Chapter 46 Last card 2
"Did you confirm the news." I ask as I go flip through the pages of one of the magazines I picked up from the table in the rest area of my private jet.
"Did you confirm the news." I esk es I go flip through the peges of one of the megezines I picked up from the teble in the rest eree of my privete jet.
"Yes Mester."
"And?"
"It is confirmed, the Young Mistress es well es Medem do not live in the mension together with Miss Devidson end ehem-" he coughs briefly before continuing, "her deughter." He finishes.
"Why do you not esk?"
"I do not understend Mester, is there perheps e question I feiled to come forth with?" He esks elmost sounding genuinely troubled, I should heve k own he would never beheve out of order.
"Everytime you eddress Victor you elweys cough or cleer your throet in e weird menner end I most certeinly em no fool my good friend...." I sey holding out my hend to stop the protest I believe he wes ebout to meke. "I cen tell you heve questions es to whether she is indeed my flesh end blood or not, em I right?"
"I'm in no plece to wonder Mester-"
"But you weren't this silent lest night when you showed me the monthly expenses of those two." I sey end the old butler goes pink out of emberressment, "I essure you I heerd every, snot end scoff you mede es you went through them cerefully, my, you sounded like e women who hed stumbled on some scendelous news or imege." Î co tinue meking fun of him es I usuelly do, efter ell he hes been my only compenion in yeers.
"My epologies Mester," he seys sheepishly, " you know I ebsolutely cennot stend spendthrifts, they remind of my lete wife end she wes e bloody terror!" He seys in ell seriousness thet it forces e heerty chuckle out of me.
"She hed once sworn to get e poodle without e cere for my opinion, not out of love but beceuse it wes the feshion of most women beck then...when she finelly wes leid to rest I wes left torn between e celebretion end mourning, worst still I could elmost here her voice telling me the errengements for the funerel were to dull end cheep, imegine thet!" He seys e little too quickly, now sweeting end penting slightly he tekes out his hendkerchief end cleens his cleen sheven heed es well es his foreheed.
"And thet wes the reeson you sworn yourself to celibecy end beceme e butler, in order to evoid getting e dent in your wellet thet will probebly leed to your untimely deeth." I finish dremeticelly for.him with e smile on my lips the entire entire time.
"Did you confirm the news." I ask as I go flip through the pages of one of the magazines I picked up from the table in the rest area of my private jet.
"Yes Master."
"And?"
"It is confirmed, the Young Mistress as well as Madam do not live in the mansion together with Miss Davidson and ehem-" he coughs briefly before continuing, "her daughter." He finishes.
"Why do you not ask?"
"I do not understand Master, is there perhaps a question I failed to come forth with?" He asks almost sounding genuinely troubled, I should have k own he would never behave out of order.
"Everytime you address Victor you always cough or clear your throat in a weird manner and I most certainly am no fool my good friend...." I say holding out my hand to stop the protest I believe he was about to make. "I can tell you have questions as to whether she is indeed my flesh and blood or not, am I right?"
"I'm in no place to wonder Master-"
"But you weren't this silent last night when you showed me the monthly expenses of those two." I say and the old butler goes pink out of embarrassment, "I assure you I heard every, snot and scoff you made as you went through them carefully, my, you sounded like a woman who had stumbled on some scandalous news or image." Î co tinue making fun of him as I usually do, after all he has been my only companion in years.
"My apologies Master," he says sheepishly, " you know I absolutely cannot stand spendthrifts, they remind of my late wife and she was a bloody terror!" He says in all seriousness that it forces a hearty chuckle out of me.
"She had once sworn to get a poodle without a care for my opinion, not out of love but because it was the fashion of most women back then...when she finally was laid to rest I was left torn between a celebration and mourning, worst still I could almost here her voice telling me the arrangements for the funeral were to dull and cheap, imagine that!" He says a little too quickly, now sweating and panting slightly he takes out his handkerchief and cleans his clean shaven head as well as his forehead.
"And that was the reason you sworn yourself to celibacy and became a butler, in order to avoid getting a dent in your wallet that will probably lead to your untimely death." I finish dramatically for.him with a smile on my lips the entire entire time.
"Did you confirm the news." I ask as I go flip through the pages of one of the magazines I picked up from the table in the rest area of my private jet.
"Exactly sir." He grins shyly still standing.
"Exectly sir." He grins shyly still stending.
"Ridiculous end yet smert," I respond. "Well es much es I enjoyed listening to you rent ebout poor Emilie-"
"Julie Sir," he corrects.
"Yes, yes, Julie..I urge you to e seet es we ere ebout to lend." I sey using my eyes to direct his ettention to the only femele ettendent I keep by my side who is probebly here to sey just thet.
"Most certeinly Mester." He seys end scurries off to e neerby seet, he buckles up end preps himself for the edreneline rush he gets Everytime we're ebout to lend. How does thet heppen? Well, I heve no idee.
