CWMBR 9

Chapter 9

***

Something kept getting on his nerves.

The rain had stalled him. He'd probably already lost several deals by coming here instead of working. He'd been working on a trade ship that had lost contact just before he came to the manor.

If something went wrong, it would be costly.

Rubbing his forehead, Ain finally set down his bowl, not even half empty. When the tiny clinking sound stopped, silence descended on the dining room.

Ain hated noises, but the silence of this manor was unusually irritating. The manor's remote location in the mountains and the small number of hired help made it feel like he was all alone. Ain had experienced similar silence before.

In Elver.

"Still, it hasn't rained for more than ten days, so the sun will come out soon enough."

Coleman watched his master ponder, then spoke up. Without a word, Ain wiped his mouth, took a sip of water, and rose to his feet.

Going to see Bridget had been a half-impulsive decision.

It was so quiet that a stranger might not even realize Bridget was staying at the mansion, and he felt compelled to confirm her presence. The more time he spent in the mansion, or more precisely, the more time he spent in the same space with Bridget, the more he realized that his cooler head was crumbling.

There was a renewed sense of danger that what had happened at Glynford might repeat itself. What if that foolish Ain Wise, who had paid off Glynford's urgent debts, rented out the entire mansion for lodging, and attended one play after another that he had no interest in, should come out of the woodwork.

Despite his worries, his steps slowed as he approached Bridget's room.

In truth, he didn't like the guest room she was staying in, for it seemed as if she was avoiding him because he was using the master's room and not returning to the hostess's room.

It was funny how she hid in the corner room like a guilty person and how he wanted to act not guilty after accusing her being a liar.

It wasn't as if he had any useful conversation with Bridget once he had finally confronted her. That's to be expected, since he didn't go to her with any purpose in mind.

But------

"I've been living in this mansion for months, and I'm not proud of myself as a hostess if the grievances of my employees are just now being noticed."

The awkwardness he had felt a few days ago was more pronounced.

"You've made the first step, so go ahead and see what lengths they're willing to go to in order to serve me."

Her long-winded retort was exactly what he had seen every day at Glynford, but there was something different about it; she'd been more brash and cocky back then, and now she was something else.

He could feel an invisible wall underneath the coldness of her voice. A solid, high wall that would never be broken. 

"It's not as if their 'hardships' didn't happen, if you recognize them now."

Was Bridget always this insensitive to others? Was her voice always this dry?

 "If you don't have anything else to add, will you please leave, this is my bedroom for now."

It was only when Ain was driven out of the bedroom by her casual dismissal that he realized she had changed.

At the same time, he realized that her conversation with him had been quite strange.

No, technically, it had been that way since the moment he'd arrived at the manor, the way she looked at him, the way she spoke to him.

He stood in the hallway, staring at the closed doorway. Even though he knew Bridget was in there, he could feel no movement, almost as if the room were empty. The room's poor soundproofing, he realized on his first day here, made the current silence even more abnormal.

Bridget had been staying in this mansion like a dead person.

It was only then that Ain realized that something was very, very wrong.

***

He spent several days looking around the mansion. He quietly observed the attitudes of the servants and checked the mansion's atmosphere.

In the meantime, the rain had stopped. The paths, which had soon become soggy, dried quickly in the sun. At any moment, he could have left by carriage or horse, but he did not. Instead, Ain checked the condition of the manor's exterior. He saw untended gardens, outdoor structures that looked like they had never been used, and confronted the hired help.

The manor was sparsely staffed to begin with. Far more than he expected.

He thought it was odd that Coleman had to do it himself, but it was because he was short-handed.

"Which maid is in charge of Bridget's service?"

"...."

Actually, at this point, Ain knew without hearing the answer.

There was no maid assigned to Bridget at all. Even though she'd been living here for months.

"I thought you said everything was going well?"

In the meantime, Ain had been receiving regular monthly reports from Coleman. He'd never pored over them, as he had more important things to do, but he'd at least read them anyway. The reports were always the same.

<Everything is under control>

Ain had assumed that 'everything' included Bridget, of course.

"Well, as you can see, we have our hands full."

"What about the increased budget?"

Coleman clenched his jaw and lowered his head. So far, the only people he'd ever dealt with were Ain's agents. Having never dealt directly with his master, he was stunned, as if he had never imagined such a reprimand.

But it was Ain who was most surprised. The more he looked, the more he realized that Bridget's life here was outrageous.

He remembered the hired help answering his questions with blank faces, unsure of what they had done wrong. They all agreed that they had not been negligent in the upkeep of the mansion. Ain saw the weekly newspaper, which attracted subscribers with third-rate gossip. The front page had a sensationalized headline that read, <The end of a marriage that began with rumors of discord, the breakup of the Wise couple!>

Ain realized that this was the justification for the whole affair.

But whatever lies Bridget had told him, whatever tricks she had played on him to get this marriage, it didn't mean she deserved to be treated unfairly here; she was Mrs. Wise, at least for the few months she'd spent here, and she should be treated as Mrs. Wise should be treated.

Not sure where it had gone wrong, he called for legal representation.

Rationally, they should have checked to see how the unfair treatment Bridget received might affect their case, and they should also hold these employees accountable for assuming the wishes of the owner and doing something he didn't ask them to do.

While he was preoccupied with this unexpected problem, he heard the sound of a carriage outside.

It was impossible that an agent had already arrived after delivering a letter by hand in the morning, so Ain immediately checked on his guest. A rented carriage, a common sight in the city, stood at the entrance. Two people got out of the carriage. 

"------I didn't realize you were still in the mansion."

Magnus looked at Ain with trepidation, and behind him was a handsome platinum-haired man, who smiled broadly when he recognized him. 

"No, look who it is! I'm so glad to see you here!" 

Ah, Finn Emerson. The capital's most famous playwright, the man who flirted with countless society ladies. And the one who had once taken an intense interest in Bridget.

 "I didn't hear about your visit." (Ain)

 "I'm sorry, if I had known you were here, I would have sent you a advanced notice." 

His tongue was still greasy and smooth. Ain frowned at his shameless smugness, which he still didn't like.

 "Magnus." 

Bridget, who hadn't left her room in days, suddenly appeared. She was dressed in an outdoor attire with a hat pressed down on her head and a good-sized suitcase in her hand. Magnus beamed at her with a pleased expression, then turned to Ain and spoke in a rather blunt voice. 

"I'm sure you're surprised by our unexpected visit, so we'll leave right away."

The news that the uninvited guests would not be setting foot in the manor was welcome. But the fact that Bridget was walking as if she were going with them was not welcome at all. 

"Where are you going?" 

Bridget looked surprised, as if she hadn't expected Ain to speak to her. But she soon returned with a grim expression, as if she understood, and answered. 

"As I said, the Abbey."

 "Why already------."

 "I think I told you it's my parents' anniversary soon." 

Bridget interrupted, turning away nonchalantly. 

"Not that you need to remember, of course." 

She prepared to leave the mansion. She wanted to honor her parents in a quiet place. It occurred to Ain a beat too late that indeed Bridget had said that, and she was really just acting on it. Ain watched in disbelief as Bridget climbed into the carriage with Magnus's help.

She turned her back on him without so much as a goodbye, and never looked back. Only Finn Emerson gave him a meaningful glance before climbing into the carriage  last and closing the door behind him. Bridget left the mansion without the slightest hesitation. 

***

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