Chapter 68: Chapter 68 – Wedding bells

For now, that brief talk with his uncle turned out to be more fruitful than he expected. Oscar only came to inform, he did not want to bring the matter of his personal relationships into question for an upcoming Inquisition. But the character of Mr. Stevens made things very easy for him because, in what was the conversation, the aforementioned did not inquire more than he should nor did he raise his voice to discuss any of the points that he already knew (thanks of the neighbors or by his own son).

At the end of the day it seemed that things were not so bad, for him at least. What the hell did it matter if they whispered behind his back or changed sidewalks when they saw him on the street? Better this way! He would be spared greeting them and perhaps even don´t bump into certain people. For now, his uncle had accepted as right his actions of going to Oxford and talking to Thomas's professors, even thanking him for bringing the documents before saying goodbye.

It was not known if he would be able to return to the Cornell house in the near future, despite the fact that Uncle Rob kept his word to talk to his wife and pave the way for him a little. However, he was in no hurry. The important thing was that neither he nor his boss at the newspaper had argued with him because of those rumors. Which was a relief, somehow.

Oscar's main fear, if his relationship with Albert was known —and discounting the destructive legal consequences that would entail—, there had always been the possibility of losing his job. But, perhaps because authors were allowed a certain eccentricity or because he didn't have to spend much time in the establishment's offices anyway, Mr. Simmons had let him go.

Oscar suspected, from how uncomfortable the director looked before him, that in his case it was more about money than tolerance. How much extra cash were they earning in that place since his stories were published...? Either way, that mattered little. As long as he could continue earning his salary without receiving more insults than he was already used to, he could continue to be there at the foot of the canyon. So he let Albert know that night when they met again.

"It's good to know that at least one of the two has done well," the villain had said, as soon as Oscar finished telling him what had happened.

They had gathered at the same far table as the day before, but with one difference; this time they had chosen a time when dinner was not yet served and, therefore, the restaurant was practically empty. Even if they both had chosen a spot in the center of the room, no one would have come to disturb them.

"Have you failed to reason with your father?" Oscar asked this question, more than to know, to give Albert an excuse and so that he proceeded to tell his part of the facts; Well, just because of how nervous he seemed, it was already clear that this had not been his day.

“Sort of. The only thing granted is that the conversation has turned out to be much calmer than yesterday... Although that didn't change the outcome. Discounting the few outbursts of anger that my father may have had, his opinion has not changed one iota on this matter. He doesn't want his son to have a man as a partner, and while he doesn't hate me enough for it to prevent me from continuing my duties in the family business, he has demanded that I stop communicating with you.”

"Well, as nice as he was to me when I went to your house for dinner, I thought he liked me," Oscar said ironically, although he was well aware that if Peter Northrop had gotten that way, it wasn't precisely because of that.

“He likes you, but not to have that kind of relationship with me. He has gotten so angry he has not been able to settle for just him firing you; he doesn't want to see you, much less that I see you.”

"And yet here you are," he pointed out with a half smile; he couldn't hide that he was glad Albert came anyway.

"Since you told me yesterday that you didn't care if my father knew about us, I took the liberty of refusing a good part of what he proposed to me," Albert admitted, returning her smile. “You won't be able to go back to Thornfield just yet, not until my father calms down and I can manage to convince him that at least you're not up to anything shady by approaching me. But that will be the only thing that changes. As for me, I have no intention of leaving you when he pleases. And, about employment, although we say that it was a matter of my family as a whole, I had the idea. Your salary is paid out of my pocket, so it does not seem appropriate to me that someone other than me has power in a decision such as choosing whether you continue to be employed or not.”

“Oh, what a rebel! So you plan to continue seeing me and giving me work, no matter what your father says?”

"I'm not a rebel. If I were, I would still allow you to come to Thornfield, regardless of my father's discomfort. Which will not happen, since that house is his and therefore he has the right to impose certain rules” After a not too long pause, he added. “Now, whatever I do or who I hang out with outside, I should be the only one concerned... And that's no secret to him! I already warned him about this. For now, I'm fine with you not being allowed into Thornfield, but that's about it. I will continue to stay with you, regardless of what the rest of the world thinks.”

“That for now tells me that you will continue trying to convince your father. And, in truth, it makes me happy. I'm sure there are people out there who, under pressure, would be willing to sacrifice their relationship in order to continue living as they wish, without engaging in avoidable conflict.”

“You know I don't like to fight, but I wouldn't be able to let go that easily. It's been hard enough convincing you to go out with me, as for now…” Perhaps sensing something, Albert inquired. “You still want to be with me, right?”

"If you ask me, I'd tell you it's a real bummer not being able to go back to Thornfield," Oscar began, pretending he was thinking it over. “Even if it's temporary, it's annoying to have to do without that little palace of yours as a library. And what about employment? There goes another source of income collapsing! That must have been the shortest job ever for me! And no, don't tell me that you'll let me be a secretary anyway, you have enough to get on bad terms with your father for the other thing and it's not that I'm in such a hurry to need that second job... Besides, what about the laws? We may not be prosecuted for this, since in public we behave as expected, and since your family is so important in the area, but what if the day comes when it is not? In these towns everything ends up being known and people can end their good streak (look at the Cornells, for example). After these words, which had managed to discourage the villain little by little, he finished saying in good humor—. But after all, I too have been through too much to be able to stay with you. As long as you don't kick me out, it would be stupid of me to lie and say I don't like you anymore.”

"I'll do my best to make my father accept you, then," the villain sentenced, again, regaining his confidence. “It may take a while, but maybe in a while everything can go back to normal and it's okay for you to go back to Thornfield.”

“About that… Did you already know that your father was going to react like that when he found out about us?”

Oscar wanted to know this because, when they both agreed to stay together, neither brought up the subject of confessing to his family or friends. In Oscar's case it was because, as he had already mentioned on numerous occasions, he was reserved with his private life. He didn't think that whether or not he had a partner—regardless of its gender—was something that should concern his relatives, and therefore he never found a need to share that kind of information.

Besides, seeing what century they were in, wasn't it logical to maintain discretion even with close relatives?

For that reason, Oscar had also assumed that Albert would not talk about it with his people. Not in the near future, at least. And it was only now, that the topic had been leaked, that he was curious.

