The Beauty of Coincidence | manxman | (Historical Fiction)

LI - Until the Last Star Fades

Watching Macey hurry away to the dining room once supper was announced, Victor stood back with Reynold in the doorway of the art room. As he remained at Reynold's side, Victor unconsciously reached for the other man's hand, bringing their fingers together, and he said, "Is it terrible that, although I am overjoyed to see my sister of all people, I wish for us to hurry back to Banemount? I wanted to check in with my father, yet I am rather impatient to be within the walls of our own home again."

"That is understandable," Reynold said, passing his thumb along the back of Victor's knuckles. "I am glad to see you smile with her, but it is only natural to wish to be home. It won't be too much longer."

"We'll leave first thing in the morning," Victor made clear, and then a light smile spread upon his lips as he looked up at the craftsman. "And we should open the doors to the parlor again once we return. I could use a drink and a laugh."

"Very well," Reynold nodded, more than thrilled to know Victor could speak of the parlor as a place that brought him joy and contentment. "I am more than sure our previous patrons down below would be happy to see the doors open again as well."

Starting in the direction of the dining hall now, the pair nearly turned into the room until a familiar face captured their attention. Gabriel was coming up the hall in a crisp uniform, his silver hair styled back, and he looked as if he'd stepped out of a fresh bath only minutes ago. What stole the breath from Victor's lungs, however, was the appearance of a ghastly bruise at the side of the butler's face.

"Goodness!" Victor gasped, closing the distance between them. He reached out as if to touch Gabriel's face, but restrained himself with how utterly painful the dark blemish appeared. "Gabriel, there you are. What has happened to you?"

With the memory of his ordeal at the hands of Abraham Kershaw, quick recollections entered Gabriel's mind. The beating he'd endured, the harsh slam of the other man's shoe across his face, and he could never forget the chilling sound of Abraham's laughter after each strike. There was a trace of shame Gabriel couldn't escape in how he'd felt after being tied and confined. He'd worried so greatly about what kind of plans Abraham seemed to have been preparing for, and to learn he'd essentially hired someone to kill Victor still managed to unsettle him. Being able to stand here before Victor now and see that he was well beside Reynold was so incredibly reassuring.

Unable to help himself, Gabriel imagined Victor as a small child and stepped forward. He embraced the young lord who stood puzzled in his arms. He viewed Victor as he'd been at five years old, and then ten and twenty, until when he opened his eyes again and the young lord he knew now was before him.

"An accident," he said, not wanting to burden him with the truth. "I had an accident on my way here and was just able to inform your father as I was tended to by a doctor."

Placing a hand at the left side of Gabriel's face where no bruise was present, Victor smiled warmly, and said, "Well then, Reynold and I will be sure no accidents reach us once we travel back in the morning. I hope you are ready for another venture home."

"Ready as ever, my lord," Gabriel nodded.

Turning into the dining hall now, Victor looked around at the large setting, able to remember the meals he'd shared with his brother and sister alongside Norman, Ida, and sometimes with other guests as well. He tried not to let his mind linger in the past too long, though. Dwelling there too long would always bring about the times his siblings and father weren't near enough — near enough to hear the commands for him to quiet his mouth or go out of sight.

Since it seemed Ida wasn't going to be joining them here, he guessed he wouldn't have to worry about that right now.

As he sat with Reynold beside him, Macey having found a chair across from them, the delicious smell of the freshly cooked platters arriving entered the room just as Norman did as well. A seat was pulled out for the dapper man at the head of the table where a polished plate was placed, the silver platters of food now opened and ready to dig into.