A Victorian Romance

Margaret smiled as the evening came to a close and people started to leave, feeling a little said that the party had to end. She had been having such a plesant time with Brendon that she had not noticed the time fly by! As she stood next to her mother, saying goodbye to guests, she flet that it was a shame that Brendon couldn't stay for just a seconf longer, maybe just for some late evening tea, but mother gave her a look that forbid it. It seemed that Margaret was going to fast for her mother's liking, which was strange considering what she had been like before. When Brendon came over after thanking her mother she smiled at him a little more warmly.

She accepting his hug politely, actually feeling her heart skip a beat as he did so. She wished it could have lasted longer but her mother was watching and any longer would be pushing it to far. She nodded her head in understanding and blushed a bit as she heard the honestly in his voice, finding it sweet.

"I am glad you have a lovely time, Mr. Mitchell. I hope that you can come for another visit soon, we could have tea in the garden or maybe the library is my parents permit." She said as she looked into his eyes, blinking a bit in surprise at the color change but shaking it off as a trick of the evening light.
 
"Thank you, Ms. Margaret. That would be pleasant indeed." It was clearly no trick of the light, because when he walked into the near-gone light of the evening to thank the hostess again, they were still pure gold! After a small round of pleasantries, he walked back to his waiting carriage, and had the driver take him back home. Once at the manor, he was glad to bathe, change into casual clothing, and make his own dinner before reading in the library, closeted behind sturdy doors and dark oak floorboards. But even though the room was well lit by gorgeous chandelier lights and soft lamps, he admittedly couldn't focus on any of his favorite books, and gave up, putting the novel away on its shelf, before wandering through the old house by himself, trying to get a grip before he went to bed. If he didn't know any better, he'd have to say he was completely smitten with Lady Margaret.
 
As soon as Brendon was gone Margaret was whisked away to her father's study, her parents waiting there to interrogate her about what had been going on with him. She quietly explained her evening to them and that seemed to keep them satisfied, but she knew that as soon as she was out of the room they would be plotting again. Margaret didn't care though, she just headed up to her room and changed into her nightgown before sitting in her bed with a book. As she read it seemed that her mind would always drift back to Brendon, leaving her to stare of into space as she remembered them dancing together. It was getting harder adn harder for her to deny it but it seemed that Margaret was quiet taken with him...though she would never admit that to herself, she had to much pride to finally give into her parents now after so much fighting.
 
Brendon received the bills in the morning for the house, and paid them off as he usually did with great care while his parents were gone. He found a letter from his father, stating that he was pleased with his son's progress concerning Lady Margaret, but he needed to work a marriage proposal a little faster. Brendon scoffed at that, having no intentions of forcing Margaret to make any decisions like that at all in such early stages of friendship. Really, his father was a moron about the female population. He'd always been very narrow minded, with an impossibly old-fashioned way of considering females: He felt they should obey males and be seen but not heard. Brendon was entirely opposite of his father's chauvinistic thinking at an early age, which led to further disappointments.

However, Brendon wasn't about to start caring about what his parents were thinking or planning on scheming for him. He could keep the peace of course, complying to -most- of their wishes, but really just side stepping half of the ideas they dropped on him like crumpled paper wads over his head. He thought then, he shouldn't get too close to Margaret, for her own safety. After all, every spirit, demon, or monster naturally seemed to flock to him either for help in crossing over, or just to try to destroy him and fail. It wouldn't be fair to endanger Margaret at all. But, truth be told, he honestly did like Margaret, a great deal more than he'd ever admit to his parents.~ But it was somewhat hard to tell if she felt the same way.
 
The next day Margaret when about her usual business, reading in the library and writting letters to her granmother. She'd stop her reading only to have a snack or a drink of tea. She knew that somewhere else in her house her parents were plotting to make things go further with Brendon and Her to make sure that they worked out. It bothered her that her parents wouldn't just let her go about this on her own and make her own choices on what to do with him. Then a maid wandered in with a letter from her grandmother. She smiled widely and opened the letter excitedly eager to read what she had to say.

