Chapter 7：Woodcutter's path

Music Recommendation: (Note play both the music at the same time- 1. FOREST AT NIGHT - Crickets Owls Rain Wind in Trees 2. Our walks- Aleksander Dimitrijevic)

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Instead of taking the road where the carriages often passed, Louise had picked the route she was used to while walking back to her home. It was called the woodcutter's path as it was through which the men mainly used after collecting their logs of wood.

Right now, Louise made her way through the quiet woods where she heard the distant hoot sound of the owl that had perched itself somewhere in the forest.

A sigh escaped her lips, "He doesn't seem like a bad man, but then according to the case files that are in Mr. Winkle's office, it would be hard to judge," murmured Louise, speaking about Graham. Even the serial killers who had killed people looked normal until a weapon was given to them, she thought to herself.

As her boots made their way through the dried grass that had lengthy stalks, it made a rustling sound along with her dress before she finally stepped away from them. It was only one time when Louise had walked in the forest at this hour of the night while the rest of the time was during the day, which was why it didn't scare her.

The more she walked, the owl that was hooting felt closer to her in the forest.

Going back to what she and Graham had spoken, she wondered if there were any more questions that she had missed to ask him. She had heard about his wives death from Mr. Winkle, which was why she had tried to not be rude by asking him, but now she questioned if she should have let him clarify it.

She would not be his first or second or not even his third wife, but the fourth wife. Number four. Was she ready to replace his deceased wives place? To fill in a position that some of them were scared of, while most were eager to become Graham Reed's wife.

Though Louise was kind, at the same time, she was even smart in some aspects, and she knew the privilege Reed's family could offer her not just with the way she led her life but also when it came to her career. She didn't forget what Mrs. Reed had told her about a distant relative who could give her the best cases if she were to pass her counsellor exam.

An opportunity like that didn't come easily. But it also came with a price, and that price was by marrying Graham, who was supposedly supposed to be carrying bad luck. Of course, nothing had happened to him or his family, and only his wives had died.

"Is it okay for me to get married to someone while knowing the past record of what happened to his previous wives?" asked Louise to herself, and she answered, "The offer is too mouth watering to let go of it."

"Do I believe I might die?" she asked herself again, and she shook her head. "I don't think I have ever believed in such absurd things. The first two died because of illness and the third one, it was due to an accident," she muttered under her breath while she continued to walk while thinking.

Louise suddenly stopped when she looked around where she was in the forest, a frown coming to appear on her face. She had been walking for the last twenty minutes, and she had not seen any chopped trees. Did she perhaps lose her way?

A sudden breeze of wind passed through the forest and where she was standing. A shiver ran down her body, goosebumps rising on her skin because of the chill wind. From where she stood, she wasn't sure which way to walk.

Standing here would not help her get back home, and Louise decided to pick her right side before she started to walk. This time, she chose not to think about the marriage proposal not until she reached her home. But even though she spent her time walking for the next fifteen minutes, that felt like forever. She didn't see any trees that were chopped.

As more time passed, she came to realize this might not be the path either. Therefore, this time she decided to walk in the straight opposite direction. The owl continued to hoot in the forest, its hoot echoing and the crickets lightly chittering in the plants. When she walked a good distance, it felt like she was truly lost in the forest.

Louise wetted her lips, her brown eyes looking around from where she stood. She had walked through this forest several times before. It was a rare possibility that she would get lost in here.

When she looked on the ground, she caught sight of her shadow.

"I guess there's nothing to worry about. At least I have my shadow to give me company," said Louise.

The wind continued to breeze, moving the leaves as they rubbed against each other as if whispering something in the air. Suddenly a crow cawed, making its way from one side of the forest to another side, and it had made Louise look up at the sky to see the moon that hadn't moved up above her head but stood in front of her without her having to crane her neck.

She pulled out the pocket watch from her bag, flipping it open and bringing it close to see what time it was. She had spent more than an hour walking in the forest. Somewhere, Louise felt she had been walking in circles because most of the trees and the way its branches had come to grow had been the same unless most of the trees grew that way. It was uncanny, thought Louise in her mind.

