Vol 5 Chapter 4 (1/2)

Linus

“Linus Francis Sixth-year One of his classes this term is Natural Sciences 601: Astronomy That’s all I have on him so far,” Jenny explained

“Hm Even if the ru conclusive yet,” said Seron

“Yeah Maybe he’s stalking her, or maybe it’s literally just a rumor Or maybe they’re just acquaintances and people happened to spot the on campus Or…”

“Or?” Asked Seron

“Maybe they were dating”

“What?” Larry was incredulous “Why?”

“Dunno Cause they’re both wearing watches”

Larry went silent

“But that’s not exactly concrete evidence,” Seron pointed out, all the while deluding hi a wristwatch

“…Hey Jenny,” Larry said gravely, “could you look into this guy? SC Francis?”

“Sure Why though? Worried? Or are you jealous?” Jenny asked with a playful grin

“Both,” Larry replied, surprisingly serious

“…I’ll do what I can I’ve been out and about all day today though, so I’ the rest of the day off”

Blinking, Jenny put the photograph in her bag and walked over to the telephone

“Thanks I’ll wash the cups,” Larry said, gathering the teacups and taking them to the sink

“Larry Jenny,” Seron said, “could we keep this stuff to ourselves for now? Until we find out more about SC Francis, I mean”

“Hm? Sure”

“Yeah That sounds like a good idea”

Seron also stood He put the Whitfield catalogue in his bag and helped Jenny lock up

As they stepped outside, Jenny handed Larry a photograph the same size as the one of Linus Francis

“Alot This one’s yours”

“Huh?”

Larry’s gaze fell on the photograph

“AAAAAHHHH!”

Seron flinched because of the scream, not the photo

The photo depicted Stella, as facing the camera

It was fro arh the halls Larry’s left arm was narrowly in the fra, as opposed to having been trimmed later It was even in perfect focus

Larry turned to Jenny as he showed the photo to Seron

“Wh-hen did you take—”

“I needed a shot of her face for this story I was kinda far and I only had a second to take the shot It was tough, let me tell you,” Jenny said nonchalantly Larry looked like he had sed a bug

“Are you training to be a sniper or so, Jenny? And why am I not in the photo?”

“Why would I include you? It’d be a waste of perfectly good film”

“Tch Anyway, thanks”

Once Seron had gotten a good look at the photo, Larry wrapped it up in a handkerchief and tucked it away in his bag

The Hepburn manor was about 20 h the Capital District was s, the vicinity of the Hepburn home was mostly occupied by old mansions

It was that evening, after dinner

Larry was in his roo the homework he really did not want to do

The room was furnished with a bed, a dresser, and a desk There was a clean sheet on his bed, much like at a hotel But the sheet had not been prepared by a servant or his mother—Larry had done it himself

The large room was tidy, the walls plastered with posters of motorcycles and cars, and antique rifles that used black powder Larry’s school and ar neatly in the dresser

Larry was in a T-shi+rt and a pair of shorts, wrestling with his schoolwork

At one point he heard the telephone ring outside, but someone seemed to have picked up

Larry’s father was a colonel in the Confederation Ar session Cato, Larry’s older brother, lived in the dorulations The only people at home were Larry, his uard

“Done…”

Once he had finished, Larry put his textbook and notebook in his bag so he wouldn’t forget theraph

Stella was clinging to hiht

“I wonder what she’s thinking,” he wondered, s

Suddenly, there was a knock Larry quickly put the photo back, asking who it was A maid replied that there was a phone call for him

“Hm?”

Normally the maid would mention who the call was from Confused, Larry headed to the telephone room The Hepburn family had a separate roo conversations

He entered

“That sounds wonderful, sir If nothing else, I personally entlemen Yes, absolutely”

His ed in conversation

“Huh?”

