When The Rain Falls

Chapter Thirty-Two

For the next two days, I left my room sparingly. I would leave for meals and to use the water closet, but for the rest of the time I stayed shut up with my books. No one disturbed me, no one tried to get me to leave. They all just left me to it and I was grateful for that.

After my fight with Alice and the immediate aftermath, I didn't want to face anyone because I knew how they felt about me. Alice had no doubt informed them all of our argument and how she felt about it. They were not conversations I wished to have, especially as I knew no one would believe me. I would rather not think about it at all.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. I knew something was wrong with the whole situation, but I couldn't prove it. Rebecca was unlikely to say anything, as she had remained silent about the Marlows since she arrived. There was no proof to my theory, no evidence that I was right, and without it, I might as well have been screaming down a well for the good it did me.

The day of Doctor Merrick's visit arrived, and I could scarcely find the urge to get out of bed and face the day. It didn't feel right for Rebecca to be sent back with the Ramones when there was no actual evidence that she had come from them in the first place. Everything had moved too quickly and I couldn't stop it. I resolved to speak to her one more time before Doctor Merrick's arrival.

I might not get the information I needed to allow her to stay, but it was worth a try.

"Do you intend to leave the room of your own volition today or do I have to drag you?" George said, stepping into my room without knocking as I put a brush through my hair. He crossed the room and tore open the curtains along with the window.

"You were the one who suggested that I keep myself out of sight for a little while." I shrugged. "I'm just following your instructions."

"I thought you understood my humour by now, Master Nate."

"Yes, well, I am not exactly the best company at the moment, so following your instructions seems like the most logical thing to do."

"Is this about Miss Edwards?"

"This is about me not being good company. I just said that."

"Your sister told me what happened the other day," he said. "She's worried about you, as am I. This behaviour, the lashing out, isn't like you and I'm concerned."

"What is it with everyone feeling the need to tell me that I am not acting like myself? First Father, then Alice, and now you?" I raised an eyebrow at George. "It is nice to know that everyone thinks they know me better than I know myself."

"Except this isn't you, Master Nate. I know you have been struggling recently, and that's what concerns me the most. Shutting yourself away isn't going to help you, and will probably make you feel worse than you already do. I understand that Mrs Ramone's appearance was a shock, but behaving like this won't help anyone, least of all yourself."

"And what do you propose I do? Go to the village and face the stares and comments from everyone because of the state I'm in? I don't think so."

"I'm about to head into the village myself. You are welcome to join me."

"It looks like there is to be a storm and we both know how Lightning is. Besides, I should be studying."

I turned away from George, placed my hairbrush down, and sat at my writing desk where my law books had been sitting gathering dust. George sighed. I listened to the sound of his footsteps as he stepped from the room, closing the door behind him. His footsteps continued to echo down the hall before they faded completely, leaving me in silence once again.

My intention hadn't been to be mean to George. He had been the only person who I felt I could talk to, but I was fed up. Everyone thought they knew what was going on in my head before I did. I knew I wasn't acting like my usual self. I never would have snapped at Alice the way I did, for one, but that didn't mean everyone else had the right to try to butt in.