Scandal Pt. 02

"You... you do...?"

"You don't remember what I taste like?"

She can't breathe.

I can't breathe.

Heavens, I might kiss her right here and be forced to marry her. That would fix everything.

"OH NO!"

The scream startles us both, dragging us back into reality.

The woman is far away, but she is talking so loud we can all hear her.

"He is drowning! Drowning!"

Adelina takes both her hands to her mouth and I will have to admonish myself later. This stupid plan is actually getting in the way instead of helping me.

But... I will end the day like a passionate lover, a possible husband and a dazzling hero. Not a bad first day.

I move to take off my jacket so I can...

The greedy boy is deep in the lake splashing around and he wasn't wrong: he can even fool me. I was about to get in the water to conclude our transaction when Halbrook... bloody Halbrook once again gets in my way.

He took off his shoes and jacket while I was lost thinking about the kiss me and Ada shared, and he is now already knees deep in the lake. I will never get to the boy faster than he is.

"John!" Adelina runs to the lake, her hand escaping mine and I can feel the undoing of everything.

Halbrook goes in like the champion I was supposed to be and comes back out carrying the wet little boy.

"Oh, Heavens!" Adelina has her hand over her heart, her eyes glimmering as everyone surrounds Halbrook to pay him compliments. Lords and ladies around him, but mostly ladies. Halbrook took his jacket off before getting in the lake and his white shirt is now glued to his body. And I hate the man but he does exercise well enough to make it so women around us are all fanning themselves at the sight of his chest.

"Forgive me, my ladies" he adds, all modest and prude. Adelina finds his jacked on the ground and he kisses her hand before taking it "I did not think or I would have kept my jacket"

"Nonsense!" Ada touches his arms very lightly, making sure he is alright "You were saving that boy's life. And are you alright?" she kneels to check on the boy and I look at him with dread in my eyes.

"Are you still gonna pay me?" he says and I go white as a cloud.

"Excuse me?" she says.

"Not you, m'lady. Him. It's not my fault you weren't the one to rescue me. Will you still pay me the pence?"

Halbrook stares me down in absolute shock, but it's the way Adelina looks at me that hurts the most.

"Did you pay this boy to pretend to drown so you could save him?"

"I... I..." I gasp and try to smile.

Her face goes pale and somber as she realises what I did.

"You... disgusting creature."

"Miss Ada...

'"Don't call me that! We are not friends. We are not close."

"If you'll let me, I will..."

"I won't let you. I will not. I've had enough. And no, Your Grace, to answer your question: you may not visit me. You may not court me. Now... come little one" she helps the boy up "Let's make sure you are alright. Lord Halbrook, will you please escort me back to my father?"'

"It will be my honor, Miss Spencer."

"Ada, please" she smiles tenderly "You can call me Ada."

Halbrook puts his jacket back on as Adelina takes the boy by the hand, and before going after them, the slimey bastard looks back at me, smiles and says:

"Well played, Grafton. I'm gonna enjoy spending your money."

He walks away like he won.

He didn't, of course.

This is not over, of course.

Something about this feels very wrong.

I don't know what it is yet.

But I have an idea.