Chapter 40: Chapter 40 – Back home

If someone had told him that a day would come when he would not only feel comfortable in the presence of the villain but would come to his house voluntarily, Oscar would have laughed. No, he wouldn´t just laugh, he´d have taken that person for crazy! After all, it was one thing to visit Thornfield under a risky imposition by Letitia Northrop, while it was quite another to do it out of his own free will, to chat for a while with Albert. But right now, surprising as it may be far from feeling nervous, he had come to look forward to every Sunday to meet him.

Three weeks after the hunt was over, he felt as if a gap had closed between them.

Oscar still wouldn´t put his hand to the fire regarding the claim that this person wasn´t a murderer. But after all they'd been through in Fairview, he'd be lying if he said he didn't choose to trust him. Albert had never treated him badly, on the contrary, it was he who saved him. So even though some insisted there was a slim chance that the aforementioned would turn out to be a bad person, Oscar didn't care. If Albert continued to treat him with his usual kindness and respect, he would reciprocate as well. Why couldn't it be that simple then?

That sunny afternoon in early December, instead of continuing along the main road he was used to, Oscar slipped past the Northrop-owned estates as soon as he left town behind. He was lucky that the aforementioned family was not a freak of the borders, putting lackeys at each limit of their lands so that it would act as an insurmountable wall against possible intruders. Since, in this way, Oscar had no major inconveniences when it came to going through the fields and reaching Thornfield through the back door of the mansion.

Because yes, he had done it on purpose. He didn´t see fit to use the main entrance, as he used to.

The servants were surprised to see him arrive the way he did, but since by then he was already known by all who worked there as a good friend of one of his masters, they didn´t mind. Oscar noticed the curiosity in their eyes as they let him pass through the rooms and corridors, although he knew well that no one would ask. It wasn´t in their power to question him.

By the time he reached the library, Albert was already there, in his usual spot. Unlike the early days, when the villain barely looked away from his books to greet Oscar when he walked in, now the interactions were much more natural. Going to the extreme that, a being as shy and introverted as the villain, he was easily able to turn away from the book for a few moments and even stand up to receive visitors.

"Why is everything closed?" Oscar asked this after a brief greeting, not wasting a second preparing to quench his curiosity.

Although Albert's behavior had been softening in those months, little by little, the change that he noticed today in the library was much more abrupt. And it is that the curtains that usually remained completely drawn at that time of the afternoon, thus allowing the sunlight to filter through the windows, were now completely closed.

Not that the decision to keep them that way plunged the room into gloom, as the fabric was not so opaque and the sun was strong enough that chinks of light would creep in anyway, saving the need to light a few lamps. But it was a very nice day, and it felt really strange that someone would choose to sacrifice great views for a little privacy.

"I suspect it´s for the same reason that you started using the back door," Albert replied in the same tone.

When he received this answer, Oscar had already approached the windows, placing his hand on one of the curtains with the intention of opening it a little. Stopping for a moment, he settled for pushing it far enough away that he could peer out.

From where he stood, the Cornell house could be seen perfectly, and although somewhat separated by a stony path and several dozen yards of gardens, a silhouette could be seen in one of the front windows. Oscar sighed with sheer exhaustion and, without remaining a second observing, turned to Albert to inquire:

"How long has she been there?"

"It's hard to say. She may have just arrived. Maybe she's been there all day, I don't know. What´s certain is that something is planning, because watching from the shadows has not been the only thing she´s been doing these days”

"Maybe I should talk to her," Oscar said. “She's been bugging you, right?”

There was no doubt this was the case, even if Albert denied it. Oscar had seen Madeleine peeking from one of Rose Cottage's upstairs windows. There was no doubt that it was her because, discounting that from the library you could barely make out the silhouettes of those who passed by the windows of the neighboring house, the protagonist was not being discreet at all: Leaving her own curtains drawn, the windows open wide, and still on top having secured an armchair from which to get comfortable to spy with the help of binoculars.

Let´s see, considering the trajectory of those lenses, it was more than evident where they kept pointing.

"I really can't understand what her problem is," Albert pointed out, not quite accepting or rejecting the facts that were revealed to him. “She had been ignoring all of us for years, especially me. And now suddenly this! I have to keep everything closed because it´s somewhat uncomfortable to feel a constant glance on the back of my neck during the hours that I´m here. And when I go out... It's a pain to go out. If you ask Madeleine Cornell she´ll tell you she hasn´t been watching me, and yet, there isn´t a day that I can go out and not find her. I can't even look out on the porch to receive the mail without fear that she will appear after a couple of minutes!”

