowly. The sickness was draining him. He stared at the valet, waiting for more explanation, but he got none. ¡°The pedlar? Am I supposed to know him?¡± ¡°Have you not heard?¡± ¡°Heard what?¡± The valet sighed, and Joseph grew more impatient. ¡°Say it!¡± ¡°He has always been a story and nothing more,¡± Jack said. ¡°And?¡± ¡°On the night of the countess¡¯ death day, there was no choice but to find him and ask for his help. You were¡­ My lord, if I hadn¡¯t reached him¡­ You would be¡­¡± ¡°I would be dead,¡± Joseph completed Jack¡¯s sentence, and a silence fell upon them. ¡°You never stopped to think I wanted it, did you?¡± The valet frowned. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I wanted to die!¡± Joseph said louder for him to hear. ¡°My lord! To take one¡¯s life is one of the greatest sins!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to murder myself. I was already dying.¡± ¡°You were not the only person dying,¡± the valet said, which made Joseph look at him again. ¡°Mainwood was dying.¡± Joseph shook his head. ¡°It was not.¡± ¡°We were all dying.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You were not dying!¡± ¡°We have lost the countess and your son. We wouldn¡¯t lose you too,¡± the valet said in a higher voice. He knew he had crossed a line, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lose you, My Lord. Yes, it¡¯s selfish, and yes, it¡¯s silly because we have never shared any bond other than a servant and a lord. But no, I wouldn¡¯t let you die when I knew I could do something about it.¡± Joseph¡¯s heart broke even more. There was something the valet could do to save Joseph, and he did it. A man, who¡ªas he just mentioned¡ªshared no bond other than an employee and an employer with Joseph. Yet he saved his life. But Joseph couldn¡¯t do it for his son and wife. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you do something?¡± the valet asked, and Joseph¡¯s lips flattened into a line, fighting his tears. ¡°If there was something you could do,¡± the valet asked, ¡°wouldn¡¯t you do it, no questions asked?¡± A lump broke in his throat, and tears rolled down Joseph¡¯s cheeks. He didn¡¯t wipe them nor control them. Jack was right; he would do everything to save his son and wife. But he hadn¡¯t done anything. Margaret and Francis were dead now, and Joseph was alone. He looked down at his hand and unclutched fist. His son¡¯s wooden horse toy was in his hold. It was the only meaningful thing in his life that he could feel connected to after all that he had been through. More tears streamed down his face. He nodded without answering Jack¡¯s question as a sign of his understanding. While Joseph silently mourned his son¡¯s death again, the valet refilled the spoon with syrup and made Joseph drink it. Joseph didn¡¯t resist this time. He drank it, lay back on his bed, and let sleep slowly take over him. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Everyone wondered how the earl had survived the terminating disease, but the valet said nothing. He knew how people thought about a healer with skills beyond their comprehension. They believed that men such as the hooded man worked with the devil, hence their possessions of superpowers. That¡¯s why the valet kept his mouth shut and let people think it was indeed a miracle and a favor of God for Joseph to return from death. Time lost its meaning for the man with an altered destiny. Days turned into weeks, and weeks stretched into months. Despite his indifference, the servants did their best to feed Joseph and make him walk to reform his muscles. Joseph understood Jack¡¯s kind gesture to save his life, yet he couldn¡¯t feel linked to anything from this world. The lack of will and reasons to continue heightened the detachment. He sensed that he didn¡¯t belong. The idea of reuniting with his family had been calming, but the mysterious hooded man had intervened and disrupted his discipline. Finally, Joseph was back on his feet. He wasn¡¯t skinny and feeble anymore. The deep delves underneath his eyes were full, and his cheekbones didn¡¯t seem too sharp now that they were covered by more volume. His small figure had turned normal, and he was once again strong and stable, but was more jaded than ever. He tried alcohol to soothe his pain and restlessness, and it helped to some extent. On one of the cold nights in London, Joseph had already drunk enough to lose his logic. He found himself in one of the inns that weren¡¯t too close to Mainwood and sat at one of the tables. It wasn¡¯t wise for an earl to visit a deprived corner of the town in that time, but he was determined to order enough alcohol to lose the last bit of his consciousness. The innkeeper placed the drinks before him, and Joseph nodded shortly. He started drinking as he looked at the people around him. A few people recognized him and stared at him. Some still didn¡¯t believe he was back on his feet. Some were curious why Joseph was on this side of the town, drinking alone. Joseph didn¡¯t care. He sat there and drank without starting a conversation with anyone. The alcohol started working. The room started spinning around his head. He sat there and looked at the empty bottle. It was time to order a new one. ¡°You look exhausted, Ma Lord,¡± a feminine voice cut into Joseph¡¯s thoughts. He glanced up at the woman. She was wearing tight, revealing clothes. Her lips were red, and her light-colored eyes were shaded by the black shadow on her eyelids. She sat next to Joseph, touching his arm to seduce him. ¡°I can feel the tension in your muscles,¡± she said, inducing Joseph¡¯s attention. He expected her touch to be comforting¡ªhe needed it to be. As she leaned more toward him, Joseph stared at her revealed cleavage. He blushed like a teen. It made him uncomfortable. She put one hand on Joseph¡¯s lap and rubbed along his inner thigh. ¡°What do you say, ma lord?¡± she whispered into his ear. When no one was looking, she put one of her hands on the lower part of her breast and squeezed gently. ¡°Perhaps a wee squeeze here and there? If ye want, ye can spread me like a piece of bread and fill me up with yer butter.¡± Bloody hell, Joseph thought! He had never heard such words. She was different for sure. Women like her at the rich clubs would be more persuasive, smiling more elegantly, having better clothes, and saying wicked things to make men come to their room and sleep with them in exchange for money. But the woman by Joseph was not even clean. Her dress looked cheap, and her hair was messy. She had smudged makeup, and her face didn¡¯t look appealing. Joseph wasn''t normally one to chase after women, but this particular lady caught his eye out of desperation. He couldn''t help but wonder if a woman from downtown might bring a new sense of excitement into his life. His gaze was on her breasts, and she was aware. She assumed Joseph was a man with no control over his desires like any other man she had met. So, it was again a lucky night for her. But Joseph had so much control over himself that it was overwhelming. For one night, he wanted to disappear. He was an earl and had to pay dearly, which excited her. She grabbed his arm, lifted him from his seat, and guided him toward her room upstairs. Joseph imagined doing so much; He wanted to rip the cheap dress off her body and be inside her without hesitation. He felt like an animal for having such raw desires for the first time in a long time. Since he was too drunk, he stumbled on the bed and lay there, feeling no power over his body. The room spun around his head. The woman stood at the foot of the bed. Without any expression on her face, she lifted her skirt and lay on top of Joseph¡¯s crotch. Joseph had never done it like that before. Margaret and Joseph¡¯s sex was the traditional way. ¡°Wait,¡± Joseph said, his head still spinning. The woman didn¡¯t listen. She wanted to finish quickly and have Joseph out of her room. With a fast movement, she pulled down Joseph¡¯s trousers and then lowered herself onto him. Joseph took a deep breath and didn¡¯t exhale. ¡°Woman, I said wait,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t feel good.¡± ¡°Close yer eyes, eh?¡± She continued, and Joseph tried focusing. He was going to come within seconds. The woman moved a couple of times up and down, and that was it for him. He pulled out and clutched onto the bedsheet. His eyes were focusing on the ceiling. The woman moved away from him and stood by the bed, lowering her skirt and fixing her bosoms inside her dress. Joseph took a few short breaths and covered his cock again with his trousers. He got on his feet but stumbled into the table. ¡°Don¡¯t act sick now,¡± the woman said. Joseph¡¯s head turned to her to face her. ¡°I want mi money,¡± she added, which made sense of her previous sentence. She thought Joseph was acting sick so he wouldn¡¯t have to pay. Joseph pulled a couple of coins out of his pocket and threw them on the bed. Then he started walking outside of her room. The streets of that part of the town were shelters for criminals. Joseph walked to his house with no horse or carriage. What a meaningless sex! He never thought life would be this insufferable. All the men around him over-enjoyed sex and always talked about the women they had slept with, but he couldn¡¯t even reach satisfaction. Perhaps something was wrong with him. What else was there to enjoy if not a woman¡¯s touch? He breathed deeply, trying to forget about it. Someone stumbled into him, and he almost fell but managed to steady himself. The speedy stranger was a young man. Before Joseph could protest, the man spoke. ¡°Have you seen the Pedlar?¡± he asked, and Joseph frowned. ¡°Have you seen her?¡± he repeated, grabbing Joseph by his arms and shaking him. ¡°Her?¡± Joseph said with a shocked expression. ¡°Please,¡± the man said. ¡°I need to find her. If you have seen her¡ª¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t know any Pedlar!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if she¡¯s a witch or the devil himself. She is the only person who can help my daughter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where she is,¡± Joseph said in a firm tone, pulling his arms away from the stranger. The man walked away from him, running in another direction like a lunatic. It was strange that someone asked him about the pedlar in the middle of the night. Joseph watched him approach others and ask them the same question, and he realized the man was only asking random people in the darkness of the night because he was desperate. It made Joseph wonder how much the people in London relied on the pedlar¡¯s help. The next day, Joseph woke up with a severe hangover. The valet was already inside his room, waiting for him to open his eyes so he could give him his medicines. Joseph rolled his eyes at him and tossed the blanket to the side. He got on his feet and stopped when his head started spinning. ¡°My lord,¡± the valet said, approaching him to help him. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Joseph said, pulling his arm away from the valet. ¡°What happened? Are you feeling ill again?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m merely intoxicated by alcohol.¡± ¡°Do you¡ª?¡± ¡°Get out, Jack.¡± The valet hesitated at first but then started walking toward the door. ¡°Wait,¡± Joseph said, and he turned around. There was silence for a few seconds, and then Joseph talked. ¡°Who is that pedlar?¡± The valet was surprised by the question. He didn¡¯t answer and just stared at Joseph. ¡°I know you said you don¡¯t know him,¡± Joseph said, ¡°But there must be something about him that you know. If you didn¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯t be able to find him.¡± One of the servants knocked on the door, and Joseph got distracted. ¡°Yes?¡± he said, and the footman entered. ¡°My lord, Mr. Lancaster wishes to see you,¡± the footman said. ¡°All right. Tell Thomas I¡¯ll meet him at lunch.¡± The footman curtsied and left the room. Joseph¡¯s look returned to the valet. ¡°I don¡¯t feel good. I need something to get rid of this headache.¡± ¡°A walk will help, my lord,¡± the valet said. ¡°Under the sun with this hangover?¡± ¡°The sun is not out much. It¡¯s going to rain.¡± Joseph sniffed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But let us take a walk then.¡± They started their walk in the garden. ¡°We were in the middle of a conversation,¡± Joseph said. The valet said nothing. ¡°You were going to tell me how you found him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him, my lord.¡± ¡°Stop giving me lies, Jack. I¡¯m not going to punish you for knowing him. You must know me by now.¡± ¡°I have no idea who he is.¡± ¡°How did you find him?¡± ¡°I had heard rumors. The Pedlar was simply a gossip heard in the kitchen or the bedtime stories. No one believed he existed.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°I had to find a solution, anything that would save you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not giving me answers, Jack.¡± ¡°I heard from one of the maids that the Pedlar is a priest.¡± ¡°A priest?¡± Joseph asked with shock. ¡°Yes. In the orphanage.¡± ¡°The Hoffman orphanage?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Was he?¡± Joseph asked, and the valet looked blankly at him. ¡°Was he the priest?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. When I visited the orphanage, the nuns were awaiting the Pedlar¡¯s help for one of the sick orphans.¡± Joseph put his hands in his pockets. ¡°Who is he then? How does no one know about him?¡± ¡°Is it important to know him?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph replied without considering his response. He didn¡¯t think about it by then, but it was vital to find him. ¡°Why, if I may ask?¡± the valet asked, and Joseph stopped walking. He started thinking. ¡°I was dead.