Frederick Mortcombe took a seat on the couch as he gulped down a glass of water. His fingers scratched his creased forehead as the orange glow from the standing lamp lit a part of his muscular body, hiding his incredulous face under its shadows.
His feet shook restlessly as he sat in shock and disbelief. How could he not? After listening to her reasonings, there was no more mistaking it for any other. And there really was no one to blame for the misunderstanding.
Audrey only behaved the way she behave as a result of prolonged abuse. He understood she did it to protect herself. Maybe not for survival but more for a lesser harsh punishment.
Even so, the whole circumstance made the man realise how he had underestimated her! And the psychological damage that comes from what she had gone through - to be able to act based on tiny details was just horrendous!
He thought he had been extra careful with her. Although the initial reason was different, Frederick maintained her limited interaction access to people other than the housekeepers. All in the name to curb any potential verbal harm.
How was he supposed to know those insignificant details he said without much thought, meant differently to her?
It must have taken quite a while for him to settle his thoughts as the dawn was breaking. Frederick wanted to clarify as he stepped towards her side, only to see the soft steady rhythm of Audrey's figure and how peaceful she looked in her sleep.
Without further ado, he left his room so she could have a nice undisturbed rest.
* * * * *
It was ten in the morning and Frederick went up with a tray of a healthy meal for Audrey. He gently tapped her shoulder and waited for the Sleeping Beauty to wake up. Surprisingly it did not take many tries. However, she was not being her usual self.
Or rather, she probably WAS but in her previous prison.
"Yes, I'm awake," Audrey Bloodsworth responded rather monotonous with her eyes still closed when she was tapped awake on her shoulder.
She pulled herself up and sat on the edge of the bed, with her hands clasped around each other stretched outwards, aligned with her shoulder. Her eyes were opened but dazed, as though she was drugged!
Frederick was alarmed! He had never seen her acting this way before. So he tried calling out her name, hoping it would wake her up.
"Audrey?"
"Okay." As she uttered the word, she dragged her feet to the corner of the bed frame and began banging her head hard at the edge!
The sound of her skull hitting against the edge of the wooden framed bed reverberated in the room that Frederick lunged to her side in a haste and pulled Audrey away from anything that could harm her.
"Audrey!!" His raised voice was filled with anger and concern as he enveloped his arms above her chest but below the armpit, securing her body from escaping!
To his shock, the brown-haired lady said okay and choked herself by wrapping her hands around her neck. With much difficulty, his hands tried to pry her hands away while ensuring they remained at the same spot.
"What the hell are you doing, Princess??"
This time, the young man had secured her wrists on each of his hands and forcefully fold their arms above her little bump, closing any gap between the pair.
His scream and the loud clamour coming from the room had caused Gerard to rush and barge into the room. He was panting heavily as the door pushed open. His wrinkly lips parted but they shut immediately as he saw the pair locked in an intimate back hug.
"Forgive my intrusion, Mister Mortcombe. I had assumed wrongly —" He bowed with a reddened face as he pulled the door handle towards him.
"Shut up! Call the doctor and come back here with some first aid! Hurry!!"
The Head Butler stood frozen as his head looked upwards in curiosity with his body still in a bowing position, wondering whether he heard it right.
But then a weak female voice broke the silence, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
She wanted to pull her hands away, breaking her wrists free from his clutches but Frederick did not allow it. "Damn right you won't! What the hell was that?!"
The captor loosened his embrace and turned her around in a twirl, causing their hands to be crisscrossed. He let go of one of his hands to correct their position and stared right into her soul, demanding an answer. But she faced downwards immediately.
Was she throwing a tantrum? Was she upset coming clean about her peculiar behaviour the night before?
"Apologies for my sudden behaviour." Her head never lifted. Her eyes were transfixed on the floor.
"No, Audrey! I want an answer!" Frederick Mortcombe was livid at her action. He could not understand why she would do such things. What other silly stunts she would pull if she had already gone as far as harming herself?
His prisoner kept on stalling with her answers but he pushed through. "I thought you said you wanted to live. Why are you suddenly doing all this? Is it because of our conversation before this?"
He bent his knees, trying to look into her eyes. This time he spoke softer and his gaze was gentle. He barely explained the scar issue and now, another one came.
But the lady shook her head as her brown orbs pooled with tears.
"Then? If you don't share anything, I would not understand a single thing happening." He encouraged her with a rub on her hands with his thumb as he raised both of his eyebrows.
"It's nothing."
"Look... You HAVE to tell me even if it inconveniences you. I mean, you're lucky I'm around but what if I'm not? What if it's your child? Would you want your baby to see that?"
And the dam broke! The rivers of tears flowed as she sobbed, "It won't happen again, I swear. I just thought I was back at home."
He knew that. From the get-go, he knew that when he saw her dazed. He only wanted to know why she was harming herself. There was definitely more than meets the eye.