“I didn't know for sure, as I never discussed it with my father. I knew he expected me to find a good woman to marry, eventually. But he had never seen him utter a single word against homosexual people, either.” After a pause, Albert said more to himself than to Oscar. “He would venture to think that he doesn't have problems with people with those tendencies... Only if I'm like that.”

"Well, I hope he accepts you as you are soon. It would only be missing now that we had to elope together, as if this were one of those chivalric novels of forbidden romance that are so soporific to read for me.”

"Would you consider the possibility?"

“What?”

“Ah, I don't mean eloping exactly. I just thought… What if we went to live together in London? Notifying our families, of course. I think that the more population there is in a place, the less aware its inhabitants will be of who is with whom. A clean slate: There they wouldn't have prejudices, since they wouldn't know us. Not to mention that we could meet whenever we wanted.”

"As long as there's work to do, I wouldn't mind making that trip," Oscar pointed out cautiously.

"Anyway, and except for you, there is nothing that ties me to this town," he thought to add. But he didn't detest his fake uncles enough to make such a claim.

"Maybe… you could talk to Mr. Simmons about this. Since you write in his newspaper, and for this you do not need to be there in person, it is possible that you can keep the job even if you go to live in another city. And even if you didn't, I don't think he'd mind writing you a letter of recommendation. With your narrative, I doubt that it will be difficult for you to find another similar position in the capital.”

"You're getting a little over the top with all this, aren't you?"

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, I have to admit," Albert laughed nervously. “Until now I have always been keeping accounts for my father's business but if he were to go to London I was considering… why not try to work as one more grocer in those businesses?”

“Your father will kill you. I don't know him well enough to know, but it surely doesn't look good for him! First staying with me and now this.”

After all, where had an individual of position been seen working as a simple shopkeeper? Even the nouveaux riches, if they could get out of working with the public, would do so, delegating responsibilities to their immediate inferiors.

“But in the end it would be what I'm looking for. I think I already told you that I wanted to make a living on my own, without always having to trust my father to remove every pothole I hit. This would be, then, a good opportunity for it. It may not be ideal for me to start out as an employee in my father's store, but at least he will give me some experience so that I can continue there or try somewhere else.”

"And if we did move to London for real, which house would we go to? Because I imagine that if you choose the one where you and your father usually stay when you stay in the city, you will be in the same dilemma as here.”

"We could rent an apartment." Before Oscar could reply, Albert added. “A small and cheap one, that had the basics, and which we would pay between the two of us.”

"Ah damn, I like this better now."

Another of Oscar's concerns had been not being able to afford the villain's standard of living. And that, not being able to, that the other felt uncomfortable having to settle for little things; see the tiny room in the inn where Oscar lived. But Albert hadn't said anything bad about it, on the contrary. He praised the room at the time and, although his initial surprise could be seen, he had no problem adapting to the modest space.

So if Albert said that he didn't mind settling for a small apartment in the city, Oscar believed him.

“Although this all sounds rather idealistic. We cannot expect to leave overnight, leaving our jobs and families just like that.”

“No, of course not! I didn't mean to…” Pausing, Albert asked. “How about a month?”

"A month, you say?"

"In a month we'll have to pick up Letitia from boarding school. I told my father that I would pick her up and escort her to London. Being that that's where we planned to spend the summer together,” he explained. “The idea was to stay in our house in the city until the new school year started but, he said, if we are around there we could go find an apartment for ourselves.”

“In plural. Will I go too?”

"J-only if you want. I was saying about the month in case you wanted to think about living together in the city, but if you decide not to, nothing happens. I also have no intention of refusing to stay in town, if you prefer to continue your work on the newspaper here.”

“Actually I don't need a month to think about it, I already have my answer quite clear. Any city is good if I don't have the Cornells or the Seymours as neighbors! Now, I do need that month to let Mr. Simmons know and get a few things in order around the office.”

“Would you really want to come with me? Even if things calm down around here and the rumors die down?”

“You heard me. I'd rather go to the city with you, I don't care what others say or don't say. I'm so bored already of everyone...!”

And that was true. If Oscar had been in his time and someone, no matter how dear he was to him, had proposed moving in together, he would have needed a few days to think about it. Here, on the other hand, that was completely unnecessary. That is to say, Albert was proposing to free himself from all those characters that had bothered him so much in the last year, moving far away and with the guarantee of not having to deal with them again in the immediate future! Why not accept? In short, it was tempting to emancipate himself with one of the few people in that novel who had any brain.

It was a pity that they still had a few things to do in Snodland. Otherwise, Oscar would even have liked to be able to leave in a couple of days.

As surprising as it sounded, what Dianne wanted to do that morning when she caught him and the villain in bed was apologize again. Because, indeed, the rumors about an alleged "indecent relationship" between them had been spread thanks to her. And that is what she was referring to when, on the day of the show, she told Oscar that it was possible that it would spill over into him.

Since then, the writer had been gossiping with friends and co-workers about the matter. According to what she confessed to Oscar later, when she finally had the chance to see him alone, she only said that Albert was seeing a man for encounters that were no longer romantic, but sexual. She did not mention the name of the supposed couple, but it is not that it was necessary; both the protagonist, and any other who held a grudge against Oscar, could fill in the gaps in that testimony.

But why had she gone so far as to smear the villain, not content with gossiping about his sexual orientation, but creating scenarios to unleash her false perversions? Well, everything started from an idea that she had before her protagonists got together. An idea that had as its objective to distance Madeleine forever from undesirable humans.

Now, how was Dianne to know that a couple of hours after she started bashing Albert, Patrick would propose to Madeleine and that Madeleine would accept? It was impossible to know!

Dianne just wanted to drop a bombshell so that Madeleine would be so disgusted that she would decide, on her own, to get away from Albert. If Patrick had declared himself a little sooner, she wouldn't have needed to resort to such an extreme measure! But of course, due to her lack of coordination, the damage was now done. She couldn't unsay things at such a height.

"Look on the bright side," the author had told him, trying in vain to shake off some of the blame. “Since the protagonists are together, I will stop bothering you. I was going to tell you: "Now you can fuck the villain without hesitation", but it would be inaccurate, because I know that you have already been doing it. How is he in bed, by the way? I could never write a scene like that with Albert as the lead, so it intrigues me…”

"We haven't done anything," Oscar replied curtly.

