Chapter 5 5

V. Gentle Devil

The worst possible punishment one could get was silence-sheer, complete, utter silence.

Mary tried not to mind Adrien's ignorance of her presence as they rode to Oakham Manor. She was used to such silence. She had found solace in the absence of sound. It was going to be fine, she assured herself.

Relief had flooded her senses, clouding the guilt she was feeling for what she had brought into Adrien Haverston's life. She could only hope that he would find it in his heart to forgive her someday. If not, she would understand. She could live a life similar to most wives in the Town in which they wake up and go to bed with impassionate husbands who only married them for their dowries or their titles. She could get used to the indifference as long as she could keep the Mary and Angel houses-her father's legacy.

She may not bear children for Adrien had vowed never to touch her, but she could find a more deserving heir to her fortune when the time came. She could give it to Adrien or his bastards if he'd have any. But she would never allow Barty and Collin Featherton a single townsend.

The carriage came to a stop and Mary found herself stepping out without help from her husband. She looked around Pierce Road, a strip that housed estates owned by bachelors, most of them notable rakes like her husband.

She could deal living in such neighborhood. It was nothing compared to the vulgarities and scandalous ways she had grown up to in the Mary and Angel Houses.

A young, handsome butler opened the doors for them.

"Crawley, Mary Featherton-Haverston. Wife, meet Crawley," Adrien flatly said as he passed the surprised butler.

Crawley bowed to Mary, murmuring, "My lady," as she passed by, looking lost.

"Your lady maid will come see you in your chambers. Crawley, show her to her room," Adrien continued as he walked to the stairs, then he stopped halfway and looked down at where Mary had stood in the middle of the large hallway, his eyes cold and menacing. "I take my breakfast very early. You can take yours after I am done or in your own bedchamber. The same shall go with the other meals."

Mary nodded, fighting the tears that stung at the back of her eyes.

You have done this to yourself, she reminded herself.

Adrien continued to stare at her for a short while before he turned away and continued his ascend up the stairs.

It was only then that Mary allowed herself to breath.

"My lady, let me escort you to your room. Your lady maid shall be with your shortly after," Crawley said and she silently followed him to her chamber. She had seen Adrien turn to the west wing of the manor while Crawley took her to the east. She bitterly smiled to herself. He had made sure that she was situated far from him.

Very well, if that was his wish, it shall be so.

Her things were already in her bedchamber when she entered. She immediately grabbed the large portmanteau where she kept her most valuable possessions and checked the contents.

They were all there. The rest and most important ones were still well-hidden in Mary House. Mary turned and found herself facing a long dressing mirror. The lady who stared back at her was almost a stranger. You're a married woman now. She looked down at her white dress and allowed a sardonic smile.

Her mother's wedding dress was not perfect as she had imagined it to be. She had saved it to be worn on her own wedding day, yet it did not give her justice for she was not wed with joy like her mother.

"I am sorry, Mama. This is all I can do," she said with regret.

*****

Adrien spent the night with another bottle of brandy.

It was done. No need to fret now, he told himself. You simply have to deal with it.

Mary's pitiful, gentle face flashed in his mind. He shook his head with disgust. She was no angel. She was a devil.

He went to bed drunk and woke up with an intense headache the morning after.

As promised he dared not think about his wife when he went to break his fast. She could stay in his house and carry his name but she was on her own from now on. He did not even have to see her or her shadow for he had made sure that she was given her own meal when he was in residence.

And he would continue to go out and do whatever he bloody well wanted to do. He had dressed to go to Mary House where his friends would be. Ah, most of them would wonder why he was in town and not on a honeymoon. Well, they could all damn well go to hell. Marrying Mary ought not to stop him from going to the club.

Preston arrived before he left with alarming news, his oily face looked even greasier with worry.

"Your brother is missing."

Adrien frowned. "Calan? But he was at my dratted wedding yesterday."

Preston had a worried look on his face. "I know. And I cannot find him."