Oscar laughed like someone who laughs at a known evil. And it is that he himself took the opportunity to confess:

"Do you remember I told you that the first week I visited you, back from the hunt, Madeleine held me back and I was late at Lilac Hall? Well, I have to say that what she actually did was question me. Well, it seems that, and don't be too scared to hear this, she was spying on you and she must have seen me when I was greeted by the front door. I didn't let her get a lot out of me, but in spite of everything, she has been very insistent that I intercede for her to also come to Thornfield for a visit”

"Why didn't you tell me about it before?"

"Did you want to see her?"

“No”

The monosyllable was forceful, so Oscar got the courage to continue:

"So it seemed to me, although it´s true that I should have told you. Not that it's the best of excuses, but Madeleine was more discreet back then, so I didn't know she was harassing you. In fact, I've been here so many times that I thought it was inevitable that she would one day find out about it, by mere coincidence”

“I doubt that these days you can qualify as a coincidence to anything she does”

"Has she tried something else?"

Because if you claim that she is following you wherever you go and that you even see her stalking from Rose Cottage, the only thing she would have left is to come to you directly, Oscar thought. And, knowing Madeleine, that kind of crude approach would fit in perfectly with her reckless nature.

"The other day she sent a note saying she was going for a walk around town and that she´d be delighted to have me accompany her. It was a note that I received by hand, I must add. Since we returned from Fairview, it´s not the first letter on this matter that she has sent me, with the difference that the others were delivered through intermediaries. I imagine that she believed that, if she gave me this letter in person, I would no longer be able to continue denying her as I had been doing since it began”

"But she was wrong," Oscar concluded.

It was interesting to hear how the protagonist adapted a bit, even though it was based on trial and error, to the personality of the villain. It was obvious that Albert would be uncomfortable if someone he didn't speak to often suddenly came to invite him somewhere. Writing to him, random as this too seemed, was a far less direct and intrusive advance.

"I was going to decline her offer again, but I think she foresaw it, because she ran out before I could say anything."

"What manners, I wonder who she got them from."

"Since the date was already set and I didn't have the time or desire to follow her to her house to decline the offer, I had to do the second best thing I could do. That is, take advantage of the fact that in the note was written ‘for Mr. Northrop’, with no name in front of it, and pass the responsibility of going to my father”

Oscar couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this. He could imagine the confusion of Albert's father finding himself involved in an engagement he didn´t foresee.

"I hope he wasn´t bothered by it"

“He didn't minded much, even though it seemed strange to him that one of the Cornell daughters was interested in fraternizing with him. He decided to go out with her so as not to snub her and, as he told me when he returned, he took the time to advise her that she shouldn´t be trying to date a man twice his age” Ignoring Oscar, who was now striving to stifling a laugh, he continued after a few seconds. “At least my father's confusion served to embarrass her: Since then she hasn´t dared to approach Thornfield, much less try to send messages again”

"I see, then she just watches from her own palace until she finds a chance to catch you off guard. And here I am thinking that I had it complicated with mine, that I almost have to camouflage myself in the grove to reach Thornfield unharmed!” Oscar said this halfway between joking and annoyed; no matter how much Albert pretended not to mind spending a little more time locked up in his house, it was an offense that thanks to Madeleine he was being held in such a way. “I'll talk to her next time… No, I'd better do it right away when I leave here. The sooner we clear things up, the sooner we can breathe easy”

"It would be nice if you could do it, but if you see that she´s unreasonable, don't try to insist. I'd rather you didn't get in trouble yourself just trying to intercede on my behalf” Before Oscar could say anything else, Albert commented. “Now, what I don't understand is why Miss Cornell is so determined to contact me, isn't it enough for her to torment that fiancé of hers?”

“It would be enough if he let her and, for now, he´s not very much for the work.”

Although Oscar's life had returned to normality (or to all the normality that could exist having to inhabit like a cannon fodder character inside a bad novel), continuing with his work in Lilac Hall and neglecting to perform overtime now that he no longer had to raise any money, the same couldn´t be said about the protagonists.

