Bound

Chapter Twelve

I stayed locked in my room for the next several days, my mind reeling. It was one thing for James to be a drunkard or lash out violently toward me, but now he had taken the life of an innocent man. James was a murderer. There was no coming back from that, no redemption for killing another human being. Any hope I still had of a peaceful marriage was gone. Now that James had shown the darkest parts of himself, it was something that I couldn't unsee.

Surely someone will come for him, I thought. Murder is still a crime.

I longed for the Guardians to come and cart James away, to make him pay the price for his impulsive and illicit actions, no matter what it may mean for me. But no one appeared.

I stayed locked in my room for three days after Caleb's murder. The violent scene was burned into my memories, the thought that was constantly at the forefront of my mind. How much of the fault fell on my shoulders, I wasn't sure- I hadn't pulled the trigger. But I knew it was my actions, my words and desperation to protect Charlotte, that had ultimately led to Caleb's death. I wasn't sure I could ever forgive myself for that.

When I found the motivation to leave my room, I wandered through the Manor in a zombie-like state, still in shock that James would stoop so low. I came downstairs for breakfast, my eyes red and swollen from the long nights of crying. I stared at the spot where Caleb had fallen cold and lifeless to the ground. There wasn't even a trace of his blood, the floor scrubbed clean as though the event had never happened. If only I could cleanse it from my mind just as easily.

Though my stomach grumbled greedily, I picked at my food, unable to suppress my nausea as the images from three days prior replayed in my mind. I could see my own grief reflected in Ruby's eyes as I watched her work. She had been friends with Caleb long before I arrived in Moberly Manor, so I knew his loss must be hard for her. I wondered if she blamed me for his death as much as I blamed myself. She knew there had been no affair, yet I didn't speak up when Caleb's life was on the line. Surely she thought I was a monster for letting his murder transpire.

Ruby and I hadn't spoken since the incident- what was there to say? We were fools to think we could ever find happiness in each other's company while living in such a dark state. We'd been playing with fire in our attempt to be friends- Caleb was proof of that. James made it clear that anyone found to have more than a professional relationship with his wife would pay the price. I couldn't ask Ruby to take a chance like that just because her presence made me feel a little less lonely.

After pushing my scrambled eggs around my plate, unable to force myself to take a bite, I left the room and silently made my way toward the third floor. I had just stepped onto the staircase when an urgent rasping on the front door caused me to freeze. Ruby rushed past me, wiping her hands on her apron, and opened the front door to reveal a frazzled young woman with olive skin, her dark eyes wide with worry. A young boy held her hand, and she balanced a baby girl on her hip.

"Delilah," Ruby said with surprised, ushering her into the foyer. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry to stop by unannounced," the woman said in a soft voice. "I've just been so troubled. Caleb hasn't been home in a few days. Is he here?"

I stepped into the shadows of the stairwell, just out of the woman's sight, and leaned closer to listen. My stomach clenched when I realized that this was Caleb's wife. And there, clinging to her hand, was the son Caleb had talked about, along with his baby daughter. I covered my mouth to muffle the sobs that shook my body when I thought of the father they would never see again.

Ruby's shoulders tensed. "Caleb isn't here, Delilah. I haven't seen him since early Wednesday morning."

I wondered if Delilah noticed the way Ruby's voice shook. How hard it must be for Ruby to lie to this woman who had been so kind to her when she first arrived at Moberly Manor, who had treated her like a human being in a world where she was seen as expendable.