Stay or Go

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Lord Bennet asked.

Count Harriston sighed as he massaged his temples. Lord Bennet looked at him with confusion when Countess Lottway asked.

"Oh my! Is it your niece the one who is debuting?"

Lord Bennet analysed the situation and understood it now. 'It seems Percival hasn't told them about Milady.' So he smiled and nodded.

"Actually, no. But I treat her like my own. Isn't that right, Percival?"

Count Harriston sighed and just nodded unwillingly. Count Lottway noticed the changes on Count Harriston's face, but he kept quiet.

"Whose child is it then? What house?"

Lord Bennet thought momentarily and said, "It's a surprise. Won't it be fun to make it a surprise at the ball? You will know on the day of the ball."

Count Lottway nodded, "That's right. If this is her first debut, then we can all see her at the ball."

After the dinner, Count and Countess Lottway bid goodbye to Count Harriston despite him encouraging them to stay for the night.

As the carriage moved away, Count Lottway's expression became serious as he thought about what happened at the funeral and dinner. Countess Lottway noticed it and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." He answered straight forward. Countess Lottway just nodded as they continued to travel.

Count Harriston hurriedly went to his office, where Lord Bennet was waiting after the dinner. Lord Bennet was sitting on the couch as soon as he entered the room.

"Are you out of mind? You barely expose her." Count Harriston angrily said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to haven't told them about her." Lord Bennet shrugged.

"What? So do you want to say upfront, "I lost my daughter who will be betrothed to your son, but I still have another daughter as a replacement' Is that it?"

"No. Of course not."

"Then don't do something unnecessary. And that thing about the Capital, I won't allow it. She will stay here."

Lord Bennet stood up, "What?! But why?"

"Because I said so. Ashley will stay here.

"You're locking her here."

"And so? As long as she won't run away, that's fine."

"Do you think she will thank you for that?"

"I don't-"

There was a sudden knock on the door. Count Harriston couldn't continue what he was about to say. "What now?!"

"I have brought the maid that accompanied Madam at the funeral, My Lord."

Count Harriston answered, "Let her go-"

"No! Let her inside." Lord Bennet interrupted. "Let's hear what she is about to say."

Count Harriston gritted his teeth as he and Lord Bennet exchanged death glares. The door opened, and a maid in her thirties came in. She looked terrified and haggard. Count Harriston looked at him angrily and asked, "Why did you bring her there?"

The maid, who looked so terrified, answered stuttering, "M-mi-la-day…A-ash- l-ley… S-she c-com-mand t-to b-bring m-ma- d-dam t-to t-the cemetery."

Count Harriston was impatient and shouted, "Say it clearly."

The maid, who was about to cry, swallowed it and said, "Milady Ashley commanded me to bring Madam to the cemetery."

Count Harriston frowned as he heard Ashley's name. "Ashley, told you to do that?"

The maid nodded furiously. "Madam was going mad again, then suddenly… Milady Ashley came to her room with her maid and commanded to take Madam to the funeral."

Count Harriston was about to question her again, but Lord Bennet interrupted him. "You can go now!" He then walked towards her and let her go out the door.

Once closed, Lord Bennet looked at him again with confusion. "When did they become close? Didn't she suffer from that wife of yours? Why did she do that?"

Count Harriston gritted his teeth as he said, "That child. Is she trying to disobey me too?" He looked so angry that Lord Bennet tried to calm him down.

"Calm down. She doesn't want to see your wife break down like that. When I visited her today, I suddenly brought Lady Elizabeth's funeral. Then she suddenly looked gloomy."

Count Harriston then frowned, "Didn't I tell you that you should avoid mentioning anything that may trigger her stress?"

"I know, but when I saw her like that, sick and gloomy. I just can't help but want her to breathe. And didn't you say that she must avoid emotional events? What if it's this place, the one who is reminding all of it?"

"So what do you suggest? Take her to the Capital? Then what, she'll run away again like what my other child did to me?"

"Yes. I'll take her to the Capital and have her learn everything she needs to learn, and then you can bring her home after the ball. I promise I will keep an eye on her while she is in the capital, so don't you have to worry. So?"

Count Harriston was quiet for a while as his eyes kept looking at Lord Bennet, then looked away again. He then suddenly sighed and spoke, "Alright. I'll let you take her, but she can only go to your or your sister's house."

"Can't I take her to my shop?"

"Alright. And in your shop too. But nothing else. Understood?"

Lord Bennet then smiled widely. "We'll leave the day after tomorrow." Then he sprinted out of the office and slammed the door. Count Harriston couldn't even say anything, so he sighed.

Then there was a knock on a door again. Carl then said, "My Lord, can I come in?"

"You may now enter."

Upon entering, Carl bowed to him then he handed a glass bottle the same as what he gave to Count Harriston. "It's from Doctor Johnson, and here's a letter attached to it."

He then read the letter, and when he finished reading it, he nodded and put it in his desk drawer where several same bottles were in there too. Then he locked it up and put the key in his pocket. He then faced Carl and asked, "So where is Reeva? How is she doing?"

Carl answered, "She is now calm and in her room talking to Ashley as of the moment, according to Mary, her maid."

Count Harriston frowned, "She's with what?"

"I'm sorry, My Lord. Let me change what I said before. The Madam is talking with Milady Ashley as of the moment in her room."