The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-426

Calhoun stared at Madeline, who had a smile on her face after something Beth whispered to her. Both the sisters continued to walk, and he knew it wasn't in the direction of where their grandparent's house was as he had already been there a couple of times.

He heard Madeline question her sister, "Where are we going then? You said it was in the afternoon."

"Yes, but the plan has changed. You know how people often keep their eyes on us. I thought it would be better for you to meet him now, in a much quieter place," said Beth while moving her head back and forth to make sure they were not being followed.

"But Beth, I told you, I don't even like him," whispered Madeline. "I think it would be better to go back home."

"Don't be scared, Maddie. He just wants to confess to you. He said how much he loves you and wants to ask papa for your hand. Don't you think he's handsome?" asked Beth.

Calhoun's eyes narrowed, wondering about whom the girls were speaking about. As far as he knew, the only person Madeline had liked before him was James Heathcliff. Madeline turned to look at Beth, that allowed him to see half of her face where she had pressed her lips. "I think you took it the wrong way when I complimented him last time, Beth."

Beth was being pushy, and she asked in a surprised tone, "You don't? This is going to be really embarrassing. I told Blake that you like him too."

"What?" Madeline furrowed her eyebrows, "Why would you say something like that?"

"Well, you have been speaking about him and helping him since we came here. What am I going to say to him now? His heart is going to break when he finds the truth." Beth put a sad face, and even though Calhoun was not part of the past, he was only the viewer in here, and he could easily look past the flimsy mask, to see Beth's true intentions.

Madeline sighed, "You were the one who said it, you fix it. Or we can both speak to him now."

"Me?" Beth asked, surprised. "Oh, dear. I feel like he might kill me alive," and she gave out a nervous laugh. "I was speaking to him about building castles with you."

"Beth!" Madeline scolded.

"I am sorry! I am sorry! I really thought you liked him. You do awfully spend a lot of time with him," Beth brought her hand to scratch her neck. "What are we going to do, Maddie? Let me go clear the things to Blake."

"Yes," said Madeline with a firm tone. But when they reached the place, the person was not there. "Did he forget?"

"He must be late. Maybe he's still at work. Um, why don't you stay here, and I will see if he's at home or in the market? This way, we will not miss him," said Beth to her sister. "We'll be leaving tomorrow early in the morning back to East Carswell and we may not meet him for some time again. But then imagine if he comes home, asking papa for your hand?"

"That's going to be embarrassing," agreed Madeline. "Okay, I will stay here, and you can go find him. But be quick Beth!" she whisper-yelled to Beth who left her side.

Calhoun saw Madeline waiting for Beth before she stepped inside the hut when it started to drizzle. Folding both her hands together and walking in circles. She and Beth had walked far enough near an isolated hut away from the other houses of the village. He followed her footsteps, until she took a sharp turn, and gasped as if she could see him.

"Madeline," Calhoun whispered her name, looking at her innocent face that was filled with surprise. He doubted she could see him. "Who are you people?!" Frowning, he turned around to see two men who had entered the hut.

"Isn't she pretty?" said one of the men who was lean and skinny.

"Indeed, she is. Looks like she is in need of some love," said the other one who had a beard, closing the feeble door of the hut. The two men stepped closer to her. "Dressed up nice, and alone at this hour, how much do you cost?"

Madeline took a step backwards, "You have got it wrong. I am waiting for my sister here." She tried to get away from there, but the two men blocked her way, minimizing her space.

The skinny man came near her, and said, "We don't mind if your sister joins us. Standing in a lonely hut, and you tell we got it wrong? How much money do you want?"

"Please leave! Help!" Madeline shouted, and the man with beard quickly covered her mouth, "Mffhgf!" came the muffled words from her.

Seeing this, Calhoun's blood boiled, and his hand went to get hold of the two men, but his hands only passed through them as they were not real, and it was only a memory. His hands turned to fists, and he gritted his teeth at the inability to do anything as he could only stand by and watch.

"Fuck!" he cursed in anger.

Madeline tried to kick and slap the two men, but the men had caught hold of her hands, and that's when Calhoun heard footsteps coming from outside. He quickly passed through the door and saw Beth standing outside the hut.

Beth could hear the muffled sounds of Madeline and the voices of two men coming from the inside the hut. Her hand went to reach out for the door before it fell back to her side where she had a startled look on her face. She took a step back, staring at it without making an effort to go inside the hut. She took a step to the side, not realizing the puddle of wet mud that was next to her, she stepped into the puddle for her shoes to cover itself in mud along with the hem of her dress turned muddy and she flinched away from there.

A cry for help escaped Madeline's lips, but Beth couldn't hear it. She took another step back ready to leave, taking nearly fifteen steps away from the hut before she came to meet a young man with blonde hair.

"Where's Madeline?" he questioned Beth. Her lips moved, but she couldn't make up words as if she forgot what she was doing there.

She shook her head, "I left her somewhere here, but I don't know where she went," she replied to him with a worried look, while looking up at him longingly. "We were looking for you. She must be somewhere there. Let me go see," she said, pointing her finger in the opposite direction of the hut.

Before they could start looking for Madeline, a scream erupted from the hut, and the young man without waiting quickly kicked the door open, before throwing the men away from the young blonde girl who looked frightened. Madeline had tears filled in her eyes, her body trembling in fear with her clothes still intact.

The scene slowly started to dissolve around Calhoun, and he was back to the present where he had been sitting earlier.