¡± The valet wanted to say something and deny Joseph¡¯s statement, but he couldn¡¯t. Joseph was about to die, and the valet knew it better than anyone else. He was there when Joseph vomited blood. He was there in the three months that Joseph had lost his ability to walk, eat, and speak. Joseph started walking again, and the valet followed him. ¡°I have many questions,¡± he said, cutting into Jack¡¯s thoughts. With a few sniffs, he squinted. ¡°It shall not rain. I can¡¯t smell it yet.¡± The valet was confused. ¡°Smell what?¡± he asked but remembered the important part of Joseph¡¯s sentence. ¡°What questions do you have?¡± ¡°I can smell rain,¡± Joseph said casually without looking the valet in the eye. ¡°How did the Pedlar cure me? Is he a witch of some sort?¡± The valet decided to ignore the rain part of Joseph¡¯s statement since it sounded mad. ¡°A witch?¡± he asked, his eyes widening. ¡°My Lord, he was none but a Pedlar. And aren¡¯t witches women?¡± ¡°I was dying!¡± Joseph said without realizing how loud his tone was, and the valet said nothing. ¡°A pedlar doesn¡¯t heal people. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of the rumors enough to know everyone believes he has supernatural powers.¡± The valet nodded, and Joseph continued. ¡°What if he is a¡­?¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°What if he is the lord himself?¡± The valet¡¯s mouth opened widely. ¡°You mean God?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°In the body of a man?¡± His voice raised. Joseph glared at the valet so he would get his voice down. The valet looked down. ¡°Pardon me, My Lord,¡± he said with a lower voice. ¡°You act as if we don¡¯t believe the Lord appeared in a body before.¡± ¡°Jesus was different, My Lord.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what he could be. A witch, a healer, an herbalist, a pedlar, or a God. But I know he¡¯s capable of things even our physicians cannot do.¡± 10 The death angel or a shapeshifter? 10 The death angel or a shapeshifter? At lunch, Joseph sat on a chair and placed a handkerchief on his lap out of habit although he wasn¡¯t hungry. ¡°My lord,¡± Mr. Lancaster said, joining him in the dining room. ¡°Sit, Thomas,¡± Joseph said, motioning for Mr. Lancaster to sit across him. ¡°What is it that needed my presence?¡± The servants started serving food. ¡°My Lord,¡± Lancaster said, ¡°the Duke of Nowkey is getting married.¡± ¡°Nathaniel Trout?¡± Joseph asked, looking more interested than he should have been. Lancaster hadn¡¯t seen Joseph¡¯s excitement in a long time. It was surprising. ¡°He¡¯s getting married? To what poor young lady?¡± Mr. Lancaster coughed shortly. It was the first time he heard Joseph¡¯s rude comment. ¡°Pardon?¡± Lancaster said. ¡°I studied with him. He¡¯s an awful man, I assure you.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s getting married in a week.¡± ¡°Good for him.¡± ¡°And he has invited you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I shall not attend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you must, My Lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you. They know I¡¯m sick.¡± ¡°You were sick. Everyone knows you¡¯ve recovered, and you¡¯ve never been better.¡± Joseph chuckled. That sentence sounded stupid. ¡°As a widowed, heirless man who recently deceived death, life can¡¯t get any better. Is that what you think?¡± ¡°I did not mean that.¡± ¡°I know you didn¡¯t, Thomas. I know.¡± Mr. Lancaster sat silently and hesitated to lift his fork to his mouth. He had lost his appetite just like Joseph. ¡°Let us attend that wedding then,¡± Joseph said without looking Thomas in the eye. Thomas glanced up at him with a relieved expression. ¡°Wise decision, indeed,¡± he said. ¡°It would be expected from you to attend.¡± Joseph nodded indifferently. ¡°Expectations drain you, Thomas. I only wish to take advantage of his winery. Nathaniel Trout has the best alcohol collection, or so do they say.¡± He cut a piece of meat and put it in his mouth. After chewing and swallowing it, he added, ¡°But I shall not tolerate any statement toward my marital status. Pointless persuation from young ladies will only dissuade me. You must ensure no one disrupts my peace.¡± Thomas thought for a few seconds while looking at Joseph. ¡°What?¡± Joseph asked. ¡°You seem quite...¡± ¡°Quite what?¡± ¡°Different.¡± Joseph went deep into his thoughts. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°I did not know the public bothers you much, My Lord. You¡¯ve always enjoyed the society.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been a social man, only acted as one. Fear of loneliness makes one beg for intimacy from anyone, even the people you secretly despise. But now that I¡¯ve embraced solitude, I no longer seek validation or the company of shallow minds.¡± ¡°Loneliness brings unhappiness, My Lord.¡± ¡°My unhappiness has nothing to do with my loneliness. Sorrow is rooted in my heart. Fate watered it every chance it got.¡± Mr. Lancaster felt sorry for him. ¡°I shall have you protected from unwanted gossip and dances, if that¡¯s your wish.¡± ¡°We¡¯re attending a wedding. I find it complicated.¡± ¡°Do not worry. I shall be prepared for everything.¡± ¡°All right then. Make preparations. We¡¯ll part a few days later in the morning to be there in time. I wouldn¡¯t want Donkey Nowkey to be upset with me.¡± Mr. Lancaster snorted, and his food got stuck in his throat. He coughed a few times, then sipped from his glass of water and looked at Joseph with widened eyes. ¡°It was a nickname they had given to the duke of Nowkey when we were at Oxford,¡± Joseph explained. ¡°I never called him that. I don¡¯t know why it slipped my tongue.¡± The explanation seemed to be insufficient. Mr. Lancaster was still looking at Joseph with his shocked expression. ¡°Do you need a pat on your back?¡± Joseph asked. ¡°No,¡± Mr. Lancaster said, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief and eating again. It was unlike Joseph to call someone with a mean nickname. Thomas worried he would cause trouble now that he was barely sober. Drinking was a new solution for Joseph. He tried to be present for work, but his mind didn¡¯t cooperate with him. Mr. Lancaster didn¡¯t involve Joseph much since he discerned his languid state. Joseph roamed the mansion with a bottle and tried to find something new. He was curious. Perhaps there was a sign of his wife or son that he had missed. Or maybe he tried to feel connected to anything in that house. While wasting his time, Joseph found himself interested in only one thing. The hooded man. A mysterious savior with extraordinary powers. Who could that be? A ghost? Or an angel? He shook his head. That wasn¡¯t possible. For some reason, he had to know about the so called ¡®Pedlar¡¯, or else he wouldn¡¯t be able to live in peace. As the valet said, the Hoffman orphanage was the only place that knew about the Pedlar. So, Joseph decided to visit the orphanage and ask the nuns about the healer. The orphanage looked too empty. Joseph wondered where all the boys were. While waiting for the superior nun, he noticed his wife¡¯s portrait on the wall of the main hall. Margaret seemed elegant and beautiful in that painting. Joseph smiled, feeling content to see his wife¡¯s face again even if it was only in a frame. The superior nun approached Joseph. She could smell the alcohol on him. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Lord Mainwood,¡± she said with a slight frown. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Joseph took a deep breath to focus. ¡°Can we speak at your office?¡± he asked, stepping toward the room since he knew where it was, but the nun didn¡¯t follow him. He stopped and looked at her with a frown. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± he asked. ¡°Forgive me, My Lord. But you cannot enter the orphanage while drunk. This place is sacred.¡± ¡°Sacred?¡± ¡°Yes. The orphanage is no different than a church. Please state your request or come back when you are sober.¡± Joseph sighed, feeling disrespected but also understanding. ¡°All right.¡± He fixed his sleeves and looked at her. ¡°I want to know about the Pedlar.¡± The superior nun looked surprised. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°I know you used the Pedlar¡¯s help to heal the orphans.¡± She looked both ways to check if anyone was near. ¡°You are drunk, Lord Mainwood. Please, do not humiliate yourself further.¡± ¡°I am sober enough to come here and ask you about a man I saw when I was dying, sister.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Please. If Father sees you and hears your claims, he shall be very furious.¡± From the look on her face, Joseph realized that the priest had not permitted the pedlar to heal the orphans. ¡°I only wish to know who he is,¡± he said. ¡°Lord Mainwood.¡± ¡°Only his name.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t possibly know.¡± She lowered his tone. ¡°He had a mask and a long cloak, and you ask if I know his name?¡± So she really had seen him. The nun gulped hard, realizing she had admitted to seeing the healer. ¡°Or that¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard about him,¡± she added, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡± The nun was scared. Her fingers clutched her long veil as she spoke. Joseph really wanted to know about the man in hood, but there was nothing more that the superior nun could know. ¡°Please leave,¡± the nun said. Joseph nodded and walked toward the exit. He understood why the nun looked perturbed. Using the help of a masked healer was not perceived well, especially for a nun. Now he was left with no more information than he already knew. Before he closed the door, someone stopped him by grabbing his coat from behind. Joseph turned in confusion and lowered his gaze. A little boy was there. ¡°Hello, sir,¡± the little boy said, not recognizing him as the Lord, but Joseph didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Hello,¡± Joseph said. The child looked like Francis. If Francis were alive, he would be almost the same age as him. ¡°It¡¯s cold out here. What are you doing?¡± ¡°I heard you talking with Sister Jane.¡± ¡°I was.¡± ¡°About the death angel.¡± ¡°The death angel?¡± Joseph frowned in confusion. ¡°You mean the healer?¡± The boy nodded. Joseph smiled. ¡°A death angel won¡¯t heal others, son.¡± He knelt to be the same height as the boy. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°William, sir.¡± ¡°The same name as my father.¡± Joseph patted the boy¡¯s hair, and something heavy weighed on his chest. Those children needed parents just as much as Joseph and Margaret needed a child. ¡°It¡¯s good to know you, William,¡± Joseph said, extending his hand. ¡°My name is Joseph.¡± The boy nodded, shaking his hand. ¡°You have fancy clothes, Joseph.¡± ¡°I do?¡± he asked, realizing he looked different than men in the orphanage. ¡°You could have these clothes if you want.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too big for me.¡± Joseph smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. Silly me. Then perhaps another set of clothes that will fit you?¡± ¡°And shoes?¡± ¡°And shoes.¡± The boy smiled. ¡°Like yours?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you like them?¡± ¡°I hate them.¡± Joseph laughed. It was refreshing to talk to an honest child. ¡°You could have one that you like.¡± ¡°Sister Jane might not allow it.¡± Joseph hated to hear that. He sighed. ¡°Is she always this distressed?¡± The boy shook his head. ¡°Since the death angel came to save me.¡± ¡°He saved you? You are the sick boy who needed help. Did you see the angel?¡± William nodded. Joseph¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°You did? How did he look like?¡± ¡°Like a death angel.¡± ¡°But how is a death angel?¡± ¡°Shadowy.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t get answers from a child. That boy could be only creating an illusion in his mind. William grabbed Joseph¡¯s hand and put something in his palm. Joseph looked down and saw the single black glove. ¡°He left this with you?¡± Joseph asked, turning it around to inspect every detail. The boy nodded. ¡°You can have it. It scares me. Sister Jane says if we speak about the death angel, he will return to take me to my Mama and Papa.¡± Joseph frowned. Sister Jane sounded like an idiot. ¡°Nothing will happen to you. Sister Jane is being dramatic.¡± He closed his fist. ¡°This shall stay with me. Thank you for telling me about him even though you¡¯re scared. You¡¯re a very good boy, William.¡± He patted his head again and got on his feet. ¡°Will I see you again, Joseph?¡± William asked. Joseph nodded. ¡°Now, please return inside before Sister Jane gets upset with both of us.¡± William walked away without protesting, and Joseph left. He was even more curious about the hooded man. The single glove had a different sewing and shape than what Joseph had ever seen. He sat on his wife''s bed and sniffed the pillows. He had done it many times before and knew there was no scent, but he still hoped to smell something. When his drink finished, he went to the kitchen to find something to eat. An old maid was in there. ¡°My lord?¡± the maid said. ¡°Do we have something I can eat?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She went to prepare food for him, and he sat on the floor. ¡°Not on the floor, My Lord!¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Joseph said. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± She brought him a bowl of soup and hesitated to put it on the floor. Joseph couldn¡¯t even hold the bowl. ¡°Do you want me to feed you, My Lord?¡± she asked. ¡°Please?¡± The old maid sat next to Joseph and started feeding him. The valet came and saw them both. ¡°What is going on?¡± he asked. ¡°My lord! Please get up!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t intervene, Jack. I¡¯m all right,¡± Joseph said. ¡°What has happened to you?¡± ¡°Life.¡± He chuckled, pouring soup on his clothes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord,¡± the maid said. ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± The valet came and lifted Joseph from the floor. He helped him go to his bed and fed him from the bowl of soup as the old maid nervously watched him do so. ¡°Do you think the Pedlar is still in town?