To Love A Myth - Book 2: Mr. Higgs and the Lady 🎩✔️

26

Edgar walked silently from the door as Merida sobbed on the edge of her bed. She had money strewn all over her bed but even he could see that it wasn't going to be enough. Higgs had written Elizabeth and she supposedly met up with Lord Clarvins, but he wouldn't budge. She at least found out what the percentage of interest was for the four years and when Higgs found out, he pretty much confirmed that there was no way he could come up with that at month's end, let alone year's end; especially in lump sum. Seeing Merida trying to scrounge every little piece of coin she could find was heartbreaking to Edgar had even found out that she had tried to go to the bank for a loan. Of course, since she wasn't a citizen nor of nobility, they wouldn't give her anything. Seeing her sobbing on the bed and realizing that he was hurting her, he knew what he had to do.

The door opened and Edgar looked at the old man.

"Can I help you?"

"May I please speak with Lord Clarvins?"

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but please tell him that um... Mud is here."

"Mud?" the man said, lifting an eyebrow.

"He'll know what it means."

The butler allowed Edgar to stand in the foyer as he went to go get Patrick. Edgar looked around at the dingy manor. He could tell it hadn't been used in a while from the musky smell as well as all the windows being open to try and air out the place.

"I'm surprised." Edgar turned at hearing Patrick's voice. "I honestly didn't expect you."

"How can you say that when you won't budge on anything we propose?" Edgar growled, clenching his fists.

"I'm not exactly as heartless as you make me to be. Come, let's chat, shall we... Edgar."

Edgar made a face at the way he mocked hi name and followed him along. They sat outside at a small table where a maid was laying out tea.

"Are you here to plead?"

"I'm here to get things done."

"Oh." He said with a condescending laugh. "So scary.

"Stop it... Look, there's no way they can pay that kind of money in one go. Why can't you split it?"

Patrick sighed. "The problem with splitting it up is the interest."

"Then drop the interest."

"I bought you to work for me, not to have a child or a friend; a worker. I paid for you and hardly got to get my money's worth out of you. You were overpriced anyway."

"How is that my problem?"

"It is now, isn't it?" Edgar frowned. "The fact of the matter is that you were mine and they took you, thus they stole from me. Now, I could go to the law and make a big deal out of it but I don't feel like doing that. So, either they pay or you stay."

"So... if I come back voluntarily... you'll drop the debt?"

"Yes." He sipped some tea. "As I said, I'm not as heartless as I seem."

"But you're making me leave my family! My mum and-"

"You consider that woman a mother? My, my, how far you have come. Let me guess, Lord Northumberly is like a father to you? I mean, Ms. Dunbrough does seem like she would give the world for you to not be taken away from her... give the skin off her body if it would repay the debt. Yes, she does have a motherly quality about her... but Lord Higgs doesn't seem to want you as much as she does."

"You don't know anything about them." Edgar hissed.

"I know enough. If Higgs Northumberly wanted you to stay so badly, don't you think he would borrow money from as many people as he possibly could? Get a loan of some sort? I'd even accept placing a down payment of some sort as long as the other part was before the end of the month and the rest in full, but I don't see him doing anything about that."