And even if we had, I wouldn't tell you either, he would have liked to add. He didn't know what bothered him more, the fact that the writer was trying to poke her nose into his sex life, or the fact that after all that had happened she hadn't even apologized to the person who had been hurt the most because of her stupidity.

“You didn´t? That explains why you're in such a bad mood. oh wait! Could it be that you also practice that "virgin until marriage"?”

"Aren't you confusing me with your characters? After all, they are the ones with a religious and old-fashioned mentality.”

"Well, it's true that Madeleine and Patrick didn't have any raunchy scenes until after they were married... And in the case of your character, I'm frankly surprised that you went so far as to sleep with someone. The original Oscar died a virgin and without knowing true love.”

“Wouldn't it be possible, in this version, that the protagonists didn't even get to go through the altar?” Oscar changed the subject, already beginning to feel disgusted by the talk and didn't feel like getting involved in a debate about why the concept of "true love" seemed to him something as retrograde as it was illusory.

“Impossible! Everything is already established, the guest list made, the menu for the invitation, the church… Everything! In addition, the couple get along even better than months ago, when they were dating. This time nothing can go wrong! Within a month, they will say yes. And then there will be no going back, because they will be together until death do them part.”

Dianne had said this with a smile of pure happiness, but to Oscar it had sounded like a threat. As if, whatever happened between Madeleine and Patrick, they were to be in each other's company until the end of time. And, terrifying as this seemed, considering that it was very likely that theirs had never stopped being a toxic relationship, there was no news that the wedding was called off.

There were none in the entire month of April. Not when Dianne talked about it with Oscar, nor the day before the protagonists gathered at the altar. Nothing! It seemed that those two had decided to unite and that this occasion was the definitive one.

Who knows what kind of voodoo ritual the creator had done to make this possible, but no wonder the girl was in such excellent spirits all those weeks, busy helping her dear friend with the wedding preparations and keeping her word that he would not continue to harass him or the villain. No, as far as she was concerned, those two people who had given her so much trouble could disappear. She didn't care! She didn't even have the decency to apologize to Albert for spilling her tongue to half the village.

Oh boy, she didn't at first; when she burst into Oscar's room that morning she had only intended to make her apology to him. Who was going to tell her that she would come face to face with Albert? The scare was epic.

In hindsight, Oscar insisted that Dianne apologize to the villain as well, and although she was hard-pressed, she finally complied with his request. Yes, in writing. Well, for some unspecified reason, she didn't seem to be in the mood to have that kind of conversation in person with Albert.

Faced with such a way of acting, anyone could conclude that she was not being sincere. But that was not quite so. It was no longer just that Dianne ran a thick veil over those two characters that had gotten out of control, letting them roam freely and not conspiring against her again. No. It is that her words in her letter were, for the first time in her two existences, sober and in accordance with the situation! Without unnecessary embellishments or mentions that did not come to mind, the writer truly apologized… And that was it.

That was all until Oscar realized that the aforementioned was completely avoiding the villain.

If she saw him coming down the street, she would change the sidewalk. If she noticed that he was at the inn, visiting Oscar, she would lock herself in his room and refuse to come out until he was gone. Even when she had no choice but to stay in the same room as him, because they were in the same public places in Snodland, she made sure to be in good company with her.

It was very clear to Oscar that Dianne had become afraid of Albert. That her letter of apology, so well written, was probably as an escape route so that the aforementioned would not lay eyes on her, considering her as a potential threat. After all, who should die did not. And considering the evil that she single-handedly managed to hover over the supposed villain and her lover, it was certain that she feared that her own novel would take another unexpected turn. Being she the one who was killed by a mere slip.

Soon knowing this information, Oscar began to make comments to lead her to think that the villain was close to her, or that she would meet him shortly. He did this during those days when he didn't feel like talking to her and the effect this had was immediate; Dianne excused herself, not bothering to hide the panic she felt, and in less than two minutes, Oscar was free.

This was such a perfect way to get rid of the writer when she got pedantic that he even wished he had figured it out sooner!

Now, once the wedding day arrived, what was really supposed to happen? In that month's time, while some were preparing their wedding while others were beginning to plan their new life in London, the malicious rumors had given them a break. From the uncomfortable looks of certain people, as well as from the occasional rude comment made under his breath, Oscar still couldn't get rid of it. But at least people were now stopping talking about the villain's tendencies, making his presence at the liaison not as unwelcome as it might have been to any other lowly individual.

And yes, it was true that with the passing of the weeks the neighbors were forgetting about it.

As far as the villain was concerned, they were no longer as reluctant as in those early days to continue dealing with him. If it was about Oscar, on the other hand, the gossip was still as lively as the first day, as if at the slightest carelessness, someone was going to throw him out to the Perror. Or, well, that's how it was while he was not in Albert's company.

And it is that being with Albert, in that month, was the same as having a protective shield: As long as he was in his company, no one would dare to come to him with gossip and claims.

Of course, as much as he liked being with the villain, it was annoying that the calm only came when she was with him, or when she was alone in his own room. So, despite not being one of those people used to running away, Oscar soon found himself wishing he could leave for the city as soon as possible.

"As soon as this bland event is over, we'll leave," the villain had reminded him, once they had met at the Cornells' new home, moments before the ceremony began.

It was still more than half an hour before the bride and groom and the relevant crowd of people would gather in the parish. So many of the guests had chosen to entertain themselves by visiting the houses of one of the protagonists, either to praise them for the future life together that awaited them, or to take advantage of the free aperitif that they would be served if they decided to go to someone else's home. And it is that a couple of empty compliments in exchange for a cup of tea and some pastries made by a renowned pastry shop was a good deal.

Or it must have been for some. Albert, for example, did not even seem to be clear about why he had agreed to attend the ceremony of two people who were indifferent to him and to whom it was more than evident that he was not likeable.

"Could you remind me what we're doing here?" he inquired, therefore, as the hall of a busy Cornell filled with guests.

