A MAZE OF GREED

After the meeting with the Council about the serious problem of the five deaths in the territory of the Vincardine was done it was already late in the afternoon. Though the participants of the meeting were given tea and snacks, Augustus and Theodora insisted the Council members have lunch with them but the Council refused, saying they had to take care of other business too.

"Hello, Lord Augustus!" Douglas stood up to greet as soon as the Council members left.

He was eager to jump at the chance to meet the Council members and show his charm but Theodora directed him against it. She knew that it was not the right time and Douglas had to comply with her with the thought that better luck next time.

Augustus's face hardened a bit with annoyance but he masked it instantly. "Hello, Douglas. What brought you here?" He came straight to the point.

Douglas smiled. "I came to meet you, Lord Augustus. Can we have a word together in private?"

Augustus was in no mood for this but he couldn't deny the request of his business partner. The O'Dell family was one of the prominent participants in the overseas trade that fetched enormous wealth to add up to the hefty amount of their hereditary fortune.

Edwin was not ready to take the responsibilities of the family business even after multiple attempts of Agustus and Theodora to convince him. That left only Augustus to handle everything.

Granted, Theodora was there to help him with the administration and business but there were some things that had to be taken care of by someone with resources and experience in the field.

That was why Agustus decided to accept Douglas as his business partner to help him with the Southern trade with Africa. It the result of Douglas's idea and Theodora's perfectly planned execution. But not only Agustus but everyone was oblivious to that.

'If Douglas was here then he must have come to talk about the business and that was not something unusual', thought Augustus.

Douglas had carved out a way into 'the great manor' over the years of perseverance and his close association with Theodora acted as a radical to accelerate the process.

"Okay. Meet me in my office after ten minutes." With that said Augustus left to his chamber to get freshened up.

Edwin and Lester were passing by while talking with each other when they noticed Douglas.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr Morgan!" Lester smiled at the man with emerald eyes.

With a wide smile on his face, Douglas greeted him. "Lester, my son! How are you? It is nice meeting you after the night of the celebrations. If I may ask, what are you doing here?" Douglas hugged him then patted his back.

"I am well, thank you! I am here to meet Edwin." Lester left the mention of his presence for the meeting with the Council.

But Douglas was a cunning man who already knew that fact.

"Edwin, how are you, my boy?" Douglas then looked at Edwin and pulled him too into a hug.

Edwin smiled a little while replying, "I am good."

"It's nice to watch you smile like this Edwin. Lester your presence means a lot to him. You should visit your friend more often. You know that he needs you." Douglas said with concern in his voice. Theodora watched the exchange between the three men amusingly. But didn't comment on it.

Edwin was a hard child, he got along well with very few people like Lester, Elsie and Douglas. Douglas was Edwin's father's friend and after his demise, he regularly came to visit little Edwin.

For some reason, Edwin got along with him better than with his paternal uncle. That was the reason why Douglas always called him 'my boy'. They shared a healthy bond and this was another reason why Augustus got annoyed with him.

"I know, Mr Morgan. I will be by his side from now on... always!" Lester said with gentle eyes that focused on Edwin.

Edwin's heart swelled with love for his friend. For the first time in a long time, he felt loved. Love, the only thing that the great Young Master couldn't buy with his mountain of money or power. Love was never his cup of tea, anyway. Destiny made sure of it.

"That's good to hear." Douglas smiled again. "Now if you young men excuse me, I have an important matter to discuss with Lord Augustus. You know that he doesn't like to wait for anyone." He laughed along with Lester but Edwin was not humoured by this.

"See you around, both of you! I'll take your leave Lady Thoedora." Douglas marched towards Augustus's office with a furtive grin on his lips.

"Lester, Edwin, I will call you after lunch is set on the table. Don't be late. You know that Lord Augustus will not like it." With that reminder, Theodora left to order the maids to set the table for the lunch.

After some time of talking, Edwin's face turned stoic all of a sudden and his cerulean blue eyes turned a shade darker. Lester knew what it meant.

After the passing of a few seconds, Edwin snapped out of the trance. "Lester, why don't you go and take some rest? I have something to take care of."

"Is anything serious?" Lester asked worriedly.

Edwin shook his head. "Nothing is serious. Don't worry. It's just that my bodyguard wants to inform me about something."

Lester searched his face for something that would give away what Edwin was thinking but to no avail. Edwin was always like that. His guards were always up defending the fencing around his mind. No one could tell what was going on in his mind... not even his best friend or his younger sister.

Lester nodded his head in understanding. "Okay. See you at the dinner." He knew that Edwin was hiding something from him but chose to not point it out just now. He wanted to wait and see when his friend would let him enter that guarded fence.

Edwin walked past him in a hurry when Lester called his name. Edwin turned his head to see Lester's serious face which usually held a warm smile. "You know that I am always there for you and you don't need to hide anything from me, right?"

Edwin inhaled sharply then replied with a genuine smile. "I know that Lester. And even if I forget it any time then I know that you are always there to remind it to me."

"Good. You should know that!" Lester said with a cocked brow, his playful smile reappeared on his face.

"Rascal!" Edwin loudly said the name that he used to give Lester while they were kids.

"Idiot!" Lester was quick to remind Edwin of his name given by Lester.

Edwin climbed up the wide stone staircase of the right side wing of 'the great manor' to reach his office. As the black door came into the view, he noticed a tall man waiting for him outside the door. He didn't stop and directly walked through the door of his office.

The man who was waiting for Edwin followed him into the room without a word. He came to stand in front of Edwin's table not before closing the door of the room.

"Where were you?" Edwin asked while resting back in his chair.

"I was with my fiancee and her friend, master." Rees told with a slight smile on his face.

"Thea must be mad at me for keeping you busy these days. Have you told her about your promotion?"

It was not uncomfortable for Rees to hear such questions about his personal life from his master. Edwin was not a friendly man but once someone gained his trust then he was a whole different person than his usual arrogant and cruel self.

Rees smiled softly remembering Thea's face when he revealed that he was promoted to be Edwin's bodyguard. "Pardon me, master but she is a little mad but nothing serious as she has found a good friend who keeps her company and takes good care of her. And I have told her about my promotion. I think she is very happy."

"I can understand. It's important to have a true friend in your life." Edwin said while thinking about his recent conversation with Lester.

"Yes, master."

"Rees, I have known you for years now. You never mentioned any friend of yours." Edwin asked curiously.

"Master, it's hard to befriend someone for people like us. But now, I think I have found one for me." Rees recalled how hesitant Ruth was when he asked her to be his friend.

He didn't know why he asked her that. He had heard so many things about Ruth from Thea and was eager to meet her in person. During their meet, he realised how innocent she was. He noticed every detail of her and somehow, he also began to trust her the way Thea did. And that was when he decided to ask her to be his friend too.

"Are you referring to your fiancee's friend?" Edwin asked.

"Yes, master. I am referring to Ruth."

"Ruth?" Edwin jumped out of his chair with wide eyes.