The Fourth Mistress

Louise felt her lips tremble even before Graham closed the distance between them. The pain that she felt a while ago on her forehead was quick to disappear, while her attention completely fell on the man who stood in front of her.

Graham slowly descended his lips on hers, his lips gentle as they first pressed on her soft lips. And that little action was enough for Louise's entire body to come alive like she had never felt before. The only kiss they had shared was during their wedding, but the kiss had been so quick that the only thing she remembered was her cheeks turning warm because of the contact of their lips.

Instinctively, her eyes closed, and she sunk into the feeling of his lips brushing hers once again, like a feather that gently tickled her.

With both his hands holding her face, he moved his lips against hers. It took Louise a moment with her pounding heart to kiss Graham back. She felt him capturing her bottom lip with his lips, tugging on it before letting it go and repeating the same as if her lips were a berry that needed to be sucked.

Blood was quick to rush to her cheek, but that wasn't all where the heat rushed to. She was lost in Graham's kiss, and he pulled her to have her stand in front of him. His one hand slowly slid away from her jaw to circle her waist. His tongue ran over the seam of her lips, opening her up so that he could taste her further.

The other hand moved to place behind her head as Louise drowned in the sweet pleasure that had been building up within her over a few days now. Her toes curled, pressing into the cold floor of the room. Kissing Graham was like finding a book that she had been looking for all this time, running her fingers over the pages. Her one hand moved to place on his chest and the other on his arm while passionately kissed by him.

When he finally pulled away from her lips, her eyes fluttered open while her chest heaved for air. Her heart continued to race to catch up with the burst of emotions that she had the pleasure of knowing.

Her gaze moved up to look at Graham, who was looking at her. She felt him caress her cheek with his hand before it moved, and his thumb brushed her plump lower lip. That single action was enough to give away the strength in her knees. Fortunately, he hadn't let go of her waist, and it was enough to keep her still.

Usually, Louise had something to say, but this time she was left speechless, and her body was still humming with the sweet sensation of being kissed. She was thankful that Graham had waited to kiss her, but at the same time, she wondered if he was developing his emotional connection along with her.

"I think I will have good dreams tonight," whispered Louise, when Graham continued to look at her, and she saw him smile.

"I couldn't ask for anything more," replied Graham, tucking the pieces of her hair behind her ears. "I don't want to lose you, Louise."

Louise smiled at him, bringing her hand to place it on his hand, and she said, "You won't. And neither will I."

Graham leaned again, pecking her lips, and he said, "Promise."

That particular night, as Louise said, she did have good dreams.

The next morning, Louise got ready and tied her hair. In the mirror, she looked at her reflection and her forehead where Graham had put a small bandage. Though it wasn't a deep wound, she hadn't removed it on his insistence. Stepping out of the room, she made her way to the servant's quarters to make sure the maid was alright.

On her way, Louise looked up at the ceiling from where the chandelier had fallen yesterday. Hearing Graham's father's voice, she turned and saw Gilbert bowing his head over something the man ordered him to do.

"Good morning, Louise. How is the pain on your forehead?" questioned Robert, his eyes fell on her forehead. "I hope Graham applied the medicine on it."

"Good morning. Yes, he did so that it would heal quickly," replied Louise. Her eyes fell on the butler's hands, "How are your hands, Gilbert?"

"They are good, milady," Gilbert offered her a polite bow.

"It is strange that the chandelier fell because there's no way of heavy wind passing in here," said Robert.

"I think the screw might have come loose," suggested Louise, and the man nodded his head.

"Did you find any screw while cleaning the floor last night, Gilbert?" Robert questioned the butler.

"I am not sure, Sire. When the chandelier fell, it loosened the other screws from the rings and chains," replied Gilbert, his voice monotonous as always.

"Anyways, it is time to replace all these old chandeliers with new ones and I am going to meet Mr. Mullens, who has a collection of chandeliers in his shop," saying this, the older man offered a smile to Louise, and he started to walk towards the hall. Gilbert offered her a bow, his gaze meeting hers for fleeting seconds before he turned and followed his master.

Louise would have believed it was because of the many passing years the chandelier had spent hanging on the ceiling. But she had heard the creaking sound before it had fallen. Father Edward had offered the prayers, trying to purify this place, yet it did not affect and stop the spirit that was trying to cause harm to the family.

Walking away from there, Louise made her way to where Emily's room was. Knocking on it, she entered the room and saw the maid sitting on the bed.

"Milady!" The maid quickly got up from the bed, staggering a little before she bowed.

"I came to see how you are doing. Earlier when Meg brought tea to the room, she said you were resting and I decided to come and have a look if you are alright," replied Louise with a warm smile on her face.

"That is very kind of you, milady," replied Emily, both her hands holding each other and then she asked, "Would you like to take a seat?"

"That's fine. Sit down," Louise forced the maid to sit down, and Emily hesitantly sat down on the edge of the bed. The window behind her had been opened for rays of the sun to come into the room. "Is it hurting too much? I can tell Gilbert to fetch the physician for you."

