Free Web NovelChapter 26: 26: A Slap for a Slap (2)
"Where is Jenny?" Lucard asked.
Jake wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "Big Sister went to talk with Brother in law. She wanted to ask why we received this room and why they are treating us so badly. She wanted to meet Uncle Ravencroft too. She said Father and Baron Ravencroft were good friends. She waited for you all night, but you did not come, so she went alone."
Lucard turned around. He walked out of the room with Jake beside him.
Peter was still sitting on the stone.
Lucard walked straight to him and kicked him in the butt.
Peter fell off the stone and hit the ground with a painful grunt. His face twisted from the pain in his wounds. He looked up at Lucard with shock and anger.
"Young Master Lucard."
Lucard looked down at him with cold eyes.
"What the fuck were you doing when they treated your masters like garbage?"
Peter clenched his teeth. Shame covered his face.
"I tried," Peter said. "I wanted to force my way to the main manor. But Lady Jenny stopped me. She told me to wait for you. We waited the entire night, but you did not come. She became frustrated and tired of waiting. This morning, she went to meet Lord Adrian Ravencroft herself."
Lucard’s eyes narrowed.
"Lead the way. Take me to Jenny right now."
Peter pushed himself up from the ground. His wounds made him slow, but he still picked up his sword. Jake wiped the rest of his tears and followed them behind. Lucard did not tell the boy to stay in the tool room. That room was not fit for dogs, let alone the last young heir of House Vardros.
They moved toward the main garden path.
The Ravencroft estate was large. The outer side looked cold and quiet, but the inner garden was beautiful in a strange way. There were black stone paths, pale flowers, dark green bushes, and small grave statues placed between trees. The flowers did not smell sweet. They had a light bitter scent. In the middle of the garden, there was a small pond with black water. White petals floated on it like pieces of bone.
Peter led them through the garden quickly.
Meanwhile, deeper inside the garden, Adrian Ravencroft was not worried about his finance Jenny Vardros.
He was standing under a black cypress tree with Tina Karswell.
Adrian Ravencroft was the first son of Baron Ravencroft. He had pale skin, neat black hair, and narrow eyes. He wore expensive dark clothes with silver buttons. He looked handsome in the way noble sons were often handsome, which meant he had good skin, good clothes, and enough arrogance to make his face annoying after three sentences.
Tina Karswell stood beside him, holding his hand.
She was the daughter of Baron Karswell. Her dress was pale yellow with golden thread, and her jewelry showed more wealth than taste. She was pretty, but her expression ruined much of it. Her eyes were full of pride, and her smile had the sharpness of someone who enjoyed seeing others lower their heads.
They were holding hands and gently swinging them like lovers with too much free time.
Tina leaned closer to Adrian and asked, "When will you break off the engagement with Jenny Vardros?"
Adrian smiled at her. "Soon."
"You said that before," Tina said with a pout. "She is already here now. Her family has fallen. Her parents are dead. She has nothing left. What are you waiting for?"
Adrian sighed softly, as if Jenny’s destroyed family was a small weather problem.
"I must be careful. The engagement was arranged by my father and her father. If I break it too directly, people may say House Ravencroft throws away allies when they become weak and worthless."
Tina’s face became unhappy. "But you love me."
Adrian lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. "Of course I do."
Tina smiled again. "Then when will you throw them out of the house? I heard that, the little brother of hers looks like a mouse. And that injured knight smells like blood. I do not like them staying here."
"They will not stay long," Adrian said. "I already ordered them placed in the garden tool room. That should make the message clear."
Tina laughed lightly. "A noble daughter sleeping beside fertilizer bags. That is almost romantic. For worms."
Adrian laughed with her.
Not far away, Jenny stood behind a stone pillar.
She had heard everything. ƒreewebɳovel.com
Her face was pale. Her fingers were clenched so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palm. She had come here to ask for help. She had not come to talk about engagement. She had not come to beg Adrian for love. She only wanted to meet Baron Ravencroft, her father’s old friend. She wanted help for Jake, Peter, and Lucard. But before she could even speak, she heard Adrian and Tina laughing about her family.
Adrian noticed her after a few moments. He did not look shocked. Instead, he smiled.
"Jenny," he said. "I am glad you heard everything. Now I do not have to explain too much."
Tina turned and looked at Jenny from head to toe. Her eyes showed clear disgust.
"So this is your fiancée."
"Former fiancée soon," Adrian said.
Jenny stepped out from behind the pillar. Her voice was quiet, but she forced it to remain steady.
"I do not care about the engagement."
Adrian raised one eyebrow. "Really?"
"I want to meet your father. Uncle Ravencroft and my father were good friends. I need to speak with him."
Adrian looked amused.
"What will you talk to him about? Do you want to beg him to force me to marry you? I am not interested in you. Even if you kneel before my father, it will not matter."
Jenny’s eyes became colder.
"I said I do not care about the engagement. I will ask him to help my family. That is the only thing I want to ask. I do not want to talk about marriage or anything stupid."
Adrian laughed.
Tina laughed too.