¡± Joseph asked with his weak voice. The valet gulped. ¡°I don¡¯t know, My Lord.¡± ¡°Do you think he is a real character, or everyone is creating narratives about him?¡± The valet sighed. He put the bowl of soup on the table next to his bed and looked into Joseph¡¯s eyes. ¡°You mustn''t mention his name, my lord.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°No one likes a man with higher power. They will accuse you of using witchcraft.¡± ¡°If she is a woman, then she could be a witch. Who knows?¡± ¡°I do not think he is a woman,¡± the old maid said. The valet and Joseph both looked at her. ¡°What?¡± Joseph said. ¡°He¡¯s neither a man nor a woman,¡± she added, looking confident in what she was saying. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± the valet said. The maid got closer to Joseph and made sure her voice was in a whisper tone. ¡°The Pedlar¡¯s story is very ancient. We heard it when we were kids. My grandmama always told us stories about the traveler that shape shifted.¡± Joseph chuckled. ¡°Shapeshifter? Are you serious?¡± The valet and the maid were surprised to see Joseph laugh. ¡°Do you not think it true, my lord?¡± the maid asked. ¡°Of course not!¡± ¡°My grandmama was an old maid. She didn¡¯t talk much. She would tell stories in her last days. We used to think she was just an old lady on her deathbed. But then everything she said came true with time. I myself have heard of the Pedlar, who has been helping folks in the village for many years. They are ashamed to speak of him. But they sure seek his help when needed.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mary,¡± Joseph said. ¡°You can go now.¡± The old maid curtsied and left the bedchamber. Joseph fixed his posture on the bed. ¡°What do you think, Jack?¡± he asked the valet. The valet nervously pulled at the side of his jacket. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to say it. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Joseph was too drunk to be serious, yet he cared too much about the Pedlar to let the topic slide. ¡°Speak now,¡± he said firmly. The valet sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to believe in. What I do know is that the Pedlar is no ordinary human. When no physician could heal you, the Pedlar did. He walked fast as if he was floating. And he only appears when it¡¯s dark. Maybe Mary is right. Maybe he is a shapeshifter. Perhaps he is a woman by day and a man by night. I met him when it was dark but couldn¡¯t see his face. Who knows what shapes he shifts into when it¡¯s daylight?¡± Joseph sighed. ¡°I cannot believe no one knows anything about him.¡± ¡°Why are you obsessed with him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not obsessed,¡± Joseph said, even though he was becoming fanatical. ¡°I just have to confront him. I want to know how he does what he does.¡± ¡°You must find him then,¡± the valet said. Joseph looked at him again. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You must find this mysterious man... If it has occupied Your Lordship¡¯s mind this much.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t occupied my mind.¡± That was a lie. He had nothing else to care about. With Lancaster managing the estate, Joseph¡¯s life was dull. ¡°I was unable to pay him, My Lord,¡± the valet said. ¡°If you find him, you must pay and thank him for saving your life.¡± Joseph didn¡¯t add to the conversation. The valet¡¯s suggestion was a silly idea. Finding a man only by a simple glove was impossible and pointless. Joseph had many questions but didn¡¯t care enough to search for the hooded man. Or did he? 11 Donkey Nowkey 11 Donkey Nowkey It took them two and a half days to reach the Duke¡¯s Stargaze manor in Nowkey. Everything about the place looked extravagant just like the aristocrat¡¯s character. Rich didn¡¯t justify his wealth. Mr. Lancaster didn¡¯t dare touch the gold stair railings in case it was real and would be damaged. The butler helped them settle in their rooms. When the time for lunch came, Mr. Lancaster knocked gently on Joseph¡¯s door and waited. Joseph opened the door quickly without the help of his footman, and exited, looking clean and handsome even in a set of clothes he had worn on many occasions. His beard was shaved, and his hair was neatly styled. It would be hard to hide him from women now that his fetching features were highlighted. ¡°My Lord,¡± Lancaster said, his hand still in the air, ¡°You are ready.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Joseph said, fixing his sleeves. ¡°We said we would meet the Duke and his lovely bride at lunch.¡± ¡°Yes. But I thought you would be more...¡± ¡°Drunk?¡± Joseph asked, and Mr. Lancaster swallowed hard. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I know what a mess I am. I haven¡¯t started drinking yet because I¡¯d like to taste the wines of the best alcohol collectors in England. Shall we?¡± They got to the dining room and waited for the Duke and his betrothed to arrive. It seemed a rather personal gathering with only a few peers that Joseph knew. Joseph had never been close with the duke. He wondered why he was invited to such a private affair. All they could talk about with Joseph was how happy they were that he had miraculously regained his health, and also how much thinner he looked than last year. Joseph breathed deeply and gave Mr. Lancaster a side look for failing to save him from unwanted comments. The Duke of Nowkey appeared in sight with the future Duchess of Nowkey. Everyone gave their full attention to them. After greetings with others, the Duke and the future Duchess approached Joseph. ¡°Mainwood!¡± the Duke said, extending his hand to shake Joseph¡¯s, which was odd. They weren¡¯t close. ¡°Your Grace,¡± Joseph said with a smile. ¡°You look fantastic!¡± the Duke said, and Joseph chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re the first to tell me that.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you since¡ª¡° ¡°Lord Turner¡¯s wedding. Yes. You have been quite busy on your trips around the world.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s how I met my lovely betrothed. Allow me to introduce her,¡± he said, taking the hand of the lady by his side. ¡°Lady-¨C¡± ¡°Lady Vasquez of Bornos,¡± Joseph said with surprise. The Duke arched his brow. ¡°You know Lady Vasquez?¡± he asked Joseph. Joseph didn¡¯t think much to remember. ¡°She was at the ball of Prince Dominic a few years ago,¡± he said without parting his look from her. ¡°You and my wife talked about helping the orphanage of Hoffman. You said you were inspired to have an orphanage in your city.¡± Lady Vasquez smiled and nodded. ¡°You have a very sharp memory, my lord.¡± Her Spanish accent was endearing. ¡°I never thought you would recall my conversation with your wife. I was merely a child then. People mostly didn¡¯t take me seriously.¡± Joseph nodded shortly, cherishing the memory. ¡°You were a kind child. It seems like it was only yesterday.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Lady Vasquez said. ¡°How is your wife?¡± she asked, wiping off everyone¡¯s smiles. A silence fell upon them, and the Duke cleared his throat. Lady Vasquez realized she had made a mistake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Is there something wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°The countess passed a long time ago,¡± the Duke said, and Lady Vasquez¡¯s face fell. ¡°Not too long,¡± Joseph said with a smile. ¡°Two years and three months ago, to be exact.¡± A sad look replaced her smile. ¡°Dios mio! Lord Mainwood, I had no clue. I¡¯m terribly sorry for your loss.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. How could you know?¡± ¡°Lady Mainwood was one of the nicest women I have ever met. Her intentions were pure, and her heart was as big as¡ª¡± ¡°Pfft, I¡¯m sure Lord Mainwood has better things to do than talking about his late wife,¡± said the Duke, interrupting her rudely. Joseph looked at him with a wry smile. ¡°Let us take a seat, dear. Everyone¡¯s starving,¡± the Duke said, dragging Lady Vasquez with him, but it was clear that Lady Vasquez wanted to stay and talk more with Joseph since she kept looking back at him. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lord,¡± Mr. Lancaster said to Joseph. ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± Joseph asked. ¡°That was terribly wrong and insensitive of the Duke.¡± ¡°If you ever wondered, that¡¯s why people call him Donkey Nowkey,¡± Joseph said, and Mr. Lancaster chuckled, drawing attention to himself. It took him a while to stop and clear his throat. Joseph couldn¡¯t remember the last time he saw Mr. Lancaster¡¯s smile, let alone laugh. ¡°My lord. You never insult people!¡± Lancaster whispered. Joseph raised a shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m trying new hobbies.¡± ¡°Please do not insult the Duke. They shall not tolerate it at such an event.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll consider his fragile ego while speaking.¡± They all took their seats around the table and started eating and chatting. Things were normal. Joseph had managed to stay off the conversations and tasted the wine which was the only good thing he found about Nowkey. ¡°Lord Mainwood would always go there,¡± the Duke said while talking to someone by his side. Joseph¡¯s ears picked up his name, but he didn¡¯t want to join the conversation. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Mainwood?¡± the Duke almost yelled for Joseph to hear them. Joseph¡¯s head turned to him. ¡°Pardon me, Your Grace. I didn¡¯t hear you,¡± he lied. ¡°When we were at Oxford, you used to talk about this place you always liked going to,¡± the Duke said. ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Joseph said. ¡°The Quins Lake.¡± ¡°Yes. Lord Parlings was telling me about growing up around that lake.¡± Joseph glanced at the man by the Duke, who was looking back at him with a grin. The man raised his glass of wine, and Joseph did the same. ¡°I had heard you were sick, my lord,¡± Lord Parlings said. Joseph¡¯s hand tightened around his glass. He nodded once. ¡°Yes. Everyone¡¯s heard that.¡± ¡°Thank God you¡¯re well now, Mainwood,¡± the Duke said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have tolerated your cousin, Mr. Capell, even for a second.¡± Everyone laughed at his ¡®funny¡¯ insight. ¡°With that dreadful accent of his,¡± the Duke added while grinning. ¡°The man did not speak English!¡± Everyone laughed again. Joseph didn¡¯t. Not that he was sensitive about Capells. He found the Duke¡¯s way of mocking others quite rude. Lady Vasquez had an accent too, and Joseph thought how stupid the Duke might have seemed to her. Did he insult her too? He subconsciously searched for Lady Vasquez¡¯s face. She was sitting on the other side of the Duke. There was a dry smile on her mouth that showed she wasn¡¯t amused either. ¡°How are you well right now, Mainwood?¡± the Duke asked, and everyone got quiet. They all looked at Joseph. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Joseph said. ¡°How did you get well?¡± the Duke asked again. ¡°We all had heard you had only a few days to live. What happened?¡± Joseph was surprised by how insensitive a man with a title could be. He cleared his throat and put his glass on the table. ¡°A hooded man,¡± he said as everyone was listening. Lady Vasquez¡¯s glass fell on the floor and shattered to pieces. She flushed while looking down at the broken shards by her side of the table. ¡°Forgive me, Lord Mainwood,¡± she said. ¡°Please go on.¡± Joseph watched a servant approach the table and gather the broken pieces. He looked at his glass of wine and then back at the Duke. ¡°A man in hood did some hocus pocus, and et voila!¡± he said. ¡°Here I am.¡± Everyone stayed quiet for a few seconds, which lasted like an eternity. Witchcraft was always a sensitive topic to mention in public. Lord Parlings started laughing, and the tension dissolved. They all laughed, and Joseph¡¯s atement was treated as a joke. Mr. Lancaster breathed deeply and gave Joseph a warning look. Joseph ignored and continued drinking. ¡°You¡¯ve become quite odd, Lord Mainwood,¡± the Duke said. He turned his look to Lady Vasquez. ¡°When you met him years ago, was he like this?¡± he asked her. Lady Vasquez smiled wryly. ¡°Lord Mainwood and his wife treated me with grace. I was merely a stranger at the ball. His wife made me feel at home.¡± ¡°How would you know if he was odd back then?¡± the Duke said. ¡°You couldn¡¯t understand our language properly until last month.¡± Everyone laughed at the duke¡¯s mean jokes, even the future Duchess. They didn¡¯t care how insensitive they were. ¡°I bet you still don¡¯t understand us!¡± the Duke added, and the laughters got louder. ¡°Lady Vasquez spoke English not so well,¡± Joseph confirmed, looking at the Duke, and everyone got quiet, waiting for the rest of his sentence, ¡°Since it¡¯s the second language she speaks. How is your Spanish accent, Your Grace?¡± he asked, meaning to humiliate the Duke just like he had been insulting everyone for the past hour. No one laughed. The Duke¡¯s smile faded. He stared at Joseph, not saying a word. It was silly how he could detect disrespectful comments toward himself but not toward others. Joseph chuckled. ¡°It was a jest,¡± he said to lighten the mood, ¡°I guess I am quite odd now after my near-death experiment.¡± Some of the people around the table chuckled lowly. The Duke smiled and decided to let Joseph¡¯s disrespect slip. He diverted his look away from Joseph and started talking to Lord Parlings. After dinner, Joseph felt the need for a stronger drink to wash away all the unnerving conversations, so he visited the Duke¡¯s winery and looked for anything other than wine. Hundreds of rows were filled with bottles. Joseph found the duke¡¯s collection striking, but nothing heavier than wine seemed to exist there. ¡°Lord Mainwood,¡± a feminine voice startled him. Joseph turned around and saw Lady Vasquez. ¡°My Lady,¡± he said in surprise. ¡°Is everything all right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She approached him and uncovered an empty glass from her dress. