Chapter 49: Chapter 49 – The aftermath

When had he started taking the villain's feelings seriously? No, that wasn´t the right question. When did his own feelings reciprocate with Albert's? He didn't know for sure, but he was sure his trust in him took hold sometime between the Seymour fair, when seeing him lower his guard for the first time, and just before the hunt took place. And Dianne was right about one thing: he really had been hoping that Albert was not guilty of the murder.

As rational as Oscar could be when it came to such matters, even with the villain being a very close friend, it was unlikely that he would go out of his way to lend him a hand from the shadows.

So it was possible that even before he got to Fairview, he already had a certain affection for him. But of course, back then he was still alert. Having not yet discovered whether the aforementioned was dangerous or not, how was he going to accept his preference? He could not. Or he couldn't until, after all the riot in which he nearly died, it was Albert himself who saved him. And what kind of criminal saved someone to, a couple of months later, kill him? It didn´t make sense and, therefore, Oscar concluded that it was useless to continue their friendship with the premise that the other was a potential murderer.

Deciding to place all his faith in the villain, from the day they returned to Snodland, he decided he would continue meeting him. But with a difference; he would no longer let his prejudices cloud his mind.

By then he was almost convinced that Albert was in love with him and imagined that it wouldn´t take long for him to confess. Now, he didn´t mean to force or encourage him to do so. He knew he would not die - or that he would not do it easily if he had the protection of his supposed murderer -, but he didn´t want to throw himself into the arms of the aforementioned as soon as he discovered if he was really a good person. For Oscar to take the initiative in pursuit of a romantic relationship with the villain would have been, in the extreme, reckless. Not because he mistrusted or stopped mistrusting, but because it didn´t suit his character.

Oscar preferred to wait to see how things developed. He wouldn´t take the first step but, he told himself, if Albert did, he would accept it.

So, with the exception of the new job offer, what happened on New Year's Eve didn´t take him by surprise. He even enjoyed it, and wished it would last longer.

When the party finished and it was time to go home, he was invited to stay over at Thornfield. Apparently it was the most excellent coincidence that they had a spare room for guests. And how could he not agree with it? If he didn´t, he would have had two options. The first was to go back to Rose Cottage and sleep in the same room as his cousin. The second, to accept a previous offer from Mr. Northrop, to occupy a coachman to take him back to his hostel.

If Oscar returned to Rose Cottage and found himself alone with Thomas, after what had happened at the reunion, they would end up having a fight. Causing disturbances in the early morning was not what he wanted, so the carriage option was more appealing to him. At least, that was until he was asked to stay at Thornfield.

Perhaps he felt a little guilty about accepting an unnecessarily large room, as he had become used to the small rooms and it wouldn´t have seemed bad that, like Mrs. Wallace, they had provided him with a bedroom like the servants' quarters. But, thinking about the dream he had and that he would surely get asleep in the car again, he found it much more comfortable to stay with the Northrop.

And that's what he did.

The next day, after a hearty breakfast in the same company as the night before, Oscar took the same carriage that had already been offered to take him back to the inn. Once there, he didn't spend too much time relaxing and tidying up some belongings that the day before he only had the opportunity to leave on his bed, without even bothering to remove from his travel bag. He had just finished occupying the closet and some drawers when he heard someone knock on his door.

It was a strange time to have visitors. More considering that it was New Year's Day and, therefore, most of the people would be going to mass or still drunk in the streets, without having decided to end the party of the day before.

But Oscar remembered that the author had been quite insistent that he tell her, as soon as he returned, what had happened at the Northrop home during the meeting, in great detail. Claiming something about “everything is to verify if part of the plot can be saved” and “if it is true that Albert does not harbor any feelings towards Madeleine”.

To be honest, he believed that all Dianne wanted was to gossip in his private life. Well, now that they unfortunately lived in the same building, he was sure that she would annoy him often, since she would have him closer for her monologues and inconsistent debates.

However, when Oscar opened the door, it was not with the writer whom he encountered.

