My legs trembled as I walked to Mrs. Sinclair's room. I would have looked for Frank to have him by my side while talking to Mary privately, but I was forced to proceed without him as she walked before me.
The strange part was that even the squeaky sound of her heels had changed. Outwardly, it was the regular annoying sounds of shoes, but her overconfident gait had changed everything. The whole situation was disturbing. What had changed in such a short time? Should I believe in the distressed letter and Doctor William's words? Or was what Mary had exhibited with her husband the truth? I couldn't wait to learn the answer.
"What are you doing here?" I heard Mary reacting to someone. I was still outside the door when she said that, so I couldn't see who it was. How could I forget? Doctor Williams was still inside her room when Frank and I left. She had reacted to his presence. I could swear to have heard some resentment and displeasure in her voice. Luckily, Mrs. Sinclair had left the door ajar, so I carefully moved a little to where I could listen better and could not be seen.
"Mary," began Doctor Williams. "Have you met your husband yet? Is he suspicious of something?"
"I don't know, Williams. Seeing him has complicated everything and made my life a thousand times more difficult. We are a family, and it's not easy to..." Suddenly, Mary appeared at the door. She seemed slightly annoyed at my attempt to eavesdrop. "Amelia, would you please give us some privacy? And please guard the door. I am locking it. Knock thrice to alert me if my husband comes here."
As much as I wanted to listen to their interesting conversation, I had no choice but to do as she said.
While waiting outside, I tried to put my ear on the door to listen in to something, but either the door was soundproof, or they were speaking too quietly.
Her husband's arrival had made what difficult? Was all she needed was his attention? It couldn't be that simple. There was another man's baby in her stomach, and she wasn't fifteen to be so reckless.
Several servants passed by me, giving me a look. 'What business do you have here? Thank God, no one asked anything because I didn't have any answers.
"Hey, Amelia!" Someone I wanted to see finally came there. It was Frank, and he was holding an envelope.
"What do you have there?" I asked.
"Oh, this." Frank fanned himself with an attitude. "It's only Mrs. Sinclair's worst nightmare. So, don't worry about it."
"What do you mean?" I almost yelled and lowered my volume before speaking again. "You just learned about her affair with Doctor Williams today. So it couldn't be intimate pictures of them."
"It's something else. You wouldn't understand, and I have no desire to explain it to you. For now, all I can say is that in the future, it could be our get-out-of-jail-free card or the only thing that can make us some real cash." Frank's malicious eyes looked at it, smiling from ear to ear like he was the evil stepmother from Snow White, holding a poisonous apple.
"Frank," I worriedly called for his attention. "You have begun to scare me. Now, you are giving me the impression that you want something more than money. Who hurt you? Don't take out your anger on others. I don't wish to ruin anyone's life."
Frank responded with a deadly glare but quickly returned to his usual happy self. "What do you mean, Amelia? No one has hurt me. And I am not looking for revenge on anyone. Unlike you, when I play with danger, I think everything through and enjoy having at least a dozen options to protect myself. So, relax, sweety." He touched my arm reassuringly.
I smiled weakly. There was something very suspicious about Frank. His willingness to go to any length to gain money was frightening. He was a clever man who knew his way around the Sinclair estate. What if his plan turned darker than intended? I didn't want to end up in a jail cell for an accidental murder. Knowing Frank, he would easily shift the entire blame onto me.
"Amelia, what are you thinking?" Frank nervously giggled. "You can trust me. I may not be the best human, but I am better than the Sinclairs. You'll see."
I couldn't admit to what I was thinking. If life had taught me any lesson, it would be to never trust others.
Before I could think of a clever response, Mrs. Sinclair's door was thrown open, and Doctor Williams came storming out wearing the angriest expression. It startled me so much that I hugged Frank for protection.
"What is up with him?" Frank commented the same thing on my mind.
"I don't know," I said, letting Frank go and acting like loud noises didn't scare the shit out of me.
"Maybe one of us should go after him," Frank suggested. He appears to be furious to the point where they usually tell everything if asked."
"You are the expert. I think you should go," I replied.
"With pleasure," said Frank, raising his chin high. I watched him follow Doctor Williams with an attitude brimming with overconfidence. I hoped he knew what he was doing and wouldn't do something illegal to get information.
"You can come inside, Amelia," Mrs. Sinclair's voice came. I turned to the source to find her head sticking out from the slightly opened door. Her eyes were gloomy and bloodshot. A tear rolled down her cheek and disappeared on the ground.
"What happened? Have you changed your mind?" I asked.
Mary tightly blinked her eyes, and many accumulated tears came pouring out. "Not here. Come inside, and I'll tell you." She opened the door wide open for me to step inside.
My heart pounded in my chest. I wasn't prepared for what Mary was about to say. I had a feeling she would surprise me with the opposite.