Her grandmother wrote that she was glad things were going good and that there was less violence. She also said that Brendon sounded like a lovely person and would love to meet him some day, possibly over a pot of tea. Her smile widened as she continued to read her grandmothers letter, laughing in certain places and sighing in others. Margaret really wished she could visit her more often, but her parents were very strict about letting her out of the house, even when it came to visiting family. She set the letter to the side and looked back to her book, glad that her grandmother liked Brendon. Though it didn't really matter since she wasn't going to fall for him...Or that was what she thought.
 
Brendon had no such kind family outside his parents, and so spent the day making sure the manor was kept spotless by the maids, the gardens well tended to, and everything else running smoothly. He even checked on the stables to see that the horses were all taken care of. Finally, exhausted, he had lunch in the huge dining hall, enjoying how quiet it was, then returned to his own room to study his favorite subjects, and keep his mind sharp. He'd graduated with honors from his college, but that didn't mean a mind couldn't deteriorate after years of not practicing. After studying, he took a stroll through the woods behind the house, knowing a calm trail that ended up at a very pretty lake he spent time at whenever he could when he'd been younger. He felt Margaret would like it if she ever saw it one day..... Blast it. He couldn't get -her- out of his mind no matter what he did throughout the day. Not even when late evening arrived and he was just settling down for sleep.~
 
The next few days passed on rather boringly, it seemed as if Margaret was being dragged backwords in time it was so dull! If it weren't for her books the girl certainly would have gone mad before the second day was through. Her parents were keeping her on strict lock and key, they weren't even letting her out into the garden, it was as if they were hiding her from society. Well, she knew it wasn't society, just a certain member of it. It was a trick her parents had used before, letting her get close to someone then pulling her back far enough where they would start to miss her and actively call upon her for visits or tea. She always found it to be a dirty trick to play, but she really couldn't speak up against it considering what they can do to her. Deep down inside though, Margaret hoped that Brendon might give in, he did mention his parents were gone on business so he certainly must be bored, even more bored than she was!
 
Brendon certainly did miss Margaret over the next few days. He'd sent out a very polite request to Margaret's family, assuring her if she held any future parties or any particular event, and that if she'd want him to attend, he'd be there without hesitation; ending the letter with a thank you for previous invites.

Things were so dull and quiet around the house he even missed arguments with his idiot parents! How sad was that? While he might not have been under lock or key from society, in fact he got several requests after the Garden Party for events. But other things kept him from going. Because the house was so immense, there were numerous rooms to check on, so he felt often like he was constantly pacing the house, just to ensure the maids had done a good enough job for his parents' eventual return. Eventually he even ended up in the place he really hated the most: His parents' basement. One evening, it was cold and creepy, but he was rummaging the basement shelves for some forgotten gardening tools. It wasn't until he was just about to leave and go up the stairs that he heard his name whispered, in a disembodied voice. He looked around, frozen for a moment, then focused. A blurred image of a ghoul appeared. It was hungry, hadn't fed in years.... and was eying him like lunch. He readied a sphere of exorcist light in his palms, but the ghoul was much quicker, slamming him full force against the concrete floors, teeth tearing at his throat with Brendon barely able to keep it from succeeding in ripping him apart. He winced as sharp teeth chomped viciously in his left shoulder, but just before it could keep feeding, Brendon launched his full power right at the ghoul. It screamed loudly, its voice echoing off the walls. Brendon looked with relief to see the creature finally gone, but now his shoulder was dripping with blood from his terrible injury. He winced, before retrieving his gardening tools, and walking back up the stairs to tend his wounds and try not to look at their jagged, flesh-ripped appearance. He hoped they'd heal soon. He really didn't feel like showing those to anyone. In fact if people didn't know him better, it probably looked like self mutilation! He felt very light headed before he could get outside, so he went upstairs, bandaged his injury, changed shirts, and literally passed out face first on his own bed. That hadn't been a very pleasant encounter at all. In fact, more of these monsters had been appearing. . .what could it mean? And worse, would it possibly put Margaret in danger if he kept seeing her too often? Or was she safe, since he didn't think she could see them?
 