Thomas stormed into the room, without Oscar having a chance to stop him. He took off his coat and tossed it carelessly onto a chair. Then he occupied the only sofa in the cabin, all this without asking permission beforehand.

"What a horrible little room you have," he observed, leaning back in his seat and crossing his legs, as if from his imaginary throne he was simply taking the roll and qualifying the deficiencies in the dwelling of one of his employees. “The rooms at Oxford are more decent than this rat room.”

"What have you come for?"

"Can't I visit my dear cousin when I have a chance?" Thomas put in, with a wicked smile. “I told my parents that I would come to see you, since I wanted to go for a walk around the town and that would take advantage of it. Although mother told me: You can try to ask Oscar to accompany you, because today I think he doesn't have work. But I already know that you don't like me, so I replied that it wasn´t my desire to bother you to such an extent that you were forced to act as my guide.”

“How thoughtful of you.”

“Right? Even though mother said it sure wouldn't be a bother! Because let's see, when do I bother? But no, no. It comes to me with being able to spend some time here with you. So I let her know, although not in those words.”

Oscar understood immediately. He didn't know what the hell Thomas wanted yet, but if he had informed his mother that he would be meeting him, he had done so for guarantees. A guarantee, to be specific, that he would return to Rose Cottage in one piece. Well, if he dared lay a finger on him, Thomas would accuse him without hesitation.

"Get to the point," Oscar snapped, annoyed, closing the door and walking over to his cousin. “If you want something, say it once. I am not so idle as to be putting up with your detours and false deeds of good.”

"Aren't you? To be frank, cousin, you look that way to me.” Pointing to a modest tea set on a small table, he suggested. “Why don't you pour me some tea first? Don't be stingy with your guests, or didn't my parents teach you manners?”

"Help yourself."

"What hospitality is this? My parents are going to be very disappointed when...”

"If you don't have anything relevant to say to me, I'd appreciate it if you would go now," Oscar cut him off. “In case you don't want to, because I can see that, despite your complaints, your butt has gotten used to the sofa in this little pigsty, I'll be the one to retire.”

The original Oscar must have been used to falling for Thomas's provocations, rushing to play the role of slave as soon as the Stevens were mentioned, and this is why the cousin was so relaxed. Thomas didn't expect the current Oscar to have no qualms about fulfilling his threat, heading for the exit without looking back.

“Wait!” Thomas stopped him with a hint of desperation in his voice, when Oscar already had one foot out of the room. “You´re always in such a hurry... Okay, I'll be clear! You didn't have to be like that.”

"You have five minutes." Oscar set that limit, much to Thomas' chagrin, returning to face him. “If in five minutes you don't finish whatever it is you came to say, I'll go. And I'll notify the owner to come and kick you out while I'm going down.”

"What the hell is wrong with you? You weren't…” Without completing the sentence, perhaps feeling that he was wasting his valuable time again, he corrected himself. “I won't beat around the bush, then. I have come before you because I need money.”

"I'm not a bank."

‘And certainly now that I've managed to raise some money I'm not going to give it to you either,’ he thought to add, but that would have been too revealing.

"I already know that, do you think I wouldn't go to one if I could afford to pay off a loan with its commissions? I need your help just because I know you would give it to me without stopping to think about the interests.”

"I don't understand why you aren´t going to ask your parents for the money, have they raised your rate for the semester or is it that you have been foolishly spending the money you already had?"

“What a stupid thing! I'm not going to worry my parents about this. So what if I'm out of money? They have done enough for me. I've even taken the initiative to save money myself, and instead of using my room on campus, I've moved into a flat with some friends. In this way the rent is reduced to half of what used to be.”

"I don't see, in that case, why you need my money so desperately."

“It's not desperate, I just need a few pounds to go for a couple more months. That´s all.”

“I´ll repeat: Ask your parents. No matter how much you need, I´m convinced that if it is for your college expenses, they will try to pay you.”

Thomas was silent for a moment. Annoyed as he was for not keeping track of the conversation, he must have found himself deliberating on whether or not he should be direct about what to say next.

"I've dropped out of college."

"I imagined it," Oscar replied calmly, swallowing his growing anger.

