The Fourth Mistress

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The other side of the bed where Louise hadn't occupied wasn't just crumpled sheets, but the dip in the bed was long as if a moderate weight was sleeping on it. The bedsheet started to crumple more, spreading towards the girl where she had laid down, but all of a sudden, Louise sat upright on the bed.

"If I knew what hour he arrives at his workplace, I might be able to visit him in the morning," murmured Louise thoughtfully. "But then I don't. Should I go visit him during my lunch time?"

But if she did that, she would be missing her meal, and who knew if he would be there or not. A tired sigh escaped her lips, and she said, "I will think about it tomorrow. There's no hurry." Saying this, she laid back in the bed, this time to face the other way round and fall asleep.

The next morning when Louise left home, she had prepared her questions on what she wanted to ask Graham when she would meet him, but before that, she would finish her work at Mr. Winkle's office. With no clients who had come to visit the office, she went to the backroom where the old files that Mr. Winkle had won and lost were piled up.

"Which case file are you studying?" came Mr. Winkle's voice from behind. Louise turned around and found him standing at the door, and he made his way inside the room.

"It is Saltonstall's case," replied Louise. "The man who killed his two daughters."

"Ah, the case that related back to seventeen years ago. You have picked an interesting one," responded Mr. Winkle, making his way to where she was, and he took the file to read it. "Did you infer what happened?" asked the old man, giving Louise a look without looking through his glasses.

Louise gave a nod before she started to explain, "Mr. Saltonstall had two young daughters. One around the age of seven and another around five. His wife committed suicide and the grief caught up to him and he killed his daughters before shooting himself in his mouth. But there are some details missing in here and the typewriter must have missed writing one of the daughter's names that wasn't filled back."

Mr. Winkle turned the pages of the file that he held in his hand, "Right. It was reported that he had tied his daughters in the basement. But do you know what's the fun part in here?" he asked Louise. "After the authorities found the bodies, the father and the elder daughter's body went missing. Just like that."

Louise' eyebrows raised in curiosity, "They never found out where it went?"

"Not until now. It was why back in the days this case was hot news," said the old man, and he then looked at Louise to say, "Cases like these, they come once in every decade and it leaves a mystery of wonderment in the mind. Something to think about with no answers."

He was right, thought Louise to herself. Things like these were definitely a mystery.

"You shouldn't bother yourself with cases like these. The board of law won't be questioning you on a case like this. Because of the unsolved cases, the board prefers to keep news like these buried and forgotten," stated Mr. Winkle before handing the file back to her.

Once Louise finished her work at Mr. Winkle's office, she quickly made her way to the centre place of the town to meet Graham Reed. Reaching near the building that belonged to Reed's family, she took a deep breath before walking to the front.

She saw a person walking towards the door and noticing the uniform that he wore, she asked,

"Excuse me, Sir. Is Mr. Reed present inside?" her voice was polite.

The man took a quick look at Louise and asked, "Whom shall I say is asking?"

"It would be Evardon. Louise Evardon," she quickly replied.

She watched the worker disappear behind the wooden door, and she realized she hadn't checked on how she looked right now. Walking towards the carriage that was parked next to the building, Louise raised herself by standing with the top of her toes to look at her reflection. It wasn't that she was trying to impress Graham, but she preferred to be at her best.

Raising her hand, she smoothened the long fringes of her hair at the sides of her temple.

She heard the sound of someone clearing their throat not too far away from where she stood, and quickly Louise's feet flattened on the ground. Turning her head, she saw it was none other than the person she had come to see.

Graham stared at Louise with his sharp eyes, "Good evening, Miss Evardon. You wanted to see me?" he asked. His eyes fell on the carriage next to which she stood that belonged to him before he looked back at her.

Louise hadn't expected him to come out so quickly, and she cleared her own throat before putting a polite smile on her face. She offered him a bow, "Good evening, Mr. Reed. I was wondering if I could speak with you if you are free."

Graham wore beige coloured gloves on his hands. It seemed like he had been working before she interrupted him, something Louise had not expected. Not because she believed he couldn't, but men and women who were rich often let others work for them and didn't bother dirtying their hands.

"My apologies for showing up here without prior notice," added Louise on seeing him stare at her.

"That's fine. Would you like to sit inside and speak?" inquired Graham, noticing her holding the side of her sling bag.

When Graham's eyes fell behind Louise for fleeting seconds, she wondered what had caught his eyes. She turned around, curious to find some of the passersby looking at them.

"Okay," answered Louise. As quick as she was to head inside the building and take a seat so that they could speak, Graham came in between her and the door.

"Allow me," said Graham, pushing the door of the building open so that she could get inside.

"I could have done it."

Graham's lips twisted into a small smile, something Louise didn't know he was capable of. "No one said you couldn't, Miss Evardon. It is basic manners to open the door for a lady."

Louise stepped inside the building and heard the machines cutting the woods and were being chiselled to smoothen the surface. From where she stood, she saw there were six workers on the ground floor and probably more on the above floor. She followed Graham's footsteps, and they entered a room which was possibly the office.

