House of The Lord - 1

Willow had not yet recovered from a bizarre experience that happened to her earlier. She started to wonder if she was dreaming — that everything was not real and she would wake up on her bed at Woadhill. The thought of leaving the orphanage did not excite her anymore but pained her to the core. And she sobbed.

Creed watched the girl cry and he heaved a sigh. He pulled out his handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to Willow, which the girl took it without hesitation. The man let the girl cry her heart out. He gave her some privacy as he looked away and stayed quiet.

In his mind, he wondered what kind of unfortunate thing that was stored for the girl, to have come to this place. As much as he pitied the girl, he was excited to see how the girl's fate would end.

So fragile and lost. That was how Creed saw Willow.

Noticing how Mr. Creed hag gone quiet, Willow wiped the tears off her face with the man's handkerchief. She looked at the wet handkerchief and squeezed it in her hand.There was no way she would return the dirty handkerchief to the man.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Creed. I would return this after I wash it."

Hearing that, Mr. Creed turned to her with amused expression. "Seems like you plan to stay at this town as you're gonna wash the handkerchief and return it to me."

"I have made no plan of what I'm going to do."

He chuckled. "It would be very hard for you, then, Miss Dean. Or is it that you need me to make a plan for you while you are here?"

Willow shook her head. She did not want to be more in debt to this stranger. But perhaps, if she could ask him to send her to the other town — a normal town where she could live normally.

"I have a favour to ask from you, Mr. Creed."

The man grinned excitedly as he leaned forward, occupying Willow's breathing space. "I'm all ears, Miss Dean."

"Could you please lean back?" Asked Willow as she felt uncomfortable with the short space between her and the man. Mr. Creed chuckled but leaned back to his seat as he watched the girl blush.

"Thank you." Willow mumbled. Her cheek turned red from being embarrassed.

"So what is the favour that you would ask from me?"

Willow cleared her throat. "I wonder, if Mr. Creed could help me to get a train ticket to the next town so I won't be a burden to ….."

"Next town?" Inquired Mr. Creed, his eyes narrowed at the girl. "Do you know the name of the town, Miss Dean?"

The girl stared at him and turned speechless. She did not even know if the next town actually existed.

Mr. Creed read her silent answer accurately. This girl was definitely lost. Thought Mr. Creed.

"How about you become my personal guest, Miss Dean?"

"Personal guest?"

"Yes," he nodded. "You will act as a guest of mine and will stay in my household until you made a proper plan for next move."

"On what price, Mr. Creed?" Asked Willow skeptically.

"Consider this as my kind gesture to a stranger. Somewhere inside this body of mine, I think I still have a kind-heart." Said Mr. Creed who held a big smile on his face.

Willow did not know why but she felt like she had offended the man's feeling. Thinking about what the man had done to her — which was nothing but helping her, caused her to feel guilty that she questioned his kindness.

"I thank you for your help, Sir. I will make a proper plan as soon as possible."

"Great!" Exclaimed Mr. Creed, excitedly. He then strengthened his suits grabbed his hat that laid next to him. He turned to Willow and said, "We've arrived, Miss Dean."

It was then when she realised that the carriage had stopped moving. With the conversation that she had with Mr. Creed and her side of her window was closed with the blind, Willow failed to notice that her journey had ended. It seemed like, leaving Victoria had made her lost track of everything.

The carriage's door was opened and Mr. Creed eagerly jumped off of the Carriage. He took a few steps forward before he turned around, finding Willow to be staying inside the carriage still. "Will it take you a while to gather your courage to get out of the carriage?"

Taking a deep breath, Willow gathered herself and stepped out of the carriage. Her feet landed on white tiles that carpeted the whole path that led her to the grand mansion in front of her. A loud gasp escaped her mouth as her eyes caught a sight of the mansion.

"Is huge, isn't it?" Asked Mr. Creed, chuckling.

Willow nodded. Her eyes lingers on the mansion, sweeping across its magnificent architecture that she would only find in an old book. "It's beautiful." She whispered.

"It is from the outside…" Mr. Creed resumed his walk towards the double door that was yet to be opened. "Don't they know I'm coming?" He muttered quietly.

Seeing Mr. Creed moving, Willow quickly followed him. She wondered if the man in front of her was the owner of this mansion. Her eyes wandered around her surroundings as if she did not want to miss out anything.

Soon they both arrived at the door. Mr. Creed halted his step and stood still in front of the big door. Willow stood beside him, confused as to why he had not knocked on the door yet, or perhaps ring a bell…

"Should we knock?"

Mr. Creed turned to her. "That would low my standard. The bastard knew I was coming." He grumbled. His expression looked annoyed.

The door was finally opened and came a middle-aged man who dressed no different than the coachman earlier — as if they came from many years ago. His long silver hair was combed back neatly and tied at the back. A gold pin, which formed a shape of rose, was attached to his red vest.

"Welcome back home, Master Gilbert." Exclaimed the man, bowing deeply to Mr. Creed. When he was about to bow to Willow, his eyes fell upon his master company and her unusual attires. He looked at Gilbert Creed in bewilderment.

"This is my guest, Alfred. Miss Dean." Informed Gilbert.

The butler was going to welcome her to the house but he was cut but a baritone voice that echoed through the hallway.

"Gilbert!" Called the voice. "I don't remember you mentioning coming home with a guest."

Upon hearing the voice, Willow craned her neck to see the owner of the voice. But the dim light in the hallway caused her unable to see the person properly. Only his silhouette, which appeared to be a skinny man.

Gilbert walked forward to the owner of the voice, chuckling, leaving his so-called guest alone in the hallway with the butler. "Will my Lord be bothered by the guest I brought?"

The owner of the voice slowly approached Gilbert, meeting him half way. When he stood close to Gilbert, his appearance came to light.

If it was not because of his red hair, Willow would thought that the man was Gilbert's twins. Their looks were identical. Only this man threw a cold glance towards Willow, unlike Gilbert who held amusement as he looked at her.

Gilbert turned to Willow. He gave her a reassuring smile before he announced, "Welcome to Lord Frederick Shield's house. The head of all the lords in Baratrum."