The Vicious Viscount

chapter 10

Chapter ten

A day and a half of gallopping had made Malcolm grey almost sure that the lady had vanished like a smoke through air, none of it made logical sense. That a lady who probably had tons of men astriding her to London out of a sudden without a word came lost?

"Halt" Malcolm gripped his reins forcefully causing the stallion to lift their hoves before slaming back on ground, all the men including his cousin who looked rather annoyed halted their horses, "What in the hell---" he shouted but malcolm raised his fingers in a hush, something or rather someone was trying to send a signal. Malcolm knew that sound and only his servants were supposed to use it  on emergency, the cause being their country estate taking a lot of space making it easier for him to have a knoweldge on the household and keep it cordinated,  "Someone is near, keep your sight open and do not ride astride,"

With a swift tug on his horse malcolm muttered a curse before riding in full gallopp. After dashing without a pause for over 40 hours his body ached, his mind was numb from all the calculation him and his people had to gather, to say that he felt tired was an understatement. But underlying tension also overtook him, what could possibly have happened, a daughter of a marquess was not something he could overlook. It was his responsibilty to solve and perhaps the message he sent to her father had already been reached.

The viscounts thoughts were interrupted, "My lord!" a young stableboy who looked like he sprang for the life in him, "Henry?" Malcolm breathed in worry when the boy came to a standstill, "The lady has arrived safe and sound,"

In that moment a weight had seem to lift above his shoulder, god heavens he could finally breath.

"Is that so?, just when had she arrieved?"

"Yesterday morning"

Malcolms felt his blood boil up, yesterday!, just when they took off? "Did you say she was safe and sound? Best believe that woman wont be that safe when I get my sight on her, if not her father has already started a search"

The young boy silently laughed, the corner of his lips betraying him in a laugh, "My lord, would you like me to return your words?"

Malcolm waved him with his hands, "That wont be required, I have a feeling this message is in my hands to send in person"

He continued gesturing the boy to hop on his horse before turning back for the rest of the volunteers on the search, at least that women wasn't found in a lake or anything that couldve happened in this kind of travels. But she had a ton of explenation.

Mabel woke to the birds chriping and the sun gleaming through the open glass windows, the perfect way to be awoken in this magical place, really she couldn't get stop gushing, never mind that she will ever say it to anyone, a lady of her status should get used to this kind of sights. Everything was magnificent and lush, there was a chapel garden with tiny streams greeting her from the see through balcony. but not being able to sleep a blink was the reason of her sudden foul mood. Her troubles came back, seems like the past would forever haunt her and torture her till her last breath. Just when would she be able to sleep?, it had gone bad again, and her habit of sleepwalking came back. It had happened on a handful of occasions and always when she was in a place she didn't know off, she had never mustred up to tell anyone it, that wasn't a behaviour of a sane woman, rather let them believe she was intoxicated, . She groaned recalling the moment when a maid in the household caught her.

"Miss? Miss shall I fetch something from the kitchen?" the maid continued to pester her with tentative questions,

Cursing a mutter under her breath she rubbed her eyes and struggled to a sitting position, "No, I don't want any tea, I just want to stay in bed and—"

Mabel broke off in a gasp as she saw her surroundings. Her heart thumped in fright, she was not in bed. She wasn't even in her room. She was--- oh god!, she was downstairs in what looked like the terrace, curled uncomfortably in one of the leather armchairs. The maid an older woman with a wealth of red curls was standing in front of her wearing a concerned face. Mabel looked at herself and realised she was dressed in her night gown, giving most certaintly the most unladylike impression

Bloody hell!

The problem was she had no memory of getting out of bed and coming down the stairs, she didn't remember any of it. Mabel ran her palm over her sweat beaded forhead before finding an excuse hoping the maid would buy it.

"I was feeling restless last night and came searching for a drink," she awkardly chuckled, twisting the folds of her nightgown in fists, " how silly of me to fall asleep right in this chair" the old woman glanced around her surrounding obviosuly wondering about the absence of a glass.

In some way she dropped her interrogation, "Yes miss"

With a headache that striked through her as soon as she lifted her head she knew it was time to depart towards the breakfast table, heaven lord if she was in the mood to have a conversation with anyone, let alone plenty of high titled snobs.

Are you any different?

The accusing voice in the back of her head haunted her, she was always beleving she was but look where she is right now, in the most arrogant and selfish place she could possibly be in. A season ball, why not bloody make it a few hours and call it a day?, she never understood traditionals and unnecessary attendings. She would've rather hope to do what she wished, but again that needed both time and patience.

"Miss" a serveant came opening the door before shutting it behind her once again. "Is something wrong?" Mabel threw the covers and stood up while watching the maid heat a bath.

"Wrong? Absolutely not, seems like the ball will take place once again, all the gentlemens have came back," the maid seemed to be in a blissful mood on that information, a total difference on what went through Mabel. An sense of alarm over took her body.

She remembered overhearing a conversation yesterday when she arrived and it has been itching inside of her to ask, "Who may those gentlemen be? If were speaking precisely"

The maid watched her above her shoulder, a smile tugged on her lips, "I believe you have a beauty that could captivate any man here---" her words of flattering was appreacited but not exactly what mabel wanted to hear, "Lord edwards, lord samuels, lord harrington, lord richards, lord wilford, lord matthews...." The maid continued babblering names that sounded foregin to her ear and completely unfamiliar. She breathed a breath out of relief and went back to brush out her thick golden hair,  perhaps she misheard the words Lady Annabelle had said

"But I heard all the ladies is gushing over our Viscount Grey and---" the maid was chuckling but immedately snapped her neck at the sound of a something dropping , Mabel who seem to be in a freezing state

"Miss! Are you alright" the maid rushed to her side.

Mabel meet her worried big brown eyes , she felt her throat closen up and had never ever in her entire life regretted to read that blasted inviting card, dammnation! How big of a fool could she ever be?

The only thing that remained In her panic state was to pray for it all to be a nightmare, "—This viscount... is his name perhaps Malcolm?"

She didn't need any more explantions, one single nod and it made her turn around as if the ground could just swallow her.

He was one of the men searching for her

He was the host of this ball

And above all.... He was her lover. One time.

The man she had never forget, the man she had decived, the man that she till this day had never found love like that, in every suittor who had seeked for hand In marriage she turned down, all because she compared them with him, he was irreplacable, unforgettable and most of all

Dangerous

The maids voice could be worlds away, she could hear it as faint whispers, but when mabel regained her voice she told her slowly, "I will wait for the bath, in mean time... I'll just--- take a breath"