Margaret continued to spend her days under lock down, until the letter fomr Brendon arrived. Though it was not an invitation, that fact that he said he would galdly come to another party was enough to make her parents lighten up on her boundaries. Eventually, Margaret couldn't stand the loneliness anymore.

She invited Brendon to tea.

She knew she shouldn't be showing an interest in him but she chouldn't stand being stuck in her house all day, waiting for him to call. Wrote a quick invite and set it off right away, hoping that he would reply quickly. However, her parents didn't like that she had taken the offensive. Her mother gave her a nasty slap that left a bruse on her cheek, but did not do much else, smart enough to know that if she was to beated he would notice and might not take interest. Margaret waited eagerly for a reply, hoping for something, anything, to get rid of the dullness and emptiness that she felt in her own home.
 
Brendon gladly accepted the invitation graciously, glad for a chance to get out of his own empty house as well. His shoulder however, wasn't healing as it should. In fact, it seemed to only get worse as the days passed, twinging constantly with searing pain that made him almost unable to use his injured left arm entirely! He tried to keep it cleaned and bandaged, but occasionally it made him feverish and very tired. He only hoped it would go away soon. The pain was starting to become a constant ache.

A week later he managed to take a carriage ride down to Margaret's house for the tea-time he'd been invited to. He greeted her family again, also using a little mind power and influence to tell them both silently to not hurt their daughter or even try to manipulate her anymore. He could sense that they were too used to abusing Margaret, but he might be able to push their brains around a bit and turn them into potentially nicer people. Hopefully.~
 
Margaret was happy that Brendon was coming to see her, it meant that there was finally something to do. She quickly prepared a place for tea in the library and had a mid make some cookies and tarts for something to much on along with the tea. When he arrived she smiled up at him slightly, the bruse on her face having been covered by makeup though one could still she it there faintly. Her parents smiled at him and welcomed him in before they excused themselve, both have other business to attend to at the moment. Once they were gone Margaret lead him to the library where tea and pastries had been set up for them. She took a seat in one chair and motioned for him to sit in the other.

"Please, take a seat Mr. Mitchell. I'm glad you could come for tea, It's been terribly dull around here and was desperate for a conversation." She said with a small smile.
 
Brendon hid all his pain as he sat down, gladly accepting a few of the delightful looking pastries; first things he'd eaten in quite a while. He often forgot, or just didn't bother eating all that often when he was at home. There were plenty of leftovers yes, but, most days he just didn't really feel like wasting his time on big meals when he could be studying or taking care of a project that needed finished. "I've missed it as well. It's dull as tombs at my parents' place. Not so much during the day, since I run everything in their absence... But nights are boring." Oh how that was a lie! But he wouldn't trouble her with his issues at all. They were frightening enough to deal with on his own! He couldn't imagine sharing that part of his life with someone else. Even as kind and understanding as Margaret, though admittedly... he did long to have help in some of those situations, but he couldn't ever -ask-. "I hope everything has been going well for you?" He asked, sipping a glass of cold tea.
 
Margaret smiled as she grabbed a pastry for herself and took a sip of her tea. She couldn't tell him the truth, being locked away and the beating she had recieved, that would only cause more problems and even make her parents hurt her more. She looked up at him as she set her glass down and cleared her throat a bit out of habit.

"It is, though I am horribly bored. My parents have kept me inside saying it would help bring in more suitors. They haven't even let me go out to the garden! I'm just tried of this stuffy old house. However, I have been keeping myself busy with my books and writing letter to my grandmama." She said sweetly before grabbing her tea again. " So What have you been up to other than the duties put upon you while your parents are away?"
 
Brendon was feeling the twinges of pain in his shoulder very strongly today, though he had no reason to! He'd kept this arm purposely inactive as much as possible, to the point he was almost favoring it, though not too much, since he worked a lot with both hands. He was too busy to really give himself a chance to heal, and his face was pale since the incident. "Oh, not much really. Staying at home, reading, studying. Not sleeping much." He admitted with a small smile, sipping tea. It was true, insomnia had been hitting him a lot lately.~
 
She smiled and took another pastry before finishing off her tea and pouring herself another cup, she was so glad to have some conversation, she didn't even care if it was a man that her parents were trying to get her to marry. However,Margaet took notice of his paleness as looked at him worriedly, he looked like he might pass out any moment!

