Lair of Luxury

VII | Behind the Whispering Walls

VII. Behind the Whispering Walls

When striding toward uncharted terriority, the heart would always pulsate, and one's mind would beg to go away. But the body, as if it had the whole control, continued to march forward, even when that meant facing unexpected hurdles. I was past the point. It was inevitable.

My gaze indulged in the pristine vista of pine trees, and a lake mirroring the azure sky, before it shifted to walls with intricate floral motifs in repeating patterns. There were noble women in their pastel dresses with sartorial elegance, their corsets accentuating their curvy torsos.

Their Helmburian singsong mutters collided in a rush, hovering over the air, pressing.

Navy blue curtains draped to veil each side of the windows around the parlor, and there was a large portrait of the former matriarch of House Norbury hanging on the wall. She appeared strikingly formidable, her smoldering gaze pricking through the aging paint.

What fascinated me was that pictures could capture the moment, and immortalize it. But, some pictures rot.

Then, I sensed a familiar presence that made my gut swarm. "Good day to everyone!" Lord Jake strutted in. He made sure that his gaze walked everywhere, jumping from one noble, to another. "Ah, the woman I have been looking for..." He said as he approached me.

"What do you want, my Lord?" I lifted an eyebrow.

"Well, I wished to check upon you after the rather unfortunate trouble you were in," Lord Jake clicked his tongue, exaggerating every movement. "I could have lost my future."

"I am neither your future, nor your property," I seethed.

"Dear, I have not labeled you my property..." Lord Jake trailed off, his eyes burning through mine.

I glared. "I do not want anything to do with you." I clenched my fists, containing the rush of fury. It was not professional to act on that anger. "So please, I won't waste your time."

Lord Jake frowned, a flicker of hurt crossed his face. "Is this how you treat the person who saved you from your near demise?" He added. "I must hear words of gratitude from you."

I knew that Lord Jake was not worth spending any minute to scowl at, so I calmly replied. "Thank you." Without another word, I sauntered off, breaking the tension that permeated in the space between us.

When I was at a safe distance from him, I observed as he crossed the room to a circle of women. He let his seductive side take over, seeping into his relaxed frame. He, along with the women, burst into laughter. Perhaps, he was swaying their votes. Rosalie did say that this event was an opportunity to seize the support of nobles in attendance.

It would not hurt to campaign around the parlor with a smile.

I was prepared to take on. My eyes flitted everywhere, from one circle, to another. I allowed myself to be drawn to whoever. There, I was pulled toward a conversation about warding off the case numbers of thieves.

"Working on the security sector, I've always analyzed how the methodologies I have published, affected the case of crime in Helmburn. I am not proud to admit that... there were errors." A man in a sleek suit spoke with a glass of chardonnay in hand.