The Fourth Mistress

The following day, Louise woke up earlier than usual and was greeted by Graham's face close to hers. While sleeping, it seemed like both of them had moved closer to each other, and she noticed his hair had turned messy.

Yesterday when he had helped her wash her back, he had also lightly massaged her shoulders, relieving the knots formed in her muscles that helped her sleep better. In the beginning, she hadn't understood the chatter and murmurs that surrounded him, but now that she did, Louise admired him.

His lips were slightly parted, and he breathed in and out as he continued to sleep.

Not wanting to disturb him, Louise rolled to her side of the bed and got out of the bed. She picked up her robe that was hanging on the stand, wearing it, she tied the belt around her waist. The sun had only risen, and she decided to go to the kitchen and prepare the tea herself.

Closing the door behind her, Louise made her way down the stairs and noticed the servants were already up and were busy in the manor's work.

"Good morning, Lady Louise," one of the maids named Jemma greeted her with a bow.

"Good morning, Gemma," Louise greeted the girl back with a pleasant smile on her lips. "Is the tea prepared? I thought of taking it up to mine and Graham's room."

"Let me go and check, milady," offered the maid, but Louise didn't stand there, and she walked with the maid.

On their way, Louise came to meet Mrs. Reed, who was already dressed in fresh clothes, her hair neatly combed and her expression as usual. Louise offered her mother-in-law a bow. "Good morning, Lady Viola. Did you have a good sleep?"

Lady Viola took two seconds to say, "There is something I need to talk to you about, Louise. Follow me."

Louise's eyebrows subtly moved up, and she gave the woman a nod and followed her. When the two women of Reed's family left the corridor, the maid Jemma turned and stopped her footsteps—looking in the direction where the two women had disappeared.

Lady Viola and Louise stepped into one of the spare guest rooms, and the older woman took a few steps towards the long window that almost reached the ceiling. The woman then turned around and questioned,

"Word has come to my ears that you both are planning to attend the theatrical play."

"Yes. We both planned to spend some time together and the theme of the play sounded interesting. Do you want to join us?" asked Louise in a polite tone as it seemed that the Reed's didn't do much except for going to work, attending the soiree and spending the rest of the time in the manor.

"I thought I was very clear when we spoke about Graham's ambition and the support that he needs from you," Viola watched Louise unblinkingly, her gaze intense, the expression on her face passive with her mouth barely moving when she spoke to Louise.

Ah, so it was this, thought Louise to herself. She knew she was going to be questioned by Viola one day or another.

"Graham and I both discussed it before deciding to spend our time outside the manor. I believe that is what newly married couples do," reminded Louise. She knew Viola liked to be in control, but Graham was not a child, and she was not some stranger. "It has been a while since we spent actual time together."

"And what about your studies? I am guessing that you are still planning to attend the exam, unless you have decided it is of no use now because you are married into the Reed's family," Viola's words struck a nerve in Louise's mind, and the smile that was on her face slipped away.

"With all due respect to you as Graham's mother and my mother-in-law, I very much appreciate your concern, but I believe we are our grown people here. Both of us know what is important, so you shouldn't fret about it, Lady Viola. And coming to the remark that you passed, I have no interest in Reed's family wealth, which you already know," stated Louise, her eyes fixed on the woman. "I believe I am capable of earning and feeding myself without depending on others. My uncle and aunt had made sure I wouldn't have to live off others, if that is what you meant."

Lady Viola took the steps back to where Louise stood, and she said, "You are not very good at keeping up your words, girl. Do you have any idea how important this dream of our family is? Robert's grandfather started it from scratch and we have been working on flourishing it."

"What is it that worries you, Lady Viola?" questioned Louise, without beating around the bush.

It was early in the morning, and Louise didn't want to play cat and mouse with her mother-in-law through words. There was a frown on her face when she said, "I thought you wanted a wife for your son, someone who would love and support him."

