Chapter 46: Chapter 46 – The duel

In the end, Christmas Eve passed and Oscar had no chance to return Albert's jacket. Not in person, at least. Between the fact that the aforementioned had voluntarily disappeared and that, a little later, someone from the Seymour service claimed him for wasting time instead of working, he had to discard the idea of ​​continuing to help the villain.

So, for the remainder of the day, he kept his machinations to himself, refraining from making any other suspicious movement that revealed his partiality towards one of the duelists.

On second thought, going unnoticed was the best he could do: With an idea already half settled in his head, and his pawns moving just as he predicted they would, the only thing left was to sit and watch. Always trying to keep his ears open to new gossip, so as not to lose a detail about the consequences that the duel would bring.

Although he tried to meet Albert again, Oscar had no choice but to break his promise. The night of the ball was so busy…! The jacket ended up being given to Letitia, leaving her in charge of taking care of returning it, because he didn´t believe that, given how late it had been and that in the kitchens they were already demanding him to come and help them with cleaning, was to run into the villain again that day. He still had his hopes pinned on Christmas Day for it but, even then, he wasn't even able to leave Lilac Hall.

Not that Patrick had hatched a plan to get him away from the villain, knowing that they maintained a close relationship of friendship. No, the protagonist was so stubborn in his own anger that he shouldn´t even have noticed his nemesis was in the company of Oscar during the previous day. It was simply that a duel had failed to cloud the festive atmosphere in the Seymour house. And, as it did not succeed, the parties continued one more day as if nothing had happened.

Lilac Hall might have drained a bit, seeing as the last drunken villager was kicked out at 9 AM on the twenty-fifth, but Patrick's relatives and friends were still in there, impossible to be removed.

Continuing with the spree that is no longer usual for the festivities themselves, but for the guests of the party, the servants had as much or more work than the previous day. Well, not only did they have to clean up the rooms that had been used during the ball, but they also had to continue serving some guests who didn´t hesitate to take advantage of the freedom that had been provided to them to continue filling the house with music, giving banquets at the expense of the kindness of Mr. Seymour and even taking the afternoon and part of the morning to go out for the town ahead continuing with their tipsy celebration.

Anyway, Patrick and his family could be as happy as they wanted, enjoying those dates as if they had been on a trip around the world with all expenses paid. But for the servants this was a hell in which they couldn´t allow more than half an hour of rest.

And the worst of all, that night was that it was Christmas, some of the staff wouldn´t even be in the mansion! With the excuse of wanting to spend at least a couple of hours as a family, some whose families lived in Snodland - or neighboring villages - asked for that afternoon off. So the work ended up piling up, not having enough staff to attend to all the tasks assigned.

Oscar didn't have a single moment to go past the gate belonging to the Seymour property. Which was a shame but, he told himself, it wasn't a disgrace either. It wasn't as if he had a compelling need to move to one place or another. Between Christmas Eve and Christmas, while some rejoiced in drinking and games, he had enough occasion to finalize the details of his idea.

He didn't need to go anywhere for the simple reason that he already had others to do it for him.

He patiently waited for dawn on the twenty-sixth to sneak out of Lilac Hall, shortly after the first rays of the sun began to warm and long before his presence in the gardens was required to begin his duties. Kenneth had wanted to accompany him, as he himself expressed when he learned that he was leaving, but Oscar convinced him to stay: In principle, the idea was to return before Moore missed him. But, if that was not possible, he needed someone to cover his back.

He would return the favor to Kenneth another time.

For now, Oscar was careful that no one accosted him when leaving the property. A not too arduous task since, apart from being so early, no one would complain even if they saw him walking through the gardens at such an hour. Not when he was one of those in charge of cleaning the ground and, therefore, it would have all the sense in the world to be seen there.

The place chosen for the duel turned out to be a remote field, far from any inhabited area. It was also half sheltered from the main roads thanks to a cluster of trees which branches managed, successfully, to hide any trace of human presence. He went without saying that, not being allowed to have an audience for this type of bloody brawl, this meeting point for the opponents had been decided in the most absolute secrecy. Since no one, apart from themselves and their respective allies, would know where it would be held.

Of course, with so much secrecy, how would Oscar know about this location? Even Albert could not be trusted to tell him, seeing as it was a tricky business. It would even have been absurd to try. It was so obvious that the villain would refuse to say anything…! And he wouldn´t only refuse, but also admonish him for having come up with the idea of ​​appearing where he was not required. Even if this was a way of returning him to his place, considering his duties as a gardener or, more likely, as a show of concern between people who knew each other well and knew what they were capable of.

