There is not much known about the Greyheart family. How they got to own the land of London's suburbs, or how Mr. William Greyheart became so rich so fast. The only clear information is that these people have always preferred to be alone.
Although there are no known facts about them, there have always been rumors. It is said that369Please respect copyright.PENANARHMrUrGc9A
Mr. Greyheart was a great connoisseur of carnal pleasures, for this reason he only had female servants. Because of her husband's consuming pleasures, Mrs. Greyheart was rumored to have run away with a lover as far as Germany. Of course, the evil mouths say she would not have dared to run away from her husband; that he had caught her with a man of a low rank and have killed her then buried her in the yard of the house in a place where a willow later grew.
At the death of Mr. Greyheart, there were no tears, no laughter; not very many people came to give their condolences to the young heir to begin with. Lucas Greyheart inherited his father's entire fortune, and unfortunately, all the buzz surrounding the family. Young gentleman Greyheart was not like his father; he was tall and always straight and stiff, always wearing the same black suit - which was not very elegant but not worn out either- and always wore a hat, the same as the late Greyheart, hiding his face from the world.
Actually, young gentleman Greyheart would rarely attend dinner parties organized by the Lords or Ladies, and even rarely could be seen with a woman. Rumor said that he might be traumatized by his childhood days with the late Mr. Greyheart; that he could have seen his mother tortured and murdered by his father. These reasons led to one conclusion that all the nobility and the middle class of London - even England - have agreed on: Lucas Greyheart hated women, could not bear to be near them and could not speak a word in front of one.
So imagine the surprise of the whole country when this heir, a man who was over 30 years old and made an incredible wealth out of agriculture, accepted to marry Helena Eastorwine, a woman 10 years younger but with an extraordinary baggage, both emotional and monetary.
Birds were chirping, the wind was blowing, moving the branches of trees around the Eastorwine estate in a suave dance. It was a wonderful October day, much warmer and sunnier than usual, as if the universe was preparing for the event that was to take place in three days.
"When did you decide this?" asked the bride, Helena Eastorwine.
Behind the 24-year-old was her mother, a little hunched from the time spent sewing. Mrs. Eastorwine was a chubby woman, although she often tried to hide her shapes in the very tight corsets she wore, she used to wear her hair loose because it was short and curly and her face was rather intimidating. She was not a beautiful woman but she was a proud woman who, despite the difficulties she had lived, wanted to give her daughter a better future.
"Not more than a month ago. Mr. Greyheart agreed relatively quickly and gave us a positive response. You should be proud of yourself, Helena. Mr. Greyheart is-"
"Mr. Greyheart is a source of rumors, and not all of them are about how mysterious and rich he is," retorted Helena in an insolent tone.
The young woman was so mad that she could only stand on her feet with her hands hanging loosely along her sides. Her frustrations were not solely based on the idea of being gifted to a man only because in return he could pay for her family’s expenses but for the idea that her mother planned it in the first place.
"Many women want this man but he chose to be your husband. Accept without question. "
"Why is this man still alone? Why do these women want him, but they do not even approach him? Why did he choose me, knowing very well the financial situation we are in? Hmm?“ pestered the girl, trying to keep herself in check, though she was riled on the inside.
All those questions were pointless because Mrs. Eastorwine was not ready to give answers. Being small in stature, especially beside her tall daughter, she seemed unable to hold even a verbal fight. Nevertheless, Mrs. Eastorwine frowned and left the room, not before, however, to look at her daughter with a scowl and say:
"Mr. Greyheart will arrive this afternoon. You'd better not miss your first date with your future husband,“ announced Mrs. Eastorwine, and then left.
Alone in her bedroom, Helena could finally exteriorize her inner hurricane. She screamed and grabbed anything near only to throw wherever she could. By the time she calmed down, sheets and dresses were torn apart, making sure that Mr. Greyheart will not fancy her.
