Tears of a reaper

Chapter 4

Adrian tried to hide his emotions as he lowered the casket into the ground, knowing that it was symbolic of her death even if she wasn't in it. Cedric walked over to him after everyone else had left and clapped him on the back.

"It's all right, old chap," he said. "I know that you two were close. Don't be afraid to cry."

You have no idea how close, the Undertaker thought, nodding as tears began to stream down his face.

"I would like you to continue coming to the house as often as you can," Cedric told him. "The children need someone to be here when I'm not, and I don't think the servants are fit to raise them in my absence."

"Yes. I'll be here."

"Good man. I leave again in two days."

Francis had Claudia's features, and for the first year it was hard for Adrian to even look at her without becoming sad. During the second year, Cedric said that he would be sending his daughter to a boarding school nearby.

"She should learn manners and other skills," he told Adrian. "When she finds a husband, she'll need to know how to take care of him."

When Vincent was seventeen, he looked at the Undertaker one day when Cedric was gone on yet another trip.

"I know who you are," he said in a low voice.

"What do you mean?" Adrian asked, feigning innocence.

"You're my father. Don't worry, I won't mention it to anyone else."

"What makes you think that?"

"I'm sure that you've noticed I'm not an idiot, Adrian. It's obvious from the way you treat me, which is completely different than the way you interact with my sister."

"I guess so," Adrian sighed, nodding slightly.

"And I see how sad you are when anyone talks about my mother. You truly loved her, didn't you?"

"More than words can say. And I love you as much as I did her."

"I know. I feel the same about you. Cedric was never around when I was a child, and I grew up thinking you were my father because of it. It seems that I was correct."

"You were. You said that you won't tell anyone else?"

"Why would I? Mother made sure that I kept the Phantomhive name, and it would be disgraceful if it was found out that she had a clandestine affair with you. No one must know."

"Good," Adrian smiled, standing and ruffling his son's hair.

The Undertaker was working on a body one afternoon when Vincent was nineteen, and the boy came rushing into the parlor.

"What's wrong, Vincent?"

"It's Cedric," Vincent panted. "He's ill, and he's asking for you."

"All right. Let me just put this man on ice, then I'll ride back to the manor with you."

"Hurry. He seems to be fading fast."

Vincent pushed the horses to their limits on the way back, then he and Adrian rushed into the house and up the stairs to Cedric's bedroom. He was laying in the bed, looking sicker than anyone that Adrian had ever seen before.

"You may leave, Vincent," he croaked. "I'd like to speak to this chap alone."

Once he'd gone, Cedric gestured for the Undertaker to pull a chair close to the bed. Once seated, Adrian waited for him to say whatever it was that he thought he needed to.