A Scandalous Entanglement

XXV

"Did he say what they were for?" The old man waited for the last of the valet to leave the room before continuing. "They are of a matter of privacy my lord, something that shouldn't be discussed within thin walls." Granted they were on a floor only they occupied but that didnt mean that walls didn't have ears. Rumors travelled very fast. Rumors he didnt like.

"Very well. Have them collected and stored in a safe place."

"A letter also arrived for you my lord, I believe it is from your mother." His body froze. "Indeed it is, and what did it say?" He questioned as he stripped about his clothes for a bath.

"Well for starters my lord, she has greatly expressed herself on her displeasure of you not writing to her in over so many years. Seems she found news of the rumors." It wasn't as if she cared.

"As I said before they are nothing but rumors."

"But rumors indeed my lord. She also requested for your presence at her new year's ball. She wants to spend the forth coming days with you my lord." At that Devyn came from behind the dressing screen. He wasn't ashamed he had used some of Emilia's sweet-smelling soaps or that he had even pocketed some. Heck, he wanted to walk around smelling like her. "And did she also send an invitation to my wife?" He questioned.

The small droplets of water run down his back and a chill took over him. He hadn't realised how cold it was. "No my lord, but in her very specific words, you might bring whomever you please. Perhaps she doesn't expect you to bring her ladyship."

"She wasn't at our wedding and neither has she ever spent five minutes in the presence of my wife without bickering if one thing or the other. I do not think she would want my wife to be there." He looked at Callam.

"Seems to fit about right my lord, but perhaps a coat for the weather my lord. It has snowed."

Devyn looked at the coat well placed on the bed's edge and next to it was a letter as plain as white with only a single name and no address. "Another letter arrived for you my lord." Callam stood with his back straight and his hands behind his back. A look of disapproval graced his lips but the old man knew better than to scold him.

"The Jacks Inn my lord. Rumors had began to spread once more concerning you,-"

"Concerning the lady-?"

He nodded. "I am afraid so my lord. This is a matter of urgency. It could tarnish your reputation if in the wrong hands or worse do harm to her lady Emilia."

"Did you-?" He swallowed.

The old man shook his head. "I give my respects my lord. These are matters for you my lord and not me. I dared not read and the servant was paid heavily for his silence."

He picked up the letter and read the single name written on it. "Very well." He placed it in the deepest of his inner pocket where he knew it was safe from preying eyes. "And concerning your mother my lord, shall I write to her on your inconvenience of not coming? It has awfully been a long time since you last saw her."

And if he could help it, it would stay that way.

Devyn stepped out to the soft falling of snow. It had already reached knee length and he feared it would worsen by night fall though the children that played amongst the snow didnt seem to mind its cold biting chill. As a matter of fact, they rolled on the floors with nothing but laughter escaping their lips and wet clothes sticking to their bodies.

Luckily enough paths had already been cleared and he was able to find his way about the place but not without slipping more than once and letting out strings of curses.

He heard Callam even before he saw him. The man stood by the church's door ushering the eager men and women in almost being stepped on multiple times in the process.