"Bragging that we're happier than future couple?" Oscar suggested, and from the way he said it, you couldn't tell if he was joking or serious. “Ah, but be that as it may, we should have come. No matter how much the family dislikes us at this point, this does not mean that we have been their neighbors and "friends" all their lives. It would have been rude of us to decline the invitation.”

"That's what my father said when Miss Cornell managed to reach us and deliver the invitations." Directing a look at the aforementioned, who was on the other side of the room talking with some of her friends, he added. “Although I think he did not have in mind that I would go with you.”

No, even after this month of cooling things off, Peter Northrop was still of the same opinion. He didn't approve of his son having another man as a partner but, since Albert was already an adult, he couldn't forbid her to see him either.

At best, he could coerce him into choosing to leave Oscar himself. And, needless to say, that never worked.

What's more, it was all for the worse in Mr. Northrop's eyes! One day, his son had even warned him that he was planning to move to London with his beloved. It was a disgrace! And yet Peter Northrop refused to lose his dignity to the rest of the town. He never accepted Oscar in his house, since he knew what he had with his son, but he did not stoop to insulting him or making him look down in the eyes of others. He too was aware of the rumors and the last thing he wanted was to cause a scandal, drawing attention to himself and his family even more.

Therefore, since he knew that Albert would not give in, he began to ignore Oscar. For him it was as if it did not exist and, therefore, if the villain started talking to him about it, he was also willing to forget for a while that he had a son.

If anyone from the outside asked, Oscar wasn't working for the family, much less having an unseemly relationship with one of them.

This wedding was no exception in terms of treatment: the Northrops had been invited and, although the idea was to share a carriage until they reached the town, that idea was soon abandoned when it was learned that Albert intended to meet his partner at the villa. Peter Northrop didn't want to have to stop his car outside the inn, much less exchange a few friendly words with Oscar. So he told his son that, if he wanted to stay with him for the duration of the ceremony, he could. But in that case he would be barred both from speaking to her—while Oscar was in his company—and from using the same carriage to travel to Snodland.

And what to say? What Albert chose was very obvious, considering the distance he now kept from his parent.

"For what it's worth, my uncles are ignoring me too," Oscar commented, though he didn't look embarrassed about it. “Especially Aunt Cathy.”

“I thought you had already settled the matter of your cousin and that there were no hard feelings.”

“On Uncle Rob's part, that's right. But my aunt is harder to convince. She knows that I did the right thing, but at the same time she refuses to accept that her son did something wrong on purpose... And it's a good thing I still haven't told her about my suspicions! Then, if we add to that… Well, she doesn't hate me, but she would prefer not to have me near her.”

Oscar still remembered the confrontation with his aunt, much more awkward and violent than the one he had with Mr. Stevens on his day. The woman herself received him with a smile four days after having talked with her husband and, as soon as she made sure that they were alone and there was not a soul within twenty meters, she began the martyrdom.

After confirming what she already knew from Rob, the lady proceeded to give him the sermon of his life. Almost three hours lasted! Oscar was scolded for all the things that could be scolded, with particular emphasis on how wrong it was to go after a man of position to warm his bed.

In the end, and perhaps because Mrs. Stevens had raised her character since he was very young, she didn't have the heart to break the bond she had with him. Being terribly upset, as she herself pointed out, she simply forbade him to return to the Cornell house until he had left Albert. And, if that didn't happen... Well, being outside that home, if they met by chance, they could talk to each other if only out of courtesy.

Aunt Cathy wasn't so disgusted with her nephew that she wouldn't agree to have a normal conversation with him once every few weeks. But yes, do not touch the subject of the Northrop. If Albert came up in the conversation or if he was seen in his company around town, Cathy would be one of those who would completely ignore his presence or abruptly change the subject to avoid getting into debates.

Uncle Rob was not so drastic about pretending that he no longer had a nephew, having been the first to greet Oscar when he was able to enter his employers' house for the first time in more than a month, but there was little he could do when his wife had made such a resolution. And, after welcoming his nephew, he had to turn away from him.

"At least it is fortunate that your uncle is more reasonable."

“He doesn't get so angry, it's true. I'm just glad that Thomas left out of his letter the blow you gave him, otherwise Aunt Cathy would have directed her pent-up fury at you, too.”

"But he didn't talk about it, to his credit," Albert muttered, though he knew that if the subject of the robbery had come out, it would have put them all in an embarrassing position where they would have had to give further explanations. desired ones. “What I meant is, why stay here? We could have waited in the square for the moment to enter the church.”

"Yes, but that way we would have missed the peacocks showing off," Oscar pointed out, referring to Madeleine and company, who had spent the morning talking about how beautiful they looked and the prosperous future that awaited the protagonist. “Besides, people haven't stopped talking about us. If we had stayed in front of the parish, like sheep waiting their turn at the slaughterhouse, we would have officially become plague victims.”

“I know you're right, but even so...”

Even so, I don't like being in this place, Oscar thought to complete. But it's not like there's a remedy either; if Albert had come with his father, this stop would also have been unavoidable.

"It could have been worse," Oscar remarked, remembering that Albert's father and Patrick's father didn't get along badly. “They could have required you to go to Lilac Hall.”

“It's lucky that no, we already have enough that the banquet is celebrated in that house.”

No, if they already had little desire to see the Cornells, they had even less desire to visit the Seymour estate. But, as Oscar had rightly mentioned, all of this was a necessary evil.

"Excuse me, Mr. Northrop," began someone, who had come up beside him quietly, "could I speak with you for a moment?"

The respectful question had taken Albert by surprise. Nobody, with the exception of Oscar, had spoken to him that day to say more than the usual greeting. Right now, though, the younger Cornell seemed ready to strike up a conversation. And that, considering that she was the calmest of that family, didn't bother him.

"Of course, what is it about?"

"Oh, it's really nothing urgent," Theresa said. “I just wanted to ask how her sister was doing in Cheltenham.”

"Sure, you two are friends, right? Letitia is fine, she often sends news by mail and I try to visit her whenever I have the chance. The last time was in February, and I have to say that she is still in good spirits and getting the best grades in her class (although maybe it's wrong that I'm the one to mention it). Everything seems to indicate that she will have no problem finishing the course maintaining that streak.”

