Capítulo 34: Messenger
Beth continued to look at the letter that she had written a minute ago which was now concealed in an envelope. Given that Mr. Heathcliff had never received a letter from Madeline before as they had never written to each other before, Beth found it to be safe to write the letter on behalf of her sister.
If what her mother said was true, this would work just wonderfully. Putting the envelope in her dress, she stepped out of the room.
"Mama, I will be stepping out of the house to go to the central market," informed Beth to her mother who was still in the kitchen. Her mother who noticed her dressed, asked,
"Why are you going to the central market?"
"Madeline happened to leave the gloves here that we took from the shop and forgot to return it. Seems like she was in quite some hurry when she went there," said Beth waving the red gloves in her hands, "I will be back soon," and with that, she left the house to walk to the central market where Mr. Heathcliff's shop was situated at the front.
Her shoes walked towards the shop, and reaching there, she made sure to give the letter to the assistant of Mr. Heathcliff so that he could hand it over to the man along with the gloves, but before she could leave, Mr. Heathcliff arrived at the doorstep.
"Miss Beth," greeted Mr. Heathcliff, looking behind her to see if Madeline had come along with her, but it seemed like it was just the older daughter of the Harris who had come to the shop.
"Mr. Heathcliff," Beth bowed her head, "Madeline forgot to return the gloves, so I came here to give it to you," she saw the assistant hand him the envelope which she had given, "She wished to come here, but she's unable to do it," she added when he read who the letter was from.
The man had a smile on his face, not knowing what the contents were about, thinking it was a love letter sent by the woman he had been trying to court but hadn't done it for so long. Beth who saw the eagerness in his eyes and face decided to burst the bubble herself and said,
"Madeline said to make sure that you received this letter. She was worried about you," said Beth, creating doubt in Mr. Heathcliff's mind.
"I am perfectly fine," the man chuckled but seeing the look on Beth's face, he asked, "Is everything alright?"
Beth pursed her lips, her eyes darting left and right, "You should read the letter she wrote for you…" Mr. Heathcliff's eyebrows drew together in slight worry, and he looked at her before opening the letter she had brought, which was from her younger sister, Madeline.
The man's eyes quickly went to read the letter that was addressed to him, and as if once was not enough, he read the letter one more time. The smile on his lips was gone, and his eyebrows continued to frown.
"I don't understand, Miss Beth," said Mr. Heathcliff, putting the letter down, "I saw her two days ago," Beth nodded to his words, her face sad and her shoulders drooped down, "They can't keep her there against her will!"
"Unfortunately, that is how it is, Mr. Heathcliff. The King refuses to let her leave the castle now, and she is imprisoned there. Unhappy for what has happened because she is in love with you and she said she wanted to have a future with you," she shook her head, her words merely a whisper only for him to hear, "But even though she is sad about it, she will get through it one day. Or maybe never," added Beth, her eyes glancing at the man who had a look of disbelief on his face.
"I will speak to the King. He can't keep her against her will," declared Mr. Heathcliff.
"Don't do it. My parents begged and pleaded and believe me when I say this, Madeline has no interest to live in the castle. But the King won't allow it. He has threatened to kill if any of us try something-"
"That doesn't mean I am going to watch the woman I love and who loves me back to be taken away from me. It doesn't mean I am going to sit here doing nothing, Miss Beth," Mr. Heathcliff clutched the envelope in his hand.
James Heathcliff was one of the man in the village who was a bachelor with a decent status and money. Not to forget he was a handsome man who some of the women were trying to aim for but James had fallen in love with a young woman named Madeline Harris. She was a beautiful woman, her words always polite and her demeanour simple.
He had been wanting and waiting to court her for months, but it was only recently, did he take the courage to ask her, wanting to make sure his feelings were not one-sided.
If Madeline had written and left him this letter for him to read, it only showed how anxious she was right now. It was clear that they both liked each other and the King was forcibly keeping her in the castle when in truth she wished to return back home.
Beth, on the other hand, was glad to see that for what she had come here had turned out just like she had expected. Giving Mr. Heathcliff enough push and knowledge that Madeline was upset and sad.
"Please don't do anything brash," Beth tried to convince him as if she had not come here to rile his feelings for her sister, Madeline.
"Do not worry, Miss Beth. I will make sure no harm falls on your family. There should be a way to change the King's mind," he said thoughtfully.
"I can only hope for my sister to be happy were her happiness lies," replied Beth with a small smile, "I should get going before my mother worries. Thank you," she bowed her head and Mr. Heathcliff bowed his head.
Beth who turned around walked down the streets with a blank expression before a small smile returned on her lips.
Capítulo 35: Disciplining her
"Lady Madeline! Lady Madeline!" a maid knocked on the door which was closed from inside, "Please open the door so that we can get you ready," the maid tried to get the door open but the lady inside was not having it.