"Okay, this is not helping," she muttered under her breath, and she picked up a sharp stone before marking an 'X' on one of the tree's barks. This way, she would know in case she was walking in the same part of the forest.

Louise started to walk again, this time keeping her ears and eyes wide to make sure she would be able to step out of the forest. She was hungry, and her stomach growled, and she placed her hand on it.

"When did the air turn cold?" she asked, "It feels like it is going to rain." She looked around the trees before marking another tree as she had walked a good distance away from the marked tree.

Gripping the stone tightly, Louise walked into the quiet and deserted forest where it felt like she was the only person there. Even the owl that had been hooting stopped making sounds. Soon she came across a swamp where the frogs croaked, and the crickets continued to chirp. As peaceful as the surrounding was, there was something very eerie about it.

Knowing her home was nowhere in the direction near the swamp, Louise turned around and at the same time, the clouds up in the sky thundered.

Maybe it was in the opposite direction from where she had initially marked the tree, and she quickly started to walk so that she wouldn't end up getting caught in the rain as it would only make it harder to get out.

But when she returned halfway away from the swamp, she could feel her legs ache, and the raindrops had slowly started to fall from the sky. She placed her hand on the tree that was marked, a sigh escaping her lips. At least she knew which way not to go, thought Lousie to herself.

There was no point in taking shelter if she would get drenched as it didn't feel like the rain would stop. Deciding to continue to walk, she raised her head when a cold sweat broke down from her back.

So far, the most she had done was mark only three trees, but looking around her, she noticed every tree was marked with an 'X'.

Did she by mistake walk in another direction where someone had already marked the trees? But it was highly unlikely, and somewhere, she had now started to worry.

With every tree around her that was marked, she tried to step away from the marked trees, but all she saw was the markings that made it hard for her to step away from the place. Louise held the front of her dress and started to run, but as she ran, she only came across the marked trees and a loud thunderstruck in the sky, and it slowly started to rain.

Though it was raining, the ground held a fair amount of fog.

Suddenly from the other side, she caught sight of a shadow that entered her gaze, and she felt her heart jump in shock. Quickly looking around, she picked up a log of wood that was on the ground and just when she went to swing her hand, the shadow that she had seen earlier caught hold of the log to stop her attack.

"What are you doing here?" came the deep baritone male voice that sounded slightly aggravated.

Graham was drenched in the rain like her, and he now stared at her, his olive eyes intensely staring at her.

Louise released a sigh of relief from her mouth before her hold on the wood loosened. She took the support of the tree behind her so that she could lean, while catching her breath. She closed her eyes, softly cursing herself before she looked at Graham, who was watching her.

"I got lost…" she replied to his question.

Right now, she was glad to see Graham because she was sure she was going to lose her mind by walking in circles. The rain had slowed down, and she said, "I thought I was going in the right path, but I lost my way."

Louise turned to look at the trees to show the 'X' marks, but they weren't there. Not a single tree had a mark on it, and she frowned. Had she been hallucinating all this time?

She heard Graham from behind speak, "The rain is going to get heavier. It would be better to take the road than the forest."

She would have taken it if she knew how to get out of the forest, thought Louise to herself. "Follow me," said Graham and Louise did that. In less than five minutes, they reached the road near the town, and she couldn't believe she was this close, yet she kept running in circles.

With Graham, who walked in front of her, leading her the way, she noticed his wet shirt sticking to his body, showing his broad shoulders and the suspenders snuggly held his shirt. His hair was wet, and he had seemed slightly aggravated as if he had been looking for her. She wondered for how long he had looked for her.

Graham walked to the carriage, where the coachman had opened the door, and he said, "Allow me to take you home. I am sure your aunt and uncle are worried."

"Thank you," Louise murmured, shivering when the wind increased, and the rain had stopped a few seconds ago. She stepped inside the carriage and took the corner seat, and soon Graham entered inside the carriage.

Graham ordered, "Drive the carriage to Ms. Evardon's home."

The rain that had stopped started to pick up again. One could hear the sound of thunder and see the occasional lightning that struck in the sky. The drops of rain fell on the carriage roof, creating a blurring sound to the passengers who were inside the travelling carriage.