Hours passed incredibly fast for the girl but not as fast for the rest of the family, or Mr. Greyheart himself. He did not expect such a turn of events, not with a family that’s been suffering bankruptcy and obviously needed his money. Still, he was in a carriage heading to Enfield. Even the name of the district was enough to make him remember all the negativity this arrangement has met from outsiders.
Nevertheless, it was his life and his choice that brought him to this moment. The Eastorwine family wanted a sponsor and he needed a way to calm down the ever growing rumors about the Lair. He couldn’t believe when he heard he supposedly hates women so when Mrs. Eastorwine asked him if he’d like to marry her daughter, ignoring the initial shock, he agreed without a second thought. What better person to shift the attention off the Lair if not her.
“Are you over thinking this situation, as always, Mr. Greyheart?” asked the man sitting opposite the rich man.
“You advised me numerous times before, Papillon, but is this the best choice we have?” asked Mr. Greyheart , looking at his confidant with doubt.
“No, it’s not,” answered the elder, “she will be the lamb that noblemen will slaughter once she steps inside the Lair and many may use her to get to you. But she’s your best candidate.”
“Because she murdered her former lover?” asked the young man, a tint of sarcasm in his voice.
“No, because she has a strong will. If both of you play your roles well, you won’t have to bother for long.” finished Papillon, turning to look at the passing sight.
Mr. Greyheart sighed and looked down at his hands, many thoughts running through his head. Maybe he was making the greatest mistake of his life, one that could ruin him or maybe Papillon was right and if they played their roles well, marriage could become only a formality.
By the time the carriage arrived at the Eastorwine residence, it was already supper time. Mr. Greyheart narrowed his eyes a bit, seeing how the house seemed to hide the real necessities of the household. When he entered, he saw nothing that would sign the monetary struggle: the furniture was expensive and well preserved and servants were moving around, either going to their rooms or going to eat.
“Do they really suffer bankruptcy, Papillon?” asked the young man, leaning slightly towards his partner.
“The Eastorwine family is famous for their winery, a business they had to abandon here in London yet they still have the fields from Marseille. I can only guess their income comes from dealing with foreigners yet it still isn’t enough to keep their business in Britain.” replied the elder, looking forward to the meeting between his master and the young lady.
The corridor led the guests in a recreational room, big enough for a reception but very simply arranged.
"Is this really a family in great distress?" wondered Mr. Greyheart, his eyes traveling through the room.
"Mr. Lucas Greyheart, I am so happy to meet you!"
The young man turned towards the door in the very back and saw a thin yet very tall and gentle looking man walk towards him in a very funny way. Folowing him closely was a round woman, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Do not laugh. It's not the time to make a fool of yourself." advised Papillon with a straight face.
"I'm extremely happy to have you in my humble home, Mr. Greyheart," started Mr. Eastorwine once he reached the younger man, "It's quite a surprise that you came all that way in the first place. I am flattered."
"You'll see you have made the best choice, sir. My dear daughter is an excellent woman and will be a great wife to you." said Mrs. Eastorwine, her eyes scanning him from the top of his head to the toes.
"I cannot say for sure how compatible we are since we have never met, but from what I have heard, she is a unique woman." answered Mr. Greyheart, trying his best to be polite and ignore Mrs. Eastorwine’s looks.
He was uncomfortable and knew he might end up doing a mistake but still, it was better to marry than stay a free man with so many rumors surrounding him and his family.
"Where is the lady, if I may ask?"
Mrs. Eastorwine chuckled lightly and glanced at the stairs towards the first floor. Nobody was coming down, even if the noise was enough of a sign.
"I'll bring her," said the woman with a tint of annoyance.
Mr. Greyheart nodded and watched the old woman move up the stairs with a frown. He sighed and turned to the man of the house. Mr. Eastorwine smiled and invited his guest to sit by the window before he drew out his pipe. Mr. Greyheart watched bemused how his white moustache was moving every time he'd breathe in the tobacco. Seeing how his guest was staring so intensely, Mr. Eastorwine gave the younger man a pointy look.
"Listen here, sir. I do believe wedding my daughter off is not the most honorable gesture as a father, but you are the only gentleman left. I don't know what you have heard about my family but I'd like for you to ignore them just as we ignored all the rumors about you."
