Chapter 29: Chapter 29 – Joining the party

One of the things -whether positive or negative- brought by the fact that Madeleine was now dating Patrick was that she was allowed to visit Lilac Hall whenever she wanted. Not only that, but she also had complete freedom to roam the corridors, rooms, and gardens. Permission that, of course, extended to the possibility of requesting any person from the service.

This is why Madeleine, in a couple of days, had taken the trusts that Oscar did not dare to gather in the months that he had been there to wander around Lilac Hall, as if this were already her house and all the people who lived there were her employees.

It wasn´t uncommon, therefore, to have the eldest Cornell paying a visit every few days.

While there were still rumors that Patrick was seeing other women, the truth is that lately the protagonist didn´t seem to have much time for his usual adventures. And not that he was dedicating all of his efforts to meet his new favorite, no. Any employee could say without a doubt that Madeleine spent more time in Lilac Hall than Patrick did in showing up at Rose Cottage.

To be precise, Madeleine was partly responsible for the protagonist barely being able to even move to the nearest village with his friends. For if she didn´t demand he come to visit her, she would appear at Lilac Hall herself without prior notice. And poor Patrick wasn't or couldn't articulate a decent excuse for his absence upon her arrival! Of course, no excuse seemed good enough for Madeleine: she got mad about everything.

If he stood up for going to play cards with his buddies, she'd get mad. If his father decided to drag him into his office to do something useful one day, she´d throw a tantrum, too. If he went out for a walk and greeted the neighbors on the way, she put on a show of jealousy. Not even being a few meters away from her to piss, when they were in the field, was possible! Everything had to be done in the range of vision of her new girlfriend for her to be satisfied.

It was an ordeal.

An ordeal that Oscar was enjoying as never before, since each day that passed he could see how the spirits were leaving Patrick to the point that, being a prisoner in his own house, he had become paler and thinner. Not to mention that, unable to evade Madeleine's visits for fear of causing a greater disturbance, he tried to lose sight of her in the dozens of hallways that his home was made of. Being so desperate, he even asked his father to send him work or, better still, to visit him! He, who didn´t touch the business documents even if they threatened him with a weapon, now pretended to do so voluntarily.

Old Seymour must be puzzled. Madeleine, on the other hand, took it positively: for her, the fact that Patrick had chosen her could only mean a substantial improvement in her quality of life. Or what would come of his sudden motivation to stop being lazy and put himself, as his father wanted, to work if not? Madeleine was satisfied, she didn´t seem to notice any worrying change in the behavior of her lover.

And since she was content to torment the other, it implied the time and desire she had to approach Oscar was also reduced. To the point that he didn´t speak to her for three whole weeks, despite the fact that he often crossed paths with her at his main job.

Now, that luck of going unnoticed before one of the greatest annoyances of that novel couldn´t last forever, less in the case of someone like Oscar, whom it seemed that the universe hated with eternal fervor, because of how he used to come out badly from almost any situation.

"Hey, isn't that Madeleine Cornell?" Kenneth, who never stray too far from him during work hours, had alerted him one day “Ah, she is! And she´s coming this way!”

"Shut up and don't look at her," Oscar instructed, although he knew his first command was impossible to carry out, "she'll leave when she gets tired."

After all, she'd been passing by or stopping for weeks just to say hello.

Kenneth turned his back on Madeleine, though as he continued to sweep the stone path they were on, he couldn't help but turn his head a couple of times, to check that she would indeed disappear from vision range.

"Oscar, she really is coming this way, I thought it was a coincidence, but she just stepped into the maze. You should have seen her jump that rung of the stairs, she almost killed herself!”

"That ‘almost’ is the problem," Oscar murmured, but before Kenneth could ask, still without taking a look for himself at what was coming, asked. “You say she got into the maze?”

“Yes! And apart from that she's alone, don't you think we should go help her?”

Only the Seymours and their employees were able to navigate the labyrinth without getting lost. Of course, one could go around it and get to the path where the gardeners were, but this would require twice the original distance. Knowing this, Oscar replied stolidly:

"Let her get lost for a bit."

