Ceasebury: Chapter Six

“Gabriella!” I shouted in surprise.

“Oh Theodosia, I can’t believe any of this!” she wept, running to stand beside me, clasping my hand in hers.

“What’s wrong?” I turned to see her.

“Dorian didn’t even tell me that my own father is dying, how could not?” she cried into my shoulder.

“Oh, I’m sorry Gabriella.” I held her to me.

“Miss Gabriella, I have known your brother for a long time, he has always been a secretive man and he is focussed totally on his work, you should forgive him.” Valentine smiled.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Marquess, I didn’t realise you were in here.” Gabriella looked at him.

“Nothing to apologise for, Miss. Is Dorian still up at the house?” He questioned her.

“Yes, he is, he’s just leaving.”

“Okay, well, how about you stay here with Theodosia and I’ll go back up to the house and talk to him and get him to calm down and see if we can’t get this all sorted?” He smiled kindly, touching her arm.

“That would be wonderful, Theodosia and I can go up to the house and stay upstairs with Mistress Ceasebury and you can talk to my brother and make him see sense.” Gabriella smiled, wiping her tears on her little white and yellow handkerchief.

“Then come with me, ladies and I will try to get this all dealt with.” He took my hand in his left and Gabriella’s in his right and led us back up the path to the house, acting as if nothing had just occurred between us. He was such a good actor. (I myself was struggling not to let my new found emotional attachment to him get the better of me in front of Gabriella). I wondered if he had cared about the secrets that we had shared with each other in the Summer House as much as I had. As we wondered up the rose lined path through the cooling twilight, I heard a distinct chime of a bell. It was the lit up clock face that watched over the Ceasebury Estate since it had been built, reminding any unwitting viewers of the time. It was chiming nine. We must have been out in the Summer House for hours.

As the three of us approached the house, Dorian was standing imperiously on the front porch, his arms tensed, the tortuorous hands at the ends of them forced unceremoniously which gave the impression that he was rather aggressively waiting for something to happen (although I could fathom what that event might be). He caught sight of the three of us walking up towards him and gave a disapproving stare.

“Dorian, happy to see you again chap!” Valentine exclaimed with a kind of chemical delight.

“Well, yes.” Dorian replied.

“Listen,” he said as he approached “I just need to have a little chat to you about Miss Kingston.”

“What about her?” Dorian asked as Valentine stood just ahead of Gabriella and me.

“I think she would appriciate a little correspondence from you now and again. You know, you should just keep her informed about what goes on at Kingston Grove.”

“Should I now? Well, thank you for telling me Valentine.” Dorian said scornfully.

“Yes, well, good night, friend. I must also be leaving now, can we wait for the carriages together?” Valentine said. Dorian gave a kirt little nod.

“You should, you know.” I said, slightly louder than I had meant to.

“What?” Dorian questioned rather aggressively.

“You should tell her what’s going on, maybe you should also come and see her now and then since you live just across the wood.” I said, trying to stay calm.

“What do you know, Miss Ceasebury? What do you know of anything?” Dorian said to me in a harshly quiet tone. I so desperately wanted to retort, but I could tell from Gabriella’s face that she did not think it wise. I shook my head and pushed past the two men on the porch and preceded up the stairs, Gabriella following behind me.

“Good night, Miss Ceasebury.” Valentine shouted after me. I didn’t reply.

Author Notes: (Sorry this chapter is a little bit boring, but it needs to be here...)

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