The elder man had reasons to defend himself but so did Mr. Greyheart. He was ready to answer in the same manner when he heard Mrs. Eastorwine's voice on the stairs. She walked in, followed by a woman with big blue eyes, so round that it looked like she could see into his soul. She was nothing like he imagined and she was nothing like her parents.
"Miss," greeted Mr. Greyheart but the girl didn't sketch a single gesture.
"Helena," her mother pushed the girl closer to him before she continued, "This is Mr. Greyheart and he will be your husband."
Helena only looked into his eyes, which to be sincere intimidated him a bit. She was a blunt woman, he could see from the way she was staring at him with defiance. Her character was probably not very feminine but her looks were enough. She was taller than most women he had met and what really drew his attention was her long, elegant neck. It was empty, she didn't wear any jewelries and she wasn't wearing a dress but pants with a tight corset, amplifying her breasts' visual effect. She was a decent woman, beautiful if she'd try. She was enough for him.
Mr. Greyheart himself knew that he was not an ugly man either. He was tall enough and handsome enough. He wasn't a man that would be drawn by falsity and Helena was anything but that from the tense position of her body.
"Nice to meet you, sir. I was rather surprised that you accepted to be wedded to a woman 10 years younger. I'm afraid I have already been discovered," said Helena with a mischievous glint in her big eyes.
"Helena," said her mother, slapping her daughter’s back lightly. "I'm sorry, Mr. Greyheart. She's hostile with strangers."
"Exactly," interrupted the girl, "You are a stranger and I shall not express joy when meeting my future husband only three days before the marriage." added the young woman, raising an eyebrow as of telling him she was not inferior to him.
Mr. Greyheart's eyes widened, flustered she could speak so coldly. Her mouth did not have a limit and he found that to be troublesome. The dark haired heir glanced at Papillon for help but the stiff servant was not to be bothered.
"We don't have to know each other in order to marry." mumbled Mr. Greyheart , moving his eyes on her.
"What about afterwards? Shall there never be love between us, no intimacy and no respect?"
"What makes you believe there will be no respect?" asked Mr. Greyheart, intrigued by her opinion. "Or intimacy, for that matter,"
"You. You look like the many men that entered this house before, asking for my hand. You dress well, you smell well and you talk well. What makes you different from the others?" she started.
"My inheritance?" asked the man, bemused.
"Your mind and your eyes. The way you look at me is not the same as when you lay your eyes upon a woman but upon responsibility. And your mind, you're foolish to come here and agree with an arrangement where you offer more than you receive."
"That is my choice, not yours."
"Then do I have no choice in this arrangement? Am I only the contract that needs to be signed?"
"Exactly," answered Mr. Greyheart, looking at her with empty eyes.
The two didn't speak for the rest of the time. Mr. Greyheart arrived in time for supper so Mrs. Eastorwine invited him to dine with his future in laws. Maybe at first he didn't think much about it but he regretted it after five minutes.
"So, you are the famous Mr. Greyheart. Not much to be interested in, to be sincere. Not much." said a boy that looked to be around 18 years old.
"That is the youngest son, Alfred." Papillon informed his master, "Across you is Miss Helena's twin brother, Matthew and next to you is missing the elder brother, Blaise."
"Well, Lucas, we heard a lot about you." hearing Matthew speak informally to the guest, someone hit him under the table. It was quite strong because the whole table jolted. "We heard you hate women, so how come you're marrying my sister?" continued Matthew, the table trembling again quite obviously.
"I assure you, I do not hate women. That is just a false rumor." answered Mr. Greyheart, acting as polite as he could.
"Is any rumor true? For example, where is Blaise at this hour in the night? Should we believe the rumors?" Mrs. Eastorwine asked, knowing how it sounded but still trying to make Mr. Greyheart understand they were on his side.
Just as the woman commented about him, Blaise Eastorwine barged into the eating room, looking disheveled and worried. His eyes caught onto Mr. Greyheart and patted his hair quickly, making himself presentable. Then, he approached the table and sat on his designated seat.