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell, I won¡¯t.¡± Joseph smiled. He had never seen an unmarried lady with such courage. Joseph filled her glass without questioning or judging her and then again looked around for the drink he had in mind. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t mind getting ruined easily,¡± Lady Vasquez said. ¡°Because I¡¯m drinking alone in the winery with the future duchess by my side?¡± he asked, not looking at her. ¡°You¡¯re not a fool after all.¡± ¡°I am a fool. I just filled your glass.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t care about getting in trouble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to care when everyone looks blurry.¡± Lady Vasquez approached Joseph. She drank from her glass and watched him search for his favorite drink. ¡°So you were sick...¡± she said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And a hooded man saved your life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an old maid¡¯s tale.¡± ¡°The Pedlar?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joseph straightened his height and turned around to look at her. She had his full attention, and it was amusing for her. ¡°How do you know his name?¡± ¡°You told everyone at dinner.¡± ¡°I only called him the hooded man. I never said ¡®the pedlar¡¯.¡± Lady Vasquez smiled. ¡°Well, I know him.¡± 12 Lady Vasquez of Bornos 12 Lady Vasquez of Bornos Joseph¡¯s eyes glared with interest. He tilted his head, waiting for her to say more. ¡°Everyone knows a Pedlar or two, s¨ª?¡± Lady Vasquez said. ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph said, knowing she was referring to the same Pedlar but was acting mysterious for some reason. ¡°Not all have healing powers.¡± Joseph¡¯s gaze didn''t leave hers. She took another sip of her drink, and he grew impatient. ¡°How could you possibly know the Pedlar?¡± he asked, unable to control his curiosity. ¡°I have used his help myself.¡± ¡°He has saved your life too?¡± ¡°So he really has saved your life.¡± ¡°I thought we were past that at this moment.¡± ¡°You said it was an old maid¡¯s tale.¡± ¡°I was dying. Do I look dead to you now?¡± She looked at him from head to toes. ¡°Not really,¡± she said with a mischievous smile. ¡°Are you here to play games with me?¡± ¡°Partly.¡± Joseph shook his head and crossed the winery to the other side to look at other rows of alcohol. He didn¡¯t want to be the target of her trifling. ¡°A few years ago, I fell quite ill with the flu,¡± Lady Vasquez said, meaning to interest him again, but Joseph ignored her. ¡°I was almost about to die. The physicians told my parents that only a miracle could save me. And that miracle happened. The Pedlar was in our city, and he was brought to me to help me.¡± Joseph stopped searching and turned around to face her. ¡°He was in Spain?¡± ¡°He goes everywhere.¡± Joseph thought for a few seconds. ¡°Is he like a tinker?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What does he get out of this?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Fortune, perhaps?¡± ¡°So, he¡¯s choosing to waste all his time by going around the world to save foreigners?¡± ¡°One could find strange ways to fulfill one¡¯s life. We¡¯re not the judges here.¡± ¡°Is it worth all the traveling? He could settle in a shop or a¡­ a¡ª¡± Lady Vasquez laughed. ¡°What?¡± Joseph asked. ¡°They say men become obsessed about what they do not know.¡± ¡°I am not obsessed. I merely want to know the man in hood. Am I the only one curious about him?¡± ¡°Yes. No one dares find out the Pedlar''s identity. They only want his help. Are you in need of his help?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then leave it.¡± Joseph sighed. ¡°I only want to know why he wasn¡¯t in town when my son got sick.¡± Lady Vasquez put her drink away and approached Joseph. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But it won¡¯t bring back your son.¡± ¡°Then he should have let me die.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t help unless under strict circumstances.¡± Joseph looked up at her. ¡°She?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°She pretends to be a man to protect herself.¡± ¡°She never said she was a woman or a man.¡± ¡°Where else could she possibly go? Is she even from England?¡± ¡°How could I know?¡± ¡°You just told me you know her.¡± ¡°I meant that I¡¯ve encountered her.¡± Joseph got more curious with each answer from Lady Vasquez. He stepped toward her and stood in front of her. ¡°Is she from Spain?¡± he asked with a low tone, his eyes demanding the truth while holding a serious expression. Lady Vasquez chuckled softly. ¡°I¡¯m flattered, Lord Mainwood. But I¡¯m not her.¡± ¡°Would she reveal her identity to a stranger?¡± ¡°Indeed, she would not.¡± ¡°Then it could be you, Lady Vasquez.¡± ¡°I spend all my time indoors. My adventures don¡¯t exceed the walls.¡± ¡°Then tell me who she is.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t possibly know.¡± ¡°You know.¡± Joseph took another step toward her, and they were only a foot apart. ¡°You know too much. You are not a pretty face. You¡¯re an intelligent woman hiding in the shadows of the Duke.¡± ¡°Choose your next words very wisely, Lord Mainwood.¡± ¡°I thought I already have.¡± Lady Vasquez clenched her jaw, finding it hard to be mad at him. She closed the distance between them in two slow steps. Joseph looked down at her eyes and suddenly realized how attractive she was. Her skin was tanned, and her eyes were blue, just like his dead wife¡¯s. Her hair was brown, and she had the most daring gaze. One could drown in the ocean of her eyes. She deserved to be the duchess, Joseph thought. She deserved much more than the silly duke. Lady Vasquez adored Joseph for everything he was; a courageous gentleman with no fear of speaking his mind. He respected her and didn¡¯t undermine her like the duke would. She walked to the side of the winery, leaving him in anticipation. He followed her with his eyes as she bowed in front of the rows and after a few seconds grabbed one. With slow steps, she returned to the same spot, standing too close to him. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Dime, Joseph,¡± she said in her beautiful Spanish accent, and Joseph¡¯s heart thumped fast at hearing his first name from her. ¡°Is this what you were looking for?¡± she whispered, holding the bottle before him. It was a very old-looking bottle. He grabbed it from Lady Vasquez''s hand, and a smile appeared on his lips. ¡°An intelligent lady, indeed,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for this for an hour. How did you know where it was?¡± ¡°I have my ways,¡± she said, resting her hands on his chest. Joseph gulped hard, surprised by the intimacy. The drink didn¡¯t matter much anymore when a beautiful siren had caged him with her aura. ¡°Someone could enter, Lady Vasquez,¡± he warned, looking at her lashes that hid the mischief in her eyes. ¡°S¨ª.¡± She lowered one hand enough to touch his belt. Joseph was suddenly interested in her. He wanted to see what else she could do. Her hand sank even more and touched him between his legs. Joseph hissed through his teeth, liking her teasing more than the idea of the best alcohol in the world. ¡°Will you not stop me?¡± she purred against his chest, and he wanted to curse, but he didn¡¯t. At least, he thought he didn¡¯t. ¡°You¡¯ve chosen the wrong man to stop you,¡± Joseph said, breathing heavy and hard. ¡°Are you that drunk that you can¡¯t refuse me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sober enough to know I want you.¡± She smiled and got even closer to him. Joseph wanted her, but he didn¡¯t want to ruin the wedding that was about to happen. ¡°No,¡± he said and stopped her hand. ¡°It can¡¯t happen. You are the Duchess of Nowkey. I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t married the Duke yet.¡± ¡°You will marry him.¡± ¡°Yes. And now I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°You are a lady.¡± ¡°Do not worry,¡± she said as she placed her hand back on the bulge of his trousers and rubbed. ¡°Ugh,¡± Joseph groaned in pleasure, and she smiled. ¡°I could be the end of you right here,¡± she said with a playful smile. She enjoyed having control over him. There was no fear or resistance from Joseph. He made it clear that he wouldn¡¯t stop her. She loosened his trousers and dared insert her hand low enough to touch his manhood. Joseph cursed this time, and she smiled again. ¡°I could ask the guards to have your neck for being alone in here with me,¡± she said. ¡°You can do as you wish, My Lady,¡± Joseph said, showing no sign of hesitation. She thought he was too lost that he couldn¡¯t think properly. But Joseph didn¡¯t care. The worst thing that could happen was for the Duke to duel with Joseph and kill him. Joseph already wished to die and almost succeeded once. Passing away was peace for him. Lady Vasquez cupped around his manhood and rubbed enough for him to lose his ability to stand. He stepped backward and leaned against the rows of alcohol. She followed him and pressed her body against his to feel his heat. Her hand caught the bottle of alcohol from his so it wouldn¡¯t fall and make a noise. She placed it on one of the empty spaces behind Joseph without parting her gaze from him. Joseph never expected to have Lady Vasquez that close. She continued to pleasure him while rubbing against him. With her other hand, she traced Joseph¡¯s lips and then forced his head to lower so she would access his mouth. Joseph looked down at her beautiful eyes and wondered if she really wanted to kiss him. She ended his doubts and kissed him gently, her lips brushing against his. Then her tongue entered his mouth, teasing him and building more thirst inside him. His hands finally grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. She finally had won, and his guards were down now. He lifted her so she would match his height. Her lips were experienced and seductive like no woman had ever been. She could seduce anyone by only calling their name. His hands were getting tired, so he placed her on a table and immediately started kissing her again. She felt so different than Margaret. Joseph couldn¡¯t stop remembering his wife while making love to another woman. He realized that Lady Vasquez felt so unimaginably good that it made his conscience sting. While their mouths were drinking their souls from one another, she lifted her dress and grabbed Joseph¡¯s hand to place it on her entrance. He found her wet and broke the kiss, looking down at her womanhood. It wasn¡¯t clear with all the layers of her dress and the closeness. Joseph was astonished by the intimate act. As a man in his late thirties, he was too amateur. Lady Vasquez noticed his gauche behavior. Teaching him how to make love thoroughly was thrilling for her. She instructed his hand to rub on her clit, and he did. Her breath shortened as Joseph¡¯s hand followed her instructions. He made circles on her clit, small but firm. Her lips parted. She was giving him direction for her pleasure, and he was complying without questions. She bared one of her breasts and put Joseph¡¯s other hand on it. Joseph cupped her firmly without teasing or playing. He wasn¡¯t much familiar with the ways a woman could be pleased but tried to do his best. Lady Vasquez found his firm grip satisfying and moaned while keeping him closer to herself. She was close to coming but didn¡¯t want it that soon. Being with Joseph was exciting for her. So, she helped Joseph take off his trousers. Then she pulled him closer so she would feel his hardness on her private parts. Joseph almost bit his tongue when his manhood rested between her thighs. ¡°Are you sure about this, My Lady?¡± he asked while holding her face close enough to feel her breath on his face. ¡°Enterame, Joseph,¡± Lady Vasquez moaned in her sweet voice, and that was it for him. He didn¡¯t want to restrain himself anymore, so he removed his cock from her skin and entered her smoothly. She watched him insert his cock into her shamelessly and gasped in shame and desire. Joseph grunted in pleasure. Lady Vasquez sure felt like the best woman he had ever made love to. No one else made him feel like that, lost in desire and panting for air. She wasn¡¯t a virgin, and Joseph thanked God for it. Although most of his beliefs had faded over time, he still had some morals he believed in, and staining a lady¡¯s virtue was a red line for him. He started moving his hips back and forth. Lady Vasquez loved Joseph¡¯s attempt at making her feel good. Men mostly didn¡¯t consider the women¡¯s pleasure. But Joseph was different. She was attracted to him more than she had anticipated and wanted to feel more. So, she helped by spreading her legs wider and allowing more access. Joseph thrust continuously, and she moaned with the sweetest voice he had ever heard. ¡°We must stop,¡± Joseph said, not stopping nor slowing down but kissing her again more passionately. ¡°Yes,¡± she moaned between his kisses, which didn¡¯t sound honest. ¡°Yes, yes! Joseph! We must stop!¡± Her cries were not asking for a stop; They asked for a release, and Joseph knew it. He didn¡¯t stop until her head lolled back, and her body tightened, shaking in his hold while reaching orgasm. His name became a moan on her mouth, and he loved the sound of it. Joseph wanted to end their lovemaking and stop without finishing himself, but she kept him closer so he would have his pleasure too. He thrust in and out with firmer moves, and with a loud groan, he came too. ¡°Dios m¨ªo,¡± she whispered while her head was close to his, breathing hard. Joseph pulled his head back and looked into her eyes. She was flushed red and out of breath. Her hair was messy, and her beautiful long forehead was sweaty. He never thought he could affect her like this. Her lips parted, and there was a hint of satisfaction and need for more in her eyes. ¡°Me quisiera saborearte,¡± she said, and Joseph stared at her. ¡°La pr¨®xima vez,¡± she added with a smile as her hand caressed his face. ¡°I never thought you were such a passionate man. When I saw you years back, you barely looked me in the eyes.