Louise sat with her wet dress that had been drenched in the rain while she was in the forest, trying to get her way back home. The drops of water that had dripped down from her clothes had turned the carriage's floor wet. Now that she wasn't in the rain, the air that escaped through the little gap of the window turned her cold, and she shivered. She caught hold of her hands together, sitting still without moving.

A dry black coat suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Take it. It is cold, and I believe you have been in the rain for a longer time than I," offered Graham, even though he had been drenched in the rain.

Louise was too cold to refuse a dry coat that could keep her warm until she would reach her home. Taking it from him, she tried to turn it around so that she knew where the hands of the coat went while also making sure the long coat wouldn't touch the wet floor of the carriage.

"Let me do that for you," said Graham, taking the coat back before holding it right. He leaned closer to Louise, draping the coat around her.

In the closed space of the carriage and with Graham this near to her on a rainy night, she didn't realize she had held her breath until he moved back to his original place. She noticed how his black hair that she had earlier seen to be combed was now wet. The front of his hair was slightly longer, which had come to fall on his forehead.

"How did you find me?" asked Louise, a question that had appeared in her mind since the time he had rescued her from the forest.

Graham turned to his side, pulling out her empty water bottle. It was a bottle that Louise carried with her for work.

"You left this in my office. I went to your house to return it to you, but I heard you didn't return," said Graham.

"Thank you," thanked Louise, taking hold of the bottle in her hand and keeping it inside her bag.

"You shouldn't have picked the route of the forest to get back home, especially at this time. It is never safe for anyone to go through the woods," stated Graham. "You should stick to the road where the carriages come to pass by."

Louise had seen the look in Graham's eyes before she had left the front of his building. He had wanted to tell her something, but he had held back his tongue, knowing she would not listen to it. But now that she did get lost, she wasn't happy remembering it.

"I am used to walking in the woods. It is the first time I ended up getting lost there," replied Louise and added, "Because of the rain. I didn't expect to lose my way."

Graham exhaled air through his mouth, "Your uncle and aunt were worried about you when they heard that you left the centre town two hours ago, Ms. Evardon. What were you planning to do if I didn't come looking for you?" he raised his eyebrows in question.

"I didn't get lost on purpose," Louise pursed her lips. She had believed she would reach home like the other times as she had walked through the same path for months now. "Unexpected things happen." The image of the trees holding 'X' markings on them didn't leave her mind, and she questioned if it was the rain that had turned her mind into a blur, letting her imagine things.

"You didn't answer my question," pointed Graham.

The petty person in her wanted to reply with 'I was going to stay the night until morning arrived', but then that might have been the last option if she wasn't able to find her way out and Graham didn't come to look for her. The feeling of being trapped in a spider's web where she had no escape had passed by her mind.

"I would have continued to look for a way out until I found one," replied Louise with a polite smile on her face.

They stared at each other for three long seconds.

"Bravery must be your second name, Ms Evardon," said Graham, his eyes taking in her presence before he turned to look ahead of him.

It seemed that she had worried more than just her uncle and aunt tonight, thought Louise to herself. When Graham came looking for her, he looked agitated as if he had been looking for her in the forest for several minutes, and if she remembered it right, his breathing had been uneven.

"Thank you for coming to look for me," she said to thank him. "I appreciate it."

"It is the least I could do," replied Graham. "I am sure any person in my place, who knew you were in the forest would have come looking for you."

The sound of the rain hitting the roof of the carriage didn't stop, and they sat in each other's company in silence.

"Mr. Reed?" called Louise after a few seconds. Gaining his attention, when he turned to look at her, she asked, "If you don't mind, could you tell me what happened to your wives."

"I thought you already heard it from others," said Graham, his eyes sharply looking at her.

Louise knew that as quiet as Graham appeared to be, he was smarter than how people perceived him. "I decided it was better to hear it from you, than depend on what others found and their versions. The field that I chose to study, it is told that there are always three sides. One from the person who is involved. The second is the people who hear and tell it. Third is the truth."

Now that she was with him, she felt it was the right time to ask than take more time.

Graham took a look outside the window as if he was trying to see where they were and if there was enough time for what he had to say to her.