Madeline stared at the door whilst she sat on the bed, unwilling to move and open the door which she had locked since the time of the morning she had woken up. She was supposed to join King Calhoun for breakfast and instead of letting the maids in to get her ready, Madeline sat there with her nightclothes, delaying the dreaded time to spend with him.
The door continued to knock, "Lady Madeline, we request you to please open it. The King expects you in the next ten minutes. He's going to very angry on us…"
She stared hard at the door before finally getting down from the bed and walking towards the door to open. Madeline was not an insensitive woman to not know what repercussion people would face because of her. She felt like her feet and hands were bound where she was unable to do anything right now.
Madeline said, "I have taken my bath," she didn't want the maids touching her like last night where it had been nothing but uncomfortable, "What's that?" she asked looking at the two maids who carried boxes in their hands.
"Your clothes and jewels to wear now, milady," answered the one in the front who went by the name Nicola. The maid looked her in the eye without batting an eyelash, "The King said he ordered the dresses from the far East and hopes you will like it," seeing the girl's tantrum since yesterday, the head maid had to bite her tongue from asking the girl to stop acting like a child. She was behaving as if hell had fallen down in here when in truth she should be feeling fortunate.
And Madeline could see the way the maid looked at her, as if she wanted to tell her something but instead, Nicola chose to bow her head. A smile coming up on her face that confused Madeline,
"Let us get you ready," said the maid and the other two maids started to unpack the box they had brought along with them. Pulling out the materials one after another and the other one opening the small box that carried neckpieces. Madeline was still getting ready when the door flew open without a knock that had everyone turn around to see Calhoun arrive at the door.
"What's taking so long to get her ready?"
The maids froze in their places and the corset was only being tied with the laces that slipped from their hands at the sight of the King who had come here. Madeline gulped seeing him, his body carrying a shadow on one side as his shoes clicked the floor.
Calhoun gave a look at the head maid who quickly gave him a bow, "We were getting her ready, milord."
"Did you think I was going to have my breakfast once the sun would set down?" he asked with an underlying tone of sarcasm in it. The maids didn't answer and stood quietly. Not daring to look up or move an inch.
Madeline then spoke, "I woke up late."
Calhoun's dark liquid red eyes shifted from the maids to look at the woman who he had been looking forward to seeing since she had left his room last night. Her blonde hair was left open to cascade down her shoulders like rays of the sun. Her eyes looked brown and not dilated which meant she had been awake for some time now.
"Must have been good sleep," he tilted his head to the side, his eyes staring down at her, "Leave us." Madeline's eyes widened at the King's demands. She looked at the maids alarmed as they started to leave the room. "Wait," he stopped them to say, "Close the doors behind you."
Madeline could feel her legs slightly shaking beneath the petticoat that she wore. She was barely clothed with just the petticoat, shift, stockings and the corset that was left half-finished. With the maids in front of her, she had felt covered but now that they were gone, she felt as if she were naked in front of him.
"I am capable of dressing myself," spoke Madeline, her words coming out to be nervous when Calhoun took a step forward.
"Nobody said you aren't," his eyes drank in her appearance, the way her bare feet were placed next to each other and were clenching the ground. The skin on her neck raising goosebumps all around even though the room wasn't cold. He took his steps forward and Madeline's lower back hit the bedpost.
Contrary to her appearance, Calhoun was dressed from head to toe and his hair combed back to not hinder his devil-like gaze and smile that she had come to know in a short span of time. But right now, he wasn't smiling at her. His eyes continued to look at her closely that made her uncomfortable and he enjoyed her response. Like a feral animal playing with its prey by its paws that would draw out its claws at any time.
"Don't lie to me, Madeline. I will not tolerate any lies or secrets," he said to her, his body moving closer to her and she had to hold her breath to see him reach out for the dress that was on the bed, leaning back he said, "Let's get some discipline." He then stated, "I am sure you will learn to wake up early and not waste my time next time."
He was joking, wasn't he? Thought Madeline to herself, her throat turning dry.
"You cannot do that," she said, and even though she wanted to move she couldn't. Not with her scarce clothing on her body. Right now his eyes were looking at her brown eyes and she didn't want it wandering anywhere she didn't want him to look at.
"I cannot think of any good reason why I can't. Step away from the bedpost, unless you want me to dress you with the bedpost. You brought this upon yourself," Madeline could feel her head slightly spinning because of the sudden predicament she had put herself in.
"I am not ready for this," Madeline had brought her hand in front of her chest.
With the lack of smile on his lips, Madeline felt dread mix in her blood, "Turn around," he wasn't budging and he wasn't going to let her go.
Madeline turned around, closing her eyes in concentration. It was a small white lie, "You are only trying to find reasons to get close to me."
Calhoun had stepped behind her. Without prior notice, he pulled the laces of the corset in enough force for her to fall back and crash against his chest. He whispered, "What can I do when you're giving me reasons to get close to you."
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