The Whisperers (Secret Desires)

Chapter 3: Love Business

"-and it's been three years already! Three, long years we've been together, Miss Adelaide and I. Please! Tell me she isn't really cheating on me with that filthy old geezer."

Kiehl stole a glance at the clock. Oh, great. We've been here for a full hour and a half!

Rolling her eyes Kiehl took a deep breath. She prayed to the saints to hit her with a huge pang of mercy - any mercy for this poor, poor, big, brute.

None came.

She sighed.

Kiehl rose from her chair, pulling up Riccard's heavy frame by tugging on his dress shirt. "Oh, come on Riccard! Don't be so down! So what that you've been with Miss Adeaide for three years! You've given her so much: your time, your wealth and your heart. And what has she ever done for you?"

The big blonde brute collapsed back into his chair, his head hung gravely between his hands. "You can't possibly be suggesting I break up with her, are you Miss Kiehl?! She's just confused. She's the one for me, I'm sure of it! I love her!" Riccard sobbed obnoxiously. Kiehl recognized the unruly sound. It was the kind of crying that was made to get your attention. It  showed he wanted to be comforted and canoodled.

Ha! Yeah, right. Come on, Kiehl. Think! Say something that'll cheer him up.

"It doesn't matter if you Iove her if she's just in love with your money Riccard!"

He sobbed louder.

Ughhh..

"No! No more crying! Your break up is inevitable now - so what are you going to do about it?" She questioned.

Riccard raised his head upwards to look at Kiehl. Now, she felt sorry for him. His face was red, raw, and tear-stricken. His cheeks were puffed as if he was trying -but failing-to control his ragged, almost violent breathing. She looked into his misted eyes,  they were reddening from all the crying he was doing. So much so, that his normal, beautiful, amber irises were some what concealed by his wet tears.

Suddenly Kiehl felt bad. For Riccard. And because of herself. She felt bad that he had spent three years of his life, loving someone and everyday trying to impress them with lavish gifts and affection. Three wasted years. Kiehl was angry at herself. How could she not feel mercy or remorse or even pity for Riccard? Who had she become?

But she knew. Oh yes. She definitely knew. Sure, she felt bad for Riccard, and she was plenty well mad at the cruel, Miss Adelaide Jenson. But the real reason Kiehl couldn't stand Riccard's sobbing and heartache, was because it was all too familiar. She knew how it felt. To feel the painful throbbing of heartache.

Kiehl felt tears threaten to escape her own eyes. She could feel her guilt swimming in her unshed tears. Shakily, she gulped down the heavy lump at the back of her throat and willed her misting eyes to not let those burning tears escape.

She kneeled down, forcing herself to look into his sad eyes. She moved Riccard's large hands so that they no longer rested at his chin, but instead, were held tightly between her own.

Not able to look into his eyes much longer, she looked at the floor. "I'm sorry Riccard. I'm sorry that you have loved someone so cruel and manipulative for so long. But know you know as well as I do - Miss Adelaide has never deserved your love, and it's so unfair that you will be punished for her own unfaithful actions."

She felt Riccard look up into her eyes. For some reason she found it extremely hard to let out her next words. She pushed them out anyway. Rather forcefully. "You will suffer from the bitter heartache and pain - and the worst part is-" Kiehl tried to put it as delicately as she could. "She won't feel a thing."

Letting go of his hands, she stood. Slowly. Determinedly.

She was going to cheer up this giant hunk of a man if it took her all night.

"Look." She pushed back the delicate sleeves of her dress, ready to get down top business. "It's true. I sensed that Miss Adelaide was most definitely unfaithful. But that doesn't mean she's spoiled you and robbed you of your future! With her, yes. Your future is gone. But...with someone else? That may not be the case."

Almost instantly, she felt Ricarrd's strong arms lift her up until she was flying a few feet above the marbled tiles. "Please! Oh, won't you tell me my future is happy? That I am blessed with the most faithful of women, and we have beautiful children. Who all cherish the wonderful flavor of borsch as much as I."

Yeesh.

This was going to be harder than originally thought.

"Sure thing Riccard. But, you know the deal. And, you know the price."

The big brute whimpered in reply.

"Since you've already told me your biggest fear, what is your darkest secret?"

Kiehl almost felt bad about not giving this part of his future to him for free. But she told herself the practice was fair. If you wanted to meddle with magic - something too expensive to put a price on, a sacrifice had to be made. A worthy sacrifice. Not that Kiehl didn't mind being nosey know and then, but at least she wasn't a gossiper like Monica and Saraphina. Those two lived and breathed on other peoples' private affairs. More than twice, Kiehl suspected they might shrivel like raisins without their daily dose of gossip. It seemed to keep them young and hydrated - quite literally like tea.

Riccard let out what sounded like a painful sigh. Leaning in, he whispered. "My darkest secret is one that will hurt you more than anyone."

Almost at breakneck speed, she sat upward. Stiff and straight. On edge.

"What? What do you mean? Riccard, what does your deepest darkest secret have to do with me?" The words poured out of her mouth loosely, as if she was suddenly consumed by fear.

Funny that it seemed to feel that way as well.

When he failed to answer and instead looked at her shaking his head, the nervousness really settled. What does he know? What could he possibly know?

"Tell me.' She demanded. "Even if it's about him, you must."

Riccard wasn't anywhere near an A-List scholar - he was a sailor. But she knew he was smart enough to understand what she meant. Exactly what she meant.

"I saw him that night." He said, his gaze boring into her, unwavering. "The night of the Winter's Ball, in Waverley Manor. I'm just a sailor, so of course I wasn't actually invited in, but the manor overlooks the docks all the way from Tybar Hill."

Kiehl sucked in a breath. She had no clue what was coming, but with the way her palms grew unspeakably clammy, and the small hairs on the back of her neck bristled - she just knew the effects would be devastating.

"So, I was guarding the captains boat, Emilé. God knows why he called her that. Treacherous name."

Kiehl barely had time to roll her eyes.

"Anyways, I guess I saw something I shouldn't have? Next thing I knew, he's there arguing with some broad in a ruby cloak. He just appeared! Came out of some wooden door, which I figured led all the way from the manor on Tybar Hilll. They argued, something about paying a debt and the next thing I knew, the cloaked broad pulled out a dagger and stabbed him."

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