He guessed it because, despite the fact that the original novel did not mention what had become of Thomas's academic life, he could sense from his request for money that something was out of place. Oscar wasn´t rich and that was something that everyone, especially his relatives, knew. So there would be no reason to ask for a large sum when, by making the same request of others, money could be obtained more easily. That is, as long as the reasons why he needed a loan were consistent.

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"How is it that you imagined it? Not that I dropped out because of poor grades!” Thomas protested, irritated by the lack of enthusiasm of a cousin who had always idolized him and who, now, seemed to show no interest in his wanderings. “It's just that I got discouraged. That career is not what I expected. And all teachers are so horrible, they didn't even know how to explain themselves… Oh, I had to quit!”

"Are you saying you dropped out of school just before Christmas break?"

"No, cousin, no. I left it much earlier, at the end of October. As I was going to stay so long studying something that didn´t fill me!”

This attitude made Oscar so angry that he clenched his fists and tried to contain himself so as not to hit him. He knew that Aunt Cathy had been receiving letters from her son until a week before he returned to Snodland. And in all of them Thomas talked about how well he was doing at Oxford, without making any mention that he had dropped out of school for weeks.

Oscar was angry, not because Thomas was missing out on his unique opportunity to study, wasting what his parents gave him. Also not because he had cheated on his parents without the slightest remorse by handing over a false report card. He was infuriated because, if he had been the one who could have gone to college, he would not have wasted time in such a way.

"May I know how you spent the money Uncle Rob gave you?"

"Oh?" I haven't been gambling or investing in dead-end stocks, don't worry,” Thomas said reluctantly, as if he didn't understand why he should explain. But of course, since I resigned, I was no longer allowed to live in the dormitories on campus or continue to use the cafeteria. It is true that I moved with some friends to a few streets from the university, and that is why we have to take care of our own service for cleaning and meals. Who would have thought that that was so expensive!”

"What´s your plan now?"

“My plan?”

"You're living in Oxford on money that was supposed to be for your classes. You have been able to maintain the lie until now, but that will sooner or later be found out. So what will you do?”

“It won't be discovered, believe me, I have everything under control; this lack of cash is a minor setback, nothing more. Now, as for what I'll do… I'm already doing! I'm not one of those stupid people who leave school without having a plan in mind. The friends I'm staying with are setting up an art gallery. It will be a joint venture in which we will all participate both by putting capital and by attracting artists interested in becoming famous through our administration.”

Noticing that Oscar was still impassive, as if none of that impressed him, he took a card from his pocket and placed it in a small table before him as he said:

“If you don't believe me, you should see that there´s the address, the name of our company and those of my partners. Do you see the professionalism in the design? No, it doesn't matter, I know that you can't distinguish something made by pros or by mere amateurs. It doesn´t matter. The point is that you can keep it, even if you never see yourself with the capacity to request our services, it´s nice that you have a small memory of my success nearby.”

What success? Oscar wondered. Someone successful would not try to steal money from his poor and orphan cousin.

And then again, what the hell had Thomas been studying? Because he was sure that whatever his career was, it had nothing to do with the arts. Nor with the appraisal of works of value. Nor with the businesses associated with running a company like the one he was presenting to him. Come on, that had all the ballots to go under!

"Of course, we have not yet been able to open the gallery to the public, as we are still in the process of recruiting some painters who are willing to be represented by us," Thomas continued, oblivious to his cousin's mistrust. “However we already have the premises rented and we´re in the middle of the renovations. It is likely that in a couple of weeks we can open the business.”

"Okay, good luck with it." As he said this, Oscar didn't even bother to pick up the card the other had left him, leaving it to be left on the table.

"I don't need luck, I need money! We´ve been able to rent the place with a small discount, thanks to the fact that the premises belong to relatives of one of my friends. But I still need money to finish paying for the remodel and hire skilled people by the time we open! Also, food is not going to make itself.”

"How about looking for another job while you're not opening the gallery?"

"But cousin...”

