Chapter 33

Kent's POV

Hushed whispers around the house as I moved downstairs to have my breakfast, I ignore them as usual. Lilith was not awake yet and was probably tired from the exhausting day we had yesterday.

Everyone is acting weirdly edgy and and not looking me in my eye.

“Are you guys all alright?” I ask, noticing the tense atmosphere floating around the house.

“Yes sir.” They answered.

I nod, drinking my tea and then I noticed the newspaper is not here this morning like it always is.

I call one of the maids to my side.

“Yes sir. Is there anything you need?”

“Why isn't the paper here today? Was there none printed this morning?” I ask.

That's an impossibility. There is always new news in New Ford. A day without news and gossip is like a day without oxygen.

I notice she visibly stills when I ask her about the newspaper.

“Is there an issue?” I asked her, perplexed.

“None at all, sir.”

I'll fetch the paper.” More here she'd whispers sound as she leaves to get my paper.

She come back soon after, clutching the paper tightly to her chest.

“What are you waiting for? Why are you clutching my paper like I'm supposed to give you a penny for it?”She holds it tightly, her face showing expressions of fear and panic.

“Drop my damn paper!” I shout.

She shivered still holding the damn paper to her chest.

“What's on it? Some news about I and Lilith?” I ask, Pinching the middle of my brows.

“Worse sir.”

“Gossip Lilith is pregnant and I'm keeping for show because I'm secretly gay?” The maids eyes widened a fraction as she shook her head indicating that was false too.

“Then what the hell is it?”

“It's worse than you can imagine sir.”

“You're driving me to the brink of insanity.” I said, my eyes glaring daggers at her.

“Lord Eshire is dead sir.” She said dropping a bomb.

Everything whistles for a moment as I take a sip of tea. It's either I'm deaf or this maid just said Ershire was dead.

“What did you say?”I ask her incredulously.

“Lord Ershire is dead sir. It was on the New society's paper today. She finally releases the paper , dropping it so I could see the contents.

We bring to you today sad and disturbing news. As well all know dust we come and as dust we shall go. Some sooner then others. The death of Lord Ershire stuns us today. He was found lifeless in the city square. Pale with several bruises. Wallert and watch gone. A robbery is our biggest guess but it seems there is more than meets the eye or we just have a dying thirst for gossip or is it both.

I drop the paper to the floor not wanting to read anymore of that trash.

“That's a huge lie. I saw him with my own eyes. Happy and joyous. He can't be dead.”

“I'm afraid it is true sir. A letter came in for you this morning from the newly widowed wife informing his closest acquaintances of his passing.”

“No. Ershire cannot be dead.”

The maids bowed her head in silence, at loss of what to say.

“He can't be dead. He can't be.” I kept muttering to myself, willing myself to believe it was all gossip and lies.

“Where is the dam letter? I can't believe what you said.” I said looking at her with narrowed eyes.

She goes, coming back soon after with a letter in her hand. I steel myself, hoping she'd say it was a bad joke and they were having today.

"Is that why you were acting strange?"

"Yes sir."

I read the contents on the letter. Ershire was really dead. He was gone. Forever.

A deep seating pain over cane my heart. It was like it was hard to breath. It felt like how it was to see Emily, sprawled on the floor. I clutched my chest.

“When did you know?” I ask the maid standing by my side.

“Sir…”

“Answer me immediately.”

“All the staff knew as soon as the paper was sent.”

“And no one could tell me?” I said with hurt pacing my tone.

“Sir…”

“Leave. Now.”

She scurries away back to the kitchen leaving me with my own thoughts.

I move blindly and fast, quickly arranging a carriage to see the truth for myself to know whether Ershire is actually dead.

The reminder of death leaves a sore taste in my mouth. The breakfast taking it's time to go down my throat.

Who would rob Ershire? He was a lovely and sweet man. Everyone in town knew him. They knew he'd never hurt a soul. It wasn't like he was an unknown face and then no one knew him.

Everyone knew him. He was a social man, loved by aristocrats and common men.

I quickly read the gates of Ershire’s house, going in as quickly as I could to find answers.

“It is a pity he died.” A hushed voice said.

“It really is. He was such a a sweet man. Everyone knew that.” Another said.

“Everyone except his darn wife I guess.” Another voice said, silence followed for a while.

“What do you mean?”

“If you've been here long enough l. You would know that Lord Ershire gets beaten up, thrown around is an even better word.”

“Are you saying he was killed?” One asked.

A chilling feeling goes th ough my spine as I wait for her answer.

“I wouldn't be surprised.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lady Geraldine punishes him.” She said in a hushed tone making the others to gasp. “She does things to him, unsightly and unworldly I can't even speak of for fear of the Lord.” She said making the sign of the cross.

“I almost walked in on one of the beatings. She had asked me to bring waxed candles from the kitchen. I thought perhaps she wanted to celebrate something special like and anniversary , a birthday or something But from the cries of terror coming from a deep voice I knew it wasn't the case.”

“That voice could have been Lady Geraldine and you know these people have a knack for the weirdest taste. I once worked with a Duke who loved to smell feet. The sweater the better.”

“No. It was man's voice and I am most certain it was the Lord.”

“That's propesturous. How could you even say such a thing.” The other one said.

“I'm telling something I saw. I'm familiar with th sounds of pleasure and pain from a male's mouth and the sounds I heard that night were definitely not sounds of pleasure.”

“He's like double of Lady Geraldine. How could she, a little lady do those things to him?”

“Fear does I danr things to people, Marilyn. It can make make a bear behave like a little mouse caught in a trap.”

I move closer to the sounds of the voice wanting to hear more of what they were saying. Ershire was getting abused. By his wife? It didn't make any sense.

“Didn't you notice he has a slight slouch to his walk. It's because of the welts of the whips.” The maid said again. The others gasp in disbelief.

“I did notice when he came down for breakfast after Lord Kent and that pretty whore of his left. He had a bloodied lip and a black eye and then he told the butler it was the bowing match he went for yesterday. He decided to step into the ring.”

“Lord Ershire never boxes.”

My ears bristle at their words. I'm irritated and a sense of overwhelming guilt hits me because I didn't know my friend was hurting and deep hot anger because of the bad word against Lilith.

“Enough of the talk. The lady is going to have our head if she hears us.” They begin to disperse.

“Wait.” They freeze at the sound of my deep voice.

“Come back and tell me everything you know. If not you will be the one who has your heads on a stake today.”

“Lord Kent.” One said nervously, a broad smile on her face.

“Start talking.”

“Taking about what? Lord Kent.”

“You.” I said pointinbin the way of the maid. You'll be on the first one on the stake if you keep up that silly clueless act. Now begin.”

The maids talk each giving part of the story they know and something they have seen.

I'm in a state of disbelief as I watch them go. All this was happening to Ershire and I didn't have a clue. He was dying inside and I didn't know. Geraldine used to being whips to hit Ershire. She called gaured to use their spikes to beat him up. She damaged him.

“She damaged him and I would make sure she pays for it.” I think to myself as I begin to march to the living room.