A Search for Balance

Chapter 34 - The Mask Slips

Warning: narcissistic rage, language, manipulative behaviour, misogynistic language

The world hadn't fully stopped spinning yet when Lizzie stepped out from the fireplace in the entrance room of McRae Manor. She didn't bother brushing off the ash but rushed up the broad staircase leading to the upper levels of the house, taking two steps at a time. Once she reached the landing, the familiar pit-pat of naked feet sounded on the marble floor. A moment later, Dede appeared.

"Miss Lizzie!" the house-elf called out. "Miss Lizzie, where are you going?"

"Where is Matthew?"

Dede flinched at the sharpness of Lizzie's tone, but Lizzie was too furious to feel sorry.

"Master Matthew is in his study but wishes not to be disturbed under any circumstances."

"Good."

Lizzie set off in the direction of Matthew's study, Dede jumping along next to her, whining and begging her to stop.

"Miss Lizzie, please," the unhappy house-elf begged, already pulling on her long, drooping ears. "Miss Lizzie can't go see the Master now. Dede can't let her."

Lizzie didn't listen. She pushed the handle to the study without knocking and marched into the room. Matthew sat behind his desk, his head bowed over a heap of documents, the scratching of his eagle quill the only sound in the room.

"I said I don't want to be disturbed, Dede," he said, not acknowledging Lizzie's presence with so much as a glance. "Does this look undisturbed to you?"

"No, Master Matthew," Dede whimpered. "I tried telling Miss Lizzie, but -"

"I'm not pleased."

With a yelp, Dede threw herself to the ground, banging her forehead against the floorboards, Lizzie watching the little house-elf hurting herself with a mixture of guilt and horror. When Dede moved toward the fireplace and reached for the iron poker, she couldn't take it any longer.

"Dede, stop!"

"Dede disobeyed the Master's orders. Dede must be punished!"

Lizzie turned to Matthew. "Make her stop."

Matthew kept on writing, the hint of a smirk playing around his lips.

"For Godric's sake, Matthew! I'm begging you!"

"Enough," he told Dede. He jerked his head toward the door. "You may go."

"Thank you, Master Matthew," Dede sniffed, bowing down low as she backed from the room. "If Master Matthew or Miss Lizzie need anything, they need only call."

When Dede was gone, Matthew briefly glanced at Lizzie before picking up his quill again. Lizzie stepped closer.

"Matthew, we need to talk."

Silence filled the study as Matthew continued writing. The longer he did so, the more furious Lizzie became.

"We need to talk," she repeated, louder this time. When Matthew still didn't react, she reached for his papers, sweeping them off the table with an angry motion. He raised an eyebrow, staring at the drop of ink that had fallen onto the surface of his oak desk.

"How mature."

Lizzie ignored him. "I said we need to talk."

"And I heard you the first time." He looked at the heap of documents on the carpet. "Do you know how long that took me?"