A funny little one

Chapter four 

Alphonso Manuel

It wasn't until evening that I was finally able to see my mother. I barged into her chambers to question her on the recent news I just heard. 

She was firm in telling me.

“You will like her, Trust your mother” 

I sighed in frustration, I still enjoyed my single life, finding a wife now was a delay on my part. I don’t even like women past the bed stage, what would make this woman different? 

“What is her name?” 

My mother sat facing the mirror as she touched up her face.

“Alcantara, she is not from these parts, I think she just relocated here from another country.” 

Okay, this seemed interesting, she was a foreigner. 

I began pacing front and back in thought. 

“If she doesn’t agree to be my bride, what would happen?”

 I and my mother knew very well that no one was supposed to know about our organization and what we truly are, the society knew only what The Manuel family wanted them to know, anyone asking to know more shall end up Dead.

My mother paused as she tried putting on her earrings. 

“I have told her already that I would end her life, but I like this one, she has a fire and it’s bad that she doesn’t realize it” 

I nodded smiling maliciously within.

 All I have to do is to make the woman hate me, get her killed and this marriage wouldn’t even be happening, it's that easy.

“Well go and dress up, it’s almost time for dinner.”

……….. 

It was still an hour before dinner, so I just freshened up and tried to receive some fresh air. Pouring myself a glass of whiskey, I came out through my room’s balcony and stared at the night sky. 

Buttoning up my black shirt. 

Just then in the room next to mine also on the balcony, I noticed someone throwing down a long string of tied-up curtains. 

At that moment a very beautiful woman with red hair and a white undergarment comes into view.

 I found myself suddenly becoming still, my lips were slightly parted and I could feel a certain rush in my blood. 

It took me a moment to realize that the woman who had just caught my attention was about to escape. 

I had to stop her somehow, there was no way this beautiful woman was going to leave here without me touching her physically.

“Excuse me miss” I called out as I saw her attempting to cross over the wall. 

She was shocked to see me and fell back inside, making me shift a little hoping that she wasn’t hurt.

“i apologize for startling you, but are you trying to escape through that balcony or..” 

She looked at me with distrust in her eyes, I think that she feared that I would report her.

She finally spoke in reply. 

“I was just using the curtain to measure the length of the building through my window.”

I found myself holding in my laughter as I inched closer to look at the rope. 

The mansion was a five-story building and even though we were on the third floor, her little curtain and bed sheet rope didn’t seem to reach anywhere, 

“Oh, You are measuring, how is that going for you? I see the rope isn’t reaching the ground.” 

She looked down in shock “What! It isn’t reaching? I could have sworn it was long enough.” 

I stared at her childlike display in awe, it amused me. 

After a minute's silence, she finally confessed. 

“Okay sir, I’m trying to escape, I have been kidnapped and brought here against my will.” 

I paused as a tinge of sadness hit me. 

Was she one of my mother’s prisoners? It would be sad if this interesting woman was a betrayer of the family.

But then I realized. 

If she was a prisoner, shouldn’t she be in the torturing house?

As if she had heard my thoughts she spoke up. 

“How do people kidnap a person and force them to marry.” 

My eyes widened in excitement. 

“Alcantara”

She barely heard me call her name. I was instantly happy; my mother was right I would like her. 

“I bet her son must be ugly and disgusting that no one would dream of getting married to him, so in utter desperation, his mother had to kidnap someone to force them into the marriage.” 

I felt a bit offended. 

The hell, that was the opposite, I wasn’t desperate, I was admired by everyone in the State, I just didn’t fancy the idea of a wife. 

“Why don’t you find out for yourself, before jumping to your death?” 

She stared at me with such intensity I swallowed. 

“But there’s something weird about this people, why should I wait to see more madness.” 

She wasn’t listening, I had to convince her some way or the other to stay put so she wouldn’t be killed. 

“Look over there” I pointed at the gate a mile ahead where there were obvious guards. 

She looked and I continued. 

“That is the first gate of the Manuel family mansion, after it are two other gates each a mile ahead of the other.” 

She listened and I continued. 

“Each gate has about five-armed bodyguards, protecting the entrance, you would never make it past the first gate without being shot.” 

I could see all hope drained from her face. 

“You should go back in and do what they tell you, in other to survive, later when they trust you then you can plan your escape.”

Alcantara looked down and sighed. 

“I suppose you are right, if it’s as deadly as you say it will be, then I guess I have to play by the rules.” 

She began dragging back the curtains and I found myself dropping a sigh of relief. 

She looked at me and I could tell that she was about to ask me what my name was when she had a knock on her door that interrupted her. 

As she turned to go inside her room, I rushed back into mine too. Smiling. 

“Mother, you did not tell me that you brought me a funny little one.” 

I said to myself. 

Putting on my tuxedo. I smirked.

I can’t wait to meet her again and up-close during dinner.