Chapter 34 - (3)

After breakfast, Walter sat in the sitting room doing some light reading, till Lord Morge and Lord of Merve made an appearance. Walter led them to his study were he told them what the lady had told him last night.

The two men sat solemnly. This was news. Especially for them as they did a lot of business with Northern Lan. These were made fluid by the fact that their queen is a Northern Lan Princess. Business wise, it would be a disaster for those investing at the moment. When this happens, there will be tons of losses. They sighed; good thing they know now before they went too deep. The money invested at the moment is nothing compared to the loss they would gain if they did not know of this and had invested more.

Walter and the two lords made their way down stairs only to be greeted by a few women and their wards their mother had befriended. Walter sighed; it seems his mother is really integrating into this life style. She was hosting brunch for her new peers in only a few days of entering this life style. The women and their wards were moving to the garden, which Walter did not even know they had, when Walter and his guests had descended.

The two lords raised a brow for a second as they made their way down.

"My lords, I was not aware you were around. Walter, are you leaving so soon?" Walter's mother curtsied before asking Walter. Seeing as she curtsied, her guests scramble to do the same.

The lords and Walter felt their mouths twitch. As if any one would believe you did not know they were around? The lords seemed to feel it was too convenient that the ladies were just hanging around the stairs and had not been led to relax in the garden since they came in. Two sentences and she had made it known that they were nobility and her son associated with them.

"Mn. I will be back later." Walter answered before leaving with the two lords who nodded in reply before following Walter out.

"Your mother knows her way around society." Lord of Merve commented as they stepped outside.

"She is of noble birth; her father was Baron Townsdale." Walter sighed inwardly as he explained. The two men glanced at each other and remained silent, before entering their respective carriages. They had left, while Walter mounted a horse and rode out into the city.

Though his mother had gotten two carriages as she said, they had to look their status, he was not going to attract attention by parking a carriage in front of Lady Steinhouse's home. Arriving at the location, he tied his horse away from the building and walked toward it. He knocked at the side entrance used by the servants and presented the token the lady had given him and was let in.

Lady Steinhouse was entertaining a few ladies in her tea room when a servant arrived and whispered into her ear. She stood abruptly, when informed of Walter's arrival, startling the ladies. She quickly apologized and rushed away. The ladies glanced at each other and then at her retreating form and started whispering amongst themselves.

Lady Steinhouse rushed into her chambers and called for her maid.

"Where is the dress I'd bought?" the maid blanked out.

"Hurry up!" Lady Steinhouse scolded and she immediately got out the plain dress. She rushed and got changed. She was quite happy she had no make up on today and that she had thrown out her heavy perfume for a soft floral one. She rushed to get changed into a soft pink flowing dress and sprayed on a little perfume. Styling her hair simply, she rushed out only to pause at the door. What was she doing?

No, this is me making a good impression. That way, he would put in a good word for me. Didn't uncle say that Lady Wickshire was an important person? Yes. Any one would do the same.

"He's at the garden?" she asked her maid, who answered a yes in a daze. She led her lady to the little maze in the middle of the garden. When she saw Walter's back, she waved her maid away and adjusted her dress and made her way towards him. Walter turned as he heard someone approach.

Honestly, he had been taken back by her transformation; yet, he maintained a blank look.

"You took your time. Did I interrupt something?" he asked and she frowned. She saw him take in her look and had expected a comment, but he neither commented nor had a change in expression. She did not like how that made her feel.

"Yes. Did you bring it?" she asked and he gave her the document. Seeing as she glanced through it with little interest, he raised a brow.

"What? Does the matter of the minister no more bother you? Did I waste my time?" Walter asked.

"No, wasted mine." she grumbled. Not hearing her answer, Walter sighed. What is with her now?

"When it comes to using this, you must be ruthless. That's the best way to get a good result. You must understand what he holds dear and take it. Do you understand?" Walter asked.

"His family. We have them already. I was waiting for you." she grumbled. Walter paused; it can't be that she's angry with him, right?

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" Walter frowned.

Neither of them noticed that one of the ladies had left the gathering inside and tried to find Lady Steinhouse and after rustling some maids, made her way there. She could only see Walter's back and they were talking in low tones, so she could not hear what was said. She tried listening hard but failed to hear. Only then did she hear Lady Steinhouse loudly declare,

"I bought a new dress."

"Why?" she heard Walter answer and saw Lady Steinhouse blush.

"What? You don't like it? Don't you know it's rude to say you don't like a lady's dress?" Lady Steinhouse asked, flustered.

"I never said I don't like it." Walter answered. He sighed inwardly, he could feel himself digging himself deeper into a hole.

"If you're so adamant that it you don't like it, buy me another one!" she seemed angered.

"Why does the dress matter? Why does it matter if I like to see it? Others will." Walter was officially confused.

"So, you don't want to see me at all?" Lady Steinhouse's anger seemed to increase another level.

"What...." Walter started to say but decided to shut up. This was getting him no where. Why was she suddenly angry anyway? And what does this have to do with the dress she is wearing? Looking at her lowered head, he picked up her chin to look at him. Lady Steinhouse seemed to have lost he soul staring into his green eyes.

"What's wrong?" he finally asked.

"You should always tell a lady she looks good." she mumbled. Finally he got it. Couldn't she have just said that? Noticing their position, he put his hand down. Sighing inwardly, he wondered why he did something so stupid as to pick up her chin.

The lady hidden in the corner had turned red, as though she had witnessed something scandalous. She noticed as their voices lowered again, not allowing her to make out their words.

"Do you know how to deal with him when you have him?" Walter asked and she nodded.

"Where will you be and what time?" he asked.

"At the abandoned metal shed at Cisle way. A half clock turn before midnight." she answered.

"Okay, I'll be there." he said and turned to leave before he paused as though he had forgotten something.

"You look beautiful." he said before leaving. Lady Steinhouse turned red as she smiled at last.

The lady eavesdropping rushed to hide as she saw Walter turn to leave. She hid as he passed, angry she could not see his face. Looking back at the smiling Lady Steinhouse, she let loose a sly smile. She had information to share with the world.