"Are you alright Mr. Mitchell? You look dreadfully pale." She said as she reached out and gently touched his shoulder.
 
He'd definitely taken too many hits that week! Brendon winced, his shoulder searing in bright agony just as soon as Margaret touched it! He actually had to set his drink down very quickly, trying to recuperate. "It's nothing, Ms. Margaret. Just a minor injury I sustained over the weekend.." But he was very close to passing out, so close in fact, he never remembered hitting the floor.~
 
Margaret looked at him worriedly but before she could reply he had passed out on the floor. Gasping in surprise she quickly went over to him and shook him gently, trying to wake him. When that didn't work she ran to the door and called for help, her parents and some servant coming quickly. A group of mal servant quickly took Brendon to a spare room and Margaret explained what happened to her mother nervously, her father having went off to call for a doctor quickly. Margaret rushed off to Bredon as soon as her mother had set her free from her grip and joined her father to wait for the doctor to arrive. The maids had made quick work and had removed Brendons shoes, jacket and shirt so that he could lay without to much restriction. When she arrived she was horrified by the wound on his shoulder, as were a few of the maids.

It felt like years before the Doctor came and shooed Margaret from the room, leaving her to pace the hall worriedly. She felt guilty for touching his wound but at the same time she couldn't help but feel worse as she thought about if she hadn't. He could have gotten worse if she hadn't stumbled upon his wound by mistake and the thought made her want to cry. She couldn't imagine losing the closest thing she has had to a true friend! The doctor took proper care of the wound, cleaning it and sewing it up so the skin could heal properly before putting a hesling cream on it and wrapping it up tightly. When he came out Margaret quickly darted in, leaving the doctor to relay his condition to her parents.

It seemed that he would not be able to move for a few days and would need bed rest before he could leave again. Reluctantly Margaret's parents agreed to let him stay until he healed, only because they say how their daughter was so worried and upset at the sight of him like this. For the rest of the day and until he awoke, Margaret was at his side, petting his head with a cooling clothing as he seemed to be getting a fever.
 
Somehow Brendon remained unconscious that entire time he was there! He felt like such an idiot. How could things have gotten so embarrassing in such a short time? Things couldn't get much worse! He felt a cool cloth on his head some hours later, and his eyes opened, the gold completely gone, his eyes were now grey! He winced, but tried to sit up, especially when he saw he wasn't in his shirt or jacket. "Margaret? I'm so sorry... how long was I out?" He asked, horrified at having put out her and her family so long! And he felt even worse of course, for worrying her.~

He really wanted to try and get home, but his head was spinning and he felt awful. Why weren't those stupid wounds healing faster?
 
Margaret smiled as soon as she saw Brendon awake, fighting the urge to hug him since he was still injured. She removed the cloth from his head and pushed him back down onto the bed, keeping him from moving.

"It's alright, You've only been out for a couple hours, it's really late in the evening though and we sent you carriage home since you need your bed rest." She said softly so she wouldn't make him feel worse. "We had a doctor see your wound and you are officially on bed rest, no leavin what so ever. Now just relax and I'll call for a maid to bring you something to eat." She said as she dipped the cloth in cold water and removed the extra before placing it on his head once more.
 
Brendon laid back down, the bed -was- comfortable, and the fever hadn't been entirely cured yet. Oh the disaster of his parents hearing of this when they got home! It almost made him not -want- to go home, but make a fort and live there as he used to as a child. Ugh... couldn't he do anything right? He heard his father's question echo in his mind, making him close his eyes as he tried to block it out. He was thinner than Margaret probably remembered, but still lanky and muscular as ever. It was clear he kept in good shape. Though his face was pale, the rest of him had a light tan from working so much outdoors. If he could though, he'd go home at once, he didn't want to trouble Margaret or her family. He felt he'd somehow made an idiot of himself, completely- and apologized again for spoiling their tea time!
 
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