“That's good, and actually makes sense. Letitia is very intelligent, there was no doubt that she would be able to advance in her studies in the way that she proposed.”

“It's a relief that my sister has come out so responsible and studious, yes. That makes me not need to worry so much about her, because I know that whatever decision she makes, it will be the right one.”

"Are you not overdoing the flattery, Mr. Big Brother?" Oscar inquired under his breath, visibly amused by Albert's vehemence in expressing himself.

"B-but back to the point," Albert went on, suddenly aware that perhaps it wasn't the best thing to talk so much about his sister when no one had asked, "don't you two write to each other from time to time? I seem to remember that Letitia told me.”

"Yeah, we're still in touch." Guessing Albert would want to know, well, what her questions were about if he already knew the answer, Theresa continued. “I don't really know how to say this… In her last letter, Letitia recommended that I try it, in fact, she also told me that she was going to write to you to ask. But perhaps you have not received the letter yet, because this was something that she and I discussed and to which I gave the go-ahead just a couple of weeks ago.”

"You can ask whatever you want," ventured to say Oscar. “If Letitia agreed to it, I doubt that Mr. Northrop here would want to take it against her.” Seizing the reproachful look on the part of the villain that hung over him, he corrected himself. “Or well, as long as what is proposed is not illegal. But you have to admit that you're pretty permissive when it comes to your sister.”

He said that last bit in a whisper, so that only Albert would hear. And he could not claim anything about it, being fully aware that it was so. As much as he hated to admit it.

"Go on, please," Albert asked the girl, deciding to ignore Oscar.

“Well, the point is that we were talking about schools. And I commented that I had never been to one of those boarding schools for girls, much less in a prestigious school… Then, Letitia suggested that I come to Cheltenham for a visit. She said that, once her exams were over, I could come some weekend. That, since you and your father go to the Cotswolds often, you could take me.” Seeing the villain's thought, Theresa added. “But if it's a nuisance, nothing happens. I told Letitia that it would be awkward for me to ask for that favor, that maybe they wouldn't be willing because of my age and how far away the boarding school is. I only let myself be convinced because she was very insistent, saying that there would be no problem.”

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“If Letitia proposed it… why not?”

"Seriously, could I?"

“We were going to the Cotswolds, anyway, in a few days. So, if you want to go, there are no problems for me. Although we´ll have to talk to your parents about it. Just in case they accuse us of kidnapping.”

"It was what was missing, first perverts and then kidnappers," Oscar murmured in a mocking tone.

"I don't know what my father will think, but I already discussed the possibility with my mother and she was okay with it," Theresa pointed out. “When do you plan to leave? If I get permission, I won't need much to pack.”

“In principle, within two days,” After a pause, Albert suggested. “But, if you want to come, let's wait one or two more days. This will give the adults time to cure their hangovers and get all their senses to work when they hear our offer to take you on a visit to Cheltenham.”

Theresa smiled and thanked them, not once but several times, for the arrangement. After Albert asked to tell her parents that the next day he would like to talk to them about this little excursion. Then, after Theresa had left, Albert turned to Oscar:

"Are you okay with this?"

“Yes, why not? If we didn't wait a few days and make the suggestions right after the celebration, those people would be able to accept tomorrow and the next day remember, after their hangover, that they gave up their daughter to the highest bidder.”

"I didn't mean that, but about her coming with us."

"Oh, that doesn't bother me either," Oscar laughed. “It will be good for her to visit new places and clear her mind a bit, getting away from that circus she has for a family.”

After all, at fourteen, Theresa had never spent more than a couple of days away from her parents and sisters. It would be a nice change if she were free from them for a few weeks, taking a trip that could almost be described as cultural.

"Now, can we go?" The villain asked permission, looking out of the corner of his eye at a wall clock that showed a quarter to twelve.

"We can," Oscar affirmed, also assuring himself that the time they had agreed to retire had come. The first pantomime of the day had been performed successfully.

And, what was it to be there calmly, without noticing some quiet murmurs that were still made about them, but a perfectly acted pantomime? To be honest, neither Oscar nor Albert would have had any qualms about telling some people to shut up. They had already done it in that last month when they saw that the impudence was already too much. But in that case, in full reception and with so many people present, they would have attracted too many looks.

So, without further delay, they both left the apartment without any of the hosts, with the exception of Theresa, noticing that they were leaving. And, while Mr. Cornell was trying to convince some of his friends to invest in his still declining company, the rest of the Cornell women were busy in another room preparing the bride for the upcoming ceremony.

When they left the apartment, starting the way on foot to the church, they could not help but notice the carriage that was waiting for the bride at the gates of the property. Said carriage was completely uncovered; It did not have a roof, so anyone looking at the vehicle could see the elegant people who would be riding it. Also, since this was a wedding, a few bouquets had been added to the carriage here and there, in case it wasn't clear to anyone who it belonged to or for what purpose it would be used.

From the house that now belonged to the Cornells to Snodland Parish it was no more than a hundred yards, but apparently that short distance was enough to show off.

"Too ostentatious, don't you think?"

"That's what you say, but if they had offered it to us to go to the church, you wouldn't have refused," Oscar pointed out, although deep down he did agree that it was too flashy.

"I wouldn't have refused, it's true," Albert conceded. “But just because my father made me walk all the way from Thornfield, it's not yet noon and I'm already tired. Any carriage would do as long as I don't have to walk back!”

“You can always take advantage of the banquet to steal it. I doubt the coachman will notice, entertained as he will be with the food that is served” Guessing the protest that was coming on him, more for making a joke like that so close to the aforementioned driver than for anything else, he added. “Or you can forget about carriages, or going back to Thornfield, and stay with me at the inn.”

“I'll think about it.”

The event was supposed to end long before dark, giving Albert time to rent a car if his father didn't forgive him in time to share the family carriage with him. But what if he stayed at the inn…? The idea was tempting, but it could have consequences, not with its employees—because you could always repeat what happened the previous month, renting two rooms instead of one—but with Peter Northrop. And Albert didn't want to leave for London being in a bad way with his father! On the other hand, he would have time to sleep with Oscar again when they both shared a flat.

 And, speaking of Oscar, he was about to tell the villain that he didn't need to think about it so much, because he looked quite focused. But he did not get to do it because, when they barely had fifteen or twenty meters left to reach the stairs that led to the parish grounds, he heard a voice calling out his name at the top of his voice, trying to catch their attention.