"He had mentioned going home to Easton. Perhaps you can find him there."

Preston nodded. "I have sent an inquiry. I am waiting for a reply."

He nodded. "Send me a note if you come up with anything. And I shall try looking for him at Haverston."

With that in mind, Adrien did just that. He went straight to Haverston but did not dare have his presence made known for his aunt and his father were still in residence. They had been planning a long vacation and he could not bloody wait until then. The butler had not seen Calan nor had he been in residence since he had arrived from Easton. Adrien left with a frown.

Where the bloody hell was his brother?

*****

Mary woke up with a start. It was strange to find herself in an unfamiliar room. It took her a moment to remember that she was in Oakham, her husband's estate.

She climbed out of bed, her eyes puffy, and sighed. She ought to be done crying by now.

Have a hold of yourself, Mary. Merely imagine that you are not wed, that you have no husband. Your name had simply changed and you are now quite safe. They could no longer go on with their evil plan. You have won.

Yes, she had won.

The door to her chamber opened and a small, young woman entered with hesitation. She glanced at Mary and looked away. "My lady, you may now go down for breakfast."

So he was done eating. And she could take her meal. How wonderful!

"I shall be down shortly."

"I ought to help you dress," the woman said, walking toward her.

"I can manage, Agatha," she told the girl.

The girl looked at her with surprise. "You remember my name."

Mary smiled at her. "Of course. You helped me last night."

The girl returned her smile warmly. "Do you need anything else, my lady?"

My lady. Would she ever get used to the title?

Mary shook her head. "No. I am sure I can manage. Will you send word to Mary House for me though?"

"Of course, my lady. To whom would you wish the note be addressed?"

"Timothy. Tell him that I will be needing my carriage as soon as possible. Provide the Oakham address as well."

The girl curtsied. "I shall tell Crawley, my lady."

"You cannot do it yourself?"

The girl flushed. "I am afraid I do not know how to write, my lady."

Mary assessed the girl thoughtfully. "Well, would you like to learn?"

"But that would mean I ought to learn how to read as well."

"I shall teach you. Would you like that?"

Agatha's brown eyes widened with glee. "You will? I mean, you will, my lady?"

Mary shrugged. "Of course. Everyone ought to have the privilege to learn and one cannot do so without learning how to read and write. You should not be deprived of learning and the wonders it brings."

Agatha's eyes turned misty. "I shall forever be grateful to you, my lady. I promise to be the best student and I shall try my best."

"Very well, then, let us not bother Crawley. I shall write the note myself. Will you make sure it is delivered?"

Agatha nodded in earnest. Mary went to her desk where she had placed her notebooks and writing paraphernalia the night before. She hastily wrote a note for Timothy and handed it to Agatha for delivery.

Once alone, Mary went on to quickly change into a black mourning dress.

She was married now and it brought along many advantages, one of which was that she could now go out freely without a companion and pretty much without question.

*****

Adrien arrived later that day, his mind full of concern. Calan was still missing and he had not received word from Preston thus far.

He intended to find Crawley but the young butler was nowhere in sight. He went to the kitchen and heard a young girl's voice, talking animatedly.

"She shall teach me how to read and write! Can you believe it, Mr. Crawley? I am glad to be lady Mary's lady maid. I will no longer have to rely on anyone to write notes."

He heard Crawley laugh. "I have a good impression of lady Mary. I know she will be kind and generous. Just one look at her and one ought to know." His young butler was infatuated with his wife! He was certain of it!

And then Adrien's brow arched. Mary teaching her lady maid to write and read? What should he make of that?

"Still a bloody she-devil," he muttered to himself before he made his presence known to his butler. The lady maid, a young lady with brown eyes, cowered back and quickly disappeared into the pantry.

"My lord!" Crawley uttered, his face flushed. "I was not aware you have come home."

"Where is my wife?"

Crawley blinked. "My lord?"

