Music Recommendation: Hymn to life- Meditacionessa
While the wedding celebrations in the Moriarty mansion continued, Duke Noah Sullivan's carriage was on its way, riding towards Woodlock town. Inside it sat the Duke himself and Anaya Chambers, who now stared outside the window, looking at the snowy landscape as the carriage wheels moved.
She was glad that she was able to spend a little time away from the Sullivan's mansion and with Noah. The Duke was often busy with his work, and whenever he was home, she noticed how he often buried himself in his study room.
And as much as she wanted to believe that everything was fine, considering how Noah had walked Eve down the aisle, she knew underneath that calm expression on his face, something bad was brewing. It was because Sullivan's butler had disappeared and hadn't returned to the mansion. Noah's mother, Lady Hilda, was worried and this morning, before leaving for the Moriarty mansion, she had seen the Woodlock's magistrate arrive at the mansion.
Anaya turned to look at Noah, who was sitting in a poised position, while he looked outside the window. She said, "Your parents called the magistrate to the mansion today and reported the butler to be missing."
Noah's black eyes shifted from the window to look at Anaya and replied calmly, "Yes, I heard it from my father."
Even though Noah had indirectly warned her not to get involved in what was happening, and though she agreed to it, she couldn't help but be worried for the Duke. She asked, "Aren't you worried that they will get suspicious and search for him in the mansion?"
"He's not in the mansion. You don't have to worry about it," Noah offered her a polite smile, his eyes holding a kind expression, yet there was a certain chill to it.
"Why did you do it?" Anaya asked him. "I saw the blood stain. You don't have to hide things from me, Duke Noah. My words are true when I say that I will not judge your actions, and if I can, I would like to help."
Noah knew that Anaya was a sharp woman. He had hidden his true self for so long from everyone that it had turned into a second skin. A skin that had tired him and the only person he could rely upon had been himself. He had tried to lean in with Sylvester as he was his mentor, but in the end, the man was no more. After a long silence, he responded,
"It was necessary to keep the peace between everyone. A little blood spill shouldn't make much difference to avoid bloodshed." Noah didn't go in-depth to explain what he meant but gave the she-wolf enough to stay quiet.
Anaya's eyebrows furrowed. The butler was going to do something that Noah didn't want... but the butler had been working for Sullivan's family for many years. Before she could inquire for more, Noah switched the subject with her and said,
"I heard you will be going back to your place next week with your parents. I thought you were going to stay here longer. Wasn't it sudden?" his eyes searched her eyes.
Anaya softly smiled at Noah's question, and she replied, "It took me some time before I thought about it. I heard this saying, that distance makes the heart grow fonder. Also, I miss home," she added in the end.
The she-wolf had spent time understanding the Duke of Woodlock.
She had come to know that it was hard to capture the man's heart, when it was given to someone, and she didn't see a reason to extend her time here. To walk down the aisle with Eve, she could only assume that it was the most difficult thing to do. At the same time, it also showed how strong of a man the Duke was when it came to his emotions.
Maybe a little distance would help, she thought to herself. If it didn't... she would hold these little memories close to her heart.
Noah noticed the woman's resolve, and he fell short of words. It was because right now, he wouldn't be able to pay attention to her completely. He asked, "Is there something you would like to take back home with you? Until you return next time."
Anaya shook her head, and replied, "I heard the cake in one of the inn's is very delicious and I was hoping to taste it before I leave. Mr. Moriarty's little sister mentioned it."
"Lily's inn," Noah said the name, and Anaya nodded.
"Yes, that's the one. I think I would like to go there once before we travel back home," Anaya let him know. "I can take the carriage with me, and g--"
"Let me take you there," Noah suggested with a smile.
Anaya didn't want to miss the opportunity, and she gave him a nod, before saying, "I look forward to it."
"We can go there now as I am free right now. If there's something I have learned, it is to act right away rather than wait," Noah responded to her. He leaned forward to push the front window. He ordered his coachman, "Kieran, take us to Thresk Hills."
"Yes, Sire," the coachman answered, and soon the four horses along with the carriage, deviated from the path of Woodlock, riding in the direction where the inn was located.
When they reached the inn after several minutes, the coachman pulled the reins of the horses to stop the carriage and then opened the door for the Duke and the lady. First stepped out Noah, and then Anaya, who looked around before her eyes fell on the inn. She remarked,
"It looks like a cosy place to eat with families. You must have come here before to know the place. We have an inn in my town, and they make the softest bread there that they stuff in chocolate. They make it mostly in the Winter season." Noticing a small chuckle come from the man, Anaya stated, "You should try it too. It is very delicious."
"I do not doubt it," Noah replied. He stretched his hand forward, "After you, milady."
Before Noah stepped inside the inn, he stared at the transparent glass walls that showed the inside of the inn. His memory when he had brought Eve here to have a friendly meal with her was still fresh in his mind. It had meant a lot to him, and he had tried to help her in the way he could all this time.
He remembered an incident that had taken place a year ago.
It was a day he was working with another councilman and had visited Meadow town. They were discussing the recent transaction made, as they walked.
"Such a cheap and run down town, yet you bought it for such a price. More than three times," said Mr. William Parson. "Do you want to build your own place there?"
"Something like that," Noah responded as they walked through the streets of the Meadow. "I am still having someone design the town and once it's ready, I will have the work start to rebuild the place," he explained to the man.
"That's a good idea. Your family is wealthy enough for you to spend on something like this. As a Duke I admire that you have taken it upon yourself, but I must also warn you that you are spending on something useless. The groves is a ruined place," Mr. Parson stated with a huff.
"Lands never go useless, Mr. Parson," Noah replied, "Especially one like Brokengroves."
"Duke Noah!" At the same time, Eve appeared in front of him with a smile on her lips. She offered him a bow, which he graciously returned.
"Any luck on your job yet?" Noah asked her, happy to see her, and on noticing a questioning look on Mr. Parson's face, he introduced her, "Mr. Parson, this is Genevieve Barlow. She's an aspiring governess." He then turned to Eve and said, "Mr. Parson works at the Council."
"Oh," Eve quickly offered a bow to the gentleman. "I am on my way to visit a family now. I will see you later, Duke Noah," she said in haste as she was in a hurry to catch the local carriage.
"I will see you around," Noah smiled, watching the young mermaid run in the direction of the local carriage stop.
Mr. Parson's eyebrows had furrowed deeply, and he said, "That woman, she reminds me of this woman I once knew of. But that woman was not a governess. She was a cheap woman, you know... who warmed men's beds. She was a gorgeous woman, none like her. Your uncle was also familiar with that person, and this one looks almost the same as her. What did you say her name was again?"
"Genevieve..." Noah answered with his eyes barely holding any emotion.
"That woman's name was Rebecca, though I don't know what her last name was. Are you sure this one is a governess? I don't know what happened to that woman as I didn't hear from her, I should ask James," Mr. Parson said as they walked through the streets, while making conversation.
Once they got inside the carriage, the carriage didn't reach the Council as Noah had stopped it in the middle of the forest, discarding William Parson's body with his coachman's help.
Back in the present, Anaya turned around as Noah had not moved from where he stood. He offered the lady a smile before stepping inside the inn, while his coachman stared at his master's back.
The coachman knew the Duke, and he wondered. On how much the Duke was hurting inside to let go of the one woman whom he had followed like a shadow.