Anyway, Oscar didn't need Albert's information. For this kind of thing, like getting into other people's business and conspiring to get their darkest secrets from them, he already had Kenneth.

That's what he wanted to talk to about at the ball, and when he found him, it took just a couple of persuasive sentences to get him fully into his little conspiracy. Kenneth was as collaborative as ever: He asked no questions about why he was so interested in knowing the location of the duel, attributing it to mere curiosity on the part of someone whose friend was about to fight to win back his former love.  And, without asking for anything in return, he agreed to the request.

A few hours after his request, Kenneth returned with a fairly reliable rumor about the location. Apparently, it wasn´t necessary to contact the villain, much less the protagonist. It was enough to use his innate talent to extract information from the sister of the cousin of the wife of one of the servants who used to tend the Seymours.

In short, nothing new on the horizon.

By the time Oscar reached the rendezvous area, using shortcuts through the estates so as not to run into either of the two families involved in the conflict, no one had yet arrived. They did not arrive, but he knew they would be soon, for it was less than twenty minutes before the sun rose high enough to decree that there was enough light to begin the duel.

"Oh, you've come at last," someone was heard saying from above.

Yes, Oscar had not detected it wrong, that voice really gave the impression of coming from some direction up high. It wasn't a matter of being caught from behind or from the side. He still hadn't chosen a hiding place to watch when, hearing this, he looked up into the branches of one of the nearest trees.

“What are you doing there?” He asked, not entirely surprised to see Jack Doherty sitting comfortably on one of the branches.

When he spoke to him the other day, it already seemed that he was more than willing to help his cousin. Oscar didn´t know him and, therefore, he didn´t know how far he would go to be of use for Albert. So he had no way of knowing if when he claimed to surrender, deciding not to interfere with his plans, he meant it or was just thinking of plotting sabotage on his behalf.

"Apparently saving you a seat," said Jack cheerfully. “Will you come up?”

Oscar did not think too much about it and not for lack of desire. He had barely heard the question when he heard the sound of a carriage creeping toward that place. Said vehicle was still far enough away that its occupants could not distinguish them among the grove, but if he didn´t hurry to hide, it was clear they would soon discover him.

So, without saying another word, he proceeded to make his particular climb to those heights from which Jack was waiting for him. Perhaps, since Oscar was neither athletic nor a bush crawler, it might have taken him a while to reach the branch he had in mind. But no, this was not the case, as Jack extended a hand to assist him in his last effort.

Once he was settled in his brand new lookout post, about three or four meters above the ground, he decided to inquire under his breath:

“What´s your plan?”

"Do I have one?" Asked Jack in return.

"I doubt very much that you would have come, behind your cousin's back, if not.”

Because it was obvious that Jack had also come here secretly from his family. If, on the contrary, he had received permission, he would not have had to go before anyone else, climbing the first tree he considered good for the task of supervising the contest.

"True, but it's not my fault that you and Albert are both individualists for this kind of thing! I mean, not only did you turn down my help, but he did too. He didn't even let me come, even though they needed a couple more people to act as witnesses!”

"It´s understandable. No sane person of his would want to implicate their families in such an unpleasant subject. Especially around this time because, wasn't it that you had come to spend the holidays in Thornfield? It must be a bummer to show up and find out that Albert will be in a duel.”

“It is. You should have seen the atmosphere last night, during our dinner! It looked like a funeral. Luckily Uncle Peter understood the situation well, he knows that it wasn´t Albert's fault and hasn´t tried to reiterate what happened to everyone. Humor may not have been the best at the table, but at least we followed the unwritten rule of not talking about it. And, more or less, we were able to have dinner in peace.”

"I'm glad it did. If you have nothing to contribute to a cause, it´s better to let it be. Even if only to give some peace of mind, for a short time, to those who participate”

"Yeah, yeah, but now tell me," Jack urged him, making a gesture as if to downplay those phrases, wanting to take up another subject to discuss, "what's did you want to do in these parts? Nor do I think that what you came to do was very lawful, considering you agreed to come up here with me.”

Oscar did not respond, but smiled wickedly, leaving the answer to imagination. How was he going to reveal his plans to Jack when Jack had cleverly sidestepped that question when it was addressed to him? He wouldn't. He had no reason for it.

The Northrop cousin must have realized that this piece of information was worth even more information and that´s why, as he watched as a couple of familiar people approached walking towards the clearing, he decided to verify:

"For my part, I plan to stop whatever happens with this." As he said so, he pulled a slingshot from his belt, which he showed to an incredulous Oscar.

‘What the hell are you going to stop with that shit?’ He wondered. Although it wasn´t the first time that Jack used this particular weapon of his, judging by the naturalness with which he chose to show it, it was difficult to take him seriously. There was no way that this toy could outperform a real pistol! And what about the distance and the consequences if someone caught him throwing pebbles with that thing?