¡± Joseph gazed into her eyes. ¡°I was married, and you were a child.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t seem much close to your wife either.¡± He wasn¡¯t close to his wife. He had never made spontaneous love to his wife. That was what made his conscience hurt. He had never felt such desire for Margaret. He had tried to wash all his guilt away with alcohol, but Lady Vasquez resurfaced them. ¡°What has your mind occupied, Joseph?¡± Lady Vasquez asked. She held his face between her hands and caressed his lips with her thumbs. Joseph cupped her breast again and squeezed gently. When her mouth opened in pleasure, he caught her lips and kissed her passionately. His hand kept busy on her chest, and she had never been happier about it. He broke the kiss and fixed her dress on her chest so she wouldn¡¯t be naked at any part. Lady Vasquez didn¡¯t like the interruption. He wiped her lips with his thumb and fixed her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think this was a mistake,¡± she said when she saw his seriousness. ¡°I would never say that. It was the nicest thing that happened to me in a very long time,¡± he said. ¡°I thought I would never be interested in another woman again. But you are something different. I feel every cell in my body awaken in your presence. You shall tidy when you get out. I don¡¯t want you to get in trouble because of me.¡± She stopped his hand on her dress and made him look at her. ¡°You only worry about me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much to lose.¡± ¡°You could lose your life.¡± ¡°I never thought I could charm a beautiful, intelligent lady such as you, Gabriella,¡± he said while brushing her cheek. ¡°Your smile was enough to enlighten my darkened heart. If it¡¯s the price, then I shall pay it gladly.¡± She smiled. ¡°Are you trying to persuade me to give you answers?¡± Joseph traced Gabriella¡¯s lips with his fingers. ¡°My humble existence could never coax Your Grace.¡± Lady Vasquez caressed his hair and then his chin. Her body was close to his again as she whispered, ¡°The hood lives in Asia.¡± 13 The hooded woman in Asia 13 The hooded woman in Asia Joseph listened carefully but tried not to show too much interest. ¡°Asia¡¯s a big place,¡± he said. ¡°South-East Asia,¡± she said while kissing his jawline. ¡°Any land specific?¡± She moved her head back and looked at him. ¡°You ask many questions, Joseph.¡± ¡°I merely enjoy getting words out of your deliteful mouth.¡± He kissed her gently. After breaking the kiss, he didn¡¯t part his look from her lips, longing for her response. ¡°Many have seen her around the borders of Persia,¡± she said, her lips swollen by his smooches. ¡°Persia?¡± Joseph asked, his hands caressing her back. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too far away.¡± ¡°Why do you care? ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± He lied, hiding his intentions with a smile, and kissed her again, making it last much longer. The next morning, Joseph returned to London, not waiting one more day to attend the Duke¡¯s wedding. It was unlike him to act spontaneously. After surviving death, everything he did was unlike him. He had sex with the future Duchess of Nowkey. That was the stupidest, most irresponsible thing Joseph could have ever done. He knew he could get caught, and the Duke could have his head for disgracing Gabriella, but Joseph didn¡¯t mind the consequences. He used to have rules, strict ones. Living by them helped retain order. But there was no order any more. When he heard the information about the mysterious healer from Lady Vasquez, he couldn¡¯t sleep at night. Now that he had an inkling about the hood and was certain that she was a real person and not a myth, who could be found somewhere, an uneasy notion ate him inside. It was intense curiosity, Joseph thought. But that wasn¡¯t true. He tossed and turned in the bed and tried his best to label the feeling he had. It was anger. He was angry at a stranger he hadn¡¯t even seen. Why? Because she shouldn''t have intervened in his fate. Joseph was about to die. The pedlar should have left him to meet his inevitable end sooner. Joseph wanted to confront herabout it. If she was a woman with higher power, he had to know who she was. Was she a death angel as the orphan claimed? Or a witch? Maybe a shapeshifter like Mary said. Whatever she was, Joseph could find out. But she was in Asia, and that was impossible. Or was it? He knew her whereabouts, although not very clearly, the borders of Persia. He had to know more than that. The night after his love-making with the future duchess, he kept looking at a globe in his room to inspect how vast Persia was. He couldn¡¯t have possibly found the Pedlar with the glimmering information. Joseph ensured that Mr. Lancaster would stay at Stargaze and attend the wedding so there would be no hard feelings. He knew it was rude of him to leave, especially to Gabriella since they had shared such a lovely time together, but he also knew they didn¡¯t mind his absence since Joseph had turned odd. It took him almost two days to return to Mainwood. All he did during the trip was thinking and rethinking what he wanted to do. The darkness consumed Mainwood, and the rain started pouring down. Joseph stood by his window and watched his yard. He could see London to its southern side from there. Only a few weak lights were in sight. While drinking from his glass, it suddenly struck Joseph that he hated it there. He hated living there deeply. Mainwood made no sense to him. He thought returning from Stargaze to London would make him feel at least a little better, but it didn¡¯t. It felt like no other place on the planet would make him feel good. He didn¡¯t belong aanywhere. But how could he know? He hadn¡¯t left England in his entire life. There must have been a corner in the vast world where he could finally belong to and find peace in. So, he made a drunken decision right there and then to leave. He was going to go to Asia. And no step further than that decision crossed his mind. The following morning, Joseph woke up, and even after getting sober, he still wanted to leave England. It was more of a need rather than a want. The decision was irrational and rushed, but it was the only thing Joseph wanted to do. He knew it would take more than four months to get there, and the Pedlar could be anywhere, considering she traveled the world to cure people. But he didn¡¯t care. The sorrow and detachment were slowly consuming him. So, without telling anyone about his destination, he packed the necessary things for his journey and set foot on a trip. The only person Joseph informed about his destination was Mr. Lancaster. As his consultant, Thomas had to know everything. Of course, he wasn¡¯t on board with Joseph¡¯s decision. However, he didn¡¯t complain since Joseph seemed determined. ¡°Joseph,¡± Lancaster said as Joseph sat in the carriage to depart. Joseph held the door open. ¡°Yes? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No. I only want to ensure you will be fine.¡± Joseph nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will return in a year or so.¡± Lancaster nodded. A year sounded too long, but Asia was far away. ¡°Goodbye, My Lord,¡± he said, closing the door as his heart weighed heavy. ¡°Goodbye, Thomas,¡± Joseph said, leaning back and waiting for the rider to start. *** The journey to Asia was tiring. Joseph had never been anywhere outside of England. In Europe, everyone would treat him with respect. But in Asia, things were different especially since he decided to hide his true identity and live like a man from the middle class. He spent many days in the rain, snow, thunder, and storm. Some days, he crossed paths that could easily end his life, and some days, he sat in a carriage and did nothing but wait to reach a destination. It took more than five months to reach the western borders of Persia. While on the way, Joseph asked many people about the mysterious hooded woman called the Pedlar. Some claimed they knew her and gave him directions that were in vain. Very few people could describe her with the same features he knew. Ten months had passed since he started his journey from London. Joseph had spent five months asking strangers in Asia and searching day and night. He could barely feel the same motivation in himself to follow the leads and pursue a shadowy savior. Frustrated and disappointed, he decided to settle on a hill for the night. There were a few tents at a great distance from his. Some people lived in those tents, and some were only travelers who used those tents as shelter for the night. The view was spectacular. Mountains were vivid from a very long distance, something Joseph found remarkable. He appreciated nature, especially in forms he hadn¡¯t seen much before. Joseph thought that everything was different there. The air, the way the clouds moved, the humidity, and the ground all felt dissimilar. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. He had a cup of coffee while looking around the hill outside his tent. The refreshing fragrance of coffee beans filled Joseph¡¯s nose as wind blew. A smile curved his lips. He had not yet found the pedlar, but he had reached a magnificent landscape, and it was fulfilling for him. Since he hadn¡¯t packed any mirrors or razors to tidy himself, he looked quite different. His beard and mustache had grown, making him look older and somehow wilder than he was. Looks didn¡¯t matter to him, nor did many other things. While standing on the hill, watching the mountains, he wondered if it was worth to pursue the angel of death with magical powers. Of course, he had been on the road for more than ten months just to come and find her. But the journey had been adventurous and healing. Seeing the beauty and difference in cultures and experiencing the hospitality of the Asians along with living in challenging circumstances on the road had changed Joseph¡¯s perspective on life. So finding a stranger seemed not as important. Now he wished to enjoy the rest of his trip, discovering new places and exploring his own emotions about life. As he juggled all his thoughts, one group of people with a tent at a certain distance caught his attention. They were packing their belongings along with their tent and leaving, which was strange. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Joseph asked a man who had been helping him on his journey for about a week. The man could barely speak English. He was a local. ¡°They go. It¡¯s time,¡± said the man with tanned skin and chestnut hair. ¡°Time for what?¡± ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°To where?¡± ¡°Place good. Water and food they need.¡± ¡°Are they migrating?¡± The man thought for a few seconds. ¡°Yes and no.¡± Joseph was confused. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Nature is their home.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re always moving around?¡± ¡°With season change.¡± ¡°But they have many animals.¡± ¡°Together they go. Hot air they need.¡± ¡°Hot air?¡± ¡°Winter is cold. They die.¡± Joseph realized that winter was coming. That¡¯s why he was shivering earlier. It was getting cold, not as in England, but better than the weather he had seen in the past few months in Asia. He brushed his long golden beard with his fingers and looked at the group with large livestock of animals following them as they parted from the hill. Joseph squinted a bit so he could see the other hills. Another group was leaving with their animals. Suddenly Joseph¡¯s eyes extended wider, and the cup of coffee almost fell from his hand. The hooded woman could be traveling with such groups since they were always moving around. ¡°I must go!¡± he said to the local man. ¡°I must follow them! Come along now! We must hurry!¡± ¡°I stay,¡± the man said. ¡°Family waits. Must return.¡± Joseph wanted to protest. The man had only been helping him for a week, but Joseph had been used to him and his instructions. He knew the roads, the hills, the lakes, the shortcuts, how to navigate and track a lead. So he made Joseph¡¯s trip easier. But Joseph couldn¡¯t push him further because his family was waiting, and nothing was more important than family. Joseph extended his arm and waited for the man to shake his hand. He did, and Joseph smiled. ¡°Thank you, my friend,¡± Joseph said. The man nodded. ¡°Stay far, English,¡± he warned. Joseph smiled, finding his words odd. ¡°Thank you for your service.