Hidden

Buried

Tom paced up and down the room, his skin clammy with sweat and the sound of his racing heart beats echoed into his ears. He was doomed! Wellington was definitely going to kill him. He wished he could see Rose, and tell her to run away. Poor Rose. She understood his predicaments and accepted their fate but they had plans. Now he was going to die here!

He remembered the day he was with Isabella inside and Wellington knocked at the door. He wondered how she had vanished only to come inside through the front door.

He paused, sullen in thoughts for seconds and then began to check the walls. He stopped and looked carefully at a spot. He touched it and saw an outline that looked oilier. He touched it, saw tiny pins that were clipped, barely visible.

He pushed the clips aside and pulled it. It made a door and he knew that was how she had gone out. He felt exited. He went out, making sure his phone was in his pocket, he carefully returned the door and saw external clips.

Now he had to go and look for Rose and the best thing was for them to run away…”

“Now you are being stubborn!” A voice emerged and he felt a jolt.

Farmon and two other guards were standing behind him.

“Timothy of Fishtown.” Farmon said with a smirk. “I told you I don’t like you. I did not speak because I was afraid of madam. Now that she has discovered that you are embezzling her money to lure the poor girl into s*x, I have the chance to deal with you.”

“Where did you get  that from?” Tim asked.

“Why else will she ask us to watch you and make sure you do not leave the cabin?”

Tom frowned.

“Did she give the order or Sir Wellington?”

“You do not have the liberty to question me. Now you broke the law and I am going to whip you in presence of Rose and she would realize that I rule….”

“Do you know who I am? I am Timothy and madam’s assistant.”

“That was before she discovered what you are…”

“Tell me what you know! You will surely regret this.”

Farmon smirked.

“Get him to the Salvar pitch and I will fetch Rose to come and witness this. Her secret lover is a thief.”

“You are crazy and so senseless.” Tom said. “Is this all about Rose?”

“I wish she heard this. You don’t even take her matter with seriousness. I say get him…” Tom broke into a run. He was confused. Was it Isabella that asked them to keep him locked up? Why? Was she trying to prove to her husband that she still loved him?

He was running while the security men chased him.

Foop!

An arrow narrowly missed him.

“Damn! Stop it!” He shouted and turned. He saw Farmon stop to aim another arrow at him. If Tom had not jumped aside with an incredible speed, and lay flat, he would have had an arrow stuck to his back.

Farmon was bent on killing him. He was glad Tom tried to escape. That would be a good reason to give for his murder.

He hated tom with a passion. It was his fault that he Rose did not accept his advances and if he killed him, he had a great chance. He hated him more when he discovered that he used to spend the night with her, and then leave at dawn. He dared not talk then since he had a lot of influence then. He was sure Sir Wellington would be happy secretly because he knew the master also wanted Rose but Tom blocked him. He feared Wellington so much he could not even share the secret with anyone.

Tom crawled and hid behind a wall. Farmon moved, gesticulating to the second guard to stand down; he would take care of him.

He moved cautiously, his bow and arrow set.

“I know you are close by, Timothy of Fishtown. You are a criminal and deserve to be beheaded in public. I am doing you a favor by saving you from public disgrace. Just come here…”

Whoop!

A thick short piece of wood rolled in the air and hit Farmon on the forehead. He lost balance and his bow dropped on the floor. Tom sprang out and made a rush at him. He clenched his fist and smacked Farmon on the jaw. The force made his hear turn in 180 degrees.

“Oohhgh!|” Farmon cried and blundered unto a trash can. Tom was sure that this man wanted him dead and he was desperate. He followed him up with a kick on the ribs before picking the arrow and sent it into his thigh.

The second guard saw this and ran up, holding his sword with the sole intention of piercing it into Tom’s heart.

Farmon was moaning in pains .

“Kill him!” He yelled before he remembered his alert horn which hung on his neck.

Tom saw the guard coming, picked a stone and threw at him. The guard dodged and did not relent.

Tom saw Farmon’s sword and drew it out. The guard paused before posing, his grim face gleaming.

“You are dead, you son of a dragon.”

He threatened.

Tom had never engaged in a sword fight and he knew these were trained men. He could hear the faint sound of music blaring from the party hall. He guessed Isabella was there. He was in trouble. He had to run.

Poooonhhh! Poooonhhh!

Farmon blew the horn and that meant one thing: calling for more security guards.