Oscar tried to contain his frustration, thinking that he had made a fatal mistake by choosing this tree to hide. But even so, he couldn't help but blurt out a sarcastic comment:

"What are you going to do with it? Try to hit Patrick Seymour with a stone in the eye just as he's about to pull the trigger?"

Jack laughed heartily at that.

"No, no," he said, trying to calm himself before the people on the ground could hear his stifled laughter. “Don't think I wouldn't like it, but unfortunately I don't have such good aim”

“Pity.”

"I was practicing all afternoon yesterday. I don't mean to hit that Seymour in the eye, or even the head. It would be enough for me to hit him in any other part of the body. I would even be satisfied if the projectile hit the ground, a couple of meters from him! It doesn't matter, what I'm looking for is a little distraction so that my cousin has time to shoot first.”

“I suppose that you will have accurately calculated the positions of each participant in this contest, considered the best angle to shoot from this distance and, of course, you have experience aiming at moving targets”

"I have more confidence in myself than you think. I'm not a professional, but I do like to go hunting every now and then, which has given me some experience.”

"If you say so...”

"What do you think of the plan?" Jack asked this because the other, despite not complaining, did not seem convinced either.

"Not bad at all.  Hopefully there´s luck and it turns out well or, better still, that the thing is resolved without having to resort to it.”

Oscar only approved of it because, to be frank, he found it ridiculous to argue with someone from the top of a tree. But the truth is that he saw too many holes in that idea.

Starting with where he hid, how could Jack ensure that he was at the right angle to hit Patrick squarely? No, not only that. How would he know the exact point where each duelist would be placed? Of course, one could make an estimate considering, based on the light and the trees that there was, what would be the best place on that farm to be. But even so, it was necessary to be even more precise if one wanted to have a chance of being victorious from the first shot.

If he had an accomplice to do to bring his target to the right point, things could turn out a little better and, despite this... things didn't have much of a chance of going well. In the rare event that Jack did manage to hit Patrick, what would come next? To get out of trouble unscathed, Albert would have to shoot and wound the protagonist enough for him to accept defeat. And he would have to do it before he turned to the tree, instantly discovering the person who had sabotaged him.

In short, there were too many risks. Even if the duel went according to Jack's plans, if someone noticed the trap - and they certainly would, because the referee and the godparents weren't there just an ornament- there was no doubt that they would give the result null. And, in that case, who´d know if Albert would have to face the protagonist again in other circumstances.

"Is that really what you think?" Jack hesitated, not daring to extract the truth from him either. “Either way, I hope I'm not interrupting your own plans.”

"Oh no, not at all. I´ve only come to observe, since they don´t let me stay on the ground, like the rest of humanity.”

Jack looked at him suspiciously for a moment. How was it that he wasn't going to do a shit? It didn´t make sense! He would have tried to inquire what he was up to. But he couldn't, as he saw Albert and a couple of other people getting close enough not to dare to say anything more.

The Northrop carriage had stopped, on time as clockwork, at one end of the path. Three people got off it: the first of them, as expected, was the villain. The second was someone Oscar knew only by sight, being that it was a Thornfield employee whom he would have barely greeted a couple of times when meeting him on the property. The third and last, it was someone completely unknown. Although, given the context, one could easily deduce that this individual was the one chosen by Albert to act as his godfather. And it is that it had all the sense in the world that it was, knowing that he was one of those who tried to avoid involving his family in conflicts, whenever he could.

Oscar watched as the villain stayed talking to his companion, barely ten meters from the tree where both he and Cousin Jack were standing, while the remaining footman took care of the carriage.

If there was a tiny hope the protagonist would repeat his well-known tricks, falling asleep until after noon, it vanished in less than ten minutes. Which was, with greater or lesser accuracy, the time it took a second vehicle to arrive.

That damn Patrick only got up early when he suited him! To receive the neighbors in his house he became lazy, but to shoot his nemesis in the middle of nowhere it seemed that getting one foot off the cot was not a great effort.

"Mr. Irving's here," Jack murmured, referring to one of the men with Patrick. “What´s he doing here?”

Although Jack was not the type to spend long periods at Snodland, he hadn't had a hard time recognizing the individual. And it is that even for Oscar it did not take more than a few seconds to locate this person. Well, the guy in question was one of old Seymour's closest friends. As a famed lawyer who resided in the outskirts of town and counting on the favor of this powerful family, Mr. Irving had spent most of the Christmas Eve ball in the company of Patrick and his gang.

