Chapter Sixteen:

“Better lock it in your pocket, taking this one to the grave.”

When I exited the servant’s corridor, Sebastian was leaning against the far wall, spinning an apple between his hands. “Your mother has been asking about you, I told her I would come find you that I thought I saw you slip outside for some fresh air, with Rose.” He looked up at me, “Almost didn’t work because Rose was walking on the other side of the room, your mother didn’t see her, and didn’t question her. You’re lucky.” He took a bite of the apple, and looked up at me.

“Thank you, I guess.” I straightened my dress, and pulled it the door closed behind me. The letters were digging deeper into my chest, and I felt as if they were going to be ruined by the time I was able to read them. I picked my skirts up, trying to hurry past Sebastian without him stopping me.

“You’re welcome, but there is a small problem.” I stopped dead in my tracks looking at his face, that had grown a devilish smile, “You are not to read those letters without me.”

“How am I going to do that? With my mother and Henry both down my neck, and us leaving in a week for African coast?” I let out a deep release of air.

“Tonight, I will wait for you by the garden path, bring any piece of evidence from your father as well." He disappered out of the room, with me following slowly at his heels. My mother stood in the door way, tapping her heel on the floor.

"There you are!" She grasped my arm so tight, I squirmed in pain. "Henry has been looking for you." She pulled me across the floor, tripping over my skirt. "Do not mess this up, Camille." She hissed in my ear, and threw me toward him.

"There you are, Camille. I was hoping to find you before you had to leave." My thoughts were rushing, and I felt sick to my stomach. Suddenly the corset was too tight, or so it felt, and the room went black, and I felt myself hit the floor, with Henry's voice a distant echo, and Sebastian's hands on my back.

When I came to I laid in my bed, Sebastian at my doorway, acting as if he could hear something. "W-w..."

He put his finger up as if he told me to be quiet, as he leaned his head out furher. I looked down, I had a slim nightgown covering my body, and I began to frantically search. Where had the letters gone? And who had them now? Sebastian turned on his heel, opening up his jacket reveling the stack of letters, and an irritated face, he said no words but turned back to what he was doing. I pulled myself from the bed, reaching for a light brown dress that Nani had probably laid out for me. I slid it over my body, and pulled my hair to one side, tip-toeing to Sebastian. I could hear muffled voice coming from the main hall downstairs. They belonged to Henry, my mother, and some others I couldn't place.

Sebastian cracked a smile shaking his head, and turned toward me. "Go collect what you need from the study, I will meet you in a few hours down by the garden." He went to step down the stairs, "Oh, don't go downstairs, if you are found in the library pretend to be ill or fall asleep in there. You don't want the mess from downstairs at this moment." Sebastian took off down the stairs, joining the conversation.

I grabbed a cape from the closet, and disappeared into the library. I had stashed everything in one drawer at the corner of the desk. I grabbed what was in there, searching for any clues I had left. Those were slim, but I had found my notes that were scattered on the desk, shoving them all into a carriers bag. I shut the door behind me, watching the grandfather clock tick by. I heard footsteps coming from the hall and I hid my belongings under the chair, pretending to sleep. Once it was quiet, I stood up. I felt my knees wanting to give as the carrier bag slid on my shoulder, and the cape around my neck. I snuck to the door, opening it softly, and quietly not to disturb anyone. I inched into the hallway looking around. Grabbing the nearest candle, I opened the servant corridors beside the library, it smelt of must Nani, Curtis nor Anne every used it. I held the candle in front of me making my way to the kitchen. I put my ear to the door, hearing the small shuffles of Anne leaving. I opened the door, looking around, going straight to the door that led outside.

Once I reached outside, I ran toward the garden path. Sitting beside the stablehand's small hut was Sebastian. He had a candle lanten at his feet, as he read one of the letters. When I reached his feet, I looked down at him, "So I cannot read them, but you can?"

"I already know what they say, just gathering the last small bits I missed. So does this hut have a table?"

"Yes."

"Anyone in there?" He raised an eyebrow, that was hard to see in the dim light.