Larry tilted his head

His mother Mia Hepburn was a woe, her blond hair was cut short, giving her the look of an athlete And indeed she led an active lifestyle, enjoying hobbies like horseback riding and skiing She was more than a match for the men of the family

“What’s going on?” Larry asked, still in the dark Mia finally noticed his presence

“Oh my, speak of the devil Larry is here Yes, I’ll switch you over, shall I? Thank you for the lovely conversation”

With that, Mia put a hand over the receiver

“Here”

“Who is this, Mo my call?”

“He’s an important man It’s only proper for your mother to speak to him first”

“Wait, is the the call fro?”

“Never mind that, Larry Introduce yourself and make sure to be extra-polite”

Giving his mother a quizzical look, Larry sat down on the chair she had kept warave him a smile and a wave, and left

Larry picked up the receiver

“I’, sir This is Larry Hepburn speaking”

Frohtly old man Larry had never heard the voice before

“Yes, sir Pardon ht I ask who you are?”

<h=”” man=”” yes=”” i=”” approve=”” i=”” am=”” aubrey=”” whitfield,=”” ceo=”” of=”” whitfield=”” watchmakers=””>

‘The one on the faht, but he wisely kept it to himself

“Then you would be Stella’s grandfather, sir?”

<indeed it=”” seeood=”” care=”” of=”” her=”” recently=””>

“N-not at all, sir It’s an honor to make your acquaintance Er…”

‘How does he know?’ Larry wondered Word had traveled too fast Aubrey Whitfield continued regardless

“S-Stella? Really?”

<my son=”” and=”” his=”” wife,=”” naturally,=”” were=”” stupefied=”” ‘you’re=”” too=”” young’,=”” they=”” say=”” bah!=”” stella=”” is=”” the=”” only=”” one=”” who=”” can=”” decide=”” that=”” no=”” longer=”” can=”” parents=”” force=”” their=”” children=”” to=”” ainst=”” their=”” will!=”” i=”” support=”” =”” with=”” trying=”” new=”” things=”” while=”” you’re=”” young,=”” do=”” you=”” not=”” agree?=””>

“Y-yes…of course, sir”

<but truth=”” be=”” told,=”” i=”” did=”” wonder=”” about=”” her=”” boyfriend=””>

“Of course That’s perfectly natural, sir”

<so i=”” asked=”” for=”” your=”” name=”” and=”” made=”” this=”” phone=”” call=””>

‘Talk about fast, old

<iine my=”” surprise=”” when=”” it=”” turned=”” out=”” you=”” were=”” a=”” son=”” of=”” the=”” prestigious=”” hepburn=”” fareat=”” warriors=”” of=”” the=”” east!=”” i=”” recall=”” hearing=”” tales=”” of=”” your=”” noble=”” ancestors=”” during=”” =”” in=”” the=”” military!=””>

“I-it’s an honor, sir I’reat deeds someday”

<hood=”” to=”” see=”” that=”” you=”” are=”” both=”” proud=”” and=”” huranddaughter,=”” young=”” ood=”” to=”” her=””>

“Of course, sir”

<by the=”” way,=”” do=”” you=”” like=”” wristwatches,=”” young=”” man?=””>

“Yes, sir I love the with them”

xcellent! then=”” i’ll=”” have=”” you=”” enter=”” the=”” whitfield=”” acaderaduation=”” from=”” secondary=”” school=”” i=”” am=”” the=”” chairrant=”” you=”” special=”” admittance=””>

“Pardon me, sir? I’m not sure what you mean…”

‘Because of the faht, but of course he could not dare say it out loud

“I see, sir And how does this connect to—”

<should you=”” marry=”” stella=”” in=”” the=”” future,=”” you=”” will=”” become=”” the=”” ceo=”” of=”” whitfield=”” watchmakers=”” which=”” of=”” course=”” necessitates=”” that=”” you=”” become=”” a=”” watchmaker=”” do=”” you=”” understand=”” now?=””>

“N-not at all, sir! Please give ht quite that far about my life”