¡± He grabbed his belongings and immediately started following the groups of locals leaving the hills. They weren¡¯t in a rush. Their speed was super low so their domestic animals could follow along. Joseph was growing impatient. He kept his distance and wondered where the final destination was for the traveling groups. He knew he was getting closer to the Pedlar. She could be one of the people in the traveling groups. From what he gathered, the travelers moved around the world to find a place with better circumstances for living. They never stopped moving or settling in a particular space, peculiarly when the season changed. Wasn¡¯t that what the hood was doing? She was traveling around the world too. She might as well have started to heal others without anyone knowing. Joseph followed the travelers for about a few days. He was confused and disappointed because there was no sign of the hooded woman, and he had lost the way back to the hills. No one knew English to help him return, so he was stuck with the travelers. He thought he had made a mistake by following them. If he had stayed at the hill, he could find the Pedlar there. There was a caravanserai which he decided to stay in before he started his journey again. The people were kind to him there. They welcomed strangers, fed their horses, and sheltered them for the night. The rooms had no beds. It was customary for people to sleep on the floor. They had some comfortable elastic mattresses folded in a corner on the floor. Joseph unfolded it on the beautiful red rug, and lay on it. He didn¡¯t find it hard to adapt since he had spent months sleeping anywhere he could. It was night when he was trying to sleep in one of the rooms he had rented. The moonlight shone through the colorful glass, and it was the most unexpected and beautiful thing to watch at the caravanserai. He found it distracting yet very calming. All he could think about was the failed attempt at finding the Pedlar. He had to find an English-speaking man the following day and leave for the hills to continue his way from there again. When he opened his eyes, he found the room dark. It hadn¡¯t been morning yet. Candles were burning, and a shadow of his belongings was on the wall. Crickets were lowly singing along with the wolves. A sudden neigh echoed in the caravanserai and broke through the silence. Joseph got on his feet and approached the windows. He couldn¡¯t see anything from there. There wasn¡¯t a guard at the front door, which was strange. Joseph opened the door, and another loud neigh welcomed him. He grabbed the torch by the entrance and walked inside. At least a dozen horses were there, and all looked restless. Joseph stepped further inside with his hands a little high to defend himself if someone attacked him. He carefully inspected each stall. There was nothing. Another whinny startled him, and he turned around to look at the horse. He approached the poor animal and looked around his stall. Everything seemed normal. An indistinct masculine voice raised, and Joseph realized a man had entered the stable. The man was talking in a language Joseph did not know. It seemed that he also had heard the whinny and wanted to check on his horse just as Joseph. The stranger approached an empty stall. A gasp left his mouth, and he slapped the top of his head with both hands. He started talking again, repeating the same word, and crying. Joseph didn¡¯t understand. He approached him and looked at the empty stall. There was blood on the ground. He realized that the man¡¯s horse had been hurt and stolen. The man kept hitting his head with his hands, sobbing a word that didn¡¯t make sense to Joseph. ¡°Let us look for him,¡± Joseph said, but his voice didn¡¯t reach the man since he was crying loudly. ¡°Would you please calm down?¡± Joseph tried again. ¡°I will look for it. It cannot possibly be that far.¡± Joseph took the man¡¯s arms and prevented him from harming himself again. The man looked at him with teary eyes and stopped talking. ¡°I will look for it and let you know,¡± Joseph said and managed to calm the stranger even though he didn¡¯t understand him. The sky had slightly brightened, but the torch was still needed. Joseph got on his horse while he held the torch and rode outside to find the thief. After a quarter of an hour, he reached a crossroad. There was no sign to indicate where each of the paths led to. He got off his horse and wondered where the thief might have gone. Something caught his eye. Joseph knelt and looked closer. It was a blood print. He got hopeful and stepped further into the road, which he had already walked on. Another blood print was on the ground. That was the right path. He returned to his horse and started riding faster. The sound of the hooves blended with the howls and cooes. The sky was less dark, and Joseph could see a little better. Long trees surrounded his path. Nothing was in his sight other than a vast green view of the woods. He pulled at the reins and stopped, his heart sinking at the sight of the dead stallion on the ground. The poor animal was wasted, and the thief could be close. He had survived a very long journey to search for the Pedlar. Dying in the middle of nowhere was madness. There was nothing to do now that the horse was dead. He had to return. A rustling sound made his head jerk to the right side. He found something moving swiftly a few steps away, and his heart pounded in his chest. While still on his horse, he followed whatever was hiding there. The swishing sound stopped, and he stopped with it, glancing at where he saw the movement last while holding the reins tighter. His horse was getting uneasy, feeling the presence of an animal or a human in the bushes. It kept switching in his legs. Joseph tried to calm him by touching him on his neck. He waited for the stallion to ease. The howls made his blood go cold. He clenched his teeth and held the torch tighter. The bushes had stopped swishing, but the silence only frightened Joseph more. Something was out there. He held his breath and stared. A dark figure jumped outside of the bushes, startling him. He gasped, and the torch fell from his hand on the ground and got blown out. The figure disappeared into the woods again. Joseph realized he didn¡¯t need the torch anymore. He gave the reins a heavy shake, and the horse started striding swiftly. Whatever it was that had gotten out of the bushes, he had to see it or capture it. The figure kept disappearing in the darkness behind the trees. Joseph almost lost concentration as a branch slapped him in the face. He shook the reins again and rode faster. A black cloak revealed itself as light reflected on the shadowy figure. It was not an animal, but a human. The hair on the back of his neck stood. The hooded woman! 14 Lord Parlings and his men 15 Lord Parlings and his men ¡°Pedlar!¡± Joseph shouted at the person who was running away at full speed. The person heard Joseph¡¯s voice. Their head turned to him. At that very moment, they tripped and fell. Joseph pulled at the reins and stopped. He got down from his horse and ran toward where the stranger fell but stopped when the ground beneath his feet softened. There was a cliff there which he hadn¡¯t noticed. The stranger didn¡¯t only fall. They rolled off the edge and landed motionless on the bushes down the cliff. Joseph held his breath. The height wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough for a person to break any part of their body or hit their head on some stone or a hard surface. Joseph watched the motionless person from above and gulped hard. What had he done? The seconds froze for him as the sun pierced through the branches and leaves. He didn¡¯t mean to harm anyone, especially not the Pedlar. He was there to meet her, talk to her, know the truth about her identity, get mad at her, and maybe yell at her, but he didn¡¯t want to harm her. How could he take the life of someone who had saved his? Why would she be there in the first place? Why had she stolen a horse from the caravanserai and hurt it? Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be a healer? Maybe the person down there wasn¡¯t her. Perhaps it was a thief. A swishing sound broke the train of destructive thoughts. The hooded person moved their hand, and Joseph exhaled the air in his lungs, sighing in relief. He didn¡¯t know he would feel such a horrible way again after the death of his wife. The hooded person was alive, and they moved their body. Joseph put his hands on his heart and breathed the deepest. Suddenly someone grabbed a hold of Joseph¡¯s arm and dragged him away from the cliff. Joseph was shocked and frustrated to be interrupted. He stepped away from the person to protect himself and looked at them with widened eyes. It was someone familiar. ¡°Lord Parlings!¡± Joseph said with disbelief. Lord Parlings was the friend of the Duke of Nowkey. He met him at the dinner at Nowkey. Joseph wanted to ask what he was doing there, but that didn¡¯t matter. He had to make sure the hooded stranger was all right. He stepped toward the cliff again, but Lord Parlings stepped in front of him and stopped him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Joseph asked. Lord Parlings grabbed Joseph¡¯s arm and dragged him behind a tree. He hushed Joseph and waited. Joseph heard other voices of men who were shouting a specific word. He tilted his head from behind the tree and looked. There were a few men on their horses, riding at full speed. After they passed the eyesight, Joseph stepped around the tree and again approached the cliff. The hooded person was hiding from the guards. The hood fell from the stranger¡¯s head and revealed long black hair. She was indeed a woman! ¡°That¡¯s not the person you¡¯re looking for,¡± Lord Parlings said, which made Joseph turn around and look at him. How did he know whom Joseph was looking for? ¡°That¡¯s not the pedlar, my lord.¡± Joseph said nothing. He only stared at Lord Parlings. ¡°It¡¯s a woman down there,¡± Lord Parlings explained. ¡°It¡¯s not him.¡± Lord Parlings did not know that the Pedlar was a woman. Joseph didn¡¯t want to uncover this information, so he kept silent. ¡°I must ensure she¡¯s fine,¡± Joseph said. He approached the cliff and looked down, but to his surprise there was no sign of the hooded woman. She was gone in a blink of an eye. Joseph looked everywhere from his higher perspective, yet he couldn¡¯t trace her. How could she vanish like that, he wondered without letting Lord Parlings know. ¡°We must leave this instant. Come along now,¡± Lord Parlings said and started walking. Joseph kept glancing back and wondering if the Pedlar was fine. If it weren¡¯t for Lord Parlings, Joseph would follow her and finally confront her after a year of searching for her and fulfill the purpose of his tiring journey. But now he had to start over and look for her again. Lord Parlings asked Joseph to be quiet since the guards could be close. They kept their voices low and did their best not to make any sound. Joseph found his horse and mounted it. Lord Parlings untied his horse from a tree. He got on his horse too, and they both left the woods. Parlings led Joseph to a place that looked like an inn to drink and eat. They entered and took seats around an empty table. Joseph watched the strangers come and go, although it was only morning. He was disappointed for not talking to the Pedlar when she was so close. ¡°A thank you would be quite appreciated,¡± Lord Parlings said, and Joseph glanced up to meet his gaze. They were waiting for a drink and something to eat. ¡°I saved your life,¡± Lord Parlings added. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°How?¡± Joseph said while his hands were entwined. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the guards?¡± ¡°I was merely passing by.¡± ¡°Yes. You passed the borders.¡± ¡°What borders?¡± A man placed down huge containers of alcohol in front of Lord Parlings. His eyebrows lifted. ¡°You don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t know we¡¯re in Persia!¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re not.¡± ¡°We are!¡± Joseph¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°We crossed the border?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re in Persia now. How do you ride toward somewhere you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not geographically smart.¡± ¡°So I see.¡± Joseph crossed his arms. ¡°What are you doing here, Lord Parlings?¡± he asked, feeling frustrated. ¡°Doing the same as you.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to find the Pedlar?¡± ¡°What could you possibly want from him?¡± Lord Parlings moved one of the big containers of alcohol in front of Joseph. Joseph needed to drink more than any time in his life now. Lord Parlings shook the container to intrigue Joseph, and it spilled on the table. Joseph grabbed it and chugged half of it in one breath. Lord Parlings looked at a table with men talking in English. Joseph noticed them. ¡°You¡¯ve brought an army.¡± ¡°They¡¯re quite brave men,¡± Lord Parlings said. ¡°We ride everywhere together. Our adventures and memories are what make us the men we are. I would die for each of them.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me.¡± ¡°What was the question?¡± ¡°What do you want from a man who¡¯s merely a gossip?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say he saved your life? ¡°When?¡± ¡°At Nowkey.¡± Lord Parlings thought for a few seconds. ¡°A hooded man saved my life. He did some hocus pocus and et voila! Here I am,¡± he quoted what Joseph said at the Nowkey dukedom more than half a year ago. ¡°It was nothing but a jest.¡± ¡°Was it?¡± Lord Parlings said with a smile. He leaned toward Joseph. ¡°There¡¯s no judgment or shaming here, Lord Mainwood. I¡¯m fascinated by his powers. I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s the devil.¡± Joseph had heard that sentence too many times. Nobody cared if she was the devil. But Joseph was sure they would hurt her. ¡°He¡¯s a ghost who does not exist,¡± Joseph said. ¡°We both know he¡¯s not a ghost, a gossip, or a rumor. You¡¯ve crossed the world to come and find him. You possibly cannot deny his existence.¡± ¡°What do you know of him?¡± ¡°My men and I have been collecting information from him in the past few years. He¡¯s been helping sick people and animals. In some regions, people claim he has sold them things not grown locally. We guessed he was a foreigner, but we weren¡¯t quite sure. Then we looked for him and asked anyone we could. And now here we are. Thanks to you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. We followed you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°When you mentioned the Pedlar at the Duke¡¯s dinner, I was determined to ask you what you knew about him. But then you left the next day, and it was odd. I followed you and realized you were to depart on a trip to Asia. I knew you would be searching for the Pedlar, so I had to follow you.¡± Joseph was uncomfortable that Lord Parlings and his men had been following him for more than six months, and they didn¡¯t show themselves. He found himself violated strangely. ¡°That¡¯s disturbing to know,¡± Joseph said. Lord Parlings chuckled. ¡°Oh, dear. You¡¯re unfiltered. I like that about you.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve shown yourself to me. Why did you hide from me all this time?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to disturb your solitude.¡± ¡°So you decided to spy on me?¡± Parlings¡¯ smile faded away. ¡°Lord Mainwood.