If Jack was surprised to see him, and Oscar also agreed here, it was because it was somewhat unusual for Patrick to entrust him with the task of acting as his godfather. It was obvious that old Seymour would put his hand in the fire for him, but what about the protagonist? It certainly didn't seem like he didn't hold him in high regard. However, given his personality, there was also no doubt that for this amendment he would have preferred to use one of his young friends.

"It must have been Mr. Seymour's idea," Oscar pointed out, thinking that Patrick's father would have wanted to participate in this in some way, if only in order to stay out of the way to see that his son did not perform any other impulsive act. “Perhaps, seeing that his son would refuse to allow him to accompany him, he tried to negotiate. Sending a henchman in his place.”

This explanation was not immediately testable, but it made sense. So Jack didn't ask anymore.

Half a dozen people were now on the farm, discounting the two individuals who continued their watch from the highest branches, conversing with each other and finalizing the details of the duel. One of them, who was later shown to be the referee, had brought with him a suitcase that was later opened to reveal a pair of weapons, perfectly loaded and ready to use.

Although those who had gathered there were trustworthy people, one would expect that they took a little more time than usual to analyze the pistols, verify that they were working correctly and that the bullets were also where they needed to be. But no. Patrick was still as fired up as he was on Christmas Eve. So when the weapons were handed to him for examination, he barely glanced over at them before handing them over to his own godfather, handing over the privilege to him.

That act, caused more by impatience than by blind trust in Mr. Irving, must have puzzled the other witnesses who witnessed this exchange. But no one protested, or demanded a more thorough examination. When Patrick complained that they had wasted enough minutes reviewing the rules and engaging in such useless activity as fiddling with firearms without putting a finger on the trigger, these people scattered.

The referee, the godparents and the few witnesses - who were there so that there would be someone to drive back to the respective mansions of their masters, not so much so that they could attend to the injured or give a statement about what they would see next - gave some few steps back, standing under the first row of trees in that field. Considering that it was located on the esplanade of a small hill, from there they would have an excellent view of the fight.

Following the referee's instructions, the opponents took up position. Back to back, pistol in hand, they began to advance under strict supervision. How many steps forward would they have to go before turning around and firing? Twenty or thirty, maybe? Oscar didn't know, but he didn't care either. While they had been negotiating, and Jack looking for the best shot opportunity, he had been watching what was happening just beyond those fields, from the boundaries that separated the grounds of another farm to the east.

Over there he had seen someone coming, hiding in the shadows, as he had instructed a day ago. The moment was right and, for now, no one seemed to have noticed. So that Oscar, even though still nervous, could breathe a little easier.

Sayer might have made an inadvertent mistake by kissing Madeleine, but now he was going to redeem himself. And it is that, when the duelists were still halfway between their starting position at the place where they would later stop to face the rival, loud barks were heard from the depths of the forest. Barks that were approaching with haste, startling everyone in such a way that for an instant they stopped counting the steps and turned towards the focus of a sound that became clearer with each passing second. In less than half a minute, a Saint Bernard emerged from the foliage, running madly toward a still bewildered Patrick.

While some, including Jack, wondered where it had come from - since they had made sure that all the boundaries remained closed, preventing any being, human or animal, from interrupting them in the middle of the task - Oscar limited himself to praising the postman in silence for his good work and to settle back in the tree, now enjoying the show.

No, Kenneth hadn't just found out the date and place of the duel. He had also provided another valuable piece of information. Although, on this occasion, without even making sure that he had done it: The protagonist was afraid of dogs. That was the main reason why Lord Percival had been left in the stables, instead of being allowed to pass at least to the gardens of Lilac Hall, two days ago. Although it was learned there had been several guests who, dog lovers as they were, tried to convince the protagonist to let them play with him inside the house.

Now how come Oscar didn't know about this beforehand? Well, it was partly due to the poor consistency of Dianne's writing. For her, the main characters of her were almost at the height of gods, so they could not have any imperfection or, as in this case, if they did they tried not to show it. Patrick was afraid of dogs, but he kept that fear at bay by staying away from them, not talking about it and trying to remain impassive when he saw one of those animals getting too close.

This was, in fact, how he survived the hunt at Fairview. For his was not one of those dread that forced him to flee as soon as he felt the threat nearby. Cultivated for years, perhaps due to his intrinsic desire to stand out as an apparently perfect being, he knew how to remain firm and impassive in those moments of continuous uncertainty.

Oscar remembered well that facade of his.

When Kenneth had commented to him about his apprehension of dogs, it had even occurred to him that at no moment, neither in his transmigration nor as a reader outside the novel, had he seen or read how Patrick even reached out to caress no dog. But anyway, what to say about this? Perhaps in the original manuscript these imperfections in the character of some could not be appreciated, but here it was clear from which foot each one was limping.

