《The Greatest Journey (Completed)》Chapter XIX
Advertisement
"How do you feel?"
"Better."
"I'm happy to hear it, I thought of writing to your family but did not know if you would approve it."
"That is kind of you but I rather tell my family only after the illness is gone as to not worry them unnecessarily," Mrs. Hall had not told him the truth yet or else he would not be here. "Have any letters arrived for me?" I sat up on the bed leaving his hand alone and hoping my new post would start soon. This would make it an easier way to tell Joseph the truth and exit out of Stanley Hall in one fell swoop.
"No, are you waiting for a letter?"
"I am, yes."
"I will go ask then."
"Joseph?" Mr. Howard walked in.
"Ah father come in and watch over her while I go check for letters," Joseph called Mr. Howard father and my heart sank to the pit of my stomach.
"Father?" I asked hoping Sir Joseph mistakenly used the word.
"I forgot to make the proper introductions, my apologies," Sir Joseph chuckled.
This was to be the most wretched situation I had ever been caught in, the young man who was fond of me was the son of the man I kissed. If I were to die at this instant there would be no doubts as to where my final ending would be, it would be a fall straight down into the pit of hell.
"Then let me make the proper introductions," Mr. Howard said for once abiding by society guidelines. "Miss Stewart meet my only son, Lord Joseph Howard, heir to Stanley Hall and title of Earl of Bridgeston once I am gone."
"Only son?"
"Yes who is never home to keep you company, it's no wonder he had not mentioned my existence before," Sir Joseph or Lord Stanley teased but Mr. Howard was not going to smile.
Advertisement
"I thought you were going to check for the letters?" Mr. Howard asked Joseph, his son.
"Yes I will be right back, excuse me Miss Stewart," Lord Joseph shook away his gaze from me and left us in the room.
"Son?" I asked under my breath when Mr. Howard's anger came spilling over as he got out a letter from inside his pockets and threw it at me.
"How could you do this?"
"What is this?" I opened the papers and saw it was Adelia's response; she had sent out the word for me and secured me a position as a lady's maid with a family she worked for in London if I responded yes the job was mine.
"You opened my letter sir?"
"Of course I did! I commanded you to stay and you disobeyed me! You were plotting behind my back to leave; you took it upon yourself to find Mrs. Adelia to train you without anyone knowing. And do not deny it because when I mentioned it to Mrs. Hall she knew nothing of it! And then you asked this lady to find you another situation?! All the while pretending to be a dedicated maid here, perhaps I should congratulate you should I not? You were very successful at what you set out to do!" Mr. Howard was definitely not the sort of man to be trifled with and I had done it.
"I needed to leave Stanley Hall sir what else was I to do? You put me in an undignified position when you led me into a scandalous moment with you," I could not yell my body still hurt a bit and so did my head.
"Needed? Has your need past? Have you changed your mind?"
"No I have not."
"Are you sure my son's interest towards you has not changed your mind?"
"I am sure," I said while he sat by me on the bed looking in my eyes to find the truth.
Advertisement
"I forbid you to lead him on or to have anything to do with him do you hear me?"
"Why are you saying this?" I thought he would say he had feelings for me, that he would admit to something understandable but no Mr. Howard could not be predicted.
"Because he is not for you!" The master's hands that smothered the linens between his fingers jumped at my arms to have me agree with everything he said but I would not.
"So I am too poor and lowly in your eyes? Of course, this was a game of cards to you sir and you knew how to play it, you never saw me as your equal I am only here to entertain you."
"Do not speak of things you know not of," his voice had come down as I tried to repress a tear from falling while catching my breath.
"I do know, I know how you break me and demand me to stay by you but sir I will not."
"You will stay, I may not be the king of the world Alice but I will write to your future employers saying you will not be seeking employment there."
"You cannot do that, I have to leave!" He got up as I tried to grab him as if my force could alter something.
"In the mean time you will assure my son of your rejection lest you want me to convince him otherwise and since I have already broken one of his engagements I will feel no guilt of taking him from you, get well soon Alice."
"Mr. Howard!" I tried to yell but my voice broke as he left me alone.
Not before in the sum of my life I had been in such a fight of strength, he thought he had some hold on me which I was going to prove him wrong of. Though why did he want to keep me here? If he had good intentions they would have come out by now yet all he did was yell at me whenever I did not let him lead me blindly to his way. Under the covers I tried to forget our argument if possible while he closed the door to the empty room where I laid sick. It felt like sleep, medicine and food was everything anyone let me do for the next three days except the Lord Joseph who brought me books to read.
"Miss Alice you have read at least one book and a half per day, how prodigious of you" Lord Joseph said.
"I never have enough time to read and soon I won't have it again so I must use this time wisely."
"And why would you not have time to read?"
"Because I have to get back to my duties here and my lessons with Adelia, she is training me thoroughly to be a lady's maid in London," I gave him the indication of my reality.
"I heard but what if you did not?" He caressed my face.
"I must," I slowly put his hand back and he almost laughed.