¡± ¡°You seem obsessed with the Pedlar,¡± Joseph said as he tried to keep himself as calm as possible. He didn¡¯t know Lord Parlings. The man was a maniac who had followed a stranger for almost a year. He had half a dozen men by his side and could have very ill intentions. ¡°I¡¯m a hunter, Lord Mainwood. I enjoy looking for someone who is but a rumor to the world.¡± ¡°You want to hunt him like an animal?¡± ¡°No. I merely wish to uncover his truth.¡¯ ¡°And what will you gain?¡± ¡°Stories and adventures.¡± Joseph said nothing and looked at his half-full drink. ¡°We¡¯re close to finding him,¡± Lord Parlings said. ¡°I can feel it. We will find him by the end of the month. Join me and my men.¡± Joseph sipped from his drink and thought of the wisest way to decline. ¡°My presence will only hold you back," he said. "I¡¯m not a hunter.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen him," Parlings said. "We could use your help.¡± ¡°I actually haven¡¯t. I was unconscious when the Pedlar visited me.¡± ¡°All right, then.¡± Lord Parlings gave up pushing Joseph harder. ¡°I thought we could be a great team to find him. I must apologize for not showing myself sooner, my lord. I know it¡¯s not my place to¡­,¡± He thought for a few seconds to word his sentence better, ¡°judge a person by what I see¡­ but¡­ When I saw you at the dinner of the Duke, you seemed rather detached from the people around you. Not that I blame you. Peers are horrible people to be around with.¡± Joseph raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Yes. I am one lord myself. And the statement stands true,¡± Lord Parlings continued. ¡°I¡¯m even worse than the rest. I assumed you needed to be alone to escape the world around you. So, I didn¡¯t show myself.¡± Joseph felt slightly better after Lord Parling¡¯s apology. He found his statement true. ¡°I would have left this inn if you were more intolerable than other peers.¡± Lord Parlings smiled. ¡°I take that as a compliment.¡± ¡°I suppose I am detached from the world around me.¡± ¡°If you change your mind, you can join us. We¡¯re leaving for Persepolis first thing in the morning.¡± ¡°What are we even going to do at the capital?¡± ¡°The capital¡¯s the only place where we are known. We shall be held in high esteem since we¡¯re nobles. We shall gather our strengths, eat, rest, and then get on our way again.¡± He drank from the big container in his hand and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve heard the Pedlar is there now. If we¡¯re lucky, we can catch him.¡± ¡°How do you know he¡¯s there?¡± ¡°I might have needed your knowledge of the Pedlar¡¯s whereabouts, but I can track him down from now on.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a hunter.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Joseph thought for a few seconds. He finished his whole drink and then stomped the container on the table. ¡°All right,¡± he said after wiping his mouth and beard. ¡°I shall like to join you.¡± A smile appeared on Lord Parlings¡¯ mouth. He raised his drink to salute Joseph and then started drinking. 15 Persepolis 16 Persepolis Joseph and Parlings arrived at Perpolis in a short time. Many peers respected them and welcomed them. Parlings had an acquaintance named Behzad at Persepolis who could speak English well. The man received Parlings and Joseph to stay at his house as long as they wished. Nothing in Persia was the same as in England. The architecture of the houses, the roads, people¡¯s cloths, their food, body language, manners, everything was quite different. Behzad¡¯s residence was colorful in all aspects, and it fascinated Joseph. He had never seen such structures. A pool was in the middle of the yard with Persian green tiles. The color was new and comforting to Joseph¡¯s eyes. Small redfish were swimming inside it. Around the yard, there were trees and flowers of all colors. Some of them had dried out due to the cold weather. The sound of Canaries filled the beautiful green view. Joseph took a long breath and enjoyed the combination of all the good things; A beautiful view, the comforting sound of birds and swishing leaves, chilly weather, and the refreshing scent of flowers. ¡°I dare you, Rufus,¡± Behzad said to Parlings as the three of them were in the big yard of his house. They were close to the pool, sitting on a wide wooden surface decorated with colorful pillows and mattresses. The beds were customary in Persian yards for sitting, not lying down. Behzad had a bottle of wine and had just finished filling Lord Parling¡¯s glass. ¡°Drink this Baade,¡± he said while holding the bottle and looking at Parlings, ¡°and tell me it is not the best Baade-ye Shiraz you¡¯ve ever had.¡± Behzad possessed the smoothest British accent Joseph had ever heard from a foreigner. Joseph was impressed and a bit intimidated. If that man wanted to act as an English, he could easily do it. Parlings first smelled the wine and then took a sip from it. ¡°I¡¯ve had better,¡± he said with a smirk, and the Persian man¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Bugger off!¡± Behzad said to Parlings, and Parlings laughed loudly. They seemed to be good friends. ¡°You¡¯re not welcome in my house anymore.¡± Parlings took another sip from his drink with a smile. ¡°You dared me, Behzad,¡± he said to the man. Joseph looked at them blankly. ¡°I assume Baade is¡­,¡± he said. ¡°Wine,¡± Parlings said and started arguing again with Behzad. Joseph moved the glass in front of his face. He inhaled the scent and was surprised by how different it was. He put the glass on his lips and took a short sip. The flavor melted on his tongue, the strong taste of it tingling his tastebuss, warming his mouth and throat. His eyebrows raised in shock. He glanced at the glass in his hands and then at Parlings. ¡°This is the best wine I¡¯ve ever had,¡± he said, which attracted the attention of the two men sitting by him. They both got quiet and looked at Joseph. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever tasted a wine like this. Why haven¡¯t I tasted a wine like this?¡± Parlings chuckled. ¡°You look like a man who¡¯s had his first girl. Would you like some more?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too drunk,¡± Behzad warned. ¡°We shan¡¯t want to look like idiots when we arrive at the palace.¡± ¡°What palace?¡± Joseph asked. ¡°The palace of the king,¡± Behzad said. Joseph looked at Parlings and waited for an explanation. ¡°Tonight, there is one of the biggest feasts of their year,¡± Parlings said. ¡°Chelle,¡± Behzad said. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a very amusing night.¡± Joseph didn¡¯t like the idea. He was a loner and appreciated his time alone, especially after the death of his son and wife. He didn¡¯t mind enjoying his time on the trip while searching for the Pedlar. But he tried his best to stay anonymous and unrecognized. Going to the king¡¯s palace would change everything. Joseph hated the nobles, whether English or of any other nation. ¡°Can¡¯t you sit me out of this one?¡± he asked, and Parlings looked at him with a puzzled face. ¡°I¡¯d rather focus on the¡­ purpose of this trip. You know, finding the Pedlar.¡± ¡°Be patient, my friend,¡± Parlings said. ¡°You won¡¯t find the Pedlar unless you investigate the right people.¡± ¡°Who is this Pedlar?¡± Behzad asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Parlings said. ¡°We¡¯re eager to find out. Do we have to wear something specific for the palace?¡± ¡°Do not wear something disrespectful, and you¡¯re good to go,¡± Behzad said. ¡°Was that comment meant for me?¡± ¡°Yes. You wore a Sindur at the Indian festival four years ago, which got us almost killed.¡± ¡°I simply enjoy Asian culture.¡± ¡°Keep your enthusiasm limited. Sindur is for married women only. I repeat, do not wear something disrespectful.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Lord Parlings looked at Joseph. ¡°Pardon me, Lord Mainwood, but I think it¡¯s best to shave your face.¡± Joseph touched his long brown beard and ran his fingers through it. He didn¡¯t have a mirror to look at himself and wondered if he looked presentable for the feast. ¡°Is it necessary?¡± Joseph asked. ¡°Yes. You look like an old lion.¡± ¡°I am no lion, but I am old.¡± ¡°Old?¡± Parlings said with a shocked face. ¡°Are you not forty?¡± ¡°I am thirty-six.¡± Parlings got even more surprised. Joseph looked and acted more maturely. To think of himself as old made Parlings laugh. ¡°My dear Lord Mainwood,¡± Parlings said. ¡°You have just started your life.¡± Joseph hated the thought of just starting his life when he had already lived the worst things a man could experience. He didn¡¯t want more of it; the pain, loss, grief, abuse, torture, loneliness, and weakness. Joseph didn¡¯t want to have a long life ahead of himself filled with all the bad things awaiting him as soon as he returned to England. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Lord Mainwood,¡± Behzad said, sensing Joseph¡¯s unwillingness. ¡°I know how to use a razor even though I don¡¯t use it myself.¡± Persians mostly had long beards, and that explained his sentence. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. *** The entrance of the palace was magnificent. Something new to the eyes. People had colorful clothes. Persian men mostly had mustaches and beards. They wore garments that looked quite different than what the English people were used to wearing. Women of Persia mostly wore long dresses but not as pleated as the dresses of English women. Some wore loose trousers. Most of them had long veils, mostly silk, which rested on their long hair and ran through the strands as they moved their head. A guard stopped Joseph and Parlings at the entrance. He said something in Persian that they did not understand. ¡°You need to surrender any weapon you carry,¡± Behzad said, standing by them. ¡°We¡¯re not going to surrender our weapons!¡± Parlings said, frowning at the suggestion. ¡°Then you can¡¯t enter,¡± Behzad said casually. ¡°Oh, you can''t be serious!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do anything, my friend. These are the palace rules.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Parlings pulled a knife out and put it on the table before the guard. The guard said something. ¡°All of them,¡± Behzad translated. ¡°I don¡¯t have other weapons,¡± Parlings said. The guard approached Parlings. Without inspecting, he moved his hand behind him and swiftly pulled a knife from Parlings¡¯ back. Parlings looked at the big guard and hesitated to protest. ¡°Any other weapons?¡± Behzad asked with a disappointed look on his face. Parlings shook his head. ¡°All right then. Let us go.¡± The guard stopped Joseph. He touched Joseph¡¯s pockets and back. When he felt nothing, he let him get inside. The view of the gardens was heavenly. It wasn¡¯t as cold as the winters in England. Everyone found it pleasant. A cold breeze blew, and the trees swished. Everyone was laughing and talking merrily. The large pool in the garden was full of watermelons and pomegranates floating on top of the water. Redfish were swimming through the fruits, giving life to the feast. Lord Parlings explored each corner and tasted all the fruits. Joseph found everything he saw amusing. What mainly interested him was the Shiraz wine he had just found. One of the servants gave him a container which was supposed to be a glass. It had a goat shape at the end of it. He poured wine for Joseph and wanted to walk away, but Joseph insisted on more. The servant understood him and filled his glass to the fullest. ¡°Thank you,¡± Joseph said, and the servant walked away. He started drinking the wine. It tasted even better than the one Behzad had offered him at his house. He had a full glass and didn¡¯t intend to finish the refill too soon. He wanted to savor the strong taste of it. ¡°You look quite different,¡± Behzad said, appearing by him. Joseph smiled. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. You were handsome before. But now you look neat and young.¡± Joseph felt better with the subtle compliment. ¡°Thank you.¡± He sipped his cup, and Behzad noticed it. ¡°Save some for us.¡± Joseph shrugged. ¡°If I am to be in a crowd, I need something to keep me entertained.¡± ¡°Ouch, Lord Mainwood! I thought you would like our customs a bit.¡± ¡°Oh, no. I love your customs. I¡¯m merely a loner. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Yes. And I see you¡¯re a Haft-Khat.¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°A seven-lines drinker.¡± He showed the seven horizontal lines on the glass in Joseph¡¯s hand. ¡°The cupbearers never fill to the last one.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Not many people have the capacity.¡± ¡°I am in love with this wine. Nothing has ever come close to it. Trust me. I¡¯ve drunk from the best alcohol collections.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s made of Shiraz grapes. That¡¯s why it tastes different.¡± ¡°You should never show this wine to the Duke of Nowkey,¡± Joseph said while sipping his drink. ¡°He will become obsessed and have all of your wines.¡± ¡°Duke of Nowkey? Donkey Nowkey?¡± Joseph chuckled. ¡°You know his nickname!¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve visited London before. I gave him some of my wine, and he claimed it tasted odd.¡± ¡°He is an idiot,¡± Joseph said, not considering he was insulting the duke. Behzad liked Joseph¡¯s bluntness. ¡°A donkey,¡± he said. Joseph chuckled. ¡°Indeed.¡± A man came, standing at the entrance of the garden. He said something in a loud voice, and everyone got quiet. ¡°The king¡¯s here,¡± Behzad said as he straightened his height. A tall man entered the garden gracefully. He had a long, partly gray, partly dark brown beard and hair. A large crown was on his head. His eyes were fierce, and his nose had a hump that suited the rigid features of his face. Everyone stood in line and curtsied for him, holding their heads down. They didn¡¯t look up while waiting for the king to pass all of them and sit in his seat away from the crowd. After he sat down, he gestured for everyone to lift their head and be at ease. A few people were seated close to the pool with musical instruments in their hands. They started playing lovely music, and everyone resumed talking. Some people danced to the music, some were sitting on the wide wooden beds and listened as a woman read from a book. ¡°Chelle shaad baad,¡± Behzad said to someone, and the person repeated the same sentence. They talked for a few seconds, and then the person parted. ¡°What does Chelle mean?