"Don't answer me," Oscar stopped him, changing his mind: Thomas, despite being born to servants, had always been a privileged person and even when he lived at Rose Cottage and had to help with work, the heaviest chores never were entrusted to him. “Better tell me what makes you think that I could lend you the amount you need.”

"Don't play innocent, you know that well," since Oscar wasn't trying to claim anything, he exclaimed. “Those Northrop! Especially that Albert... I don't know what you have with him or how you managed to trick him into letting you enter his house on such a special day as New Year's Eve, but it´s clear that, because of how he protects you, that guy likes you! I am convinced that if you ask him for something he will give it to you without hesitation.”

"Even if I were to ask Albert Northrop for money, which I already tell you no, the last thing I would do would be to donate it to you.  Do you think I'm stupid? It doesn't matter if I lend you a hundred pounds or a penny, you won't pay me back! So if you don't have anything else to add, go away.”

"How are you going to ask me to leave without offering me a solution?! You don't care if your cousin ends up begging in the street...!”

"I'm sure your friends wouldn't let you get to that point and, in the worst case scenario, you can always fire the service and take care of the food and cleaning yourself."

"I refuse to accept this!" Thomas got to his feet, as if he were willing to get into a fight if he continued to ignore his wishes. “If you don't help me this time, I…!”

But the phrase died there, perhaps because Thomas had nothing to blackmail him with at the moment.

Speaking of shady issues and despite the fact that he had confessed that he had left the race, both were on equal footing. That is, Oscar couldn't tell his uncles what happened with Thomas, because it would be his word against his. And even writing to the dean of the university about his cousin to get proof that the guy dropped out, would take time. By the time the missive arrived, Thomas would have already left Snodland.

"I will not tell your parents about your shenanigans and your lack of mind by leaving the career without prior notice. Not for the moment, at least,” said Oscar, and turning toward the entrance of the room, he pointed. “Now, it seems to me the five minutes have already passed and it is time for you to go.”

Oscar opened the door and it was a nice shock when he saw the author standing on the landing, with one arm raised, as if ready to hit the wood. Apparently Dianne had just come from nowhere, and just when he opened it, she was about to call.

Suddenly being freed from this barrier that separated them, she did not even say good morning before asking:

"How did it go at Thornfield? Have you already managed to sleep with Albert? No, don't try to deny the obvious, I know for a fact that you didn't come back here to sleep last night…” The author didn´t complete what she was going to say, realizing there was someone else in the room. “Oh, and you are...? You're the son of the Stevens, right?”

"I'll leave now," Thomas conceded, not wanting to involve a woman in their quarrels. “But you'll be sorry you didn't want to help me!”

"I don't think so," Oscar murmured, watching the other walk toward the door, frustrated.

And it is that the fury of Thomas only diminished seconds, in which he passed next to Dianne to leave. Well, he smiled kindly at her and wished Happy Holidays, like any decent neighbor, before going downstairs. When he had already disappeared from their sight, he was heard shouting an insult from below, directed at Oscar.

"It seems he just hates you," the author observed without a single hint of compassion, taking advantage of Oscar's carelessness to enter the room. “Anyway, tell me about your lover. Did you already have sex? I should have lent you the lube I got for the leads, they'll still take a while to get together anyway...”

"You should go too."

“Wow, what a bad mood he has in the mornings. Surely, since he kept his lover entertained throughout the night, he couldn't sleep.”

“Nothing happened!”

"What do you mean nothing? So why did you stay in Thornfield? Look, it's not that I have a particular interest in your miserable love life, but you know how things are with Patrick and it's really in both of us that you keep the villain busy. If you want, I could even help you with that.”

But Oscar didn´t let her elaborate on her ideas of conquest, as he pushed her out of the room, claiming that it was too early to be plagued with such nonsense. And, after some futile struggle, Dianne finally gave in, but not before taking the promise from the other that he would inform her of everything that had happened at the Northrop home that afternoon.

Of course, that Oscar ended up agreeing to this was a half a lie made to get rid of the writer at that moment. Well, of course, he wasn´t going to give a detailed summary of the evening at Thornfield. He much less wanted to bring up a few compromising details.

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