Chapter 119 119 Caution

Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Caution

Nora's tufted eyebrows furrowed immediately; "Friends? What friends?" she asked unsurely.

"Selina the pharmacist. . ."

Nora's eye brows decongested.

". . .and our old friends, the Howards."

Nora's eyebrows shot up so far back, they might have become one with her forehead;

"The HOWARDS??? Why mother?! They're nothing but backstabbing thieves! They stole father's lands, and robbed us of our profits!"

The passion in her voice was evident.

Madeline took her left hand and led her in;

"Oh Nora, Lord Fitch was merely developing the property for us. . .he's given it all back silly. . ."

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In the great hall, seated across her mother, with lunch spread out on the table, Nora watched her mother as she narrated in full what had happened. She spared no details at all, highlighting every minute detail of the encounter.

Eyes glistening, mouth slightly open in shock, with her arms folded across her chest, and her chest barely heaving, Nora paid full attention.

". . .by the time I turned to leave, Lady Fitch was still unconscious. I felt bad for the old bird having to see her son do that to a pig. . ."

Madeline forked a thin slice of apple and lifted it to her mouth. As she munched in silence, Nora finally found her voice;

"Wow mother. . .I don't even know what to say. . .Nexus must have really done a number on you if you're healed enough to go picking fights."

The matriarch chuckled lightly;

"That's hardly the issue here Nora. You know what comes next right?"

The younger woman heaved a deep breath; "Lord Fitch won't take this likely."

"Exactly.–" she sipped from the goblet; "–though, from what I saw today, he's clearly in love with the lands. So, I believe his first priority will be to try and find a way to keep control of the property. . ."

Nora completed her line of thought; ". . .making Paul the primary threat. . ."

"Exactly," she echoed again; "I don't think it's a good idea for you to go out anymore. At least, for now. . ."

At the edge of her eyes, worrying lines screamed out;

"You're doing it again. . ." Nora answered coldly; ". . .after all this while, you still think I'm some weak helpless baby."

The shadows under Madeline's eyes lengthened. Carefully laying down the cutlery in her hands, she looked her daughter right in the eyes;

"Of course not. I, more than anyone else, am aware of just how much you've grown. But. . ."

"But not grown enough to handle this Paul character."

Madeline tensed;

"Nora listen to me, there is no creature more dangerous on the earth than a vain man with a wounded pride. I completely humiliated the boy today- do you understand that?"

No response.

"Do you TRULY understand that?!" she asked again with burning eyes; "Even if, by some miracle, the Howard family decides to let this go, That boy WILL NOT let it slide–"

Her voice cracked;

"–I know you're a big girl, but can you try to at least see things from my perspective- even if? it's just for a moment?"

The faint sound of horses neighing in the stables, drifted into the great hall in shifty echoes. The brilliant sun shone through the open windows- glinting off the silverware on the table.

"What about Monica?" Nora finally asked; "She needs to be aware "

Madeline face twitched calculatedly;

"She too will be informed about the situation. Just as soon as anyone lays eyes on her. Seriously, your sister is hardly ever home these days."

Nora relaxed in her chair;

"Honestly, deep down, I really wish the Paul boy will do something stupid like attacking Monica head on. . .she will not hesitate to engage him at all. . .even if she doesn't kill him, she will leave him so disfigured, he will be messed up for life."

Madeline chuckled lightly. Her green eyes shone in the light of the reflecting rays that bounced off the silverware.

In truth, that had been her backup plan. Madeline knew that once she and Nora were locked safely within the castle walls, the foolish youth was likely to go looking for her step daughter to sate his vengeful lust. And of course, she was banking on the fact that the fiery redhead would let him have it.

But there were too variables in that plan that were out of her sphere of influence.

She picked up her goblet, and took a swig of the rich apple cider;

"We need just need to find Monica and warn her first. . .then we watch and wait for him to make a move."

Nora watched her mother furtively;

"You're so sure that he's going to try something. What if he–"

"Riddle me this Nora, if someone made you go on all fours in public, with your bare butt in full glare for all to see, and then, a dirty dog- let's say a rotttweiler, mounts you from the back, and fucks you to completion- right here, in the castle's courtyard. . .before my eyes. . .before the eyes of all the servants. . .would you let it go?"

Nora's eyes went round in shock at the gory picture.

As she pictured it, her face darkened and the edges of her jaw tightened;

"I would hunt them down to the ends of the earth, and make sure they suffer."

"Exactly," Madeline put down the goblet; "Get ready. He's coming. And he's gonna want blood."

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Monica tapped her fingers.

One. . .two. . .

She rolled them again- like a pianist fingering his keys.

They clacked against the bare wood table- again and again, repeating in consecutive patterns- rising in tempo- reflecting her rising impatience.

It was the third day. Still no sign of Ni Yang!

She was seated alone at a dark corner in the exchange. A cup of lager- filled to the brim, bubbling with rich white foam, sat untouched right before her. With her velvet hood up, and both her hands on the table, she sat hunched over the table as she trained her eyes on the door.

Every tall broad shouldered man that passed piqued her interest.

She would stare hard- waiting for him to turn- waiting to see his full profile.

But every single time, a disappointing sigh would escape her throat, and her lower face would contort into a sneer, thinking;

'Where the fuck is he? Where the fuck is Ni Yang?'

Seated in that chair, with the lusty smell of the freshly brewed lager wafting in the air, and with the sizzling scent of crisp burning bacon filling the room, Monica was completely unplugged- from reality.

The very image of Ni Yang flooded her mind completely.

Vividly imprinted in her memory was his lax face, his easy-going-look, his black eyes that seemed to hide more than he was letting on, and that awful awful hat. She even remembered his scruffy beard that didn't quite fit him.

She caught herself losing it, and paced her thoughts;

'Damn it, get yourself together Monica. . .get it together. . .'

But she didn't.

Half an hour later, she was at the front desk with one question;

"Where's the newbie?"

"I'm sorry?"

"I mean the new guy who was here a few days ago. . .tall, stupid hat, with a long dark coat."

The receptionist- a new girl, tilted her head and looked at Monica with a bland expression;

"Ma'am, take a good look around, you basically described every single man in this hunter's lodge. . ."