Curse of Rose de Winter

Chapter 36

The next day when I planned to talk to Dylan I heard him talk with someone else. Their voices were hushed so I went to the room next door and pressed my ears. It wasn't very helpful but I understood it was Hughes.

So they two had resumed talking as usual, and maybe Hughes had even inquired where I was from. After a while the voices grew and I heard it through the office.

"What should we do with her?" Hughes asked.

Did he mean me?

"I need her public, and hopefully married as the will wanted."

What?

No, Dylan is acting. He didn't mean that, did he? Or was he talking about Ruby? No, the real Blanche if they found her?

It wasn't me getting fooled, would it?

"I will do it for you. I will do anything for you, sir."

"Stop it."

"I saw you as a son, Dylan."

There was prolonged silence before Dylan answered. "I saw you as a father, too."

There was no more exchange of words before the door opened and Hughes left. Just as Dylan was about to close the door I appeared.

"May I take some of your time?" I asked.

"Yes, of course." He closed the door behind me. "I was talking with Hughes."

The day had been beautiful, but ever since yesterday my past weighed heavy on my heart. I was going to find Blanche, and if it helped, I had to spill my remaining secrets.

It was going to ruin everything, but I had to do it.

"Good evening, Rose," Dylan said with a smile.

"Good evening to you, tooo. You seem well, are you no longer worried about Hughes?"

"Well, I am, but at least I know who to trust now. Vaughn's told us of his past so I really see him on our side. Yet mysteries still remain." Dylan sighed. "I can't help thinking the de Winters are cursed after all. Maybe this generation will end once Blanche marries into another household."

"No, they will be marrying into the de Winter family, not the opposite. The will also said that," I pointed out to his pout.

"Either way, once we find Blanche we can finally leave. It makes me motivated again." He looked my way. "Right?"

"Yes, of course."

"You look kind of pale today." He held a hand to my cheek. "It's not a fever. It's not flu season either."

"I—I found some things out yesterday," I said softly, holding his hand for a minute before letting it go. "You see, I asked the maids how they were hired by Hughes, and it seemed like they were personally scouted. Strangely, it happened when two of them were in financial issues."

"Financial? Were they bribed?"

"No, they were simply...given a job at the right time," I murmured.

"That's a common way of getting people for jobs, I suppose, but it's strange he stumbled upon three so perfectly. I don't want to talk about Hughes." Dylan smiled. "He's going on another trip next month, anyways. He usually sends telegrams, too, we can see where he went?"

"Do you have those telegrams?"

Dylan shuffled around a bit too nervously before shrugging. "It's not important, we know Blanche's writings are now his. Let's have him show us where Blanche is."