Entrelazado

Chapter 4: Disillusionment

In the darkness of the night and the fog that right now abolished the citizens of London, who, sheltered in their homes, avoided the cold. What the common citizen did not know was that on nights like this, London was a place of meeting captives and other fugitives, such as the Woodgate fugitive, their eldest son Carlisle, who was currently entering the sidewalks of the Woodgate mansion. the Brownings.

The maids had witnessed that it was not the first time in the week that the future heir of the Woodgates spent the nights there and left as soon as it was dawn. In fact, the frequency of these events was very common in the Browning mansion. Several children of dukes and future heirs paraded in Victoria's room. But certainly never before the fiancé of one of the unmarried daughters of the Brownings' friendly family; The Hamiltons.

"I wonder if you sneak into Hamilton's bed like that?" —Victoria snapped as Carlisle silently entered his room, in the dark, so that no one would see him.

—Victoria, please. —he answered tacitly.

"Of course you wouldn't." Anyway, that baby doesn't even reach my heels. Her breasts haven't even grown.

—Do you really want to talk about Esmeralda Hamilton's breasts? —he whispered as he approached her neck.

—I want to know why she. —he inquired.

—Victoria, we have already talked about this. —he mitigated. —It's not something that can be chosen.

-Ought. People get married because they love each other, not because they arranged their marriage out of convenience. And if so, what is convenient about a Hamilton? —he urged.

-That's not you. —he snapped.

Victoria gives him a lopsided smile as she gets out of bed, wearing only a corset with garter belt, stockings, and petticoat. Carlisle allowed himself to admire her, the woman at his side who right now seemed to have hurt him. He wondered if he was too harsh with his words, but only for a few seconds.

—You know I would never have chosen this path for my life, Victoria. But my family considers it more convenient for me to marry a Hamilton. They have had a very low profile and society likes that. —he explained.

—And society doesn't like me? —she insisted.

—I don't deny it. You are everything you want, Victoria, and believe me, you are everything I want, but not what they, my parents, want. They know what they are talking about. They would never choose you over a Hamilton. I have nothing to do with it, and I can't do anything either. It's my duty. —He responded as he stood next to her and took her waist. —Please, let's put that aside, just for a moment.

—I'm just going to tell you one thing, Carlisle. Just because I love you, doesn't mean I'm going to wait for you every night after you get married. —she glimpsed, separating herself from him and returning to bed.

He followed her, submissive, and captivated by her reddish brown hair, which was now loose and reached her waist. He caressed her, and as he stroked her hair, and Victoria's back was turned, he couldn't imagine Esme Hamilton in her place, he rejected the idea instantly. How could he get used to the idea? If everything that pleased him in one way or another was in Victoria. Far from that little girl who lacked sensuality.

The next morning, Victoria was asleep, her hair waking Carlisle up, deposited on his nose, giving him a slight itch. He allows his eyes to open slowly, Victoria was not very different from the position in which she fell asleep, with her back to him, with her thighs and hips exposed. His instinct wanted to hug her, and perhaps, make love to her once more. But he quickly got rid of the idea, he had to leave before dawn.

He got into his saloon and gave some bills to the coachman who was waiting on the sidewalk of the Browning mansion. Paying for something that perhaps he didn't even know. Whether its silence, or to preserve the image of the perfect wedding. Now far from the Browning mansion, he wondered about the meaning of everything. He wondered if this would be the case after the big day, if he would have to sneak into Victoria's bedroom every time he felt like an outburst of passion, or if she would welcome him after he was married.

Upon arriving at Woodgate mansion, his father was waiting for him at the head table with a solemn look. She cleared her throat when she saw him enter. Carlisle adjusted his handkerchief and predicted what was to come after seeing the face of the maid who was serving tea to his father Arthur.

—With the same clothes as yesterday, huh? —Arthur said.

—There was a lot of fog, I stayed at the Nightray's.

—At the Nightrays' or at young Browning's? —he urged.

—Father, what is all this about? —Replied Carlisle while giving him an uncomprehending look. — Are you controlling me?