When Oscar looked towards the place next to the church from which the shouting had come, he saw a very animated Kenneth, greeting him with both arms raised, earning both his interest and that of the guests who were still stationed outside the building, talking among themselves. Yes. He was somewhat embarrassed, as several of those individuals turned to look in his direction.

Fortunately, Kenneth was not alone: ​​Willie Sayer was with him.

Apparently the two of them had been talking before seeing Oscar, and when they finally spotted him and the gardener began to make such a fuss, Sayer quickly urged him to calm down, going to the trouble of covering his mouth with his hand to stop him from continuing to make a fuss in front of the crowd.

Although Oscar believed that Sayer made this move so that Kenneth would not continue to make a fool of himself, as he got closer to them he discovered that this was not his main motivation. And it is that the postman had been petrified, seeing that along with Oscar was also Albert Northrop. And how would him, such a serious individual, take the fact that this gardener acted with such familiarity? No, not only that. In those months, Sayer had put the villain on an imaginary pedestal. Because, although in his opinion it was his fault that Albert had had to get into a duel, Albert himself had apologized to him for pushing him before Madeleine, claiming that it had all been a misunderstanding and that he shouldn't have done it.

Sayer thought, at first, that the villain was just trying to be nice. But no; Albert was serious when he said that. He never blamed him for what happened with Seymour, on the contrary. He even said that he was the only one to blame and offered him some money for the inconvenience caused.

This had caused Sayer to begin to see the young Northrop as a benefactor, rather than the distant employer of one of his best friends. So the last thing he wanted was to disrespect him, much less he could allow others to do so.

"Oscar, how are you doing?" Sayer had greeted him as soon as he was in front of him, still not letting go of Kenneth. “Mr. Northrop, good morning to you too. I believed you would come earlier. In there, most places are already occupied.”

"It doesn't matter, it's not like we need to see how those two idiots say yes," Oscar pointed out. “It´s better to wait out here for those who are missing to arrive, so that we don´t have to get into the tumult before mass begins.”

"Yes, but at this rate there will be nowhere to sit... Not that I care, on the other hand, the Cornells only invited me because they have known me and my family for many years." I don't think I'll lose sleep if I'm not present within the parish.”

The postman, despite the fact that he was no longer after Madeleine, could not help blurting out those words with bitterness. Oscar considered saying a sentence or two to comfort him, but in that instant, Kenneth managed to wriggle out of his grasp. And getting far enough away from Sayer so that he could not close his mouth again, he sentenced in good humor referring to the newcomers:

“It's good that you came together, that only shows how well you get along and how united you are! Because it is true what is said out there, right, Oscar? The thing about you dating.”

"Don't go around saying that!" Sayer complained, before anyone else could react. “Because of people like you, who loosen their tongues lightly, decent people can end up with a noose around their necks. Watch your words and stop slandering without knowing!”

"But I do know... An acquaintance who works for the Warrens told me! That's a reliable source, I can swear.”

“One of the Warren daughters has been working as a screenwriter, when she gave him the benefit. Surely having been in contact with other artists has given him wings to let his imagination fly!”

“I am telling you no! I know what I'm talking about, it's not like before, that I wasn't so careful. But now I verify things before I venture into guesswork.”

"Are you spying on people or how…?"

“Of course not! I only consult things with more than one person. And… and I don't listen to rumors if they come from certain people! It may surprise you, but I have a mental list of neighbors who can be listened to when they spill information about others, since 90% of what they say is usually true.”

Sayer was going to protest, saying that this was just stupid. Where the hell had such a percentage come from? Perhaps even he could rightly point out that there was no way to check if a person was telling the truth when it came to gossip. Not even if said person was completely trustworthy, since anyone could be wrong. But, not allowing the discussion to continue, Oscar casually commented:

"Although, in this case, the rumors are true. Yes, I am going out with Albert…, and not exactly as friends.”

Faced with such a sincere statement, there were various reactions. Sayer's jaw dropped, not knowing what to say; It was not known what was more surprising, the fact that his friend had started seeing a man or the fact that he could confess it like that in public, without any shame, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Albert, who had stayed a couple of steps behind Oscar, hearing him just looked away, visibly embarrassed, but without bothering to deny anything.

Kenneth was the one who had the most effusive reaction because, smiling, he exclaimed like someone who achieves victory after a huge effort:

“I knew I was right! Sayer, you should apologize to me.”

But Sayer had no intention of backing down, so he just snorted in discontent and refused to talk to the annoying gardener any further.

"I hope you don't mind," Oscar said, referring to the confession he had just made.

"It doesn't bother me, it just surprises me. I knew you two got along, but I didn't expect it to be so,” Sayer murmured, then, trying to make his resolve overcome his growing discomfort, he added. “However, if this is how you wish to continue despite how people are talking about you, I will trust that you know what you are doing and I´ll support you. I'm not entirely convinced by this matter, but well… For my part, I have no intention of accusing anyone.”

Perhaps more than a broad tolerance when someone was committing what the authorities called a crime of sodomy right under their noses, because of who was involved. Both Albert and Oscar had helped him, in some way, in the last few months. The latter had even been his best friend for years.

Sayer couldn't understand what had made him turn three hundred and sixty degrees, deciding to abandon his affection for Madeleine and change her for a man. But he wasn't going to reproach him for it or denounce to the authorities either; As much as he didn't approve of his manner, he wasn't ungrateful. If Oscar went that way, he would keep quiet and watch from a distance, not putting his opinion on the matter.

"I appreciate it," Oscar said good-humouredly. “That's just what I wanted to hear.”

And, went without saying, it was also what he assumed he would hear. He wouldn't have gone so far as to confirm the rumors to his friends if he wasn't quite clear on how they would take it.

"I'd like to say the same thing, but," Kenneth began, suddenly turning serious, "I owe someone an apology first."

Saying this, he walked over to stand before Albert. Out of nowhere, he placed a hand on his shoulder and said with complete solemnity:

“Mr. Northrop, a few months ago I misjudged you, thinking you were a serial killer. I am truly very sorry.”