"No. No one's lived there for years now." I shifted my weight uneasily.

"Well then there is where we are going." He stood up, grabbing his lantern, going to the door. "Is it locked?"

"Shouldn't be... Lucas and I used it as a play house when we were young." I chocked back, remembering the simple memories.

"How precious." Sebastian rolled his eyes, pushing the door open. He sat the lantern in the middle of the table, blowing a cloud of dust off. "Now what have you brought for me?"

"For you? You mean for me." I was getting annoyed with his ignorance. He nodded, and waved his hand for me to continue, "I brought the book with the first message, the books he gave me that have different passages in them, the letters he left, the one Lucas gave me, and then all the notes I've gathered." I laid them out in front of him. He set the stack of letters in front of me.

"These... These are letters between Calston, your father, and Calston and Madison. Along with Calston and Adam, Serena's father, and a few to his mercenaries that I have yet to find the names of." I eyed him, reaching my hand for the letters. "Go ahead, I have read through them for hours."

"How do you know about all of this?"

"Like I said, my father taught me to know people, things, and how to use that information. But the things about B and M trading? Those were the most important to my father, becaue your father asked for his help."

I raised my head slightly, "He asked for your help?"

"Well my fathers, but he passed it to me. But now it's personal." He turned a shade of red, and I looked away.

"How is it personal?"

"Because of these." He moved my sleeve showing my brusies. "What he plans to do to you, and what he can do. It's not correct. I will be thankful to be at sea soon, so that he can't touch you." I covered my arm back up, looked at him.

"Thank you for caring, Sebastian, but may we get back to the case at hand... What does Henry and his father want? And why my family? Why the Madisons?"

"Well B and M trading, owns half the waters. And Calstons and Drexton both need a way to gain more power. That would be through two of London's favorite families." I stared at him. "To kill or black mail your family into being able to marry you, and to marry Rose, along with Lucas marrying Serena, things would be easier for these families to gain wealth, power, and a vast trading company."

"What does Serena have to do with this?" All I could picture was her legs around Henry, and I felt sick to my stomach.

"She is another family hungry for power. But her strange obsession for the torture Henry gives her. But she plans to use Lucas. In what ways, I am still learning. Like I've told you, London's High Society, nothing but games, and playing against each other. Your brother, though he is brought into the trade company, because Calston, nor your mother, want you invovled because you know too much. Has found a legitimate love, not someone after his money or title." He spoke of my brother with a sweetness. I smiled, thinking of Olivia's way of looking at him,.

"What's next?"

"We leave for Africa. We cannot do anything more till more information is given to us. I need to find out Serena's plan..."

"Does it help she threatened me?"

"That is odd..." He looked at me, "What did she say?"

"To stay away from Lucas, or I would regret it."

"Well... that's totally not what I would expect from her. But it does tell me she has a serect plan up her sleeve that inolves alot more then just Henry." He looked at me, and reached out touching my arm, "Nothing will happen to you."

"Who are you, Sebastian?" I looked up at him, getting lost in his eyes.

"That's a story for another time, Camille. It's time to get you back to your house, safely and quickly." He took my hand shoving the evidence into the carrier bag, "I am taking this, to be able to map out the information more." I nodded, as he led me to the house, holding my hand tightly in his.

"Thank you, Bash." I smiled at him.

He lifted my hand kissing my palm, then my knuckles. "You are welcome, Camille. I will see you in the following days. Goodnight, and sleep well." He looked at me one more time, before I cave in, leaning up to kiss him, and he laughed, before kissing my forehead and walking away.

I stood there, out of words, and confused. Earlier he couldn't wait to kiss me, now... Nothing. I stood there for a moment longer till the light of the lantern disappeared. I opened the kitchen door, sneaking through the corridor again, this time straight to my room. I opened the door, seeing that no one was in there, then bolting it closed behind me. I bolted the door, and slid the brown dress letting it fall to the ground. I laid my head on the pillow, closing my eyes, But all I met was Sebastian's eyes in my dream, as Henry killed him.