The maid shook her head, "I will be alright with some rest. How is your forehead, milady?" her eyes looked at the small white bandage on Louise's forehead.

"It is nothing compared to the pain in your leg. Graham is just worried and he had told me to wear it for precaution," smiled Louise. He cared for her, and the thought made her heart warm.

"He is a good man," replied Emily, and she placed her hand on the leg while wincing in pain.

Louise felt bad for the servants, who often left their families behind to earn and came to work for the wealthier family, without any of their family member near them.

"He is. Do you plan to ever leave Reed's manor and settle down with a man?" asked Louise, making small talk with the girl.

"I am not sure, milady if it is possible,'' replied Emily, pursing her lips. She then said, "It is very rare for servants like us to receive proposals from any man at our door. Because of our poor background and the low status that we hold."

"Maybe I can see what can be done. I would love to help you," Louise offered to help the maid, who had a smile of gratitude on her lips. "I can check with the other maids too to see what plans they have for the future."

"Thank you for your kind thoughts, Lady Louise," said the maid, fondly looking at Louise.

"You don't have to thank me," replied Louise.

"By the way, milady. If I may ask," started, Emily and Louise gave her a nod to continue. "Meg said Father Edward visited the manor yesterday. They were speaking about ghosts. Is there really a ghost living here?" she asked with worry.

"It was only to have blessings, you do not have to worry about it," replied Louise, assuring the girl while trying not to scare the already scared girl more. "What happened yesterday was only a little mishap. There's nothing to worry about."

Louise didn't know if she was trying to assure herself or the maid in the room. "You have been working for the family for a while. Was there ever something that stood out, any strange things with the Reed's family members?" she asked the girl.

"Strange?"

"Yes, if you ever overheard any conversation that took place between the family members, something that they were not supposed to do or talk," asked Louise, knowing if there was any breadcrumbs, the servants would be the ones to have it as they were the ones who often walked around the manor to complete their work.

Emily thought for a while, and then she said, "I am not sure if I am supposed to say this or not, but a few days ago... I saw Lady Alison meeting Lady Viola in the corridor at night time. I had heard the neighing of the horses' and decided to take a look at the stable. While returning I saw them standing near the tall window, talking."

A frown quickly appeared on Louise's face, and she asked, "Did you hear what they were speaking about?"

The maid shook her head, "I didn't, milady. We were outside, and we returned back to our rooms."

"Thank you for telling me this," Louise appreciated the maid for this information, and the maid bowed her head. "You have an off day, you should rest and get better. I will see you later."

"Yes, milady. Thank you for coming to visit me," the maid bowed again, and Louise left the room.

So Lady Viola and Alison were up to something. To know what it was, Louise would talk to her mother-in-law. When looking for the woman, she found from one of the servants that Lady Viola had gone to pay her respect to her brother. To where the caskets had been buried. Walking there, Louise caught sight of Lady Viola standing in front of her brother's grave.

When Louise came to stand not too far from where the woman stood, Lady Viola's eyes moved to the corner, but she didn't turn to look at her.

Louise heard Lady Viola ask, "Is there something you wanted?"

"Why do you think that?" asked Louise, her tone polite and calm, while watching the side profile of the woman.

"You haven't come and stood in front of the graves and it seems like you are waiting for me," remarked Lady Viola, and she finally turned around and met Louise's eyes. "Also, it seems like you have decided to change your career from becoming a legal counsellor to a detective."

Louise couldn't help but smile at Lady Viola's interest in her career, "Does it bother you?" she asked.

"Hardly," replied Lady Viola, staring at Louise with a grim expression on her face. "It is the investigating officer's job to find the reason and not ours. Leave it to the officer, who will give us the right statement as he has his sources to find answers," and she started to walk from there.

"Is there something you are hiding?" questioned Louise, and the women abruptly stopped walking.

"I don't know what you are saying," Lady Viola's eyes narrowed, sharply looking at her daughter-in-law.

Louise' eyes lowered down, looking at Ernest Wensley's grave.

She then said, "A few days before your brother's death, you and Alison met in the corridor in the middle of the night to talk about something. I was wondering what the pressing matter was. Is there anything that I or Graham or anyone else in the manor needs to know?"

"Are you trying to insinuate that I have something to do with my brother's suicide or have a hand in whoever that other man was?" questioned Lady Viola with a look of displeasure on her face.

"I apologize," said Louise to the woman, but the woman turned her gaze away from Louise. "I am not implying anything and am only curious. If you are in trouble, we ca-"

Lady Viola huffed the air from her mouth, "What has made you think that I have done something, that I am in some sort of trouble?" she turned back to look at Louise.

"Then, why do you have the look of uncertainty in your eyes?" asked Louise. Lady Viola looked slightly annoyed. Her lips were set into a thin line. "I am only trying to find the truth."

For a few seconds, Lady Viola stayed quiet, and she finally parted her lips to speak, "If you really want to know…"