Tom broke into a run.

“Get him! Get him!” Farmon shouted and more guards appeared. Tom was running towards the party hall, hoping to get succor from there.

About six more guards and began to chase Tom. He was running as fast as he could and he felt his stamina retarding.

“Stop!” A deep voice he recognize hit his ear drum. That was the unmistaken voice of Shaft, the chief security officer and one of the most dangerous marksmen Tom had seen in this world. He used a knife like boomerang, threw an arrow with his bare hands with the force of a bow and could break coconut with his bare hand.

Tom knew he could not escape from his so he stopped at once and turned around.

Shaft was holding a long shiny sword with about six men behind him.

“He tried to  kill me!” Tom said.

“Is that you sire?” Shaft asked and the tone of surprise and respect astonished Tom.

“It- it is Timothy.”

Shaft turned at one of the guards.

“Why were you chasing him?”

“We don’t know sire. We heard the horn.”

“He tried to escape!” Farmon came from behind limping. “Against the orders of madam.”

“Are you crazy? You chase master’s nephew?”

Master? Tom wondered if Shaft was confused.

“She asked us to keep him indoors.” Farmon defended, feeling embarrassed . He was expecting an accolade.

“Are you hurt sire? Shaft asked. Moving forward. Tom was about thirty feet from them.

“I am the one who is hurt sire. He wounded me in the line of my duty.”

“Shut up you son of a dragon! You were asked to keep him indoors and not to kill him. You are lucky you are the one who is hurt. I mean that is your saving grace. Now get out of here!” He turned at Tom. “On behalf of myself and my men, we deeply apologize for making you exercise your body without self permission. Madam seeks your attention in her palace.”

It was obvious he was a Knight for years and he was used to his royal manners.

Tom was confused. Was this a hoax? How could she ask him to come to her palace as Shaft called it which was in the same place with Wellington whom just caught him cheating with her? Were they planning to kill him? But they did not need the hoax if that was the motive. He could kill him right from where he stood. That was Shaft!

“What is it I hear about the horn?” Tom heard Isabella’s voice and confessed that he had never been more pleased to hear it.

The guards quickly cleared way for her, stood attention with their heads upright.

“The horn was blown by Farmon because he was chasing Sire.”

“What? Who gave you such an order?”

“He tried to escape against your order and I swore an oath to uphold, uplift, adhere, respect your orders and he was sinning by going against…”

“Take him out of my sight!”

“He asked me to kill him and I was just following an order.” The second guard said at once.

“Kill? You mean you intended to kill him?”

“He stabbed me with an arrow while in the line of my duty!”

“My husband will kill you if he hears this.” She lied. “That is his cousin. Come over Timothy.”

As Tom walked towards them, he confirmed that Shaft had not made a goof when he called him Wellington’s nephew

“Shaft, take them the guardroom and lock them up. He should be treated there. This is not an excusable mistake. “She looked at Tom worriedly. “Are you hurt?”

“Come on, lets go to my quarters. You need a check up and I hope my husband will forgive me for this. I am sorry but it was all a misconception. Come on.”

A few minutes later, they were in her vast and richly furnished bedroom. Her two sons were with the nannies in their room. The only trouble she had was carrying and given birth to them but she never did any work in taking care of them. The two kids had with nannies.

“I am sorry my love.” She said and hugged him. “Oh my God! What did they do to you? Look at your clothes.”

“I am fine. I am scared. What are we doing here? Have you forgotten?”

She smiled.

“You are going to change into something nice and we go to the party ground. The party may last for another one hour. We must establish our appearance. It means a lot to me.”

“I don’t get it. It is your anniversary; wedding anniversary and Wellington caught you and me.”

She smiled again.

“We need to go there. You his nephew and I never told anyone you are my cousin. Okay, except for Gaius and that can be settled. Wellington loves me so much he takes his family members as mine so he let you help me in my farm. I have been telling people that you are his nephew.”

“It does not make sense. He is chasing me away. In fact, I wanted to escape because he is going to kill me. Why did you make them keep me inside?”

“Because I knew you will try to escape. You are not foolish to believe he would let you go just like that. None of us believed that.”

“Then why did you keep me? To let him get me?”

“Why would you think of such a thing? You know I love you more than Isabella. That thought hurts me. You doubt my love.”

“You should know I am scared and flummoxed.”