“How rude! You won't get points with Miss Cornell that way, you know! And considering that both master and Mr. Northrop are already after her, you don't wanna be left behind in the race.””

‘What the fuck? Are you telling me that Madeleine has a reverse harem? Because if that's the case, I don't want to belong there!’ Oscar's expression turned grim. Although he knew Patrick was the only one going after Madeleine —or that he had gone after her, because he was no longer sure that he wanted anything with her now— rumors could cause a lot of damage if they were heard by certain people of few neurons.

Kenneth must have misinterpreted that expression as one of anguish when he realized his beloved could be taken away if he didn´t do something, so he rushed to run towards the labyrinth to rescue the protagonist. Oscar wanted to stop him, but it was too late. And he wasn't going to run for this.

Ten minutes later, Oscar had already resigned himself. Before him was Madeleine, as usual, making a request that was difficult to fulfill.

"I need help with Patrick," she had said, unsurprisingly.

"Okay, what about my money?"

"Don't start with that again, I already said I'd give it back to you!" Raising her voice too high, Kenneth, who had been sent fifty feet away, turned to look at them suspiciously. “Look, the other week Patrick gave me a very ugly diamond necklace… but valuable. I'll give it to you after you help me, okay?” She insisted back to her normal tone, trying to take Oscar's hands as a gesture of mutual complicity.

Of course, Oscar didn´t allow himself to be touched and, defensive as he was, he warned:

"I won´t accept any jewelery, unless you can show me that it is authentic and therefore valuable."

“I can do it!” As if to vouch for her words with his actions, Madeleine reached into the neckline of her dress and pulled a necklace from it. “See? I have even brought it with me, so you can see that I have come with good will!”

“Keep that in!” Oscar was scandalized, forcing her to return it to the same place she took it from, why the hell wouldn't she wear it around her neck like normal people? “Can't you see that Kenneth can see you and draw the wrong conclusion? Now, regarding my help, next time bring a report certifying the current value of that piece.”

"Good, and then you´ll help me, right?"

"No, later, if the price of that jewel makes up for it, I'll want to visit an appraiser myself to confirm that neither the necklace nor the certificate are forgeries."

"I don't understand how you can think that about me, until now you've been the only one faking documents! You know I´m terrible at it, that I couldn´t…”

No, Madeleine couldn't. But with the contacts she might have made during her continued visits to Lilac Hall… Well, maybe one of Patrick's delinquent friends knew how to do it.

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"After seeing the appraiser and confirming it myself," Oscar continued, ignoring her, "I'd think about helping you. And I say ‘I´d think about it’ because, after all, this is money you already owed me. It doesn't seem right to me asking more favors for nothing.”

"But… but this time you wouldn't have to do anything, really! Just giving me an idea would be enough, I would do all the work. I promise!”

"Let´s pretend I believe you, even though I'm telling you I don't. What the fuck do you want with Patrick now? You've already managed to talk to him, spend time together, and even let him drag you to his mansion to play. Is not enough? Because all you'd have left is for him to also take you to see his room, and in which case… Ah, but you may have already done this,” Oscar suggested with a malicious smile, although Madeleine didn't seem to realize what he was referring to. “After all, they say Patrick was always pretty smart about such things.”

"Don't be stupid! I have my dignity too, I wouldn't let Patrick touch me before marriage. That would be a sin and…! Although, well, everything could be negotiated.” Before Oscar could comment on how easy Madeleine seemed to allow herself to be convinced, she continued. “A-anyway…! It´s obvious what we have now isn´t enough. What happens is that you are an inveterate bachelor and don´t understand what it´s to be dating someone for more than two months and that that person has not even considered the possibility of proposing to you.”

"It's true, I must be an ignorant. So was that what you were up to? Do you want Patrick to make up his mind to commit?”

"And he must be the one to propose!"

Madeleine sounded so convinced of her words that Oscar couldn't help but laugh at such naivety. Already discounting the fact that Patrick was lousy material to become a husband, how was it that two months and to the altar? It sounded horrible.

"You should have started from there! For that I can even give you free advice. Look, look, you just have to make Patrick believe that he's lost without you. That without your presence in his house, he´ll die. In short, you must make him develop a codependent relationship with you” Seeing she was listening to him attentively, without interrupting, he added. “And, for that, all you have to do is tie him to the bed.”

