Timeless Masters | boyxboy | (Book Two: The Master Collection)

Chapter IX - Darcy's Intuition

Darcy was always the first to awaken in the morning. She then readied for the day in the attire Malissa placed out for her, a pale blue gown with long sleeves and a white lace collar, black sleek hair down to the center of her back. After having early tea, Mrs. Lancechester made certain Howard would have breakfast prepared for everyone. And then she remembered the current guests slumbering in her home. Instead of having Malissa fetch them, she had the loyal servant tend to setting the dining table and took it upon herself.

Since Jasper always slept in after stressful days, and given the past couple of them have had him driven up countless walls, she was more than sure his slumber hadn't been touched.

Reaching Jasper's chamber door, she gave it a rap before going inside. The blonde man, however, was not asleep as she expected him to be. Instead, Jasper was up and dressed, sitting lonesome in the armchair facing the fireplace in the front half of the two-sectioned room. There was a book in his lap, but it didn't look like the Master had touched it. Jasper's eyes just stared into the low flames, giving the impression of abandonment.

"Jasper," Darcy called to him, hoping to break his lost concentration.

At the sound of his name, the Master looked down at his book, flipping it over in his lap. "What is it, Darcy?" he asked.

She entered the room further and touched Jasper's hair, softly curling one of his long locks around her finger. Already knowing what was on the Master's mind, she didn't think it necessary to question his inner affliction. In the end, it was always caused by the one thing that haunted everyone within the manor. The great loss of someone they all felt deeply for in one way or another. So, instead of addressing it, Darcy said, "Breakfast will be ready soon. You will come down and eat, won't you?"

"I will be there in a moment," Jasper answered, standing from his chair. Today he was dressed in a white shirt with a forest green vest, a silver ascot tucked into it, and black dress trousers with leather boots and a coat to match.

Darcy gave his shoulder a light squeeze and left a kiss upon his cheek before heading out to retrieve Oliver and Quinn. She ventured all the way to the far end of the second floor, always growing tired after reaching the stairs no matter where in the manor she was. She loved her home dearly, but it could be obnoxious in size at times.

When coming to the first camellia chamber, she gave the door a rap and listened for a response. "Oliver?" she called, not knowing if either he or Quinn had taken the room. Not receiving an answer after a second, she turned the unlocked knob to open the door without a sound and peered inside.

The bed was messy as though someone had been sleeping in it before, but now it was a pile of sheets and pillows. The bathroom door was open as well, but no one was inside. "Did I somehow miss them?" Darcy wondered aloud. It wouldn't have surprised her if they somehow managed to make it down without her even noticing.

Heading to the waterlily chamber across the way, Darcy did the same as before: tapping her knuckles on the face of the door before calling to the other side.

Again, there was no answer.

Turning the brass knob, she pushed the door open and poked her head inside, eyes sweeping the interior until her gaze caught sight of the bed. Beneath the covers lay two figures bundled against one another. Oliver's sleeping form was facing her, a pillow clutched under his head. Quinn was behind him and had an arm around the other boy, holding Oliver close against himself.

If anything, Darcy was surprised by what she'd walked in on. A part of her wanted to wake the boys and tell them about breakfast anyway, but...she was positive they would lose their minds if they knew she'd seen them together this way, just as she would be equally frightened if someone who wasn't understanding discovered her and Juliette's secret affair. Perhaps she could teach them the importance of locked doors? Or did she just need to remember that even though there was no answer after a knock, someone could very well be on the other side?