With Lord Percival ignoring everyone around him to conveniently head towards Patrick, his perfect facade fell apart in a matter of seconds. From the tree, Oscar saw him back away slowly, yelling at the animal, trying in vain to contain the panic he felt and, seeing that none of this could stop the dog in its run, he pointed the gun at it and fired.

This was an action that Oscar feared would happen and for which he had his doubts about whether or not to continue with this idea of ​​using Lord Percival as a weapon. Fortunately, that dog seemed to be more powerful than Patrick's aim. And, although he got rid of his precious single bullet in his quest to get rid of that intruder, his projectile failed to hit.

With no time to turn around and run, Patrick ended up being crushed by a dog who, oblivious to all the fear and frustration that had just caused, was content to sit on his abdomen, licking any trace of skin that could be glimpsed through his now disheveled clothes.

It was an absurd situation but at the same time so fun to watch…! As astonished witnesses rushed to get the dog off Patrick, apologizing for not being able to stop him earlier because the animal had been too fast, Oscar tried to hold back his laughter from his position.

"W-where did that come from?" Jack wondered, as much or even more surprised than the people below.

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"From anywhere," Oscar said calmly. “In this town they have the custom of leaving their pets loose on the street. Anybody´s could have escaped.”

Of course, nothing to do with the fact that an anonymous person, with a very bad idea, had left everything ready to instruct Lord Percival in this important task of taking down a certain human.

From where they were they could not hear them, as everyone at the foot of the grove moved to where the duelists were as soon as the disturbances occurred, but it was clear that they were discussing what to do next.

Patrick made a big fuss, pissed off as he must be, as soon as he managed to get up off the ground. The dog had been removed from him, but that didn´t detract from how battered he looked from the ambush: He did not give the impression that he had faced a civilized duel, but that he got into a fist fight , resulting loser in the contest.

The rest of the men stood there, trying to calm him down while still holding Lord Percival in check. The only one who didn´t seem interested in how this duel would continue and, therefore, about the physical and mental health of the protagonist, was the villain.

And it is that Albert, since he had seen the dog coming, had remained still in his place. Without taking any action, either to drive away the animal or to help the enemy. No, he stood there as if nothing that was happening was his concern. Coming only out of his reverie to look around the Seymour grounds, as if he was looking for the exact spot Lord Percival had appeared from.

Now, it was clear to him if he was going to find Sayer! Oscar had instructed the postman to leave as soon as he released the dog, that he shouldn´t wait to see if the three hours he spent training him with used socks, so that he would recognize the protagonist's stench, were worth it.

And Willie Sayer, that his purpose of wanting to make amends for his mistakes did not go so far as to risk being discovered, was obvious that he would follow his orders to the millimeter.

That being the case, Albert didn´t spot anyone at the other end of the fields, nor on the nearby trails, much less on the lands furthest from this site and whose proximity to Snodland that would already give anyone trying to flee a safe escape route. No, making sure no one was in sight, the villain turned to the copse behind him.

He was looking at him through the grove and, although he made no pretense of wanting to get closer, Jack almost fell off his branch as he realized he was looking in his direction. For a second, Oscar was afraid they had been discovered! No longer because the villain could have seen them; Until then, this was debatable, because from where they were there was too much vegetation covering them. But because of Cousin Jack's clumsiness.

He, after being surprised and therefore having to hold on to avoid ending up on the ground, had to make noise and involuntarily cause the branches around him to also move. Oscar had to scold him under his breath, secretly being grateful that he had regained his balance at the right moment. For, from where he continued to sit, he would not have been able to hold him if he had really plunged into the void.

Albert, for his part, must not have seen this altercation. To Jack's relief, after a few seconds looking in the direction of the entire grove, his cousin turned to Patrick and the other individuals, intending to finally take part in their conversation.

So minutes passed by, with these people negotiating a few dozen yards from Oscar. At first, Patrick looked angry as if they had actually overshadowed his only moment of brilliance in the entire play, but gradually his grimace of disgust turned into a smirk. It was evident that he was pleased with whatever that was being proposed.

And when the protagonist moved away from the villain, it was no longer on his mind resuming the duel where they left it. On the contrary; the weapons had been returned to the referee and these people who had come to witness the combat of the century were willingly dispersed, including the dog. Each returned to their respective carriage, leaving one of the Northrop's servants the task of returning Lord Percival to its owners. In the end, they wouldn't spill a drop of blood.

Or well, not yet. The truth is that it wasn´t accurate to say that everyone ended up leaving the grounds.

