The Swan in the Water

Chapter Twelve

Charles is simply blinded by his love for Aunt Darcy, Liana thought to herself, and he simply can't see the monster she truly is. Liana stopped by the library door then felt a sudden pang of guilt then she immediately shooed that feeling away. She had reason to feel bad. She didn't do anything wrong. She just stated her opinion. Liana then decided to go in the library and walked by Aunt Darcy, legs crossed and reading a book placed on her lap.

"What are you doing in my library?" Aunt Darcy had asked without looking up from her book.

"Is it a crime to read books now?" Liana countered as she pulled a selection from the shelf.

"Look," Aunt Darcy started, closing the book on her lap, "if you're still angry about what I said about your mother and what I said to you all those nights ago, I'm sorry." Liana looked over to her aunt. "I...I was angry and anger doesn't exactly make us humans very rational, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," Liana unwilling agreed with Aunt Darcy. Aunt Darcy then reopened her book to read it.

"You know, Liana," Aunt Darcy began slowly, as if she was trying to think of what to say, "You remind me so much of your mother..."

"How so?" Liana asked.

"Other than in looks, you have very similar personalities," Aunt Darcy explained. "You both tend to think with your emotions."

"Well, then," Liana said, taking offense.

"But that makes you both more passionate and makes you both willing to fight for what you believe in," Aunt Darcy added, "But you also remind me of your father, like in your eyes." Liana saw a faint smile through the veil over Aunt Darcy then noticed a lone tear stain the page of her book. It was odd because Liana then felt a bit of emotion for the woman that sat in front of her and she knew what she had done long ago.

"I simply do not understand you," Liana said, not realizing that she had said it aloud. Aunt Darcy looked a bit taken aback by this statement but recovered quickly.

"Nor I with you," Aunt Darcy replied. "Obviously, I never had children so raising an already grown child is a bit new for me." Liana nodded.

"Did you ever think of getting married and having children?" Aunt Darcy paused at the question.

"Yes," she answered quietly, "a long time ago. When I was younger."

"Why didn't you?" Liana asked. Aunt Darcy hesitated as she didn't want to answer the question.

"The want dissipated along with the need," Aunt Darcy vaguely answered, looking down at her book. "I grew too old too quickly," she then added. Liana nodded as if she understood what she meant. Then there was a long pause, both parties not knowing what else to say.

"You know," Liana began awkwardly, "Charles loves you."

"I know." Liana's eyebrows furrowed.

"You know? What do you mean you know?"

"I'm neither blind nor stupid so I think I can tell when a man has his heart set on my affections," Aunt Darcy answered. "I am simply ignoring them."

"That is incredibly cruel, Aunt Darcy," Liana said. Then Aunt Darcy looked over to Liana.

"What?" Aunt Darcy said as if she didn't know what she did wrong, "What's incredibly cruel is that you tried to out the poor man to me." Liana's mouth hung open as if to say something, then closed. Then she opened it to actually say something.

"Do you not love him?"

"I have withdrawn myself from those types of emotions long ago," Aunt Darcy said, going back to her book. "They get in the way of logical thinking."

"That didn't answer my question," Liana said.

"I believe it did," Aunt Darcy said without looking up. "You ask so many questions that often have nothing to do with you."

"So you do love him?" Liana asked, ignoring her aunt's statement. Aunt Darcy looked up to Liana, opened her mouth, then closed it before looking back down at her book.

"I'm not inclined to answer that."

"So you do?" Liana said, jumping up and down in glee.

"Will you calm down, child?" Aunt Darcy hissed, "I said nothing of the sort."

"But you also didn't say anything against it," Liana pointed out. "Why don't you tell him?"

"I don't believe you realize that the earth doesn't rotate on those terms," Aunt Darcy replied. "There are some standards that have to be met in this society."

"I simply do not understand you," Liana said again. "How is it that you abide by some norms then totally disregard others?"

"Humans are naturally contradictory creatures," Aunt Darcy said, then gave a slight smile. "Simply stated, I do as I please." Liana rolled her eyes.

"You are unbelievable."

"I am not here for you to believe, Liana," Aunt Darcy said. "Quite honestly, I couldn't care less about what people say about me."

"Okay, then," Liana challenged, "what stopping you?"

"Excuse me?"

"What's stopping you from telling Charles you love him?" Liana asked again.

"I don't," Aunt Darcy said. "Charles and I have purely professional relationship. I am his boss and he my employee. I am his mistress and he my servant. There are just lines you do not cross, Liana."

"I see," Liana said. What about the line you crossed with my mother? Liana thought to herself, You're afraid of telling your butler that you love him but you're not afraid of trying to take my father away from my mother? You have crossed so many lines before so I don't know what is stopping now.

"Now if you're done interrogating me," Aunt Darcy began, "I would like to get back my book, please."

"Fine," Liana said reluctantly, "Have fun with your dysentery or whatever they're called." Aunt Darcy paused for a minute before actually responding.

"Dissertations," she corrected. "Dysentery is the bloody flux and the inevitable death of your bowels."

That too, Liana thought before leaving the room.