¡± Joseph asked, the alcohol making him curious. ¡°Chelle is the longest day of the year. We celebrate it by gathering together, eating pomegranate and watermelon. Also, we sit together and read prophecies from a poetry book by Hafez-Shirazi.¡± Joseph thought about the last time he had enjoyed or celebrated any occasion; He couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°Would you like to know your fortune?¡± Behzad asked. Joseph looked up at him. ¡°My fortune?¡± he said with slightly lifted eyebrows. ¡°Yes. Lady Mehrban can read it for you from the book.¡± He pointed at the woman who was reading from a book with a loud voice. Joseph laughed. ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°Do you not believe in prophecy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to know the ugly future that awaits me.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure that it will be bad?¡± ¡°Nothing good happens when I¡¯m involved.¡± Behzad switched his drink to his other hand. ¡°Relax. The good thing about Hafez-Shirazi¡¯s poems is that he is always kind. He never says anything remotely bad or unconventional. If you want to be haunted, you should meet Bibi Banoo.¡± Before Joseph could ask about Bibi Banoo, Behzad left to meet other nobles. Joseph stood there and watched the female reader with curiosity. Suddenly the people on the wooden bed got quiet and moved away, making a spot empty for someone. A woman with large eyes and long black hair partly covered with a silk veil came. She had a green and gold gown. Seated ones stood, and everyone curtsied for her. She sat on the empty spot on the bed, facing the reader. The reader opened the book in her hand and started reading it in a rhyming tone. Everyone listened carefully. Joseph took a sip from his drink while staring at the scene across him. He was invested far more than he should have been, even though he understood nothing of Persian. He watched as the young lady in the green gown listened to the reader¡¯s skilled drawing voice. Nothing poetic had ever interested him. Yet her passionate voice of made Joseph wonder what each word that flew on her tongue meant. The reader stopped, and everyone smiled, including the young lady. She said something to the reader and then placed a coin in her hand. Then she got back on her feet and stood straight. Her eyes met Joseph for a second. Joseph didn¡¯t move the glass away from his mouth as he looked back at her. Her face changed. She almost squinted at him but pulled herself together and started walking away. Joseph watched her long black hair entwined with the silk veil, and something locked inside him. Was she¡ª? His eyes widened. He put his glass on a table nearby and strode to find Parlings. The man was easy to spot in a crowd. Joseph grabbed his arm and dragged him to a corner. ¡°Lord Mainwood!¡± Parlings said. ¡°What happened? You ripped my arm off!¡± ¡°Who is the woman in green and gold?¡± Joseph asked. ¡°Oh, you mean the Shahdokht.¡± ¡°What is Shahdoht?¡± Joseph said, failing to pronounce the word correctly. ¡°You have good taste,¡± Parlings said with a smirk. Joseph frowned. ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°She is someone you and I will never have.¡± He looked at the woman in gold and green with a smile. ¡°She¡¯s the princess.¡± Joseph looked at her too. Her dark brown eyes looked just like her father¡¯s. She was fierce and graceful at the same time. Could she be the Pedlar? There was no way a noblewoman, especially a princess, could travel around the world and endanger her life only to serve sick people she didn¡¯t even know. The princess looked at Joseph and held eye contact for a few seconds. Then she turned her head and continued talking with other nobles. Lord Parlings smiled even more. ¡°She looked at me,¡± he said, misunderstanding the princess¡¯s gaze at Joseph. ¡°You just want those eyes to be on you forever. The things that I could do to her.¡± He sighed. ¡°Well, let us stay civil for now.¡± He looked at Joseph. ¡°We can¡¯t have her. Trust me. I¡¯ve tried. She is not interested in anything that you bring to her.¡± ¡°Does she know English?¡± ¡°No. However, that wouldn¡¯t stop me.¡± A woman¡¯s scream interrupted their conversation. Everyone¡¯s heads turned to find the source of the voice. The musicians stopped playing, and everyone got quiet. A woman came, running to the middle of the feast, her hands covered in blood. Everyone gasped. The guards by the king made a circle around him and shielded him so no one would harm him. The princess was not in sight anymore. The woman covered in blood started talking, and everyone gasped again. They all started talking incoherently and running to exit the gardens. One of the guards stood on top of the side of the pool and shouted something. Everyone stopped and looked at each other. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± Parlings asked in shock. Behzad appeared by their side. ¡°Good God! You¡¯re here!¡± he said. ¡°Is this a show?¡± Parlings asked Behzad. ¡°No! The crown prince has been stabbed!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t allow anyone to exit until they find the one responsible.¡± 16 The Lady in Gardens 16 The Lady in Gardens ¡°Whoever stabbed the prince must have already left,¡± Parlings said. Behzad frowned at Lord Parlings. ¡°How would you know?¡± ¡°Oh, relax, Behzad. I¡¯m not the killer.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not dead yet.¡± ¡°Good. Hopefully, he¡¯ll survive.¡± The guards came and started searching everyone¡¯s pockets one by one. They touched almost every inch of their bodies, and when they made sure they had nothing to hide, they moved to the next person to inspect them. Nothing suspicious was found. Behzad looked disturbed by the turn of events. One of the guards started speaking loudly, and everyone listened carefully. ¡°What does he say?¡± Lord Parlings asked. ¡°The king requests everyone¡¯s presence at the palace until they find the criminal,¡± Behzad said with a frown. ¡°I have a business I need to take care of!¡± ¡°Why is our presence necessary if none of us has the murder weapon?¡± Lord Parlings asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The king has put a price for the name or any information of the person who committed this crime.¡± ¡°What information could we possibly have of the murderer?¡± ¡°The prince is not dead yet!¡± Behzad said this time much louder and angrier, which got everyone¡¯s attention. He immediately fixed his clothes and looked down to avoid causing a scene. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if we retire to our rooms,¡± Joseph said to Lord Parlings. ¡°There are rooms assigned for us, yes?¡± he asked Behzad. ¡°Yes,¡± Behzad said. ¡°There will be rooms ready for us.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Joseph actually didn¡¯t mind being in the palace since there was an unlimited source of Shiraz wine which he was obsessed with. Also, he wanted to inspect the place where the mysterious princess lived. What better reason to stay in the palace and search for what he had in mind? They had to share their rooms since there were many people. Joseph, Behzad, and Lord Parlings stayed together. It was a very stressful night for the nobles. Joseph couldn¡¯t wait to leave the room. When he opened his eyes, he found himself thirsty. The uncountable glasses of wine were draining him. It felt like the walls were closing on him. He got on his feet and left the room before losing his sanity. He needed to get some air. The sun hadn¡¯t got out yet. He managed to avoid the guards on his way as he exited the palace. The gardens looked hollow when there wasn¡¯t enough light to shine on them. A sophisticated dark atmosphere had the entire place under control. Even though Joseph was now in clear air, he still couldn¡¯t breathe normally. He had to get farther. A wooden door appeared in his sight. Joseph tried it with his hands, but it didn¡¯t open. Looking around, he ensured no guard was close and climbed the wooden door. He looked down from above the door and took a deep breath. The distance wasn¡¯t high, so he jumped and landed on his feet. He dusted off his clothes and started walking again. No one knew about the hidden exit. Maybe the person who stabbed the prince came from there. Joseph walked further into the gardens that led to the woods and watched the sunrise from the east, breaking through the dark green view of the jungle. The sound of water sharpened his ears. There must have been a river close by. Joseph loved the sound of water. He followed it until he saw a small stream passing through the woods, the sound restoring the breath to Joseph¡¯s lungs and the pure heavenly image comforting his mind. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. He sat down next to the stream and put his hands inside, the coldness of the water refreshing his memory and senses. He gasped but didn¡¯t remove his hands. The sun was now partly shining on him. A waterlily was down where the stream was ponderous, and the water had gathered into a large mere. A small frog was sitting on the water lily, filling his body with air. As Joseph was sitting by the stream, he thought life couldn¡¯t get nicer to him and that he had lived enough to see everything. Nothing mattered anymore. He realized that by setting foot on that journey he had started healing himself without intending to. He was riper and calmer than when he was in England. Following a myth had been his goal, but peace was his triumph. Perhaps leaving the face of the earth at such a moment wasn¡¯t that bad. What else could he want from life that he hadn¡¯t accomplished? A swishing sound startled him. He looked around, not too fast, to inspect what it was. The sound was getting closer. He got on his feet, approached a tree, and hid behind it. The sound stopped, which intrigued Joseph. He peeked from behind the thick trunk. A beautiful deer stood tall in the middle of the trees, the sun shining on his horns. Joseph smiled and wanted to move, but he stopped when he saw a hand patting the deer''s head, a hand with gloves. Joseph became more curious. He moved his head away from the branches to see better. The unknown person got closer to the deer, and the deer bent his neck for him so he could pet him easier. Joseph decided to return to the palace and leave the scene before the man would notice him. He stepped backward, but something clasped around his foot, gluing him to his place. Joseph glanced down and saw a metal trap with long claws had gone into his flesh and bones. He couldn¡¯t stop himself anymore with the scene before him, so he let a whimpering sound out of his mouth while leaning onto a tree to steady himself. The pain rushed through his body. He looked up at the sky covered by the long trees and took a long breath. Death had always been close to him, and Joseph was more than ready to accept it at any time. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain of his leg. A shadow settled by him, and he opened his eyes. His sight was blurry. The man patting the deer was standing near Joseph with a bow and an arrow, ready to shoot. Joseph had already lost lots of blood and couldn¡¯t think straight. He couldn¡¯t possibly defend himself. The man lowered his bow and looked at Joseph with a frown. Joseph squinted slightly so his blurry sight could get better and he could see the face of the stranger. It wasn¡¯t a man. It was a woman dressed in tight trousers and a tight blouse. Joseph¡¯s sight was still blurry. He couldn¡¯t quite see her face details. Her hair was gathered and braided. She didn¡¯t have a hood, but her appearance reminded him of only one person. The Pedlar. Joseph felt excited to finally meet her. He wanted to ask many questions, but his body didn¡¯t allow him. She approached Joseph without putting her bow down. His wound was deep and concerning. Slowly, she knelt by his leg and examined his injury. The trap was cutting deeper, and it had to be removed. She put two arrows inside the metal trap and pushed the clutches open. Joseph groaned with pain as blood poured out of his leg. The stranger held the claws with her bow and pulled Joseph¡¯s leg out. The snare clasped together again, but Joseph''s leg was already free. Joseph fell to the ground as his leg kept bleeding. The woman sat by him and took his torn boot off. The wound looked even worse now that the trap was removed. She took Joseph¡¯s jacket off and wrapped it around his wound firmly. Then she took his other boot off to see if his other leg was wounded. A dagger was under Joseph''s garment, and she got shocked to see it. She pulled it out of its place and examined it. Joseph looked down at his leg and realized what had happened. The woman held the dagger close to Joseph¡¯s eyes, and he shook his head. ¡°I did not stab the prince,¡± he mumbled. The woman put the dagger on Joseph¡¯s cheek and pressed it. Joseph didn¡¯t flinch. He knew he couldn¡¯t speak in her language, and the dagger was false evidence of a crime he did not commit. She dropped the dagger, grabbed Joseph by his collar, and lifted him enough so he could see her. His mouth went dry. The woman¡¯s long black brows furrowed, and something furious was in her eyes. If she wanted to hurt him, it was the safest place and time. But she pushed Joseph back down on the ground and got on her feet to leave. Joseph watched her vanish into the woods and thought he deserved what had become of him. He tried to move his leg, but it hurt deeply, so he lay there silently while clutching his knee to soothe the pain a little.