The Alchemist's Pride

Chaper 10. The plot thickens

Stèfan becomes aware of a movement at the door. It is Leyla returning. She is now wearing a floral sundress.

“Mrs. Donatelli brought me the dress. She says it’s one of your niece’s garments that was left behind. I hope you don’t mind?” she asks self-consciously as she approaches uncertainly.

She has pinned her hair back, but some of the shorter strands have come loose and curl at the side of her face.

Stèfan smiles, but his eyes keep looking seriously at her.

“You look beautiful.”

Leyla glances up at him quickly, but both their faces remain expressionless. She offers a small, shy smile and looks away again.

“Thank you, Stèfan. Where is Juan Marc?” She looks around questioningly, avoiding the uneasy feeling, stirring inside her.

“He’s with Mrs. Donatelli inside getting something for his headache. Ah, here he comes now. How’s the head, old friend?”

Juan Marc looks significantly better than before. His hair is combed, and he has washed his face.

“Wow, my head feels considerably better, thanks. I don’t know what Mrs. Donatelli gave me, but it worked within minutes.” He looks curiously at the trays on the table.

“Are we going to eat, or what?” He looks questioningly from one to the other.

Stèfan gestures towards the plates and trays on the table.

“Come sit, please. Come help yourself.” Never one to lack hospitality, this Duke.

Leyla pulls a plate closer to her, as the pleasant aromas stimulate her taste buds.

She takes a slice of toast with butter, a piece of sausage, and a fresh bread roll with strawberry jam.

Juan Marc is clearly hungry. He overloads his plate with two long pieces of sausage, several slices of bread with cheese and jam, sliced tomato, as well as two buttered rolls.

Leyla laughs.

“Goodness, Jantjie, didn’t you eat last night?” Leyla asks, laughing, looking affectionately at his face, which is turning a shade of red.

Stèfan looks at him, laughing too, and Juan Marc laughs sheepishly.

“So, you two, tell me how it came to be that we ended up here? I can’t remember why I didn’t ask all these questions last night.” Leyla asks, interested, while nibbling on her roll. However, there’s a serious look in her eyes, even though her tone is merely inquisitive. Juan Marc knows she is the kind of person who does not act impulsively, and this is slightly out of her frame of reference.

Leyla doesn’t notice the glance exchanged between Stèfan and Juan Marc.

It’s Stèfan who answers.

“Leyla, there’s something we need to tell you.” His voice sounds serious.

Leyla looks up quickly at the sound of his serious tone.

She glances at Juan Marc and sees that his eyes are fixed intently on his plate. The expression on her face prompted Stèfan to quickly explain, as her eyes show sympathy for her.

“Leyla, last night after I took you away from Louis Savour, I called a friend of mine who is working with the police and asked him to check Savour’s background. I heard your conversation with Juan Marc yesterday afternoon, where you told him about the events of the day, and it raised red flags for me. There’s one thing my late mother impressed upon me, which I will always remember, and that is never to underestimate a woman’s intuition. And your intuition regarding Louis Savour seems to be spot on. He doesn’t appear to be as innocent as he pretends to be.”

Stèfan’s eyes are worried, focused on Leyla’s face, slowing turning pale.

“What did your friend find out?” she asks with a hoarse voice. Thank you, Mom, for teaching me to trust my instincts.

“Well, he will delve deeper into the matter on Monday once he has access to international systems, but what he could tell me last night is that Savour is no longer employed at the Louvre. Apparently, he was quietly asked to submit his resignation two weeks ago. The reason is unknown. We are, however, trying to find our what this reason are, and why the art department at your university was not informed.”

Leyla looks at him in shock.

“But how is that possible? The art school brought him here! They wouldn’t let someone teach at the art school who isn’t who he says he is.” She exclaims, upset.

“I don’t know, Leyla. I made a few calls to your school early this morning, asking that the person who brought Monsieur Savour in to teach your class to please call me back urgently. Since today is Saturday, I don’t think I’ll hear from them before Monday.”

Leyla pales further.

“But what if he wants to harm me?” she asks, genuine panic in her voice. “I don’t trust him at all, you guys. There’s something about him that’s terrifying.”

Juan Marc speaks for the first time.

“Ley, we’re not going to let anything happen to you, I promise. That’s why I brought you here with Stèfan last night.” Juan Marc looks gratefully at the nobleman who has overnight become a trusted friend.

“Stèfan told me last night about his phone call with his friend, and that he wasn’t comfortable leaving you alone at your apartment as long as we don’t know exactly what’s behind Savour. I knew you wouldn’t come sleep at my apartment to protect your reputation, so Stèfan suggested we come here for the weekend, seeing that he’s here, as well as Mrs. Donatelli who lives in the house.” Juan Marc explains.

Stèfan speaks again.

“Leyla, we’re going to get to the bottom of this, I promise. Antonie has promised to contact me as soon as he has more information, and hopefully, we’ll hear from your art school on Monday too. This will give us a good starting point to determine why he’s here and why it seems he has an obsession with you. Just try to relax this weekend. My estate is only 17 km outside Prague, and I’ll take you into the city shortly to get your own pajamas and clothes for tomorrow and Monday.”

Leyla looks at them gratefully in turn.

“Thank you so much. You don’t know how much I appreciate this.” She finishes in a whisper, and both men can see that, although she tries to hide it, she is truly distressed.

Juan Marc squeezes her hand sympathetically.

Oh dear, she looks so vulnerable sitting there pale, so completely different from the strong girl he has come to know.

Stèfan looks at her sympathetically too, though his dark eyes do not lose their hardness for a moment. If only he could get his hands on Savour…

“Juan Marc, can I lend you some trousers and a shirt, then we can quickly drive into town to get your clothes?” he asks Leyla and Juan Marc at the same time. Juan Marc gratefully declines.

“And, if you feel like it, we could go horseback riding this afternoon. There are some nice riding horses here.”

Leyla’s face brightens immediately. She loves horseback riding and hasn’t ridden at her parents’ farm for almost two years.

“That would be lovely, thank you, Stèfan.” She thanks him enthusiastically. Her mood is already more positive, and Stèfan smiles with relief.

The weekend would have felt very long…

Both look inquiringly at Juan Marc, as he hadn’t said a word.

Juan Marc sits with his fork halfway to his mouth, looking at them with wide eyes.

“Horseback riding? No thanks! My last and only time dealing with horses was disastrous, and my ego hasn’t recovered after so many years.” The man sounds genuinely upset.

“What happened?” Leyla asks, laughing at his honestly shocked face.

Juan Marc leans forward, looking at them with wide-eyed terror, clearing his voice.