“I kept you because he can’t harm you now. Listen, everything happening is not just haphazard or outcome of a perfect blueprint. I knew today is our anniversary and it is not just an anniversary but a day of freedom and new beginning. Let me stop the prevarication. We have no time and we are going out there to dance, celebrate and they will think it is the anniversary we are celebrating. I knew he will catch us today and that is a payback for all he has done to me. I wanted him to feel the hurt and what John felt.”

“John? Like..wait you knew.”

She smiled.

“You did not want to create a rift so you kept it from me but”

Isabella has a gift of finding the things hidden from her.

That was scary. Did she know about him and rose?

“I found out and used it to trap him. What a daughter of dragon she was. We were family friends and my husband’s best friend’s wife but she was sharing him with me. She had him more than I did. Well, thank god you came and swept the pains away. I tipped John anonymously and after discovering their love nest, I set them up and he caught them red handed. The talk about searching for the couple is one of his acts of pretences. He killed them both and buried them in his farm, including the slaves he used to dig the hole and their horses.

I was there so when he caught us making love, I used one of my agents to get a note across to Drood claiming the law men were going to uncover the hole. I had him set up and right now, Wellington is the last thing we should worry about. He and his henchmen are dead and buried and you are free. He planned to kill you and anyone that threatens you is as good as death. Remember I told you that the only way to get our perfect lives is by taking him off the scene. I am sorry I never told you because I did not want you involved I the act. I noticed that you are a bit hesitant. It is for us. Now we can get married and you will control this empire.”

Tom realized that this woman was more smart and dangerous than he had imagined. So all the worries and remorse she expressed were all part of the plan.

Even though tom was not ready to take part in the murder, he could not deny feeling relieved. If what she is saying is the truth, Wellington was a cold blooded killer and this was a case of good riddance. It was not done in the proper way but things could not always be done in the proper way. This was a crime but it was better than been killed by Wellington.

“But- but we still can’t get married. I am your cousin...”

“Have you forgotten? You are his nephew.”

“But what will people say? No one knows he is dead. How can we get married?”

“I got that figured out. He will be found and that is part of the reasons we are going out now. We will go out there and it won’t be strange if I dance with a few men and you. Then I will start getting worried he is not back. I will ask his friends and I will be told that he announced his exit for a while. Now I am worried and the party mood is over. Everyone will notice but no one will think much about it about it, at least for tonight.

He was seen going out with his men and a lot of people see him as invulnerable and untouchable. He will be missing for at least three then a search will start. He made the first hole he buried John and his wife so trackless but I loosened the top sand to make vivid that something was buried there. So is his hole too and when they are dug out, it would he clear that he killed john, his wife and the slaves because he went to get the slaves and announce that he sent them to his friends. His blood stained shirt is buried in the same hole. Now the question is who killed him and his henchmen? Revenge. There is a letter in his pocket where a fictitious man who claims to be John’s friend wrote to Wellington saying he knows what he did to his friend and he would revenge. Some of the tools used to dig the hole were imported from Hollytown Where John hails from. They are peculiar diggers used by them because their land is hard and rocky. So the case is open and closed.”

“But you can’t just get married to his young nephew just like that.”

“We cannot satisfy everyone’s curiosity that is why it is called sacrifice. What matters is leaving no traces. But I thought about that. I will make the biggest sacrifice of my life... “

“And what is that?”

“When he is found dead, irrespective of what he did, I will be broken. Remember. There will be less sympathy for him. He will go down history as a killer and betrayer. John was very loyal to him. The sacrifice is this: I will leave Dranvalle for three months to mourn and heal. I will fall sick and would have to go. That means three months without seeing you. That is hell, my love. You will be left to handle the affairs of the whole affair. By the time I come back, it would be proven that you can take care of things. You will be assisted by the experienced workers but I trust your potentials. When I come back, it would be established that you can handle it all and what would be better than taking over your uncle?”

“Whoa! When the hell did you plan all of these?”

“When we make love and all I see is our future. Now let’s do this now.. ” She walked slowly to her a drawer, swaying her hips and brought out something. She walked back to tom, kissed him and handed it to him. It was a pure diamond ring.

“That represents eternity. That represents us.” She put forward her fingers. “Fix it here my love. That marks our bond my love.”

He fixed the ring on he finger and she kissed him.

“Time to go get dressed.”

Tom knew a lot would happen ahead even though he did not know how.

*********