"I chose you because you seemed to be someone who would support him, with how things were. My hope was to keep him focussed at work. You have all the time in the night for yourselves, don't you? But then from what I know, the white sheets have not turned red, Louise. Or are you perhaps not compatible with Graham?" asked Lady Viola.

Louise smiled at the woman's words. Slightly appalled by it and she said, "You shouldn't worry about our sex life, Lady Viola. It is something between me and him, and it has absolutely nothing to do with others. As spoken before, Graham is giving his attention to the family business and you have nothing to worry about. The business will flourish, and so will our relationship. Is that all you wanted to speak to me about, Lady Viola?"

The woman's eyes hardened at Louise' words, "Yes. That was all. I wanted to make sure we are on the same page."

When Louise saw Lady Viola turn and make her way towards the door of the room, Louise asked, "Don't you believe in Graham's decisions?"

Lady Viola stopped walking, turning around to face her daughter-in-law again and asked, "What?"

"Graham knows what is good for him. You were the one who raised him, I don't think he would ever do anything wrong, Lady Viola," replied Louise.

"I am aware of it," said Lady Viola without batting her eyelash.

"Then you should be at ease. Worry will only shorten a person's lifespan," said Louise, which was the truth. While Louise had meant it in a good way, the woman took it in another way.

"You should be careful of what you speak, and even what you do. Don't think I don't know what goes in this manor," said Lady Viola with a certain hint of warning in her tone.

Louise was quick to pick on it, and she asked, "I didn't do anything."

One side of the woman's lips raised, and she responded, "I heard from Agatha of how you like to snoop around the manor. Don't stir up trouble when there's none."

Louise's eyebrows knit together, and she asked, "Are you speaking about Mr. Burton's visit yesterday?"

"Well, at least you aren't feigning ignorance. Yes, him. We already have enough to handle and poking your nose unnecessarily. Do you know how bad it is going to look on our family?" demanded the woman, her lips twisted in displeasure.

"But don't you want to know the reason why Mr. Wensley passed away?"

Lady Viola let out a tired sigh, closing her eyes for a moment, and then she said, "My brother jumped out of his own will and that is the truth that we are all trying to come to accept." Louise noticed how the woman struggled while saying it.

Is that what she felt about Lisa too? Asked Louise in her mind.

"Like many other times our family will just need to push through," said Lady Viola, and she took her to leave the room.

Louise pursed her lips, and the woman stepped out of the room. When Louise reached the kitchen, Jemma was readying the tray with the kettle and the teacups.

"Give it to me," said Louise and the maids who were in the kitchen looked startled.

"But, milady-"

"Don't worry, nobody is going to scold you," Louise assured Jemma. She picked up the tray and stepped out of the kitchen.

Louise wanted to take the tea before Graham would wake up so that they could have it in the room. She might have been married into Reed's family, but she was still the same older person who now wanted to surprise her husband.

While she walked towards the stairs, she met up with Henry. He bowed his head and greeted her, "Good morning, Lady Louise. Are the maids busy in the kitchen?" he asked, his eyes darting towards the other side of the corridor. "I will tell Gilbert to get it for you," he offered her.

"I wanted to take it up myself," said Louise, and for a moment, the man looked perplexed before nodding.

"Of course," Henry offered her a smile, and Louise started to climb the stairs.

When Louise started to climb the stairs, a thin line of water started to flow towards the stairs. With every step she took, the water moved as if it was slithering like a snake and dripped down on the stairs, making the top right part of the stairs wet.

Louise, who was eager to carry the tray towards the room, failed to notice the inconspicuous trail of water that held the promise of a broken neck. But before Louise could place her right foot on the wet side of the stair, she stopped.

She wondered if she should have brought biscuits to eat along with the tea.

At the same time, their room's door opened, and Louise saw Graham step out of it. The water slowly retraced itself from where it had emerged, leaving the stairs dry.

"I didn't find you when you woke up," said Graham, and when Louise had come to stand at the top of the stairs, he took the tray from her hand.

Louise walked next to him to say, "I didn't want to wake you up and thought you might enjoy tea in the room," and they stepped inside the room.