He then began, "My family and I used to live in Warlington, we have a mansion there which was built by my grandfather Nelson Reed. As you are already aware, my mother has high standards and she wanted our family to thrive and to have better relationships and status. When I turned twenty, she found a suitable bride for me, my first wife, Nancy Waltham. After the first two months of our marriage, Nancy fell quite sick and within a week, she passed away."

"I am sorry," apologized Louise.

"Don't be. You didn't do anything to them," Graham's words were quite direct.

She realized it would be awkward to repeat it three times, as it wasn't one but three of his wives who had died, thought Louise in her mind. He was married when he was quite young. Considering how he looked younger than many people who had two wives, it made sense now.

"It must have been hard to lose someone you love that early," said Louise, watching Graham's lips subtly twitched.

"Our marriage was more like a business deal. We didn't share any feelings towards each other," explained Graham to her, continuing to say, "My second wife's name was Johanna. We got married a year after my first wife's demise. Johanna Leveson. She passed away after a year of our marriage. My family and I weren't aware of her weak body and her health. A cough sometimes can kill," he paused for a moment so that she could follow him.

"I was too tired with my family's wishes and people had slightly turned to be wary because of the last two deceased wives or mistresses of the future house of Reed. After some time, I met Lisa Young in one of the soirees that I had gone to attend. She was beautiful, kind, poised in her behaviour. I loved her dearly. And one noon, I don't know what compelled her to go to the attic, but she fell to never stand up again...."

Graham's voice had turned distant at the memory, and Louise couldn't help but feel sorry for him. To be married three times, and to end up unlucky…

"It's been five years since Lisa passed away. We all can only hope that she's happy wherever she is now," said Graham. "Is there anything else you would like to know?" he inquired.

"No, that is all," replied Louise. "I am sorry you had to go through it. Losing someone dear is very hard and to continue life."

"I heard about your parents," said Graham, and Louise smiled.

She said, "They left too soon. Consumption is painful to look at the people who suffer from it. Death is inevitable and so is pain that comes with it, we just live and learn to out do it."

"May their souls rest in peace," Graham offered his prayers, and the smile on Louise's lips didn't fall.

Sharing personal information, Louise felt a little closer to Graham, and he seemed less of a stranger than the time when she had spent this evening in his office.

The rain stopped a few minutes before the carriage was pulled in front of the Evardon's residence. The coachman was quick to get down and pull the carriage door open. Even though Graham didn't have to get down, he did and gave his hand for Louise to take so that she wouldn't slip by mistake because of the slippery ground, and he then let go of her hand.

"I will return your coat when I come to see you next time," said Louise while standing in front of Graham.

His olive-green eyes stared into her eyes, "Taking a hot head bath will avoid catching a cold," and she nodded her head.

"Thank you for the ride," she bowed her head, and he returned it.

With the carriage background in the cold, dark night, Graham looked too handsome for Louise's eyes, making her look away from him so that he wouldn't catch her continuously staring at him.

She started to walk towards the gates of her home, but she quickly turned and called, "Mr. Reed."

Graham turned, his head subtly tilting to the side in question.

"Have a goodnight," Louise offered him a smile, catching the faint smile that appeared late and disappeared too quickly from his lips as if it wasn't there.

"Oh, Louise! Look at you all drenched! Did you get lost in the forest?!" questioned her aunt while checking Louise's face as if she was still a small girl who might have slipped and fallen on the ground.

"I am fine, Aunt Merlin. I just got a little lost in the forest," replied Louise, and she caught her uncle giving a nod to Graham, who offered his greetings from where he stood.

"We were so worried when Graham came here and he said you left the centre of the town two hours ago," Aunt Merlin ushered Louise inside the house and Uncle Hugo closed the door. "God bless the man for bringing you safely home. Go now, change your clothes before you catch a cold."

Louise went up to her room, closing the door behind her. She went to stand in front of the mirror, ready to remove the coat, when she noticed how big the coat looked on her. She slowly pulled the coat from her body and placed it on the chair. It would need to go to wash, thought Louise to herself.

That night when Louise got in her bed, she couldn't help but recollect the memory of the way Graham had moved close to her to drape the coat around her shoulders. Remembering the way the olive green eyes looked at her, she felt her heart skip a beat.

"No wonder the girls and women cannot not look at him," whispered Louise to herself.