The Crown's Obsession

Madeline got ready, and with Beth, she left the room. They made their way to the dining room to see most of them had taken their seats at the table while they were late.

"Looks like everyone is late to have breakfast, isn't it?" commented Samuel, who sat next to Lucy who was unusually quiet today. "You should have slept more too, Lucy," said the man to place a hand over her back and Lucy's face hardened.

The entire night, Lucy had been upset and heartbroken after finding her husband with a maid. She had not confronted him because she was in shock. When Samuel had returned to the room, Lucy had her back facing him where she had not fallen asleep. When morning arrived, she had got ready quickly and left to join her aunt without wanting to spend a second in the room with him.

Lucy was not the kind of person who threw tantrums or created scenes in public. She was taught to keep a composed expression, making it look like things didn't faze her, but it was hard to do it. Her parents had married her to Samuel, and she had accepted it without a thought by thinking she would get the love she deserved. But now she came to realize the sham of marriage she had with Samuel.

She didn't want to look or talk to him. And out of all the days, Samuel had decided to join the table today.

"Lucy has always slept less, Samuel. Unless you are saying she's not pretty, and the sleep might help?" questioned Calhoun, taking a quick dig at his brother-in-law. Samuel laughed, and Calhoun returned it with a smile.

"My apologies if my words came out to be like that. I have a beautiful wife," and Samuel was ready to lean and kiss his wife's cheek when Lucy picked up a loaf of bread to put it between him and her so that he wouldn't kiss her,

"The bread is soft, you should try it," offered Lucy and Samuel smiled as if he was a good man. Lucy wondered how he could smile at her without having a pinch of guilt in his heart. How many years they had spent together and how many times she had been lied to on her face.

Samuel, who was used to fooling Lucy, didn't notice any change in her behaviour and his hand went to reach for the bread. The vampiress then placed the loaf of bread back on the plate and continued to have her meal. She didn't want to be touched by Samuel. If she confronted him, would Samuel accept his faults? Lucy asked herself.

When Lucy's eyes raised, looking around the table, she found Theodore looking at her. There was a faint smile on his lips before he went back to eat his food. What was he smiling about? Lucy's eyebrows furrowed.

In the meantime, Calhoun's eyes fell on Madeline who sat right next to him. She appeared to be in a daze, lost in her own thoughts, which made him wonder what was occupying her thoughts.

"Where were you? I didn't find you this morning in your room," He heard Mrs. Harris question Elizabeth in a whisper. The woman had forgotten that the table had more vampires than humans who could hear her.

Mrs. Harris was worried that Beth had gone somewhere with Markus as both her daughter as well as the vampire was missing.

"I was with Madeline in her room, mama," Beth replied, "I slept in her room last night."

Hearing this, Calhoun asked, "Is something wrong with your room, Miss Harris?"

Beth was quick to turn to the King who had asked her, "My lord," she bowed her head and then said, "There was some disturbance in my room last night. Something outside that was knocking on the window. I was worried, and I decided to spend the night with Madeline."

Calhoun stared at Beth without a word which made it look like he was suspicious that she was lying.

"I will make sure to see that there's nothing there," Beth added.

"You can ask Markus to come with you," Calhoun suggested as if he was completely alright with them being together. He gave Beth a charming smile and asked, "But where is Markus, I haven't seen him since last night."

Lady Rosamund was the one to answer, "I wish I knew it. He usually informs me, but it appears that he's gone out."

"What a diligent cousin I have. He must be working hard to find out who tried to sabotage his future father-in-law's shop, isn't it," Calhoun smiled with delight in his eyes. He didn't miss the look on his aunt's face but his cousin, Sophie, had been quiet. So quiet that, she had not remarked on Elizabeth. Theodore had informed him about Sophie hovering in front of the dungeon. As if that wasn't suspicious enough, she was making small talks with the guards, which wasn't normal.

Picking up the glass, he slowly drank the water, the smile spreading further on his lips. It was funny how Sophie was near the dungeon, on the same night, James Heathcliff had decided to turn to a guest there. Sophie tried to behave normal, but by her complexion, it looked like she didn't sleep well.

Was it possible that Markus was inside the dungeon? Putting the glass down, he played with the rim of the glass.

Calhoun then called, "Theodore," and the man turned to the King, "There are too many old skeletons lying in the dungeon. Get them cleaned out from there." From the corner of his eyes, he noticed how his words caught Sophie's attention, "You know what, I need to come and check the skeletons too. Who knows which dear one's we need to preserve."

"Yes, my lord," Theodore bowed his head.

Markus had been snooping more than necessary. Time had come to push him into the grave which his cousin so diligently had been digging for himself, thought Calhoun to himself.

Markus would soon turn to another antique collection in the dungeon just like their beloved grandmother.