Although the Northrop´s carriage was the last to vanish across the roads, Albert never got into it. Apparently, he had given it entirely to his godfather and a dog they must have agreed to bring to Snodland, to meet with its owners.

Seeing that Albert wasn´t leaving but was heading towards the grove at a steady pace, Jack feared that a scold was coming. And so, he whispered to Oscar, fearing that nothing, however it turned out, would end up escaping the ears of his audacious cousin.

But no, that's not what happened either. The villain, as if it were the most common thing in the world after almost shooting someone, just looked for a place to stand. There, just a couple of meters from Jack's chosen hiding place, he settled against the trunk of another tree, still with that thoughtful air that he had shown in previous minutes. It was probable that he would have liked to sit down, but the cold and humidity of that time didn´t allow it.

Either way, perhaps he just needed a few moments alone to relax before heading back to Thornfield on foot.

That was, at least, what Oscar believed. Considering that if Albert wasn´t used to seeing so many people in such a short interval, much less was it usual for him to get into confrontations where he had to use violence. But the villain showed no signs of being in a hurry to leave: Five minutes quickly turned into twenty and the two people in the tree began to get impatient, feeling their legs would end up stiffening from spending so long without moving in that position.

They had to spend half an hour until, still without making any attempt to leave, Albert inquired loud enough for the others to hear:

"How long do you think you will be hiding there?"

Jack gasped halfway between disappointment at being discovered and relief at not having to continue pretending to be one with the tree. Then, as if he had been waiting for this signal all the time, he got off his position using an agility that indicated that this wasn´t the first time he used these tricks to camouflage in the countryside.

Oscar, on the other hand, was a little more careful when he got off his branch. He did not consider himself clumsy, but he had never had a hobby of climbing to high places either. Which is why he opted for the most prudent method, going without haste, being careful where he stepped and only breathing normally again when he had put his feet on the ground.

Albert had come over to assist him on the descent, but it wasn't even necessary. Oscar managed to get down on his own, holding onto the other's hand for just a couple of seconds when he reached the ground, to steady himself.

"It's not fair, cousin," Jack protested, though there was no real anger in his eyes. “If you already knew we were there, why didn't you say so before? My ass hurts to be there like an idiot!”

"I thought you guys would come down as soon as the others left. Who was going to tell me that you´d end up getting a taste for heights? For a moment, I even feared that you were going to make this your own temporary residence”

Oscar laughed at the occurrence while Jack was tempted to protest again. But the villain didn´t have time to say more, as he immediately continued, now more serious:

"I didn't know you were there, I didn't even suspect it until I saw the dog and figured someone must be watching," Turning to Jack, he pointed out. “I didn't know your exact position until I saw you make exaggerated fuss among the foliage. Which, by the way, it is fortunate that the trees in this land are all evergreen. What would you have done if there wasn't enough vegetation to cover you?”

‘I wasn´t going to stand up for you, if Patrick Seymour and his companions caught you spying,’ he seemed to want to add. But, despite everything and for some unspoken reason, he held back.

"Come on, don't scold me. I only came to make sure you were okay! As cowardly as you have always been to get into fights, I came to think that you could back down at the last minute and give me the task of revenge…” Intuitive that the lie was not working, Jack smiled as he said in a pacifying tone. “Don't look at me like that, just think that in the end, although unexpectedly, things have turned out well! That's all that matters.”

"Speaking of unforeseen events, where did that dog come from?"

Jack shrugged in sincere ignorance. Oscar, on his part, took care to answer in a tone that cried out for everything except innocence:

“Who knows? People are so badly used in these villages… They let the dogs loose and then they forget they have pets. Then, of course, what happens happens. Having nothing to graze, the poor animals decide that they will go for a walk on their own, anywhere, without knowing that they would be interrupting something.”

"In short, it was your thing."

“Mine? How could I ruin a holy duel between gentlemen like this? Besides that I don't have a dog, I serve one. If I wanted to have one (like this one, four-legged) I would have had to steal it. And stealing is bad.”

"And how did you plan to stop the duel?" Albert put in, turning once more to a cousin who couldn't believe how much luck Oscar was having, despite being so impertinent. Albert had accepted and then completely ignored his sarcasm, as if what he had done did not matter!

“I hope it wasn't with that slingshot of yours.”

"O-of course not."

"That's just what he was going to do."

The two responses, each made by a different people, came at the same time. Jack believed that Oscar was looking for a fight with him by betraying him so directly, but saw that he was wrong almost instantly, when he added gently:

"But in the end he realized it was a bad idea, so he gave up without me having to coerce him. Ultimately we´re just watching from up there, without intervening in any way, like gods watching our creatures kill each other for minuses.”

