Kingsley's Bride

Chapter 35: A Dark Facade

Scarlett 

My fingers glided over the piano keys, each note resonating in the quiet room, a soft echo of a melody I once knew by heart. But as I played, the music began to falter. The notes that should have flowed effortlessly started to blur, and I realized, with a sinking feeling, that I couldn't remember how the song ended.

I sighed, my hands falling to my lap. 

"If only I had finished my piano lessons, I might have been able to complete the piece." I muttered under my breath, with little annoyance.

But those lessons seemed like a distant dream now, just like my aspirations to practice medicine. Lord Darius had put a stop on that as well. I was now perplexed with the amount of my absence in the clinic of Mr Sinclair would ever take me back as his apprentice. I was aware of losing a great opportunity.

I stood up, leaving the piano behind, and headed toward my chamber. 

The hallways were quiet, the kind of silence that always made me feel more alone. As I walked, I heard the soft sound of footsteps behind me. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Mabel, always hovering, always watching.

"Mabel, please," I said, stopping in my tracks and turning to face her. "I'm going for a nap. You don't need to follow me to my chamber."

She smiled and nodded. "Of course, my lady. I'll make sure lunch is ready by the time you wake."

Relief washed over me as I continued on my way, grateful that she wouldn't be following me this time. I reached my chamber and was about to close the door behind me when I heard something, a faint noise coming from the balcony.

My heart quickened. Lord Darius had gone to meet with the Monarch's representatives two days ago, and with the estate surrounded by guards since the... incident, no one should be up there.

Cautiously, I approached the balcony, my pulse pounding in my ears.

As I stepped outside, the sight that met me stopped me cold. 

Mr Julian Hughes. 

He was standing there, grinning at me like he belonged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to find him on my balcony.

"Julian!" I gasped, disbelief and shock battling within me. "What are you doing here? How did you even get up here?"

His grin widened, and he shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm the son of a famous detective, remember? Sneaking up on people is practically in my blood."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How had he managed to slip past the guards, to climb up my balcony? Lord Darius had taken every precaution to ensure no one could reach me.

Yet here Julian was, standing right in front of me.

"Why are you here?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. "Why would you risk coming here like this?"

"I was worried about you, my lady" Julian said, his tone softening. "After what happened... I saw how Lord Kingsley dragged you away, how he didn't let you see your sister, Meredith. I couldn't just leave it like that."

I felt a pang of guilt. Meredith. I hadn't heard anything about her since that day, and the thought that she might have left, not knowing what had become of me, made my chest tighten.

"There's been no news about Meredith," I confessed, my voice barely a whisper. "I'm afraid she might have gone somewhere, thinking I'm lost to her."

Julian shook his head, his expression serious. "Even though you went back to the estate, I went to the place where Meredith invited you. She wasn't there. I searched everywhere."