Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

M artin could not shake off this terrible dejected feeling. It had been consuming him for days now, ever since he said the silly words that sent Susanna spiraling. She had hardly even looked his way since. It was as if she could not stand to meet his eyes, even for a second.

In fact, darling Susanna, one might even dare to say that I am falling for you .

He might have meant it in the heat of the moment, and truth be told, he was quite sure that he truly did feel that way for Susanna. But he never would have said it if he knew that she would basically vanish from his life.

They might have still been staying under the same roof, but they might as well have been on other sides of the country for all the good it was doing them.

It did not help that time was running out. Once the wedding was over, there would be no reason for them to spend time together any longer. There would be no need for them to converse. It would all be over.

But what could Martin do without pushing Susanna further away?

"I am so thrilled," Luke declared, pulling Martin from his morose thoughts. "Tomorrow is the day I shall become a husband at long last."

As he clinked his glass in a cheers gesture with everyone in the group, Martin forced himself to join in. But it was terribly challenging for him to get in the party spirit. If it were not for Edwin, and his need to keep an eye on him, he might have made an excuse to avoid these impromptu drinks. Just to give himself the much-needed time to get his head in order for the following day.

He and Susanna would not be able to avoid one another at the wedding ceremony, so he was going to have to keep his feelings locked away then. The last thing he wanted to do was cause a scene at Luke and Mary's wedding.

"Are you not thinking about running?" Edwin teased in a tone of voice that Martin could only deem nasty. Although he seemed to be the only one because Luke laughed with intense mirth. "I have a carriage waiting outside if you wish to disappear into the sunset. I am sure Lady Mary will be fine without you…"

"Oh, you are so silly, Edwin." Luke chuckled while patting his cousin on the back. "You always find a way to make me laugh, but I can assure you that I do not need a carriage. I will not be running anywhere. I cannot wait to be a married man, and even if Mary will be alright without me, I will certainly not be alright without her."

How did Luke not notice the way that Edwin shot him a glare? He really was not looking for the warning signs as Martin was.

"In fact, Edwin, I think it is time we all get a drink so we can celebrate what will happen tomorrow. It is going to be amazing."

"I will get the drinks," Martin cut in quickly. "I will sort out beverages for all of us, so we can celebrate. Do not worry, Luke."

He moved swiftly to the bar, his mind racing. Luke's obliviousness to Edwin's intentions left Martin feeling more anxious than ever. He had known Edwin long enough to recognize the malice that lurked behind his seemingly playful jests. Edwin's jealousy and bitterness had always simmered beneath the surface, and now, with the wedding so close, it seemed to be more obvious than ever.

As Martin ordered the drinks, he tried to strategize his next move. How was he supposed to keep Edwin away from Luke without being obvious?

Since Luke was completely fooled by his cousin, it seemed impossible.

With the drinks in hand, Martin made his way back to the group, a forced smile plastered on his face. He handed out the drinks, keeping a close watch over Edwin, who accepted his glass with a suspiciously polite nod. Still, Martin was wary. Very wary.

"To Luke and Mary!" Edwin toasted, raising his glass high. The group echoed his cheer, clinking their glasses together. Martin took a small sip, his eyes never leaving Edwin. He needed to stay vigilant. "The wedding is happening in the morning, and then he will be tied down forever."

A thick ball of worry lodged itself in the base of Martin's throat. He did not like that statement at all, it put him on edge. Even if Edwin did not get the chance to do something nefarious at this party, Martin was not convinced that he would let it go. There was still plenty of time to act badly, even when everyone went to sleep.

"To Luke and Mary!" someone else said, triggering a cheer from everyone else. "To their special day in the morning."

"To Luke!"

"To Mary!"

"To the wedding!"

Martin tried his hardest to join in, but it was not the easiest thing for him to fake. His mood was sinking increasingly lower by the minute. Even as Luke patted him on the back, he could not smile.

Not when Edwin was sneering more obviously now.

That man had a gun in his bedchambers.

If Edwin did not want Luke to make it to the morning, then who knew what he might do?

Well, all that meant was that Martin would not be getting any sleep. He did not mind attending the wedding exhausted as long as Luke got there alive. If it meant he had to sit outside Luke's bedchambers all night long to ensure Edwin could not get inside, then that was exactly what he would do.

Edwin was not going to win.

He was not going to outwit Martin. He had picked the wrong enemy here, which he was about to find out.

