Year 1863
Thea pretended to sleep. She was still awake when Kay left her room. She couldn't sleep at all. The conversation between the two man before was still looming in her head.
Something had happened, and she didn't know what it was. Without thinking, she took her coat and sneak out. London in the middle of the night is a good time to make a move. Thea rushed towards Mister Mild's residence. Maybe she could find something there.
Mr. Mild's house was getting dusty after being left by its owner. Thea picked up the candle on the table. She had to light a candle because she didn't know what to look for. She returned to the study room, where Thea had last seen the old man.
Thea started checking all over the place.
On the desk, in the jar, behind the painting, in the drawer, one by one. Thea did it slowly and to no avail. Nothing important. Thea shifted to the desk drawer. Her hands fumbled in every part of the drawer. Just found a pile of useless papers and suddenly, Thea was stunned.
Like finding hope in the midst of her resignation.
She was pulling out a drawer when her fingers touched something on the outer bottom of the drawer. A brown folder with adhesive around it. Thea carefully opened the tape that sealed the folder. The piece of newspaper slid down the moment the folder opened. Thea picked it up and held it close under the candlelight. Her eyes widened.
The yellow newspaper clipping in her hand revealed two blurry photos. A house that was engulfed in flames and a photo of its ruins after it was extinguished in large writing above the two photos:
Accident: Earl McColleen's mansion caught fire, 2 people died.
Thea couldn't read the full article because at that moment she felt someone else's presence. She has blown the candle, tucked the folder under the coat and exited through the back door. Thea rushed back to the house.
She examined each sheet of paper in her room. The snippet, from the local newspaper in Winchester, contained news of the huge fire that killed Thea's parents and left her the scar. Thea had no idea. How could someone so far away in London has it? And these three short letters she kept, Thea weren't sure what they were worth.
Looks like Mr. Mild wrote a letter to someone he called Mr. P many times. Thea didn't know what the old man had written, but from Mr. P, seems predictable. The old man blackmailed Mr. P for something.
Thea opened the first letter, it said :
'…this is your payment, now tell me is it a girl or a boy?'
In the next letter Mr. P wrote
'…you are getting greedy, Mild! Where? Then the last letter... better watch your mouth! This is your last payment, don't contact me anymore.'
Who is Mr. P?
Was that the person she saw this afternoon?
Thea wondered if this letter might contain anything about her, but there wasn't a single sentence that could provide an answer.
***
Thea sat in the dining room first, followed by Kay and then Blake. She somehow looked at Blake Wilkess in silent.
What a pity!
If only she had known this earlier…If only Mister Mild hadn't died under her uncle's command… Thea didn't have to stay up all night thinking all about that. She could just ask the old man and get the answer she wanted. But the death couldn't talk anymore.
"You found someone suitable, Kyle?"
Blake's sudden voice broke Thea's thoughts. Kay glanced at him.
"Well… I still haven't found one. But I think Thea has found someone," Kay said.
Blake looked at Thea. Thea glanced at Kay, confused. "What do you mean?"
Kay pulled something from his pocket and handed it to Thea. A white envelope, with the edges torn off. "This letter came this morning, because there was no recipient's name, I tore it up. Sorry, I didn't mean to," Kay said. Absolutely without guilty.
Thea opened the letter. A notice of an Alexander Lutz coming to visit this afternoon.
"Mr. Lutz's son seems to be interested in Thea, Father," Kay told Blake without looking at her, who was glaring at him.
Blake was silent. He gave no response. Blake put his spoon and stood up. Before leaving, he finally spoke.
"Stay away from the Lutz family, I don't like them."
Only that.
And he left them. Thea and Kay stared at each other, didn't know how to react. Thea cleared her throat. Her mind was disturbed in various ways and Kay continued his breakfast in silence.
"Erm…Kay?"
Kay raised her head. "What?"
"Do you know which noble has the initials P?" Thea asked, carefully. Based on her knowledge, no one bears the name with suspicious movement.
"I don't know, I didn't think about it. Why?"
"It is okay. Tell me if you know something." Thea put a grape in her mouth as Kay stood up.
"I'm done," he stood and walked to Thea's side. "I have to go to the hospital immediately. "Kay leaned over and kissed Thea on the cheek. "Get some rest. Your face still looks pale."
"Okay."
"And don't keep Alexander Lutz here too long, Lady. I don't seem to like the guy either."
***
Thea glanced at every mirror she passed along the corridor. She wanted to make sure Xander didn't see those marks again.
Xander was staring at an abstract painting when Thea came into the living room.
"Hi," Xander greeted as soon as he saw her.
"Hi," Thea replied, stiffly.
Thea gripped the arm of the chair as she sat opposite Xander. Every inch of Xander's face reminded her of the past.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. I am fine," Thea suddenly got defensive.
"But your face looks very pale. "
"Are you a doctor?"
Xander laughed. "No. Of course not. I am a business worker. But you don't have to be a doctor to see your face now."
Thea felt uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way."
Xander shook his head. "Looks like you haven't changed, Thea!" He laughed again. "Gosh! I miss you so much. I've been wondering where you are all this time. Turns out we're in the same town! What a small world."