Vol 2 Chapter 4 (1/2)
Jus Primae Noctis Volume 2, Chapter 4
“Is this Portland's stronghold?” Standing beside the Marquess, Walker gazed at the ancient castle that was a shade of ashen gray, narrowing his eyes slightly as he faced the direction of the sun.
In front of them was an imposing fortress, but from way it looked, it could be seen that it had not been tended to for many a year. Mottled by the changes wrought by the pa.s.sage of time, the towering structure emitted an air of decay as it stood under the suns.h.i.+ne, as if it were an elderly person who was long past the prime of his life.
“I still like Stonehaven better.” After receiving an answer in the affirmative from Wilts.h.i.+re, Walker delivered his own verdict.
Wilts.h.i.+re began to smile: “Should I express grat.i.tude that you hold Stonehaven in such high esteem?”
Not waiting for Walker to reply, he walked briskly to the gates of the castle, and forcefully rapped on the door with the doorknocker.
The heavy rapping noise reverberated around the quiet s.p.a.ce, adding to one's impression that the ancient castle had a sense of desolation about it, as if the sun had set on its glory days and it was now in its twilight.
“d.a.m.n it, I really cannot imagine the look on the Princess's face when she saw this run-down castle!” Wilts.h.i.+re looked back on his memories of Princess Caroline, the only impression he had of her was that she had seemed to be a pale and delicate little beauty.
Walker found Wilts.h.i.+re's att.i.tude of judging people by their wealth to be extremely distasteful.
“Perhaps when she thought of it as her beloved's castle, she felt that it was both romantic and quiet, and that it's a great place?”
“I really did not expect to find that you would harbour the same sentiments as those naive virgins in London!” Wilts.h.i.+re began to laugh, although there was some mockery in his tone of voice, a bit of affection was revealed in his eyes.
Walker could not help but to blush as Wilts.h.i.+re looked at him, he bowed his head, thinking to avoid his gaze but then, he heard the Marquess calmly change the subject as if nothing had happened: “Why doesn’t someone come to open the door even after so long?”
He raised his hand, seemingly intending to use the doorknocker again, but with a creaking sound, the heavy door was opened.
An elderly man wearing the black uniform of a butler was standing at the door, and he was looking at the two men with his face full of bewilderment.
“May I ask if Baron Portland lives here?” Wilts.h.i.+re hurriedly piled on the smile he utilised in social situations, when it was combined with his handsome and n.o.ble face, he seemed able to quickly dispel any misgivings the other party might have.
“The Lord Baron? He has not come back here for a long time, please go to his residence in Paris if you are looking for him.” The old butler replied with a respectful att.i.tude --- after all, he had served this family for many years, and he could easily distinguish that there was an air about Wilts.h.i.+re that was unique to the aristocracy.
“Then this place…”
“Ever since the previous Baron and his wife pa.s.sed away, none of the family has lived here. Baron Portland only likes the bustle of Paris, and the only people that remain in this place are a couple of other servants and me.” The butler lamented.
“That is really regrettable… The late Baron's friend entrusted me with some important items and asked me to bring them to him all the way from England. It's really quite problematic that Mr. Portland is not here!” The expression on Wilts.h.i.+re's face really did look to be extremely regretful --- his head was slightly tilted, and a trace of grief had floated to the surface of those resplendent green eyes.
The butler seemed to find it difficult to remain indifferent to the distress of such a beautiful and grand person, and took the initiative to ask the two of them: “Do the two sirs need me to inform you of the Baron's address in Paris?”
“Yes, I have specially come here from a very distant place, it would be very troublesome if I do not get the opportunity to meet with His Lords.h.i.+p the Baron…” Wilts.h.i.+re's heart was secretly delighted, but he had to keep working hard at restraining himself, so that none of his glee showed up in his expression.
“I have it, but the Baron might not necessarily be living at this address anymore.”
“Ah, that is already very good, no matter what, I am very thankful to you!”
After watching the old butler's retreating back as he turned around and went to fetch the information, Wilts.h.i.+re shot Walker a self-congratulatory look; evidently he was quite satisfied with the excuse he had come up with in an emergency using his quick wits.
However, Walker's response was only a lazy curl of his lip.
Just as Wilts.h.i.+re had raised an eyebrow, and revealed an expression that showed that he was about to seriously debate the issue, the old butler walked over. In an instant, Wilts.h.i.+re's expression changed back to one suitable for a deferent and refined visitor, causing Walker to almost laugh aloud at his adroitness at putting on a pretence.
“This is the Baron's address in Paris; he would most likely be at home during the day.” The old butler explained as he handed over the piece of paper that had an address written upon it.
Wilts.h.i.+re only glanced at the piece of paper before securing it safely in a pouch. “I really do not know how I can thank you enough, if I should see Baron Portland, I will certainly tell him what a faithful butler he has.”
“Thank you, my Lord.” A happy smile also hung upon the old butler's face.
After they politely took their leave of the old housekeeper, Wilts.h.i.+re and Walker walked together to the carriage that was waiting by the side.
“If only we had known this earlier, we would not have needed to leave Paris and travel such a long way here.” After taking a seat, Walker could not help but to feel regret over their wasted journey, and he complained softly.
