"Take it to the council of the Lords?" James asked, his voice almost a scream. "That would only portray you as one who is weak and a coward.""Exactly my thought, friend," Edward said with a small grunt as he took a sip from the shot glass in his hand. He squinted a bit, the hot run he just drank burning his throat a little. After a little cough, he continued, "I have tried explaining it to Brown but he insists that I take it to the council.""But they won't do anything," James said, a frown on his face as he walked over to Edward and poured him another shot of rum from the bottle he was holding. He dropped the bottle back on the table and sighed. "The council of the Lords will find a peaceful approach to the whole situation and I assure you, that is something that you do not want." Edward nodded."All my life as a little boy, I had not been fortunate enough to be one of the little children who saw their father everyday," Edward said with a small grunt as he sipped his rum. With a sma
"Williams?" Edward mumbled again as he came down from his horse. He could not believe his eyes. Right in front of him was his younger brother and in his hands was the little girl who had been at the front of his horse."You seem surprised to see me, brother," Williams said as he dropped the little girl on the floor. She turned without hesitation and ran down the streets, screaming for her mother. "You're welcome," Williams said with a small laugh as he watched the girl run."You are out of prison?" Edward asked, a frown on his face. "You are not supposed to be out till next week.""They gave me an early release," Williams said with a sigh. "Your words really helped facilitate my fast release.""I never put in any word," Edward mumbled and Williams nodded."Oh, I know," he said with a small laugh. "I was just being sarcastic." Edward stood, staring at his younger brother. He didn't know what kind of reaction he was to have at the moment. Happiness that he was finally out or dread that
"What happened?" Edward asked as he rushed to the panting boy. He recognized the face immediately. It was his stable boy, Richard. "Is anyone after you?""No, Your... Grace," Richard answered, taking deep breaths after each word that he spoke. "They... they... are... coming." They are coming? Who was coming?"Tell us something intelligible, Richard," Mr Brown said, dropping the tray on his hands back on the table. "Who are the 'they' that are coming?""Armies... Erin... Lord Frederick," Richard answered. Edward turned to his butler, his eyes wide with realization. Has the coup started already? As if knowing what was in his master's mind, Mr Brown turned and ran out of the study room, heading for the stairs. He was to inform the commander of this. "How did you know that they are coming?" Edward asked, returning his attention back to Richard. "Who told you that they are coming?" Richard took in sharp, raspy breadths as he tried calming himself down while Edward waited patiently.Now c
Emily slowly opened her eyes. Her head felt heavy and it pounded harder than it had ever done before. She couldn't feel her arms and legs. "Father?" Emily mumbled as she turned her head and saw someone walk up to her with a small tray in their hands. She could not see the person clearly as her vision was blurry. It took her a few seconds before she could finally see clearly. She sat up on the soft bed ahs was laying on and frowned as she finally got a clear sight of the person. It wasn't her father. "You rest now while I go bring your food," the young lady said as she dropped the small tray in her hands and walked over to Emily. "You will have to rest and eat so that you can regain your strength for the evening." "W-where am I?" Emily asked, looking around the whole place as the young lady speaking to her placed her hands on her shoulder and gently pushed her back on the bed. "Where is father?" The Lady chuckled a little before saying, "your father isn't here, Your Grace." Your
"These are the herbs that are to be administered to her when she wakes up next morning," the old doctor said as he gave Mr Brown a purse containing vials filled with said herbs. "She is still weak at the moment but just give her a few days and she will be back on her feet." Mr Brown nodded and grabbed the wheelchair that Emily was on and began pushing her towards the infirmary door. The doctor grabbed his hands all of a sudden and pulled him to a corner, his eyes on Emily. She guessed that the old man wanted to tell Mr Brown something that he didn't want her to hear. Unfortunately, they didn't stand too far away from where she was so she heard all that he told the butler. "I advise that you tell His Grace not to have any form of intercourse with Her Grace until she is fully healed," he said in a small whisper. "Her Grace isn't strong yet for--""I've heard you, Durham," Mr Brown said, cutting the doctor short before he could finish what he was saying. He too was clearly uncomfortab
"You still haven't told Her Grace?" James shouted angrily as he followed his friend down the stairs. Seeing his friend wear that mask not only surprised but infuriated him. "Why haven't you told her?""I don't have the guts to, James," Edward replied as he hastily walked down the stairs and ran towards the door. "You don't have the what?" James shouted. "She has every right to know of this, Edward." "I will let her know when the time is--" Edward stopped on his step as he saw Emily walk down from the carriage and walk towards the door of the manor, where he stood. He quickly adjusted the mask on his face and tried composing himself.Edward had somehow expected Emily to greet him but she didn't even pay attention to his presence. She instead turned and walked past him, leaving him still standing by the door entrance with a look of shock on his face.To tell the truth, Edward had expected this kind of reaction from her but he hadn't expected it this way and certainly not in front of h
"Your Grace?" Edward heard someone say and he looked up just to see Mr Brown staring at him with a concerned look on his face. "Are you okay, Your Grace? You seemed to have been lost for a moment." "I am fine, Brown," Edward replied with a small sigh. He looked down at the floor, his hands folded across his chest as he thought of what his butler had told him. "Detective Harold will be able to bring light to everything that happened," Mr Brown said, continuing with the discussion that they were having before Edward blacked out. "When will he be available?" Edward asked as he looked up at his butler who just stood staring at him. Edward knew that Mr Brown knew of his hatred for the young detective so conforming to his advice without much argument surprised him much. In truth, Edward really wanted everything to be solved and for them to just move on. If that was the only way that that could come to pass, then he had no other choice but to follow it. "Can you be able to send a me
"What is it?" Edward asked as he rushed to the man who was busy mumbling to himself. "Why are you covered in blood? Are you hurt?" The other workers left their work and ran to their friend to help him as Edward and James continued with their question. James ran his hands over the man's body and saw that he was not having any bleeding anywhere on his body. That meant that the blood in him was not his but someone else's. "This blood isn't his," Edward muttered as he too found no source of injury that would have caused his bleeding. Who then did the blood belong to? Edward turned and stared at the now empty half-built barn and ran towards it without hesitation. He had these thoughts of what had caused the blood but he silently prayed within him that it was not what he was thinking. Edward ran into the barn and searched around the place for any sign of the blood and saw at a corner at the end of the barn, a splash of red, stained on the newly built walls. He took in a deep breath