"As you wish Miss Stewart but you will not serve the guests when they arrive if you have not gone to your new employer yet."
"Why not?"
"Ah I have made you curious, well have a good day then," he left without saying why and I got up to take turns about the room after being bedridden for so long.
**********************************************
No part, character, names, plot, setting, conflict or resolution, point of view, theme or symbolism of this story may be replicated.
Copyright: All Rights Reserved to A. Sena Gomes.
Advertisement
- In Serial28 Chapters
You Are The Gods.
You read the title right, YOU are a God within this story. In fact, every single reader of the story is a God. Many stories like to take the path that there are Gods that watch over the characters of the story, helping them or hurting them as the characters progress. What if, the readers of this story are the Gods that are watching the Main Characters? What if the readers could accrue points by reading that they could spend to help the main character, hurt the main character, or to even create new characters, dungeons, and scenarios? That is what I aim to create! I am trying to get the community involved in creating a reality that the readers themselves can directly influence! If you have any interest in this at all, I implore you to read the intro chapter called 'The Tutorial' and join everyone else on many interesting stories on Planet Earth and what it is to become! Volume 1 is where you can find how the system works, and the various things within the system! Volume 2 is the actual story and invasions itself. Volume 3 is where you can find previous polls and the such. Volume 3 is so we can all look back at the decisions made. Quick note. I am not the best writer, and will try my best to create the best quality story. There might be some grammar errors, or I might write in a simpler way compared to other authors because I do not have much time, nor can I write ahead either! If you wish to give me advice on the system as the story goes on, then I will gladly accept it. Lastly, just have fun with the story as I try to do something completely new! Cover Art made by one of the Deities, The Hive!
8 260 - In Serial80 Chapters
The Desecrator's Tomb - A Numbers Lit-aRPG
A man appears in a dungeon full of undead. He tries to leave. This is my attempt at writing a litrpg where the system is more formalized. This means that there will be a fair amount of min-maxing and we will hopefully be able to calculate the dps of every ability by the time I am done. Expect math. The main character will become a Drain Tank. This story uses an aRPG item and stat system. Oh and one last thing. Beware the penguins. update 1/8/22: I am trying to simulate things as faithfully as is reasonable. As of chapter 17 there are animated gifs depicting Chilly's life throughout encounters. update 1/11/22: Kreksyte drew me a cover! All hail our artist overlords! update 5/25/22: Going on hiatus for a bit. The second arc is complete. Will come back for the 3rd and final arc soon. update 7/15/22: ayy...I've returned. Starting the third and final arc. [was once a participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]
8 134 - In Serial20 Chapters
Sage of the Soul Kingdom
All of the great sage clans are divided by the elemental powers; Water-Fire-Air-Earth-Darkness-Light, but together they maintained the balance, and for a long time Earth was peaceful, but then everything changed. 17 years ago Earth was invaded by savage beasts who despoiled the land, leaving the planet in ruins and mankind on the brink of extinction. Eventually some of the surviving sages emerged and formed the first alliance, together they created a stronghold in a mountain and helped save many survivors, among them was a war orphan named Kuro Ryuu. It has been eleven years since they’d entered the mountain, eleven years since they’d seen the blue sky. While the clans scheme and fight against each other for their own greedy ambitions, Ryuu learned the grim truth about the beast horde attacks. With help from his deceased father and a unusual friend, Ryuu begins his incredible journey to unite the sage clans and save their planet. But even with all of their powers and might combined, can this debauched society that has literally and metaphorically gone into the ground be able to save their planet and rise to new heights or will their greediness make them fall to a new low? One things for sure, they’re going to need a miracle to reclaim their planet. Chapter Release; (At least) two chapters a week, on Sundays and Wednesdays. Cover art by the amazing, MadelynBlack. She's open for commissions both payed and free, for more information check out http://darkpalaceproductions.com/madelynblacks-art/
8 153 - In Serial21 Chapters
Causality: Kings' Vanity
First book in the Causality Series. In a world of magic, spirits, the unseen hiding beyond the thin barriers of reality, humans live and thrive unaware of the monsters lurking in the shadows. An alternative world hides beyond the thin veil upon which a grand conspiracy brews. Taylor is drawn into a whole new reality when he has a fateful encounter. A young woman pulled away from her homeland, into a forbidden realm where her kind was taboo. But she had no choice but to leave. There, alone and frightened, she meets a courageous and melancholic young man who extends his hand to her. Knowing she shouldn't, and that it was sacriligious, she reached out and took it. From there the pieces, set moving, begin to fall. Art work by greenmaple17https://www.deviantart.com/greenmapple17/art/Arin-Kannazuki-Trinity-Seven-603304200
8 79 - In Serial169 Chapters
Anime Zodiac Signs
There will be some that have nothing to do with anime but oh well
8 133 - In Serial17 Chapters
Katastrophe Jackson and The World's End
My name is Katastrophe Jackson. I am the younger sister of Percy Jackson, the multiple times over hero and Savior of Olympus. But this isn't my older brother's story. This is my life. My story. My quest.
8 123