Promises Unkept

Infesting his sanity.

Lord Adelwood was puzzled.

He had never been in such a state of mind as he was in right now. And , perhaps ‘right now’ wouldn’t even have been the precise piece of phrase to use for he had been this chaotic for one long month now.

The woman. That woman.

Eden.

What had she done to him?

All through his stay in London, he had hardly reckoned more of anything than her. Those countless parties that he had attended there, meetings and assemblies, even balls_ all of that couldn’t fix him. All of that didn’t fix him. Day and night to the day that followed, London pandemonium couldn’t distract him enough from her. He remained aloof in the crowds. Distant in merriments. And, every time, he was in the company of a lady back there, his inside got knotted as if he was cheating on someone. On himself.

And now, with the primal moment of entering Ashleyton’s abut, his heart drummed in his chest as if trying to find that one movable, unboltable rib from where it could jump out. He sat in the moving coach_ clench fisted and straight spined_ his jaw set like hard granite curvature and his green eyes too deep in self-reflection.

Just then, Christiana, who sat by him, placed her hand delicately upon his locked fist making him look up with a start.

“What’s wrong?” she asked him, concern coloring her flabby red cheeks.

He shook his head for nothing and slipped his hand out from under her touch. It didn’t feel alright, her touching him like that despite the fact that earlier to this day, they had been forthright enough to hold each other’s hand in the most intimate ways.

“I am watching you from the very first foot of our journey, Stephen.” She said, looking sharp into him as he looked out of the window. “You are not yourself. What contemplation keeps you so reserved, I know not, but do not lie to me at least. I know you since you were new.”

He turned around and gave to her a well invented smile hoping it would be able to convince her otherwise. “Ivy.” He spoke. “You know me well enough to know that my business often keeps me deep in my thoughts. My embassies have recently established a new branch across the continent and a few matters…”

“And diffidence?” Christiana interrupted with a disbelieving look. “The look on your face is not of occupation but detachment. You are being cold toward me, Stephen. You are being formal with your friends. And you say that’s nothing?”

His eyes went outside the window as familiar grounds of his territory flew by. He had no options now, he realized.

Turning around, he took Christiana’s hand in his own and with a sincere look in his eyes, he looked into her face.

“You think I will ever do that?” he inquired with a slight tilt of head. “Turn cold toward you?”

“That’s what you are being.” Christiana whispered. “Cold.  As if you want me to leave you alone.”

“If so had been the truth, Why did I bring you here, with me?” He reasoned.

He then gave her hand a reassuring  squeeze of fingers and that convinced Lady Christiana Ivy that all was well indeed.

He sighed.

But was all well, in truth?

No.

Because for the first time in his life, Lord Stephen Adelwood had deemed the presence of Christiana Ivy, his childhood best friend, bothersome. For the first, he had wished to be alone, away from this woman, to be left with the thought of another woman who, he believed, he hated.

What did she want? What was she up to?

And let’s not discuss what possibilities he had surmised for they were endless and all too ridiculous right at the same time. She was greedy and she had married him despite his appeal not to because she was voracious of his wealth. Nothing appeared wrong with the thesis.

Then what kind of greed it was that she had asked him to let her work as a maid on his property?

When he had decided to propose a divorce to her, he had at least expected some protest from her behalf. Some sign to show how desperate she was for him and his money.

But she said nothing. Did nothing.

That troubled him.

Whiles later, when the coach stopped and the drumming of his heart didn’t, Lord Adelwood manufactured a gorgeous smile against his lips and looked at Christiana, while his guards announced him out,

“Welcome to Ashleyton, Lady Ivy.” He said, making her smile. “I hope you enjoy your stay here.”

“I will.” She hummed. “ Thank you, my lord.”

And then without dropping that smile off, he stepped out of the coach.

***

She was standing at the back most of the horde of maids who were there for his reception.

That was the first thing he apprehended as his eyes grazed the throng.

The micros of second that he had utilized to scrutinize her face had refreshed in his fibers the month old memory of her, in her white wedding gown and he realized how she had changed.

She had grown thinner on the whole, or perhaps it was just him.

Though her face had certainly become wiry. She looked more pale than before, in that grey dress. Or again, maybe it was just him.

But her eyes…..Why were there bags beneath eyes? Why did the circum of her eyes looked darker? Why was she appearing so restless?

Was she tired?

His thoughts were interrupted by the mayor who had stepped nearer to him to greet him. He forcefully deepened his smile at the old man and shook his hand, crucial as it was.

Was she working too hard?

Turning around toward the coach door, he then escorted Christiana out of the coach and introduced her to the old man, Mr. Harvey in front.

There were other of his friends, following this, who had stepped out of the coaches behind and who needed be familiarized to their host and so, he walked on to his other friends, introducing them each to Mr. Harvey.

When, thankfully, all that was done, he made his way back to Christiana only to find, that his smile had faded somewhat.

It had never been this tough to keep up a smile before this day. What changed then?

Being a Lord, he managed a smile anyway.

He offered his hand to Christiana and tilting his hand, he inquired, “Shall we?”

“Sure.” The lady beamed.

But he could contain himself no longer. He had to see her, a time more.

He looked up, straight to where she stood, right into her eyes, the dark depths.

He found her looking at him already.

His smile left his eyes.

Her gaze made him anguished. Her gaze made him edgy. She had hatred in those eyes. She had fearfulness in them.

And then again, for the first time in his life, Ashleyton didn’t feel like his own home to himself. He had an impression that he was trespassing her territories, her peace and her privacy by being here and not in London.

But really…..What even had changed?

___________________________________

It couldn't go anymore worse now.....
What will it take away? What will it leave?
It appears that this Pandemic is annihilating a whole civilization.