—If I had to do it you would not be heir. Only sometimes I find myself with the duty to guide you. —explained his father.

—Do you really want to guide me or do you want to control me?

"I just want you to understand, Carlisle, that soon we will present you to society as the sole heir of the family, and as soon as we do, you will have to act like a man and show us that we are not screwing up with you." Therefore, it would be good for you to stop running away to meet that s**t, and start choosing carefully who you sleep with, and at least be cautious.

—Woman? —he replied casually. —Are you treating Victoria like a s**t? I don't believe it. I can't believe you're talking like that about a Browning.

—Please, you just need to see the history that that girl's mother has since she became a widow. Of course they are known in society, but there are also rumors. —the man explained as he took a sip of tea.

—And you call Victoria a s**t because there are "rumors"? —he pointed out, emphasizing the latter.

—Certainly in some way when your mother lived she must have influenced you to have a relationship with the Brownings, but she is not here, and I don't know what emotional bond you have with that young woman, but you have to be aware that you are going to get married, and it is not well seen that you sneak out at night to leave in sheets other than those of your fiancée.

—I never chose to have a fiancée. Carlisle snapped with a frown.

—Carlisle, you're not a child anymore. Act like a man. You are having an unseemly attitude, and you are dishonoring the family.

—Am I dishonoring the family, father? The eldest Hamilton disappeared less than a week ago. They are devastated. You haven't even let them suffer their tragedy in peace, you have blackmailed them to keep all this going. And now you forbid me to see Victoria. What are you really looking for?

—Improve your future. When you are a man, you will understand. For now you are just a child. —Arthur finally answered, as he gets up from the table and leaves the room.

Carlisle sits and thinks for a few minutes until the maid comes to ask him if he wants anything. He then experienced something that he never wanted to experience before, which is why he never wanted to have a relationship before or anyone who approached him, he felt trapped, locked up, he felt like a slave. Slave to his family and his lineage. Would his status be worth the price to pay? And what would be the price to pay?

They were heading at that very moment in a saloon towards the Woodgate mansion, the Hamiltons. Overwhelmed by the saddening news that it had been six days since Gladys Hamilton disappeared, and still no news. A portrait of Gladys Hamilton had been spread in newspapers throughout London, offering a reward for information on her whereabouts, a reward offered by the Hamilton family and the Woodgate family, at the same time that Esme Hamilton's marriage to Esme Hamilton was announced. Carlisle Woodgate. There were various opinions, some columns in the newspaper suggested that the wedding should be suspended at least until they heard about the kidn*pped woman, and others believed that it was the union that would save this family from depression due to the tragedy, and this placed to the Woodgates, in good position.

But the reality was that they were far from saving the Hamiltons from depression, and the only reason they kept the decision going was that they were unprotected as they were only two women, and they needed protection from the Woodgate family. And also financial help in case the kidnappers showed up and asked for a sum of money in exchange for Gladys, which was what was expected and desired, but they just wanted Gladys back.

—At times like this, I feel ungrateful. —Esme snapped, looking into space. Her mother, Elizabeth, turns her eyes to stare at her.

—Why daughter? Didn't you want to come today? —he asked sweetly.

—I didn't want to come today, and I never wanted to come. This is ridiculous. —he explained.

—I know daughter, but we are helpless. At first Carlisle Woodgate was just a good bidder, now he is the salvation so we can move forward after the tragedy...

– Tragedy? Mother, Gladys is not dead. Only the newspapers say that, we don't need anyone's salvation.

—But I do support you, Esme.

Esme rolled her eyes at the window again as soon as she saw that they were entering the sidewalks of Woodgate Manor. Submissively, she silenced all her thoughts and told herself that this is what her sister Gladys would do.

The Woodgates' servant led the Hamiltons to the main tea room, where they were greeted by Arthur and his wife Erica Van de Woodsen. Arthur sent for his son, Carlisle, who was wandering in his bedroom without knowing that he would receive a visit from his fiancée that same day.