Albert sighed, tired of all the crime around him. He must have believed only half of what he was told of and, for the remaining half, he didn´t say a word.

"Was there not a slightly more easy way to help me?"

"Yeah, go report an illegal duel to the police," Jack pointed out quickly, eager to be helpful. “Then maybe they would have stopped it, if they weren't afraid of the Seymour family. But I discarded it because, if I had gone to them with the gossip, they would have arrested you too.”

Oscar did not claim anything here, as he had come to the same conclusion at the time. The police option was the most sensible and easy to do. The drawback he had was that, the officers didn´t care what the circumstances of the conflict were: If a duel was taking place, they had orders to arrest everyone involved. And that would earn them a couple of nights behind bars and a fine commensurate with the crime.

Of course, looking at it the other way, was it possible that the Snodland police were not aware of a duel that had been an open secret since the ball at Lilac Hall? The answer was obvious. If they had been kept apart, it had to be due to the prestige of the families and because no one did, it was plausible that for the same reason, a formal complaint of the facts. And without a solid basis to investigate, the police seemed to prefer to turn a blind eye.

"In the end, how did it turn out?" Oscar asked, trying to avoid, once and for all, the question of how it would have been more profitable to help. “The duel has been suspended permanently, right?”

“Not quite. At least, if there is something Patrick Seymour has agreed with us, it is that the duel could not be resumed after the scare that occurred. Not just because of the damage caused by that timely visit, but because there aren't enough bullets left to make a fair fight,” Albert explained. “The option of waiting for someone to return to town to drop off the dog and holster extra ammunition was considered, but we had already lost enough time. And even though someone proposed to postpone it for another day, Seymour refused. He alleged that he was in a hurry to get this over with, since he wanted to win over Miss Cornell and invite her to a dinner with his parents, as she considers it his duty.”

"You will not fear, rather, for what will they say?" Oscar smirked just thinking of this idea. “We haven´t approached him, but even from our position he looked agitated. Whether he won or lost, I don't think someone as vain as him would be willing to be seen in public in that state.”

"Well, with those of us who were here to see it, it's complicated!" Laughed Jack. “I'm not going to forget what happened. And to all this, poor Madeleine Cornell, who has to put up with such a scoundrel as a partner! Couldn't she find another suitor? One that does not point her as a trophy in a duel, nor does he reject her every time she advances, for example.”

"Leave it, leave it like this. As she tries to chase more men and with the streak that leads to dragging everyone into her madness, despite being involuntary, I see her very capable of provoking a warlike conflict that ends peace in this country.”

"Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?" Albert asked quietly, perhaps remembering the primary reason Patrick had been angry.

"Could be, hearing so much about Kenneth's machinations must have been ravaging my brain. A couple more months, and I would have become paranoid about the conspiracy.”

Although, for a Dianne novel, it would all make sense, he thought before asking:

"What was the deal to avoid public humiliation?"

"That… It was simply admitting defeat." Noting that Jack was about to protest, perhaps outraged that his cousin had to accept defeat in a duel that never ended, he confessed. “Although it may seem unfair, I think it´s for the best. Unlike others, I had no interest in either beating myself or in getting together with someone in compensation for winning. So looking like a loser in the eyes of the neighborhood is something that I don't care about, as long as they leave me alone from now on.”

"Albert, you're too good for your own good," Jack gave up on this realization, perhaps because he knew the villain well enough to know that he wouldn't change his mind. “Ah, but how good it all ended! I was sick of being up there. Did I mention that my ass hurts? And I'm freezing too! And hungry! I was so foolish to think that I could help, that I rushed to be here before anyone else, so I didn't even have breakfast.”

"In that case, let's get back to Thornfield at once. I don't know what explanation you have given to your parents and the others for leaving the house so early, or if you gave one at all, but I imagine that by now they will be worried.”

"I'll tell them I went for a walk, enjoying the Snodland scenery on this wonderful winter's day. Which, anyway, isn't a lie.” Turning to Oscar, he inquired. “Will you accompany us to Thornfield? You could stay for breakfast too, I don't think our relatives mind having one more guest.”

"I would like to, but I have to go back to Lilac Hall before they miss me," he replied, lamenting that January had not yet arrived: As soon as his contract was dissolved, he told himself, he would have no regrets in going wherever he pleased. “I haven't finished my duties there yet, and as far as visiting Thornfield is concerned, does dinner with you on the thirty-first still stand? Because, if so, it´s quite likely that we´ll see each other again that day.”

Indeed, that invitation was still on, so Jack didn´t insist any more on his efforts to drag Oscar to a cup of tea at his relatives home, perhaps being more reassured knowing that he would soon see his newcomer friendship. Instead, he proceeded to lead the way back to the main trail, complaining loudly that Albert had dispatched the driver and now they had to return on foot.