“What are you saying…? A murderer?” Albert repeated, confused, while Sayer nearly had a fit at the familiarity with which a mere servant addressed one of such noble position.

"Oscar didn't tell you? It was a pretty funny mix-up, really!” Kenneth laughed, without any malice. “You see, it turns out that last November, when we went to the hunt organized by the Ramseys...”

“Isn't that the bride's carriage?” Oscar asked, deliberately cutting off Kenneth's fictional narration, and getting the other three to look in the direction he was pointing his gaze. “It seems that more people are also arriving. Madeleine's closest relatives and friends, to be specific.”

That had the desired effect. Kenneth instantly forgot what he was saying to focus on the approaching procession through the main street. The same carriage that Oscar and Albert had seen minutes before was coming, yes. Madeleine, her father, and two of her sisters sat there, dressed in full regalia, smiling at everyone they met along the way.

And that car wasn't the only one; although most of the people came on foot, there were still some willing to approach the square on horseback or in their own carriage. Of course, nothing and no one stood out more than the bride, because she must have spent the last few hundred pounds that her father had left in the bank to buy a white lace dress. A dress that, although it could be considered as modern as it is expensive in the big city, in a small town like this one, it only made it seem that its owner was eccentric.

Be that as it may, it was not as if Madeleine cared about the lack of taste in fashion that the inhabitants of her native village had. She only allowed herself to be guided through the streets, until she had to get out of the carriage to appear at the church. She was so haughty perhaps thinking that after a little while she would leave that parish being cheered as the precious Mrs. Seymour, that she barely noticed the small group that remained to one side of the church.

Or come on, she should have repaired on it, because the woman was looking everywhere. As if she wanted to make sure that everyone outside was admiring her beauty and aware of the happiness that awaited her. But well, the point is that if she noticed them, she only stopped momentarily at Albert.

And no, she didn't say hello to him at all. He just glanced at him before looking back, as if realizing that the villain was hanging out with such a rabble—and he wasn't even inside the church anymore, on a reserved pew in the front rows—she didn't care anymore. She deserved her speaking to herself.

Obviously, Albert was not bothered by this. Rather, was glad they didn't have to make a scene in front of the parish. Ever since he had spoken so harshly to Madeleine on the day of the performance, she had begun to keep her distance. She did it her way, yes, never accepting that what Albert did was necessary for the harassment she saw him subjected to to cease. But at least neither he nor Oscar would ever have to worry about her getting in the way of her relationship again.

"What's wrong with Ms. Cornell?" Kenneth asked, after she had disappeared with her entourage into the church. “Oscar, did she get mad at you?”

"If she did, I don't understand why," he replied, who was aware of where the protagonist directed her gaze before walking proudly forward again. “I am a charming person who has never harmed anyone.”

"Maybe she looked at me the wrong way," Sayer suggested. “Since Christmas she has been ignoring or being rude to me. Even after I promised to leave her alone, every time she talks to me it's just to remind me that I don't stand a chance.”

"It's all so ugly," Kenneth was horrified. “Didn't you apologize already?”

“A lot of times! But it doesn't work, and the worst thing is that I keep delivering the mail to her house, so I can't even avoid her even though I´d like to.”

"Oscar, isn't that Miss Warren?" Albert pointed out, referring to a young woman who was going to the parish accompanied by the last guests who were to enter.

And yes, it was Dianne, but you could hardly recognized her; In a momentary inspiration, the aforementioned had decided to make use of finery more typical of the London of twenty years in the future, wearing a dress even more glamorous than that of the bride herself and also wearing a matching hat that covered half her face. Since her dress was light in color, passers-by almost noticed her more than the protagonist as they passed by.

"This one really had a hard time about the wedding," Oscar murmured, trying to contain his laughter, because Dianne was close enough to hear him if he had used her normal tone.

It should be noted that Dianne took a couple of steps in the direction of Oscar and company, to greet them, before entering a parish whose bells were already ringing, announcing the imminent link. She then stopped midway and, after a silent dispensation, was the second person to leave at the sight of Albert.

"For a moment, I thought she was coming this way." Sayer said what everyone was thinking.

“It's just that mass is about to begin, how was she going to stay and chat? It's a shame though, because I wanted to ask her a thing or two about the future Mrs. Seymour.” Getting anxious as there were hardly any guests left outside, Kenneth added. “I'd better go inside, I want to get a good seat, even upstairs, where the choir is!”

“Wait, that's what I was going to ask you, what the hell are you doing here?” Oscar interjected. “I can't imagine the Seymours inviting you, much less Patrick.”

"Oh no, I… I snuck in. I was supposed to be at Lilac Hall helping to set up the tables in the garden. Because I had already finished tidying up the compound, thanks to the ever helpful orders of Mr. Moore (who, while we're at it, now that you're gone hits me and scolds me more, no fair!), but Kilduff told me: “ No, you've already done enough damage, go away!" And I left.”

“I suspect that wasn't what he meant when he said go away.”

“It's because they want to put me as a waiter during lunch! But in the kitchen they have it in for me because I'm clumsy and I drop things. So I think as long as Kilduff doesn't find out I'm missing, no one will notice my absence. Some will even celebrate! And I wanted to see the wedding, so… So I'm leaving now! Are you going in too?”

The priest must have already begun his sermon, but two of the four people stationed there seemed to have no intention of moving.

"You go ahead, I'm here for my family," Sayer reminded him, "I don't even think I can stay for the banquet. And I don't feel like going to mass at all.”

"I'll stay too," Oscar decided, taking a seat next to Sayer on a stone wall low enough to surround the entire perimeter of the church and its graveyard. Anyway, sermons always seemed like a bummer to me. If only the leading couple were to my liking…!”

Albert looked at him in disbelief upon hearing this; Wasn't he the one who had convinced him to come? And yet now it turned out that when the time came he preferred to stay out of the church.

Still, the villain decided not to object. Among others, he had seen his father enter. Ignoring him, as he had been doing since early that morning. And even if he got a seat next to him, he didn't want to put up with his “I told you so” look. Ultimately, he much preferred staying out with Oscar.

“As you wish, but then don't come crying to me because you couldn't see anything!”