"Where the bloody hell is she?" he asked again, feigning annoyance. There was no great reason why he asked for her location. He merely wanted to be certain that they did not cross paths.

"She is not home, my lord."

His brow arched higher. "What do you mean she is not home? Where the bloody hell did she go?"

"She had sent for her carriage from Mary House this morning, my lord, and had not returned since." The look of worry on Crawley's face was evident. "I was not aware she ought not to leave the manor, my lord."

"There was no such order. She can bloody do whatever she wants," he snapped at Crawley. "Inform me at once when she arrives," he added before he turned around to go to his study.

Crawley bowed. "Yes, my lord."

But two hours later and after he had taken his supper, there was still no news of Mary's arrival. The vixen was testing his patience. His brother was missing and it was a big problem enough. He had no time to think about her welfare at this time!

But you have made it certain that she thinks she is on her own, his mind whispered.

"But she lives in my house and she shall follow its rules!" he gritted through his teeth before he stormed out of his study and ordered for his carriage, making up Oakham estate rules in his mind to present to his wife once he got a hold of her.

*****

Mary cried in surprise when the door to her private chambers, one she had turned into her own private study, bedchamber and library after her father died, in Mary House flew open and Adrien stormed in followed by the distressed Timothy.

"I have tried to stop him, Miss Mary, but-"

"She is my bloody wife, Timmy, I have the right to be here," Adrien said coldly, his eyes on Mary. "Get up and bring your arse back to Oakham. Now."

"But-"

"Do not test my patience, Mary," he warned.

Her eyes went to Timothy. "It is fine, Timmy. You can leave."

The butler hesitated but bowed and left the room.

Mary stared at Adrien for a while, her heart still racing from her shock, and looked back down on the paper spread out before her. "I shall return after I am done working, my lord. You can go home."

She stiffened when his purposeful steps echoed around her private chamber. No man had ever stepped inside her room apart from her father. "You must have forgotten, my lady, that you are no longer free to do what you wish. Go back to Oakham now."

Mary took a deep breath and calmly lifted her head to look at him in the eye. "My lord, you have told me that I am my own person and you have no business to do with me. I understood that to be the fact and have taken it quite literally. You being here is a big contradiction to everything you have told me so far."

"You live under my roof and you will abide by its rules whenever I want it, however I wish it. And as you may know, the rules have changed. You will no longer go anywhere without my permission-"

Mary shot to her feet, bracing her hands flat on the table. "One of the reasons why I married you, my lord, is so I can keep the Angel and Mary Houses. I have lived her all my life and I am confident that I am safer here than anywhere else. There is no need to act concerned. You are merely tiring yourself for we both know you have no concern for my welfare at all. For all I know you must be praying for my unfortunate demise-"

"Stop!" he cried, his voice filled with fury. "My God, woman, how could you speak with great calmness and gentleness when we both know that you are nothing but a she-devil?"

Mary let the insult pass and calmly answered, "I do not care what you think of me no more, my lord. I merely wish to be left alone. You have promised to do that."

His jaw twitched and she saw his hand clenched into fists. "I expect that you follow my orders while you bear my name and I order you to go home this instant. I will not have my name tarnished because my wife is discovered going home in the wee hours."

"I am home here, my lord. But if you mean Oakham, I shall go there once I am done with my work."

Adrien's eyes battled with hers for a long while before he slowly nodded. "Very well, expect that you shall not receive any protection or concern for me, Mary, for you shall have none. But do come home if you know what is good for you. I will not have my wife trotting around like a paid wench."

Mary's hands balled into fists when Adrien left, banging the door behind him.

She controlled her own anger by closing her eyes as she counted to ten.

She sat back down and returned to writing her note:

Keeping my distance. He does not suspect. Any more requests?

Short and concise as he wanted them to be, she thought as she looked down at her work. Mary swallowed her anxiety for the thing she feared most was Adrien or anyone else discovering her secrets.