“What? How?”

"You tie him up and make it clear to him that he won't be able to eat, drink or even go shit without your consent. If he refuses, leave him for a while. When he's hungry or the need tightens, I'm sure he'll feel more collaborative. Codependency, I said.”

"You must be kidding! His parents would be furious if they found out, not to mention what those gossipers from the service would say!”

"I was serious."

"Well, I'm not taking that advice! It´s monstrous, what would they think of my gentle being if they got to know that part of me? No, I won´t and there´s nothing more to talk about!”

Seeing that Oscar was already going to say something like: "Suit yourself", and completely disregard the matter, Madeleine rushed to say:

“Listen, Patrick and I are planning to attend a friend of Mr. Seymour's house this weekend. I just need your help giving me an idea by which I can get a little closer to Patrick, taking advantage of that party.” Since there was no reaction, she continued. “Think of it as my perfect opportunity to be alone with him! Without his parents or most of his employees hanging around, just friends and trusted people for the family. After this I won't bother you anymore, I swear!”

"Where do you say you planned to attend?"

"Oh, I don't know the hosts, but they told me they´re an old couple. The Ramseys, I think they were called. They organize a hunt, so we´ll be staying at their house for a couple of days.”

This didn´t surprise Oscar, in fact, if he asked about the place was only because he already figured they would go. In the original novel there was also a plot arc that took place outside of Snodland. A dangerous one, to tell the truth, because it included a murder.

"But what are you saying? Will you help me?" Madeleine insisted again. “Just one idea, one idea from you is enough for me!”

"Bring me what I asked for and then we'll talk about that idea," Oscar said slowly.

He was no longer thinking about the protagonist's imaginary problems or whether it was worth getting into more entanglements. In fact, he already knew the sensible thing to do with Madeleine was not to trust, and that is why he had put so many conditions on her to even lift a finger for her. Now what was occupying his mind was the plot of the Ramseys, would it differ anything from the original work...? Fortunately, the murder that was committed there wasn´t his, but that didn´t mean he was curious to know if the criminal in that case would remain the same.

Madeleine, on her part, seemed pleased with the deal. She assured him the next day she would be back with her necklace and an expert's report, then she left in good spirits, this time circling the labyrinth.

Madeleine hadn't been ten steps away when Kenneth had already come running to stand beside Oscar.

"Have you already managed to carve your stitches with her?" Since his partner didn't answer, Kenneth did it for him. “It's okay if you haven't, after all, when we go hunting you'll have a chance to snatch Madeleine from her clutches. Although, now that I think about it, I don't know if Mr. Northrop will come to that as well. And in that case, considering you've already had your disagreements with Ms. Cornell, I think the competition will be a bit tougher. Or well, who says tough, says exciting.”

"Wait, how come we're going hunting?"

It went without saying, but in the original work, Oscar's presence was not required in that arc at all. Of course, back then, he wasn't working for Patrick Seymour.

"Someone has to collect the partridges that fall."

"I thought the Ramseys had employees to do that."

"They have them, they do. There are even dogs! But an extra help never hurts, don't you think? Anyway, Mr. Seymour whenever he goes on a hunt selects a handful of people to accompany him, you know, to have his trusted servants close by or help a little in the service of those hosts with whom they meet. Be that as it may, the boss chooses these people in a compulsory way, although there are people like me who like to change of scene from time to time and offer to go voluntarily.”

"Voluntary, you say," Oscar repeated in horror; he hadn´t lent himself for such a thing.

“Yes, is so cool! And you should already know that I prefer to hunt smaller birds and ... and not kill them. But what does it matter when you have the opportunity to take a little trip, thus taking a break from the routine?”

"What if I don't want to go?"

"You can't refuse! Master chose you on Madeleine's recommendation, it seems that at the Cornell house they hardly have staff to accompany her and, therefore, she thought it would be good for her emotional tranquility if one of the servants accompanying them to her the Ramseys were you. Aren´t you happy? Hey, don't make that face on me! I'm back to work now. How aggressive you are lately!”

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