The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

21 - Ghosts In The Closet - Part 3

Lionel's Point of View.

I never got along well with Lily Celeste.

Our first meeting wasn't bad at all though. We were 5 at the time, and she was to be introduced to Alstair. I'd already been a playmate for his Highness since we were small, so I was to be there since I would become close to both of them.

She was a fragile little girl. Like a just frozen figure where the inside is still water. She'd peered at us with her blue eyes so cautiously I thought she'd run away if I spoke up... she was that kind of girl. I felt pity for her back then... Alstair likely did as well.

Alstair spoiled her that once.

She looked at me once as if to see if I was as kind as Alstair, but I knew I couldn't be.

Bertram's mother had already begun being a danger back then... so when I saw how fragile she was I ended up thinking how spoiled she was, to be able to remain so weak and innocent...

During the years she remained like that. Alstair may have come to regret his kindness towards her, but none the less she is harmless. She is annoying, but harmless, is what I concluded. Furthermore, whenever Alstair was nearby she went into a mental state where she was ignorant to everything. Insults didn't touch her at all. In the end I found it best to just ignore her.

Perhaps that is why I didn't notice when she changed.

I blatantly thought of her scheming eyes as a new way to gain Alstair's attention and ignored what was right in front of me. Even when my guts told me that I shouldn't be one to judge a book by its cover I ended up ignoring it, because no one could change that fast.

Even after the first time I got poisoned it took me a while to become what I am now.

I, like everyone else, made up sweet white lies to explain her sudden display of hand to hand combat. I know what ingrained movement looks like, and that was it... so... why did I accept the lie? Why did I feign ignorance? Even when we talked on the dance floor she was different than she'd ever been. Why did I not realize before I ended up like this?!

---*---

For some reason my brothers had sought refuge in Lily's room that night. After spending more than an hour looking for them, just knowing they were safe brought me relief. Of all the places they could be hiding Lily's room wasn't the worst. Most servants didn't like to go near Lily since she was usually cruel to them. That's why I was okay with leaving them there after she told me of that old maid.

That old maid was my mother's personal maid. Father's mistress, Gwenore, has been trying to kill us for years, and mother has tried to get rid of Gwenore many times as well... but as long as Bertram is there, father will have her stay with us.

I know father loves her. When Gwenore is in front of father she is gentle and kind and hardly ever asks for anything... but I know that isn't how she truly is. Gwenore wants mother's place.

Mother always acted graciously. That's why I never thought she'd do this. If she does this... then the Gwenore will be able to turn father against her.

Father is stupid after all.

If he just understood a tenth of Mother's pain. If he just understood a tenth of all the effort she puts into solving this peacefully.

I barge open the door to Mother's room.

"Mother!"

Her frail figure peers at me from the bed. She's been sick for months now, and can hardly keep up appearances anymore. No matter how much I try I cannot find wherever the poison is coming from... I cannot watch over her like I do with the small ones. Her cheeks are sunk in and the gloss in her eyes is all gone, yet her body glistens with sweat.