Larry, who drea the sa a career soldier, had to give an aard lie

<h=”” a=”” little=”” too=”” ahead=”” of=”” myself=””>

‘“A little”?’ Larry thought, but ed to hold himself back

<in any=”” case,=”” stella=”” is=”” randchild=”” she=”” sis=”” will=”” become=”” difficult=”” for=”” her=”” if=”” her=”” husband=”” is=”” unable=”” to=”” so=”” le=”” watch=””>

‘You’re ed to hold hier

“I understand what you ure out ant to do after graduation I still have three years before finishi+ng school, and I hope that I will build up o above and beyond expectations,” he said withouta beat He knew exactly how to please adults because he often had to deal with superiors from the military

<of course,=””> Aubrey Whitfield said satisfactorily Then his tone dropped, as though he had grown ten years older in an instant <if only=”” stella=”” would=”” take=”” over=”” the=”” coirl=”” absolutely=”” hates=”” wristwatches=””>

“Pardon enuinely shocked

<yes she’d=”” been=”” surrounded=”” by=”” watches=”” since=”” birth,=”” so=”” her=”” parents=”” and=”” i=”” never=”” gave=”” it=”” ht=”” stella=”” was=”” never=”” the=”” irl,=”” after=”” all=”” but=”” it=”” was=”” a=”” year=”” and=”” a=”” half=”” ago=”” when=”” she=”” began=”” to=”” speak=”” up=”” for=”” herself=”” out=”” of=”” nowhere=”” she=”” said=”” to=”” us=”” that=”” she=”” hated=”” watches=”” and=”” did=”” not=”” want=”” to=”” even=”” look=”” at=”” them=”” it=”” saddened=”” us,=”” of=”” course,=”” but=”” we=”” couldn’t=”” very=”” well=”” force=”” it=”” upon=”” her=”” i=”” can=”” only=”” hope=”” that=”” this=”” is=”” a=”” passing=”” phase=”” that=”” she=”” one=”” day=”” grows=”” out=”” of=””>

“Er…” Larry began, unable to hold back, “doesn’t Stella have a Whitfield wristwatch?”

<no, she=”” does=”” not=”” we=”” offered=”” her=”” the=”” pick=”” of=”” our=”” catalogue,=”” but=”” she=”” refused=”” them=”” all=”” stella=”” says=”” she=”” doesn’t=”” wish=”” to=”” bring=”” so=”” so=”” expensive=”” to=”” school=”” once=”” i=”” went=”” along=”” to=”” drop=”” her=”” off=”” at=”” school,=”” and=”” indeed=”” she=”” was=”” not=”” wearing=”” a=”” watch=””>

“…I…I see I’m sorry to hear that, sir”

<i suppose=”” young=”” people=”” have=”” their=”” share=”” of=”” worries=”” and=”” perhaps=”” stella=”” will=”” change=”” her=”” =”” ,=”” young=”” man=”” it=”” was=”” a=”” pleasure=”” to=”” speak=”” to=”” your=”” mother=”” as=”” well=”” i’ll=”” be=”” certain=”” to=”” invite=”” you=”” to=”” the=”” next=”” party=”” i=”” host=””>

“Th-thank you, sir”

<if you’ll=”” excuse=”” me,=”” then=””>

“Have a good evening, sir”

Larry waited for Aubrey Whitfield to hang up before slowly putting down the receiver

Then he pursed his lips, looking more upset than ever

His train of thought was interrupted by his mother

“Are you finished, Larry?”

She opened the door and peered inside, stepping in when she saw the conversation was finished

“Yeah That was exhausting”

“Who would’ve guessed you’d get a call froranddaughter, at that!”

“What’d he say to you, Mom?”

“That you’re seeing the Whitfield heiress at school Congratulations, honey Are you thinking of getting married?”

‘Not this again Why does everyone have to ask ?’ Larry complained inwardly, and went limp