"I'm sorry to be late. I had business that needed my full attention."
"Of course you did." mumbled Matthew.
"If only it would pay off, it would actually be helpful." commented Alfred, glancing at Mr. Greyheart with a smirk, "If you beat Blaise, you can have Helena."
"What do you mean? Beat him how?" asked Mr. Greyheart, confused how these brothers were so protective of their only sister. He was sure he didn't look that dark, Papillon made sure of that.
"It doesn't matter. You're here so of course, I won't disappoint my family." Helena said just as coldly as before. She wiped her mouth elegantly and excused herself, going out.
"If I were you, I'd accept fighting Blaise and then lose. You don't know who you're marrying." Alfred added when he was sure his sister couldn't hear.
"She doesn't look dangerous," Mr. Greyheart mumbled, taking a spoonful.
The younger brothers glanced at each other before they fell silent. Blaise on the other hand started to speak about his day at work, trying to draw the attention over him rather than Helena.
"You're here," Blaise started, finding his sister in the garden. "I'm sorry. We both know this can turn out to be a bad move but getting out of here can also help."
"I'm being handed to a man whether I like it or not. I'm frustrated." She said, not moving from her spot. She was staring at the moon with her arms folded in front of her chest.
From his window, Mr. Greyheart could see the garden and the field from the back of the house. He couldn't hear anything the two siblings were talking about but she wasn't moving an inch while Blaise seemed alarmed.
"If I leave, what will happen to you? What will happen to me? Will our family survive or will Mr. Greyheart kill everyone in order to save himself?" Helena asked, glancing at his bedroom window, "Will he be alright?"
"It doesn't matter, you know." Blaise started, walking towards her and hugging her from behind. "If it gets too hard or someone, anyone harms you, we'll come to you."
"I know. At least he doesn 't seem to be keen on having me as his wife either." Joked the young woman, feeling a knot form in her stomach. “What if he finds out? The rumors have covered your business for so long, what if he finds out you do the Devil’s work?”
"If he finds out then he’s a dead man, and so am I."
Next morning, Mr. Greyheart walked downstairs very early and strolled through the garden, getting on the same place she saw the two siblings talk last night.
He looked forward before he turned to his bedroom window. No one was there but that wasn't suspicious.
It seemed that Helena was not an early riser but everyone else was. Breakfast was loud, if he could say. Alfred was the young trickster, going around and messing with everyone. His bright blond hair was probably inherited from his father because Mrs. Eastorwine was a ginger. Then, the middle brother, thin and fragile looking just like his father, with bright blond hair as well and an affinity for wine, it seemed. And there was Blaise, drinking tea while reading the newspaper. He was the only redhead in the family, except his mother, and he was the type of man that Mr Greyheart had seen at the few diners he had been to. He was a fortune digger and liked women as much as they liked him, but he was never involved and never taking responsibility.
This reminded Mr. Greyheart just how Helena looked: different. Papillon walked behind his master and waited patiently for the man to question him, knowing there were many curiosities about the Eastorwines.
"Miss Helena looks nothing like her brothers and parents." Stated the future husband
"It happens." Papillon answered vaguely, “You don’t look like your parents either,”
Mr. Greyheart rolled his eyes but had to agree with his companion.
“Mr. Greyheart, sir, maybe we should have a small chat shall we?" Blaise approached the darker man with a polite smile.
"But Miss-" he looked at the stairs upstairs but there was no sign that Helena will come down anytime soon.
"Helena is not like the women you meet at diners, Mr. Greyheart. It would be wrong to presume she likes what many women do."
Blaise began as soon as they walked out of the house. Mr. Greyheart chuckled bemusedly, taking the elder brother as an overprotective factor, not necessary intimidating too.
"Are you trying to make me change my mind? Because just like your family, I do have a status I must protect."
"Once a deal made, everyone knows it's unpleasant to go back on your word. I have heard much about your Lair yet you only came with your butler." pointed out the ginger.