Albert and Oscar followed, a few yards behind. The latter planned to go with them to a crossroads, where they would have to separate to each reach their respective destination. Discounting the occasional comment from Jack, who was only feigning annoyance at everything that had happened that morning, the journey passed in silence. Although, it seemed to Oscar, the villain seemed not to have mentioned everything he wanted to say.

And yes, his suspicions that something was missing to be clarified turned out to be true when Albert, already having the fork in the road in sight, decided to speak, maybe because he was pressured because of the little time they had left to be together that time.

"I have to clarify that the Miss Cornell business... Uh... T-that supposed outrage. It wasn't my thing.”

Albert sounded indecisive when noting this. Until that moment he had not been perceived to be upset or scared by the duel, but now it seemed that even saying those short phrases was costing him a good handful of courage. He must have hardly noticed that, nervous as he was, when he started to speak he had grabbed Oscar's wrist to get his attention. And perhaps it was better that way, that neither he himself noticed this or that the other did nothing to remove it; his head must be dull enough by now to care about one more thing.

"You don't need to specify," Oscar said, nipping his train of thought in the bud. “I already knew that you didn't do anything with Madeleine.”

And he didn't know it just from what the postman had told him. To be honest, even after hearing Patrick's version, backed up by several of his guests, he had never considered the possibility that Albert was guilty of the crime for which he was accused. It wasn't that Oscar was trying to exonerate him, keeping his suspicions away. It is that, simply, he didn´t have them to begin with.

Albert was glad to know that everything was going well between them and instantly relaxed.

"Yet," Oscar continued, "I think you've taken all the chances that Sayer will get engaged in a wealthy marriage. With the fear he has caught, I doubt that he wants to reconnect with any woman who belongs to the upper class.”

If that was a reproach, it didn't sound like one. Oscar continued to laugh softly, while Albert considered that, although the matter had to be admitted that it was a little funny - since everyone knew that the postman had been after Madeleine for months - he should do something to make up for the bad drink. After all, a gunshot brawl was never a good thing. And if Patrick knew the truth, he would be furious, going so far as to add another love rival to his imaginary list of potential enemies.

Now the truth would never be known. Madeleine was too proud to admit that she had made out with someone like Sayer. And, the few who did, would not benefit from airing it either.

"There´s one thing I don't quite understand though," Oscar murmured. “It is about the frustrated duel.”

“What is it?”

As soon as Albert gave him the go-ahead to take up that unpleasant subject, he remembered:

"Maybe Patrick Seymour was reckless, that he was afraid of dogs and all that. But there is no doubt that he knows how to control his fear well so that his mask does not fall in front of the public. Then how is it possible that he missed his shot at that distance? Even he shouldn't be that inept.”

In a state of panic, yes, but the condemned protagonist knew how to defend himself. Oscar heard the shot perfectly when the dog was only two or three meters from Patrick. It seemed absurd that he had erred, and yet that is what happened!

"Oh, but that has a simple explanation." Lowering his voice so that Jack wouldn't hear him, he continued. “Do you remember that Mr. Seymour was not happy with his son getting involved in this duel? Well, that's why he chose people he trusted to accompany him to the fields. And, since I confessed the misunderstanding to him, adding that I did not wish to associate with Ms. Cornell, he proposed that I participate in a certain trap...”

"Tell me no more, they were blank bullets," Oscar guessed, with a smile.

You really didn't need to worry too much about the villain, eh? It seemed that he alone was capable of scheming for his own benefit.

"They were," he confirmed. “That´s why we needed to bring only trusted people for both houses. Mr. Seymour knows his son well, he knew that in that impulsive state of his he wasn't going to waste time checking the ammunition. The idea was that each of us would fire a bullet and that, being both blanks, neither of us would hit. So it would be necessary to declare a tie.”

"Hence, no one brought extra ammunition either, in case a certain individual happened to say that he wanted to proceed with the tiebreaker."

Something that sounded very childish but that, no doubt, Patrick would be able to do.

"True, but with the arrival of the dog, the plans did not go as planned," Albert said this although, more than disappointed by the outcome, he looked amused. Not that he approves of what happened, considering how badly it could have ended up, but was entertaining. Of course, today he did not expect to see anyone writhing on the ground while he tried to get rid of a voluptuous animal from him.

They both laughed remembering the scene and then, knowing that people would remain quiet and calm from then on, they stopped worrying about worldly squabbles. By moving the conversation to more mundane topics, sooner than they would have liked they got to the point where they had to part ways. Of course, with the promise of meeting again in a few days.