After the hunt, the engagement was no longer known because, conveniently, the two involved chose to leave it in oblivion. One of them out of fear and the other because, after thinking about it a bit, she believed she had found a better prey. So they didn´t even communicate anything to their respective families, avoiding the rumors that could have arisen in town, and imposing a certain distance of safety for themselves so as not to have to see each other so often.

They were still supposed to be dating. They could still be seen strolling together from time to time, through the central streets of Snodland. But that was it. No one at that point could say for sure how dead that relationship really was.

"Going back to more pleasant topics," the villain intervened, not wanting to delve into the miseries of the protagonists, "I wanted to tell you that in a few days I´ll go to the Costwolds to pick up my sister."

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"Oh, so is it already certain that she's going to spend the Christmas holidays in town?"

"Yes, her last grades were more than satisfactory, so she doesn't need to stay in boarding school during those dates."

“Great! I already wanted to see Letitia, it seems like a century has passed since she went to school. She's gonna stay a couple of weeks, then? It will be nice to be able for all of us to meet again”

"Speaking of get-togethers... Uh... I imagine that with the arrival of the holidays you'll be busier at Lilac Hall"

Oscar didn't know where he wanted to go with this, much less why he seemed to have gotten nervous at mentioning it. But he knew Albert well enough to be certain that he wasn´t implying that his presence would be a nuisance. Therefore, he assured him:

"I´ll be probably busy, but I doubt that will stop me from stopping by from time to time. More so now that I don't consider working for the Seymours as a matter of life and death” Making sure the other didn't seem to show any unfavorable reaction to the comment, he added. “Though If you prefer to spend the holidays alone with your family...”

"No, of course not, you can come whenever you want," Albert hastened to say. “I was only saying it because I thought maybe you would have a lot of work to do with the Christmas ball preparations”

"Although there might be, which I still don't know, I doubt this will prevent me from appearing here. You know? I´ve spoken to Patrick Seymour. The guy almost had a heart attack when I approached him, believing that I came with a message from Madeleine. But later, when I asked him for permission to terminate the contract, he readily agreed. He asked me to stay until the end of the year, because with the arrival of the visitors and the pertinent parties there would be more chores and plenty of help will be need... Discounting that, he seemed even happy to lose sight of me”

“Seriously?”

“Incredible true? He's the second person to almost congratulate me on firing myself,” Oscar sneered, pretending to be offended. “I don't know how to take it!”

"No, I mean… Are you really planning on leaving your job?"

“I see no reason to continue in it, it has given me more displeasure than benefits”

And not even the stubbornness of a certain author is going to convince me to keep holding on, he thought to add, but it wasn't necessary. The villain seemed glad of his resolve.

"That's good," he said, with a slight smile. “I don't know what Seymour will be like as a patron, but if it turns out the way it was in his school days (and I think it is, from what you've told me), any option that makes you walk away from him has to be pleasant”

Oscar agreed, knowing that the protagonist's capricious and wasteful character had not changed over the years. It didn't do it in the original novel, much less this one. And then he waited for a question that never came.

Wasn't he going to ask Albert what he would do from then on? No, he wouldn't. The villain wasn´t an indiscreet being and, although he was often curious about his affairs, he never insisted on knowing something that he wasn´t willing to tell. So the conversation continued for a while longer, in other directions, until each one was completely absorbed in their own reading and there was silence that lasted until tea time. And even then, the subject matter they discussed was the most trivial, purposely forgetting all the inconveniences caused by Madeleine and Patrick in order to enjoy a few hours of peace.

Oscar extended his stay as long as he could. Not only because he felt comfortable in the company of the villain but because, throughout the afternoon, he had not stopped noticing the aforementioned wanted to say something that he wasn´t telling. Thinking of his previous nervousness, he thought it best not to pressure Albert and give him time to put into words what he wanted to express.

But, whether it was because his shyness overshadowed his bravery or because it was Oscar's imaginations and he really had nothing more to add, Albert ended up shutting up.

And by the time Oscar left Thornfield, feeling that he had missed something important, he had already regretted not trying to get more out of him. Ah, if he even he could have told him about his plans to continue working at the newspaper as an author…! Because he hadn't talked to him about it yet and well, why not? Nor is it that his second job should be a secret at this point. And, even though it still was, he didn't think Albert would go off the hook if he entrusted it to him.