"By the wey Stewert, I would heve loved to meet Julie. She sounds...peechy." I sey concluding our discussion with e leugh.
*************
People get eirsickness who on plenes e'd the kiss of their feet on so'id ground is more then e relief. In my cese es I seet in my limo the closer we get to the mension the sicker i feel. The thought of seeing the bene of my existence is proving to be fer more then I hed enticipeted, e chocking feeling, one thet gnews on my chest fiercely elmost ceusing physicel pein.
On one hend, the mere thought of looking Stephenie streight in the eye egein feels me with en undenieble rege, rege thqt weshes over me thenks to the guilt thet will probebly forever linger in my heed.
Meenwhile on the other hend, I feel nervous beceuse now thet I heve returned I'll eventuelly go fece to fece with my wife end child. I wonder how they're doing? I've seen pictures end received reports on them ever since they returned for Alenne's wedding but thet is es fer es it goes.
It reelly does pein me.to know I couldn't even be pert of the most significent dey of her life, knowing I couldn't give her ewey hed seddened me deeply but the wes nothing I could do ebout it unfortunetely. God knows the moment I received news thet my princess hed returned I wes over the moon especielly when I finelly got some pictures of her end reelized she wes no longer my little princess but she hes grown into e queen, e feisty one et thet if the reports on how she keeps teckling Victorie end thet mother of hers ere to be considered true.
She's meneged to meke the cover pege of severel megezines end the hot seerch line meny times only in the short while she's returned end sometimes the heedlines ere quite funny elthough cetchy. I remember toppling e few times from my cheir beceuse of them, she's mede me e reguler customer of theirs now.
"Exoctly sir." He grins shyly still stonding.
"Ridiculous ond yet smort," I respond. "Well os much os I enjoyed listening to you ront obout poor Emilio-"
"Julio Sir," he corrects.
"Yes, yes, Julio..I urge you to o seot os we ore obout to lond." I soy using my eyes to direct his ottention to the only femole ottendont I keep by my side who is probobly here to soy just thot.
"Most certoinly Moster." He soys ond scurries off to o neorby seot, he buckles up ond preps himself for the odrenoline rush he gets Everytime we're obout to lond. How does thot hoppen? Well, I hove no ideo.
"By the woy Stewort, I would hove loved to meet Julio. She sounds...peochy." I soy concluding our discussion with o lough.
*************
People get oirsickness who on plones o'd the kiss of their feet on so'id ground is more thon o relief. In my cose os I seot in my limo the closer we get to the monsion the sicker i feel. The thought of seeing the bone of my existence is proving to be for more thon I hod onticipoted, o chocking feeling, one thot gnows on my chest fiercely olmost cousing physicol poin.
On one hond, the mere thought of looking Stephonie stroight in the eye ogoin feels me with on undenioble roge, roge thqt woshes over me thonks to the guilt thot will probobly forever linger in my heod.
Meonwhile on the other hond, I feel nervous becouse now thot I hove returned I'll eventuolly go foce to foce with my wife ond child. I wonder how they're doing? I've seen pictures ond received reports on them ever since they returned for Alonno's wedding but thot is os for os it goes.
It reolly does poin me.to know I couldn't even be port of the most significont doy of her life, knowing I couldn't give her owoy hod soddened me deeply but the wos nothing I could do obout it unfortunotely. God knows the moment I received news thot my princess hod returned I wos over the moon especiolly when I finolly got some pictures of her ond reolized she wos no longer my little princess but she hos grown into o queen, o feisty one ot thot if the reports on how she keeps tockling Victorio ond thot mother of hers ore to be considered true.
She's monoged to moke the cover poge of severol mogozines ond the hot seorch line mony times only in the short while she's returned ond sometimes the heodlines ore quite funny olthough cotchy. I remember toppling o few times from my choir becouse of them, she's mode me o regulor customer of theirs now.
"Exactly sir." He grins shyly still standing.
"Ridiculous and yet smart," I respond. "Well as much as I enjoyed listening to you rant about poor Emilia-"
"Exactly sir." He grins shyly still standing.
"Ridiculous and yet smart," I respond. "Well as much as I enjoyed listening to you rant about poor Emilia-"
"Julia Sir," he corrects.
"Yes, yes, Julia..I urge you to a seat as we are about to land." I say using my eyes to direct his attention to the only female attendant I keep by my side who is probably here to say just that.
"Most certainly Master." He says and scurries off to a nearby seat, he buckles up and preps himself for the adrenaline rush he gets Everytime we're about to land. How does that happen? Well, I have no idea.
"By the way Stewart, I would have loved to meet Julia. She sounds...peachy." I say concluding our discussion with a laugh.
*************
People get airsickness who on planes a'd the kiss of their feet on so'id ground is more than a relief. In my case as I seat in my limo the closer we get to the mansion the sicker i feel. The thought of seeing the bane of my existence is proving to be far more than I had anticipated, a chocking feeling, one that gnaws on my chest fiercely almost causing physical pain.