“Actually, I feel that this turn of events is good too!” Wilts.h.i.+re's lips still held a touch of a mysterious smile, and he said something that Walker could not really make sense of.
“Why?” Walker could not help but to be curious, and asked the question that was in his heart.
“Because, this way, we can spend even more time together!” Wilts.h.i.+re was still as calm and easy-going as ever, and said such utterly corny words breezily, “If our search to find the Princess is completed without a hitch, once we return to England, you would definitely badger me, wanting to separate from me. So I would rather wander all over France just like this!”
Again, Walker couldn't keep his face from reddening slightly. He stared at Wilts.h.i.+re for a long time before he could squeeze out a retort. He stammered: “You… you are such… don't you feel ashamed for not living up to the trust that the Prince Regent had placed in you?”
But Wilts.h.i.+re’s response was to start giving “haha” laughs. After a long time, he stopped laughing and leaned sideways, planting a kiss upon Walker's cheek.
“You are so adorable.” He said.
“Go to h.e.l.l!” Walker could not keep himself from grinding his teeth and cursing.
By the time they were back at the hotel, it was already time for lunch. After they had had a simple meal, Wilts.h.i.+re promptly dragged Walker up the stairs.
“I think we might as well spend some more time in the south, we can enjoy the fresh air and have a restful vacation!” Leaning back against the railing of the balcony that looked out over the landscape of boundless grace, Wilts.h.i.+re turned his head and gave a glance at the beautiful dark blue lake behind him; his tone of voice was relaxed when he spoke.
The breeze was caressing his beautiful golden hair, and both the scenery and the person in front of Walker were as exquisite and as dazzling to the eyes as the most famous paintings in Europe --- looking on, Walker had become almost spellbound by the sight, and he paid absolutely no attention to what Wilts.h.i.+re was saying.
“I say, let’s not go looking for that Princess Caroline! We should simply buy a pretty little castle in the south of France, the two of us can live there for the rest of our lives and forget about everything else!” Seeing that Walker had made no reply, Wilts.h.i.+re had left the balcony and came to squeeze beside him, taking his hand into his own as he spoke.
“You are speaking nonsense again.” Walker felt somewhat helpless --- clearly, Wilts.h.i.+re possessed outstanding beauty and intelligence, but when he was in front of Walker, he would always say some things that were inconsistent with his aristocratic status.
“If you skulk around France without accounting for the Princess's whereabouts, do you think the Prince Regent will let you off?”
“”Alas, I also know that this is only a fanciful dream... but I always feel that if we should return to England, I would not be able to be with you as much as I would like…” Wilts.h.i.+re's tone of voice sounded gloomy, it seemed as though he was really feeling infinite melancholia.
As for Walker, he suddenly felt his heart seize up tightly and his throat grew hot. In a flash, the sublime feeling of being cherished caused him to be incapable of speech.
Yes, although they were spending all their time together and living with each other so intimately at the moment, but once they returned to Britain, Wilts.h.i.+re would return to being a lord with wielded heavy authority in his hands and as for Walker himself, he would still be a poor farm worker… the divide between the two of them was so wide, and for them to defy the social conventions of the world and remain together would be so difficult.
Seeing that Walker's expression had become despondent, Wilts.h.i.+re was also unable to say much more. Holding his lover tightly in his arms, at that moment he could only express his own feelings through a tender kiss.
“Walker, even if we do return to Britain, would you be willing to continue living with me?” Even as they were engaged in a deep and pa.s.sionate kiss, Wilts.h.i.+re did not forget to ascertain the Scotsman's wishes.
“I… I don’t know.” Walker was really at a loss --- he had originally thought that to the Marquess, he was nothing but a new gadget to toy with; he had originally had a firm conviction that this absurd relations.h.i.+p would only be maintained until he got a job, he had originally wished with all his heart to marry a virtuous wife, have a few cute children, and be an ordinary but happy farmer…
But with the appearance of Wilts.h.i.+re in his life, his existence had suddenly been painted with layers of gorgeous colours, and he now had absolutely no idea how this relations.h.i.+p would develop nor where it would take the both of them….
Wilts.h.i.+re seemed to know the contradictions and struggles in Walker's heart, and thus no longer tried to compel an answer out of him. Instead, he turned his efforts to exploiting the Scotsman's moment of emotional vulnerability...
“Walker, come here…” Wilts.h.i.+re's voice could nearly be called unctuously sweet, the sound of it in Walker's ears abruptly scattered his tens of thousands of thoughts, causing his senses to sharpen up in a flash.
His steps were halting, but his gaze could not help but to be drawn to the conspicuously large bed in the room --- there was both hesitation and perplexity in Walker's heart, he did not actually want to have a tumble between the sheets with the Marquess while it was still broad daylight, but it seemed too cruel to flatly reject him after they had just had such a tender and heart-felt exchange...
Looking at Walker's hesitant expression, Wilts.h.i.+re knew that it would be impossible to expect him to take the initiative to climb onto the bed and spread his legs. He gave a light sigh in his heart at the shyness of his lover and gracefully strode forward, hugging the Scotsman firmly and then leading him in the direction of the bed.