Once Before

15 - Goodbye

Emerging from the pouring rain outside, I was met with an eerie silence as I stepped through the  entrance doorway of the estate and into the foyer hall, and by the time the footman had closed the door behind me, it was as if all evidence of the storm that was brewing outside - save for my state of being drenched - had vanished. 

All was as it had always been - grand and spacious. Every step I take echoed loudly against the sturdy walls and curved ceiling of the entrance, and yet there was something else in the air, something I couldn't quite put a finger on, something forlorn. Perhaps it was the storm outside, but I couldn't ignore the twinge of uneasiness that had settled at the bottom of my heart.

I had expected everyone to be dressed for dinner and waiting in the drawing room as dinner was being prepared, but to my surprise, there was no one but two people standing by the fire in the room that had then seemed like it was disproportionate - undoubtedly having been built to host many more people instead. 

Arthur was miles away in his thoughts, I could see it in his eyes, which were trained on the floor.  His cravat hung loose and his hands were gripping so tightly on the back of one of the armchairs that his knuckles had turned white. Whereas the Countess Dowager had looked... pleased.

"Forgive me for my tardiness," I had begun, hoping that the tension was all in my head. "I had a small mishap on the way back, and then it started pouring."

"Spare us of your lies," The Countess hissed, her sharp eyes were very suddenly trained on me that I had taken a small step back.

"Begging your pardon?" I croaked.

"Do not take us for fools, Ms. Atwood! Was it not kind enough for the Earl to have opened his home to you, and this is how you repay him?" She continued, "What a disgrace! do the lower rank not have any manners after all? Years in the service of great households, one might think they would've picked a thing or two by now..."

In an instant, I saw red. "Madam, though it may be so that I have absolutely no clue as to what you're talking about, nor do I ever have any intention of being ungrateful towards the kind hospitality that your son has bestowed upon me, it seems unjust that you bring other people into a conversation that they have nothing to do with."

The Countess merely scoffed, shifting her gaze towards the fireplace.

It was then that I looked at Arthur in the hopes of receiving an explanation, only to find that he wouldn't even meet my eyes.

"Arthur?" I coaxed.

"Show some respect to your Earl, child!" The Countess scolded, which I bitterly ignored.

"Clementine I am sure you're aware that it's very late," He began, "Therefore I must ask where you were just before you came through the those doors."

There was something in the manner of his speech that I've never heard before, and I must admit that he commanded the tone very well. But alas, one would find it hard to truly admire the authority in his voice when that voice was currently being used to accuse that someone.

"I was having tea with Corliss in her living quarters just above her shop, as I have told you when I left the estate this very afternoon."

"The truth, young lady!" His mother cuts, not bothering to hide her tone of disgust.

"I have nothing to tell you but the truth, nor do I have any reason to."

"We shall see..." She drawled.

"Clementine, were you by any chance with anyone else except for Corliss?"

"No...." I trailed off, "Wait, well... Actually, yes. I happen to bump into Mr. Moore on my way home."