He remembered, when he was already about thirty feet from the Northrop mansion, that he should talk to the protagonist to stop the harassment. He didn't think she was going to listen to him, but at least he should try, perhaps cajoling her into forgetting about the villain for a while or, at the very least, not using means as questionable as the ones she used until now. But he couldn´t even consider it, because the very damn woman saw him coming from her lookout post and, after making a rude gesture for him to go to hell, she withdrew from her window and closed the cons with wrench.

The fact that Madeleine was behaving in such a childish way wasn´t going to stop Oscar who, despite everything, dared to approach the very door of Rose Cottage to ask for an audience with that human waste with the pretense of a queen.

It was useless, however.

Mallory was the one who attended him, offering him an apology that would never come from the protagonist's mouth. And then, before Oscar could happen to pass, she stopped him with the false allegation that Madeleine wasn´t at her house.

"I just saw her at the window”

"It must have been your imagination." Mallory said this as if she were reciting a script already written, not bothering to make her tone believable. “Miss Cornell has gone to visit some friends and she won't be back until late”

"How late?" Oscar followed suit.

"Well, it's supposed to be after dark, but if it's my personal opinion, I'd swear she´ll be back by the time you disappear from this property."

“As expected”

"Have you made her mad at you again?"

"Why should I be the first one you point to? Of course I haven't done anything…! Or well, nothing for which my conscience isn´t clear. You know what Madeleine´s like when she strives to achieve something; if I deny it, she behaves like a girl who has had her favorite toy taken away”

“Yes, I know. And that's why I'd like to give you some free advice: Leave Mr. Northrop out of your absurd squabbles”

"I see you´re aware of that, at least."

"How could I not be? Madeleine spends the day raving about him when she used to not even waste a second to look at his direction. If she goes out with her sisters for walks in town, there is not a time when she doesn´t ask me to keep her informed of his movements in Thornfield during her absence. Oh, and  not to mention the surveillance device she has mounted in her room! You've seen her with those damn binoculars, right? Well, she also has a notebook where she records the comings and goings of everyone living in that house. Especially those of Albert Northrop. She points out dates, times and room where she thinks they are at all times”

"That woman has gone mad," Oscar replied dismissively; When he saw the curtains drawn in the Northrop library, it already seemed to him that the thing was serious, but since Albert knew well how to stay calm in this unusual situation, he didn´t stop to consider that it would go to such an extreme. “Not that she was very sane from the beginning, but this is too much!”

"Can't Mr. Seymour do anything?" Mallory wanted to suggest this, though it seemed more like a question. “He hasn't been here in weeks. If he wants something from her, he always tells her by letters”

"No, no, forget that grotesque individual. Those two don't meet in Lilac Hall either, but somewhere in town. And for sheer appearance! So that people don´t go around telling people that they no longer get along, or that they broke up, or who knows what…” Thinking about the story the villain had told him some time ago, he added. “Patrick Seymour must be scared, angry, or both. I don't know if he's going to want to go back to Madeleine, but I certainly think that if he were told that he could help Mr. Northrop that would only make it worse”

With how much they hated each other, added to the murky business of the money Patrick had to grudgingly shell out, Oscar had no doubt that if he found a way to get back at Albert, the protagonist would take it without hesitation.

Mallory didn't ask, sensing that perhaps the Seymours and Northrops didn't have the best of relationships. And she, instead of commenting anything else, she let Oscar conclude:

"I'll go, since Madeleine is too busy to receive me. Could you give her a message for when she comes back? Tell her, and this is a mere recommendation of mine, to try to stay away from doors and windows from now on. The authorities are so demanding lately…! They see someone pointing at the neighbor's house with binoculars and they already plan to arrest one for espionage and treason”

"Do you want me to threaten her?" Mallory smiled in amusement.

Oscar had become more and more insolent as the months passed, but this threatening the one that was once the daughter of his employer was new.

“No, of course not. I would never be so cruel. I'm not asking you to threaten her… It´s enough for me to tell her. Haven't you read the news? There have been many cases, especially in cities, of complaints for not respecting the privacy of others. The police are doing their best to find these kinds of people, and I don't want Madeleine to end up in jail for something that's not worth it”

Mallory, unsurprisingly, didn't buy the excuse. But she, still in a good mood, agreed to talk to the protagonist about it, perhaps changing her words a bit so that the inherent hostility that Oscar showed was not so obvious. However, this maid also liked Albert Northrop, and if there was a method to stop Madeleine from her advances, she would try to put it into practice.

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