36. Poor little creatures

After breakfast, when Lucca and I were clean and dressed, we went to the carriage and headed towards the city. I was wearing my long, heavy dress that protected me from the cold, while my husband was wearing a light short-sleeved blouse, pants, and leather boots because he still said it was too hot. The carriage windows were open today, letting the cool breeze in to refresh Lucca. He had a hand resting on my thigh as he casually looked out at the landscape outside while having distant thoughts. I was sitting next to him, thinking about him and the conversation we had moments ago in the bedroom.

I hoped that everything would continue to work out for both of us because I still had a lot to live with this man. Furthermore, I looked out the window, also determined to respect his silence, if by chance he wanted to talk about something, I'd be here. The carriage was moving at a high speed since neither the skeleton that was driving the carriage nor the horses that galloped in front pulling the carriage were from this world, so it was normal that the speed we were going at was so high.

"At this speed, we'll be in London in a few hours." I ended up cementing it, thus interrupting the thoughts of the man next to me.

"Do you want to go to London?" He asked, and for a moment I couldn't discern if he was just asking me out of curiosity, or if he was thinking I still wanted to leave him. Then I smiled pleasantly, being careful with my next words.

"London is more exciting than Northumberland, but you're not there, so I want to stay where you are." I affirmed those words, feeling they were nothing less than the truth.

"We can go there if you want; my father's opium deposit is running low, and I would have to go to the capital to buy it myself," he was saying, making me nod and think. Opium was a drug used in medicine too, probably something his father used to help with his research. "You can go with me, and we will take the opportunity to see your family. I know you miss them." He was stroking my leg when he spoke.

What was I going to answer now? He wanted to go to London with me, and then we were going to stop by Crystal's parents' house to visit. That would be blowing my cover on the spot because Crystal's parents wouldn't dream that I married Lucca instead of her. And now? What am I going to answer? However, saved by the bell, Lucca's gaze went from my face to a group of children playing in the extensive vineyard that belonged to the Moretti castle. I followed his gaze, also looking out the window at the ragged children who ran carefree among the vines. I frowned, realizing that these children were the first human beings I had seen within the Moretti lands since I had moved to Northumberland.

"Are they living people?" I asked, really surprised, as there could really be more ghosts that inhabited the haunted castle and were just there doing ghost things, but Lucca nodded in affirmation.

"Yes, they are human; some residents of this region are so poor that they send their children to steal our grapes and then sell them in the city market in order to support themselves," he explained, making me nod. This also happened a lot in London, many of the city's pickpockets were children sent by their parents to do that job, a dangerous way of earning a living. Suddenly, I was afraid of those children. As soon as Lucca witnessed that, he, as the noble owner of those lands, should punish both the children and their parents for stealing from him. That was what happened in London. I had already witnessed cases of children being flogged to death in the public square for being caught stealing. London was definitely not a place for children.

"What are you going to do with these poor children?" I asked, unable to avoid my anguish. At this point, the carriage in progress had already passed and left the images of the children behind.

"You?" Lucca was responding. "Have you forgotten that you are also a noble?" He asks, leaving me a bit trapped. I simply couldn't get into character 24 hours a day, there were times when I ended up failing, like now.

"I'm just scared, they're just kids." I explained myself, not having the courage to look at him.

"You don't look like a lady sometimes, you know that?" He spoke, making me turn my face towards him in warning. Had he discovered it?

"What? Why do you say that? Of course, I'm a lady!" I denied it in a hurry with my heart beating fast, and he raised his palms forward in a gesture of surrender.

"I didn't deny that; calm down; I know you're a lady, Crystal." He said he was surprised, and I laughed at my answer, which seemed too desperate. "You were born as a lady, and no one will take that place from you, don't worry. I meant it more as a compliment, because you seem like a very different nobility from what we know: your way of worrying about those in need; the way you aren't afraid to get your dress dirty to save the life of a calving cow; or when you're always with the cook of the castle preparing food. These are not common acts to see an aristocratic lady doing, but you have become different, and that is what I like most about you."

Undeniably, my heartfelt calm after his words. "Oh yes, it's good to know that my way of being isn't a problem for you."

"Never was and never will be, I like women like you." He said this, taking his finger to my face and leaving a caress on my skin, which made me smile.

"It's okay." I smiled and laid my head on his chest, feeling his arm go around my shoulders, giving me a side hug.

"I'm just worried about these humans, they can't be that close to the Moretti castle with the full moon being so close." He confessed, and I looked at him, scared.

"Are you afraid of hurting those kids when you turn into a wolf?" Did he eat people when he turned into a wolf?

"Of course not, my love. I intend to lock myself in the attic when I transform, but Atwood is out of control and angry, I don't trust him if he finds an unprepared human." Was Lucca saying that she had another werewolf in the castle, and that this one was out of control and dangerous?