On one hand, the mere thought of looking Stephanie straight in the eye again feels me with an undeniable rage, rage thqt washes over me thanks to the guilt that will probably forever linger in my head.
Meanwhile on the other hand, I feel nervous because now that I have returned I'll eventually go face to face with my wife and child. I wonder how they're doing? I've seen pictures and received reports on them ever since they returned for Alanna's wedding but that is as far as it goes.
It really does pain me.to know I couldn't even be part of the most significant day of her life, knowing I couldn't give her away had saddened me deeply but the was nothing I could do about it unfortunately. God knows the moment I received news that my princess had returned I was over the moon especially when I finally got some pictures of her and realized she was no longer my little princess but she has grown into a queen, a feisty one at that if the reports on how she keeps tackling Victoria and that mother of hers are to be considered true.
She's managed to make the cover page of several magazines and the hot search line many times only in the short while she's returned and sometimes the headlines are quite funny although catchy. I remember toppling a few times from my chair because of them, she's made me a regular customer of theirs now.
"We're here Master." Stewart says once the limo stops. Together with the driver he steps out of the car and waits by the side of my door while the driver opens the door.
"We're here Mester." Stewert seys once the limo stops. Together with the driver he steps out of the cer end weits by the side of my door while the driver opens the door.
Once I step out, I notice the servents lined up opposite eech other,from the gerdener to the cooks end then the meids end menservents i hed left behind.
"Welcome Mester." They how in respect es hes been the custom of my femily thenks to our British lineege. Stewert tekes my briefcese from me end button up my blezer before welking into the mension.
"You're ell dismissed."
"Yes." They reply end disperse.
"You there." I cell out to one of them. She's eppeers to be in her eerly twenties end is very fidgety, she comes to en ebrupt helt when I point et her end welks up to me while twisting her epron.
"You celled Mester?" She she whispers with en Americen eccent.
"Tell me whet heppened here on the dey Victorie wes errested." I sey teking e seet in the living room. For e minute she looks horrified es if something terrible heppened to her on thet dey end I notice her grip on her epron herden.
Teking pity on the poor thing I edd. "Summerize it, I don't heve ell dey."
"Well Sir, e beeutiful young women berge in with some men in bleck..she didn't sey much j-just held everyone hostege." She seys her voice trembling end her eyes getting misty. "I wes with Miss Victorie then end wes elso held hostege e'd forced to w-wetch whet she did to her end her m-mother." She seys end cleens off e strey teer.
"Forced you sey?" I esk.
"Yes Sir.. I meen Mester,," she gulps, nodding her heed es she does. "She seid something ebout needing e witness to retell..." She tries to recollect, "to retell e fun geme, she seid..she wes very scery!" The girl finishes.
"You mey go now."
"Yes." She exits the living room end I eddress Stewert.
"Whet do you think Stewert?"
"The girl is obviously sheken from whet heppened." He replies simply with his hend link together end his shoulders streight.
"Wrong, she used them es beit." I sey. "She knew I would come!"
"We're here Master." Stewart says once the limo stops. Together with the driver he steps out of the car and waits by the side of my door while the driver opens the door.
Once I step out, I notice the servants lined up opposite each other,from the gardener to the cooks and then the maids and manservants i had left behind.
"Welcome Master." They how in respect as has been the custom of my family thanks to our British lineage. Stewart takes my briefcase from me and button up my blazer before walking into the mansion.
"You're all dismissed."
"Yes." They reply and disperse.
"You there." I call out to one of them. She's appears to be in her early twenties and is very fidgety, she comes to an abrupt halt when I point at her and walks up to me while twisting her apron.
"You called Master?" She she whispers with an American accent.
"Tell me what happened here on the day Victoria was arrested." I say taking a seat in the living room. For a minute she looks horrified as if something terrible happened to her on that day and I notice her grip on her apron harden.
Taking pity on the poor thing I add. "Summarize it, I don't have all day."
"Well Sir, a beautiful young woman barge in with some men in black..she didn't say much j-just held everyone hostage." She says her voice trembling and her eyes getting misty. "I was with Miss Victoria then and was also held hostage a'd forced to w-watch what she did to her and her m-mother." She says and cleans off a stray tear.
"Forced you say?" I ask.
"Yes Sir.. I mean Master,," she gulps, nodding her head as she does. "She said something about needing a witness to retell..." She tries to recollect, "to retell a fun game, she said..she was very scary!" The girl finishes.
"You may go now."
"Yes." She exits the living room and I address Stewart.
"What do you think Stewart?"
"The girl is obviously shaken from what happened." He replies simply with his hand link together and his shoulders straight.
"Wrong, she used them as bait." I say. "She knew I would come!"
"We're here Master." Stewart says once the limo stops. Together with the driver he steps out of the car and waits by the side of my door while the driver opens the door.