Saying this, Kenneth disappeared behind the front door of the building, disappearing into the crowd as soon as he crossed the threshold. Well, the place was so crowded that many people had to stand on the sides of the church, in the aisles, due to lack of space.

With Kenneth having left and since there were only a few guests left in the square, not too close, who couldn't or didn't want to go in either, Oscar invited Albert to take a seat next to him. And this one did, not without some hesitation; given his upbringing, it must have been the first time he'd sat in a place not intended for people to rest their bottoms on, and therefore perhaps he feared that his suit would get stained.

But both Oscar and the postman had placed themselves there, without any consideration, so this couldn't be so terrible.

"So, do you already have a plan in place for when you settle in London?" Sayer was asking when Albert sat down.

The aforementioned had no idea, until a few minutes ago, that those two people were a couple. However, he was more or less aware that his friend wanted to move to the big city because he had told him.

"Obviously, the first thing will be to find us an apartment," Oscar replied, completely ignoring the fact that the question had only been directed at him.

Sayer may also have heard rumors that Albert was going to spend time in London, but in the case of that family, staying for long periods in the capital was common. Even if Oscar had a meager job with that family, the fact that they were both going to stay in the city may had nothing to do with it.

Not until now that the postman had discovered that the rumors that were circulating were true.

"Although we'll be spending a few days at the Northrop house, I don't think it's good to stay too long on someone's property in whose home I'm not welcome," Oscar went on. “Even though said someone will not be present! If it were up to me, I would even prefer to go to a hotel while we don´t find a flat...”

"That's out of the question," Albert cut him off, as if he had already been prepared to make that remark.

Peter Northrop had already been told that they would be staying, at least a week, at the mansion he owned in the city. And, despite everything, he had reluctantly agreed for that period. Not without first threatening that if Oscar stayed there a day longer than expected, he would instruct the service to get him out. Regardless of what his son thought.

“That's right, Albert won't let me go to sleep in a hotel, no doubt because he wants to save me spending on expensive rooms in the capital.”

"I-I guess you'll have to hurry up and find a good deal," Sayer said, a little flustered by Oscar's last wry comment and the villain's quiet reaction.

"I don't think that's much of a problem, Albert knows some people that could help. Perhaps his friends know of a cheap apartment and, I want to think, that week will be enough to find something profitable. Now, I'm more worried about employment...”

“I thought Mr. Simmons was going to let you go.”

“He will, he even offered to write me a letter of recommendation before I had a chance to ask him! In fact, he has been very nice to me. It's just that I can't keep that job if I settle in London, because it would be a bad thing to always have to depend on the post office when it comes to delivering manuscripts.”

"I hope you're not saying that for me!"

"No, no, I know that you only read the letters, that the packages which carry a large number of pages bore you and you put them aside." Before the other could deny the undeniable, he continued. “But I understand that it is a nuisance that one of his employees lives so far away and, depending on him several pages of his newspaper, any slight delay in the transport of documents can be a serious problem.”

"What will you do in such a case? It doesn't sound nice to go to London without a plan… Although, again, the city is huge. You could find a job much more easily than here.”

“Apart from the letter, Mr. Simmons recommended a publisher he claims to work for an old friend of his. As he told me, he was going to write to him to talk about me. Since I have finished my novel and it has had some success with readers, he has urged me to try asking them to publish it.”

“That would be great! I haven't finished reading it yet, but... But I'm sure it would be successful if it became a published book! I've heard people talk about that story, while publishing it in the local newsletter, and no one said anything bad about it.”

“I don't know about that, but I'd settle for a job as an editor.”

The truth is that, despite the fact that Oscar was aware of the success that his stories had had throughout his short career working for Simmons, he preferred not to have his illusions. In his time, despite having spent more than a third of his existence devoted to writing, he had barely earned from his own stories little more than to pay for a dinner. How was he going to dream that one day his novels would be sold?

Even though he saw the possibility, he still didn't believe that he could bring him enough benefits to support himself on it alone.

"And you, Mr. Northrop? Do you also have something in mind?”

“I'll be working as a clerk in one of the family business stores.”

This surprised Sayer, but he did not dare to inquire further about it, fearing that he would screw up by being too curious. Therefore, he chose to turn the conversation in other directions, to the few trips he had made in his life and how much he would like to move, even if it was for a few days. He either went to London or anywhere else.

And, while he and Oscar continued to engage in an animated conversation, Albert preferred to ignore it. Social matters really tired him! And anyway, not that he had much more to say; everyone was surprised when he said that he wanted to try working as a shopkeeper. It was obvious that they didn't know him well enough to understand his motives.

He already had everything arranged regarding that. He had used that month to agree with the employees of one of his father's businesses, so that when he came to town, he could start working alongside them. Not as his superior, but as one more partner. The shop manager would have the job of teaching him the trade, so that if things went well, the villain could open his own shop in the future. With or without the help of his father.

Albert must have been still minding his own business when he saw a stagecoach pull up in the middle of the square and from it, hurriedly and without waiting for the coachman to help her down the step that separated it from the ground, a woman came out. She may have given some instructions to said driver, although from where the villain and the others were they couldn't hear her, because leaving the luggage behind, she practically ran towards the church.

That woman was dressed elegantly, like someone who knows that there is an important gala or social event and she is already preparing according to the situation. But, even though she was going like this, was it possible that she knew about the…? Albert didn't know her and, from the look the other two made when they saw her approach and enter through the main door of the parish, they didn't know her either.

It was not unusual for an unknown lady to enter the parish. After all, many of the bride and groom's relatives and friends had come to witness the ceremony from multiple parts of England. Now, what was curious was that rush and the fact that the woman came alone. Why such urgency when she was seeing herself, only for her luggage, that she had just made a long journey?

Perhaps Albert had a hunch, since he stood up while the others continued talking and, thinking that the main door would continue to be blocked by as many guests as it had been before, he tried to get into the church through the side entrance: It was not his intention to stay inside the place or look for where sit. No. In fact, he barely advanced a couple of meters into the parish, with so many people still standing even on that side.

But anyway, that was enough.

Not five minutes passed before Albert turned his eyes to where Oscar and Sayer were standing and, without leaving the threshold of that door, motioned for them to take a look, too. Because, as he put it, there were riots going on that were worth watching.

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