"I assure you Miss Helena will be living well in my home," assured Mr. Greyheart.
"For that to happen, it’s best if you don't question her or whatever she does." Blaise started, stopping in front of the entry to a labyrinth in the backyard of the house. "Shall we continue our discussion while we reach the center?"
Mr. Greyheart followed Blaise into the labyrinth warily, sensing some kind of hostility now that no one could really see them.
"I'm sure you believe my family is trying to get money from you so they chose to give you their daughter in return. That is not entirely true. My mother chose you in particular, Mr. Greyheart." started Blaise, his tone changing slightly.
"Why?"
"Because Helena needs to leave this house. She has the right to live, especially after all the sacrifices we made for her. You see, Mr. Greyheart, Helena has certain tendencies ever since that accident last summer."
"Lord Sickney's son died while being in vacation with Miss Helena."
"He drowned,” corrected the younger man, “Helena had nothing to do with it since she doesn't know to swim. However, bad mouths have decided she was responsible and the rumor spread rapidly."
"Does she have nightmares?"
"No. But she has violent tendencies. If you make her angry, she might break your neck without the smallest regret." Blaise answered before smiling politely. It was quite visible how Mr. Greyheart pondered on the possibility that he might be murdered. "Are you having second thoughts, sir?" Blaise asked with a tinge of irony.
"Mr. Greyheart never goes back on his word."
Papillon appeared from behind, taking both men by surprise. The French butler threw one hard to read glance at his master and Greyheart nodded in approval. "Miss Helena is awake and would like to speak to Mr. Greyheart."
Blaise chuckled to himself seeing how compliant was the master in front of a humble and odd butler. Papillon glanced back at the tall ginger from the corner of his eye, amusing Blaise to no end. Just who decided this marriage was a good opportunity? Because Blaise knew the Eastorwine family could go on living well without the help of a rich and mysterious man.
Helena was a woman that did not seem to care much about what others believed about her or just in general. It was obvious from the way she did not move from her seat in the living room that she didn't care if Mr. Greyheart arrived or not.
She had her back turned to him but heard the door crack open. Only one set of steps entered so she figured whose.
"Do you like literature, Mr. Greyheart?" She asked in a nicer tone than yesterday.
"I do, yes. I like to read when I have the time." He answered walking towards her.
"What genre do you enjoy the most? For example, I like romance. The idea of having one soul next to you for the rest of your life is dreamy." She continued, looking out the window with a book on her lap.
"Such love doesn't exist. Selfishness is far above loyalty." replied coldly the older man.
"Maybe. Have you been heartbroken before, Mr. Greyheart?" She pestered on the subject.
"To be heartbroken one has to first fall in love."
Helena hummed and placed the book aside. She got up and turned to look straight into his eyes. Those wide blue orbs looked so empty that Mr. Greyheart wondered what exactly she was thinking of when laying her gaze over him.
"Let's never fall in love, Mr. Greyheart. Love brings death and I'm sure the Lair doesn't need more rumors surrounding it."
She was not talking only about love; Mr. Greyheart was curious what exactly she meant when using that word. Well, it didn't matter since once married, they would not see much of each other even if they will live in the same house.
"Why did you accept my mother's one sided proposition?" She asked, genuinely curious.
"Does it matter?"
"Yes. It does. I want to know what made you believe a wedding will change your life."
"It won't change anything. And it won't change your life either, I assure you. You'll be free to do however you please, go wherever you want to go and speak to whomever you want to speak."
"But at the same time, I have to protect and defend your pride, don't I? The Greyheart name has to surface from the mud and blind every nobleman until everything they can see is what you want them to see."
"Aren't you seeking details where there are not? I want to marry you and that should be enough." Combated Mr. Greyheart, growing annoyed.
"Do you really? Or am I just a diversion?” the young woman asked, straightening her back so much that it looked like her breasts were going to pop, “Just what is the real secret of the Greyheart Lair?”
Mr. Greyheart watched her closely as she walked past him, incredibly close while doing so, their hands brushing each other.
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