"Please take a seat," offered Graham, and he asked, "You must be thirsty."

Louise had walked from her workplace to the centre place of the town, and she said, "I would like a glass of water. Thank you."

Graham stared at Louise for a second, and she wondered if she had something on her face. Still at the door, he turned to look outside the room and called, "Jeremy, two glasses of water." He then closed the door and pulled the chair that was next to hers.

He pulled the chair next to hers and took a seat, watching Louise look around the office with interest in her eyes, taking in everything around her before her eyes finally met his.

"What is it that you wanted to speak to me about?" he asked Louise.

Now that he was right in front of her and away from the prying ears who couldn't hear them, Louise said, "This is about yesterday. I am not sure if you know about it. Your mother and your sister had come by my home."

Louise was ready to see a surprised expression cross his serious features, but it didn't. Instead, he said, "I am. My mother spoke to me about it before she came to visit you. You have been the topic of discussion in my house." She didn't know how to feel about it, especially considering how Mrs. Reed's eyes looked at her with a hint of disapproval in them. "My apologies that they suddenly arrived without any prior notice. I heard that you wanted to take time."

She was indeed surprised by their visit yesterday, thought Louise to herself.

"I wanted to know something before I decide," said Louise and Graham nodded his head.

"Please go on."

Louise then asked, "I heard many women have come by with an interest to marry you. Why did you agree to marry me? You can find any girl, even younger," she stared into his olive-green eyes. "Your mother clarified some of my doubts, but I wanted to hear it directly from you so that we are on the same page."

"Sounds fair," replied Graham. At the same time, a worker entered the room, offering Louise a glass of water while placing the extra glass on the desk before leaving them alone. "I am not interested in marrying someone who is younger, but someone who is sensible and maybe even open to the idea of how things are with me. You must have heard about it, people enjoy carrying information."

Louise brought the glass up to her lips, drinking the water slowly as she heard Graham continue to speak,

"To make it short, I would like to marry someone who is sensible enough to not heed to the absurd things people have made up because in the long run it will only turn difficult," he explained to her. "It took me quite a few days to think and weigh before I agreed to my family's request. You are an educated, independent woman, and I believe you would fit well in the family."

Louise hadn't brought her hand down, and she continued to drink the water slowly while staring at him. As if she was ready with her response, she finally placed the glass on her lap, holding it with both her hands.

"So...you don't think my attitude was rude towards your mother?" her eyebrows subtly raised in question. "I know she hasn't taken a keen liking to me."

Graham stared at her, "You have already apologized to her, I don't think there's a need to unnecessarily drag something. My mother has a certain view when it comes to family and standards. I believe she understands that it is I and not her, who is marrying here."

Louise pressed her lips together, her fingers tapping on the sides of the glass as she let his words sink in her mind. She said, "How do you know we are compatible to marry each other? We have barely spent time with each other."

"Are you proposing that we should spend some time together to know if we are a right fit? What do you think is important for a marriage, Miss Evardon?" questioned Graham.

She already had answers to this, and she said, "Understanding and trust, freedom to do things that are under the laws of marriage. I would like to continue working even after I am married, and it was one of the things that was discussed with your mother. I won't be forced to have a child right away. There would be days where I return home at night because of work. Are you willing to accept those things?"

She knew some of the men had trouble with the idea of their wives working, while only a handful of them accepted it.

Graham said to her, "Miss Evardon, I do not have any objection with you working and I think it would be much better so that we don't eat each other's space." It seemed like he was a person who wanted his own space, thought Louise to herself. "Your wishes shall be respected and about the matter of working late, I am sure it can be worked out in the future."

Louise wondered if Graham had a high standard when it came to things and people, similar to his mother, which was why he hadn't agreed to marry anyone until this point. Obviously, he came from a wealthy family and still looked fairly young for his age.

"If you have any more questions, feel free to ask them, Miss Evardon," Graham gave her the platform to ask. "Do you have something to ask about my previous marriages?"

"I already heard about it," replied Louise, and she didn't know why but goosebumps rose on her arms.

"Have you?" his olive eyes stared at her brown ones. Louise nodded her head. She had heard it from her aunt but had verified it from Mr. Winkle.

Picking up another glass of water, she finished it before placing it on the surface of the desk. It seemed like Graham didn't have a problem in marrying her. It was a marriage that would benefit both of them, thought Louise to herself. Being the fourth wife didn't waver her, but it was Graham's mother if there was something to be worried about.

When Louise stood up to take her leave, Graham said. "Let me see you outside."

Stepping outside the building with Graham, she noticed the sky had started to turn dark. It seemed like time had moved faster than usual.

Before she could leave, she said, "Thank you for sparing your time for me."

Graham looked around the place before asking her, "How do you plan to return home?"

"By walk of course," Louise offered him a smile when Graham frowned on hearing she was going to walk back home. But he didn't comment on it. "I will see you around, Mr. Reed," she bowed her head and Graham did the same.

Louise was glad that Graham wasn't trying to impose anything on her and she wondered if it would be hard if she were to marry him. Maybe it could work, she thought in her mind as she started to walk away from there and from him for now.

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