Free Web NovelChapter 58: A jealous man (1)
"It’s a little suspicious that you aren’t riding with me back to my estate. This is your carriage," Scarlet said, suspicious of Ian staying behind.
"So when I come to visit to bring it back, you have to let me in your gates," Ian revealed his plan. "Outsmarted you, didn’t I?"
"Not when I can have it left outside my gates. Don’t worry, the guards will make sure no one steals it. Try harder," Scarlet said, patting Ian’s shoulder to comfort him. "Harry, why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost? Did someone scare you?"
"Milady, I just remember why this mansion seems a bit familiar. There were murders here in the past," Harry said, placing his hand in his coat to touch his gun. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
"I didn’t know you were a lover of reading about horrors, Harry. Now I know what to get you for your birthday," Scarlet replied, making note of it.
"Thank you but I don’t enjoy reading about horrors throughout the town. This one just happened to caught my eye"
"Yes, books," Scarlet answered. Her plan didn’t involve books but instead doing a bit of scaring. She might have killed Harry with what she had in mind. "What horrors happened here other than Ian moving in?"
"You do know that I am standing behind you," Ian said, making his forgotten presence known.
"Go on," Scarlet encouraged Harry, ignoring the ghost behind her.
"It was in the papers once when they were speaking of the horrors the town once faced. It was in the papers the same day they mentioned your great-grandmother’s curse. Of the man who kidnapped women and kept them here."
"It wore down since no one was here and was fixed to look different over the years by a relative of his wife. You have nothing to fear, Harry. The only one who has something to fear is Ian since he sleeps here. Alone," Scarlet added as she had no plans of sleeping in the mansion. "I see now why you are confident you won’t have any visitors."
"A murder house will do the trick for you any day. You should leave now before the roads get too busy," said Ian.
Scarlet stared at Ian in wonder as once again he was trying to send her off instead of trying to be near her. "You are up to something. If it is adding more murder to this mansion, I want nothing to do with it unless it concerns someone I dislike."
Harry opened the carriage door for Scarlet to enter. He couldn’t wait to get her far away from the mansion and back to the estate. It didn’t matter that the old mansion where all the deaths happened was changed around. It was still a scary place to be.
"Try to stay out of trouble, Ian. We’re connected now and I’d hate to have to part ways early because you made a mess. I hope to be pleased by your tea when I visit you three days from now. Goodbye," Scarlet said, leaning back on the seat as the ride home was about to start.
Ian waved goodbye to Scarlet as the carriage moved. She was true to herself to not even offer him a proper kiss goodbye to put on an act before her guard.
"That felt like I was hiding out in a woman’s home because her husband returned home. Why did you need to give her a tour of your home and did you know there were murders here?"
Ian’s good mood was spoiled by Owen making his presence known. "I told you not to be here today because I would be having a visitor."
"And I thought it was a joke because since when do you have visitors in your home? Can we go back to the murders that happened here-"
"Go home," Ian said, walking by Owen to go inside.
"You’re crazy but you’re not that crazy. I mean, even if it was rebuilt, who would live somewhere like that? I rested in one of the rooms and laid on the grass outside. I feel like I did something wrong," Owen said, touching his chest as he looked around.
"It is. There were many murders here. All through the house. Will that keep you away?"
"Of course not. I have to come visit you so you aren’t alone but now you have a woman in your life so it might change. How was the party? Did you see your family there?" Owen asked, ready to hear the gossip. "Why didn’t you escort the woman you smitten by home?"
"It was like any other party. Find out where Robert Marshal lives," Ian ordered Owen.
Owen followed Ian into the kitchen where there wasn’t any food left for him to steal. Instead, he settled for the bowl of grapes. "Why? Did you find a business partner or a good customer?"
Ian poured water into a glass and before he took a sip of it he answered, "I’m going to kill him."
"K-kill? Aren’t you only after your family for whoever did something to Noelle? What did this man do to you?" Owen questioned, needing more before he went around looking to kidnap someone.
"Just get him before you find yourself in his place. I want him here by nightfall."
"It’s fitting that you chose this mansion since you’re adding more murders to it. I will try to track him down for you but don’t expect much by just giving me a name," Owen said, worried that there wasn’t enough time to do what Ian wanted. "Can’t you share what he did to you? I would be more motivated if I knew why he’s going to die."
"It is none of your concern. Bringing him here is along with keeping an eye on that ex-husband is. Look into what all the Collins are doing while you’re at it," Ian said, preferring to be safe than sorry. He didn’t trust Peter’s wife to leave Scarlet alone in the future.
Owen sighed, wishing Scarlet would return so Ian could pretend to be nice. "Yes. I’ll get to all the work you gave me to do. I still can’t believe that you managed to get Scarlet to join you for the party and to come here. You’re more of a charmer than I thought. You need to be worried about when Monica finds out."
Ian placed the empty glass down on the counter. He wasn’t concerned about Monica because if she got in the middle of what he started with Scarlet, she would find herself in the same position as Robert was going to be.
"Monica won’t be an issue. I am going to talk with her father. I’ve repaid him enough for how he helped me and should she show up before me, take her as well. I’ve dealt with her childishness far too long," Ian replied, turning the cup upside down and then walking away from the counter. "Don’t you have something to do?"
"Forgive me. I just never thought I would see the day that you would want to kidnap Monica. Her father needs to give her a good talk to avoid it. Now, where to start looking for this Robert?" Owen wondered, picking up the bowl of grapes to take on his trip.