—I hope you don't mind, I have invited the members of the most important families to be witnesses at this small tea party, of the love that the engaged have and why the wedding must take place. —Arthur explained to Elizabeth Hamilton.

- You. Do you mean that you invited other families so they can see that the wedding is not a farce? —Horse Esme asked. His mother gives him a disdainful look. -I'm sorry. —he corrected himself.

—Ohh, what a funny young lady. No, dear Esmeralda, the reason for this small meeting is so that those columnists who show displeasure that the wedding is taking place, and who position both families as cold monsters with no appetite for k********g, can recant, and see that the reason why they were performs the wedding is nothing more than the simple and purest love, which was only involved in a devastating tragedy, but which in any case is not an impediment to a show of love. —Arthur explained.

—Those columnists have left both families with a bad image, it is our priority to prove the opposite, besides, who doesn't love love? —Erica added.

Esme wondered if this was really a show of love or just a commitment fluctuated by interests that went beyond the own interests of those engaged. But she couldn't say anything, after all, she was a young woman from the high aristocracy, which is what was expected of a Hamilton.

—Who was invited for today's event? Elizabeth Hamilton asked as she sat down and settled herself at the tea table.

—Don't worry about that, Mrs. Hamilton, you. Enjoy the tea, and we will take care of the guests, who certainly aren't many. —Arthur clarified, meanwhile, Carlisle entered the scene, shocked at first meeting the Hamiltons in the tea room.

—I didn't know we would receive visitors, or I would have dressed better. —he clarified, while looking expectantly at his father, perhaps hoping to find in him an answer to his confusion.

—Don't worry son, this will be a very private meeting. There are a few more guests missing, but your homely attire and your sloppiness will come in handy on this occasion. —Arthur said to what seemed more like an offense than a clarification. —Be polite, please, to the Hamiltons.

With that said, Carlisle continues to greet the Hamiltons with a courteous gesture and takes a seat next to Esme, as his stepmother Erica indicated with a glance.

—Excuse me father, did you say that more guests would come? —he inquired. As soon as Carlisle asked that, Allen Nightray entered the scene, along with Count Nightray and his young wife Aniss.

"Just in time, Nightray." —Earl Woodgate greeted cordially. Carlisle is happy to see Allen, he welcomes him kindly.

— Do you have any idea what all this is about? —he said between his teeth. Allen gives him a blank look and continues to greet the Hamiltons.

—You must be Esme Hamilton, the future wife. —Allen says. Esme rises from the comfort of her seat and bows to him. —Miss, Mrs. I am very sorry for your loss.

-Don't worry. We will get Gladys back. Mrs. Hamilton added.

—Of course yes. —Allen says.

—Are we waiting for someone else, father? —young Carlisle urged. Arthur just smiles, and continues to talk to Count Nightray.

The intimate tea party would give rise to new opinions and would be willing to change the position of those who were against the wedding taking place. The plan was simple, to demonstrate that something more united these two families than monetary interests, and it was the love that Carlisle Woodgate and Esme Hamilton had for each other. And of course they not only had to invite the Nightray to demonstrate it.

—Carlisle, you still haven't shown the Nightray family why we're celebrating this morning. —Arthur added. Carlisle tries to humor him as best he can.

—Remind me that we celebrate, father.

—Well, more than that, the wedding. A kiss between the engaged! —the count demanded.

- A kiss? —Carlisle and Esme asked in unison.

—That would be very touching! —exclaimed the wife of Count Nightray, who sometimes offered information for the columns in the newspaper ''London Lite'' about high society.

Carlisle exhaled a cloud of mist, and approached Esme, trying to put on a smile that would hide his displeasure at his engagement, and her arduous submission to everything. She, trembling a little, tries to hide her nervousness by closing her eyes, their lips met in what pretended to be a tender kiss of a couple in love. Carlisle separates from Esme and rolls his eyes again at those present, as soon as he spots Victoria Browning, with her mother and the two twins, observing the whole event with a hopeless expression.

—Here came the Brownings! exclaimed Count Woodgate apocryphally. —They have been waiting.