A MAZE OF GREED

Lester was thinking about his previous conversation with Ruth. She was talking about her other dream. And even though Lester tried to overlook it, he could not keep thinking that what if it was indeed snippets from the future?

That meant Edwin was in danger?

He had promised Ruth to continue with their conversation, so he began searching for her.

And to his luck, he found her soon thereafter.

"Ruth!"

She stopped for Lester to catch up with her.

"Lord Lester?! How may I serve you?" She asked.

Lester did not like the way Ruth had to act like a maid when she was soon to be practically the queen of the place. He understood that Edwin also did not like it. He had seen Edwin's jaw tightening, his fists clenching and eyes hardened watching her run errands and work relentlessly like a real maid.

Which man can see his woman labouring like a slave?

"By granting me some of your precious time." He smiled sweetly.

Ruth blushed. She always did whenever Lester pulled such sugary sweet lines at her. He was a natural charmer, and she was happy that Lady Elsie had him in her life.

"Well..." Ruth faked uncertainty.

Lester pursed his lips before saying, "No, don't think about me bribing you or something. I am already done doing that and I am broken by giving gifts and what not to Thea. That woman has no heart, I tell you!"

Ruth laughed. The sound of her laughter was so genuine that it brought a smile to Lester's face too.

"Ohhh... do not worry Lord Lester, I lean more on the kinder side." She smiled.

"Let me be the judge of that!" Lester replied.

"So... you know the last time you were telling me about your dream but we had to cut our conversation in between. I promised we will continue our discussion later."

Ruth was surprised at how Lester was so interested in her dream. Perhaps he thought that it may help with the case of kidnapping? Or he might be worried that what if this dream also came true?

Whatever it was, Ruth was glad that she had someone who was interested in knowing her dream other than Edwin. She needed someone trustworthy to let it all out.

"Yes."

"Did you get it again?" Lester asked.

"Yes, last night."

Ruth did not want to get that kind of dream ever again as she could not bear seeing Edwin in danger, even if it was a dream.

"Have you told about it to Edwin or someone else? Mrs Payne?" Lester asked.

Ruth shook her head. "No. I haven't. After the last time I am afraid that if I put it in words it might get true." She had a deep frown on her face.

"Ruth even if you do not put it in words, it still might get true." Lester pointed at the possibility.

Now Ruth was distressed. "Lord Lester, can you help me get rid of these nightmares. I do not want to see them especially if they are about Edwin or anyone that I love."

Lester was thoughtful for a minute. "Maybe I can." He saw the opportunity of exposing Ruth to their world gradually, especially when she was willing to know more.

But first, he needed to speak to Edwin.

"Really? How-"

"Lester!"

Ruth's sentence died midway when a stern voice fell on their ears. They both turned their heads to see Lady Theodora walking their way. Ruth noticed how Lester frowned disappointedly as soon as he saw her.

She felt something on her back. She glanced through the corner of her eyes to see Lester's hand stretched from his side, only to disappear behind her back. He was telling her that she did not need to worry.

Ruth smiled inwardly. Little did he know that this Ruth was more than ready to take anything that would come her way.

"Lester, may I know what you are doing here?" Theodora cast a dirty glance at Ruth.

"I was just having a pleasant conversation with Ruth, Lady Theodora," Lester replied confidently.

That made Ruth wonder if he also knew that Theodora dared to poison Edwin, and thus he was exceptionally bitter towards her.

Theodora's face contorted in displease, as a corner of her lips stretched down.

"Lester, you are heir of the Wright family. You should behave according to your status. How are you going to handle the family business and rule your people if you waste your status and time with beggars."

Ruth was silent. She could have given Theodora a befitting reply but no, she was done talking. She wanted to act now!

"And how I am going to ADMINISTER my people if I do not interact with them because not everyone is as priviledged as us, Lady Theodora?!"

Ruth tightly pressed her lips to suppress her smile. The way Theodora's nostrils flared in anger was too funny.

Theodora's lips twitched as she tried putting up a calm face.

"No need to get offended Lester. I know that you are young and all grown up so you may find this old lady's words nonsense. But I have seen many seasons and has handle many situations where such people had betrayed me, exploited my kindness."

Theodora's face darkened as she spoke.

"They come in the face of a friend in your life and when they find convinient, they just leave you alone in the middle where you do not know the right way."

Ruth narrowed her eyes at Theodora as she had this feeling that she was speaking about Bertha here.

Breaking from her reverie, Theodora's eyes snapped to Lester's.

"I do not want any of my kids to walk that hard way Lester. And that is why I am concerned. I will always keep you warning of these venomonous snakes, whether you like it or not." Theodora glared at Ruth, and this time, Ruth matched her gaze unwaveringly.

Ruth turned her head to look at Lester.

"Lord Lester, pardon me for interrupting your conversation. But am I allowed to say something?"

Before Theodora opened her mouth to decline the permission, she saw Lester nodding his head, and that small smile played on his lips only infuriated Theodora more.

"I think Lady Theodora is absolutely right here."

"You think so?" Lester asked, raising his brow in surprise.

Ruth smiled, nodding her head. "Of course Lord Lester. After all she is a elder and more experinced than any of us. If she is concerned about something then you should definitely pay attention to it."

Lester mentally shook his head in amusement. If only she knew that Lester was probably more than twice the age of Theodora and had seen more seasons than she had in her entire lifetime.

"She is right about the venomonous snakes. They are everywhere in todays's world. They roam around us under the skin of harmless grassblade." Now Ruth stared Theodora directly in her eyes.

"They wait for the right time. They wait for the time when our guards are down, and we blindly trust everyone around us. And then they bite, insert their venom in our blood with the intention of the kill.

There might be an antidote to any manmade poison. But what about the poison a human harbours in his mind and heart? It does not have an antidote, not even love can cure it at times."

Lester was confused, sensing something strange transpired between the two women. Was he missing something here?

He was very proud of Ruth nonetheless for standing up against Lady Theodora. He could already envision a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law drama happening every day in 'the great manor'.

Theodora's ego was daunted. With a promise of another retaliation through her glare, she stomped away from there. Lester was too busy wrapping his head around what just happened that he failed to see that satisfying wicked smirk on Ruth's face.

*

*

*

"P-Painite?" Edwin whispered, not believing his eyes and ears.

"You can touch it if you want. It is harmless until it enters your system." Mrs Payne's words shook him from his trance.

He slowly reached for the shining mineral in her hands and touched its edgy corners and smooth surfaces. Edwin took it from her and observed it as if he was mesmerised by a shining diamond.

But he knew that the thing in his hand was more precious than a diamond.

"Mrs Payne... this... where did you get it?" Edwin finally pulled himself together.

Pushing his stupefaction aside, he focused again on the main topic.

Mrs Payne was silent at first.

"I thought you will ask me to surrender it to you first."

Edwin frowned in confusion. "Why would I want that when it does not belong to me?"

She smiled satisfyingly. Her decision was right. Edwin O'Dell was the perfect man to help her.

"You asked me about a reason of my trip. This is it!"

Edwin was confused and shocked. He did not understand a single thing she was saying. But today, she could not trap him in her web of cryptic answers.. Nor does she intend on doing that anyway.