Martin paced up and down outside of Luke's bedchambers, his heart racing with each passing second. He was growing weary, but increasingly aware that something could still happen. The way that Edwin had looked tonight, it had unnerved Martin too much. The more he drank, the darker his eyes became. The angrier he had appeared.

Martin jumped every single time he heard a noise. There were too many people here, too much going on. Even at this very late hour. The preparations for the wedding were still underway, which left Martin with the silence he so desperately needed.

How was anyone sleeping in this mess?

He paused for a moment, trying to steady his breathing. The dimly lit hallway felt stifling, and he could feel the tension in his muscles refusing to relent. Martin glanced at the heavy wooden door of Luke's bedchambers, contemplating whether he should knock and check if his friend was alright. But what would he say? What if Luke was already asleep, oblivious to the turmoil outside his door?

He was alright anyway, Martin knew it. He had been outside these doors ever since Luke went to bed.

A sudden creak from down the hall made Martin flinch. He cursed under his breath, his nerves frayed. Every footstep, however light, had him on edge. He could not stand any of it.

The more he paced, the more he allowed his thoughts to wander, and Martin's thoughts kept circling back to Edwin. He had always been intense, but tonight, there was something different in his demeanor, something threatening. The way Edwin's eyes had burned with an unspoken fury, the way his lips had curled into a sneer as he watched Luke as he drank and talked about his upcoming wedding ceremony—it all hinted at something sinister.

He wrung his hands anxiously, thinking about the gun Edwin had hidden away in his closet.

That damn gun.

The dinging of the clock, alerting him to the next hour, only put Martin more one edge. It was now three am, a terrible late hour that seemed to amplify every small sound, every faint rustle or distant whisper. Martin rubbed his temples, trying to fend off the throbbing headache that was forming.

Another creak echoed through the hallway, this time closer. Martin's heart leaped into his throat as he turned to face the direction of the noise. He squinted into the dim light, straining to make out any movement in the shadows. Anything that he might need to act on…

Just as Martin's hand curled into a fist, a figure emerged from the darkness. It was a servant, a young woman carrying a tray with a pitcher and cups.

"Sir," she finally whispered, bowing her head slightly, "I did not mean to startle you. I am just bringing water for the guests."

Martin exhaled, forcing himself to relax. "It is fine," he said, though his voice was tight. "Just… be careful."

"Do you need anything?" she asked him cautiously. "Perhaps guidance to your bedchambers?"

Martin gritted his teeth. "I do not need a thing," he practically growled. "Thank you very much."

The servant nodded and hurried past him, disappearing into one of the adjacent rooms. Martin resumed his pacing, his thoughts now racing even faster. Half of him hoped that he was just being paranoid and that this would turn out to be nothing. But the other half of him just wanted Edwin to do whatever it was he had planned, so he did not need to remain in this horrible anticipation any longer.

What was that?

This sound was different.

Martin could not put his finger on what had troubled him, but his heart began to race. It sped so quickly all the tiredness that had been fogging up his brain. He felt more alert than he had ever been before.

Those footsteps were hard and heavy. It seemed like they belonged to someone who had spent the evening getting intoxicated. Martin's heart raced in his throat as he stood to attention, trying to see who this person was before anything else could happen.

Is it…?

It was pitch black, but this was definitely the silhouette of a tall gentleman, one who needed to lean against the wall to keep himself standing upright. Martin tried his hardest to swallow back all his fear as the person, who was clearly unaware that he was being watched, continued to stumble towards him.

The man was mumbling as well. Talking under his breath. While Martin could not pick out any of the words the man was saying, he knew that voice all too well.

The moment was here.

"Edwin?"

The man's head snapped up, blinking furiously as he tried to work out who was in front of him.

"M-Martin, what are you doing?" Edwin stammered. "I am just…"

But it did not matter what he was about to say. Martin's eyes darted downwards, and he saw the item clutched tightly between Edwin's fingers.

The gun.

"What are you doing with that?" Martin demanded, fury lacing his tone. "Why are you here near Luke's bedchambers?"

Edwin did his best to tuck the gun behind his back and to hide the weapon as if that was going to make it any better. But Martin did not care, it was far too late for that now. Edwin's intentions were clear, and there was no way that he could wriggle his way out of this.

Hopefully, Edwin understood that, and he would not do anything stupid.

Martin's heart pounded as he took a step closer, his eyes locked on Edwin. The dim moonlight from a nearby window cast an eerie glow, highlighting the tension in Edwin's face. Edwin's hand trembled as he tried to hide the gun, but Martin's unwavering gaze made it clear that the attempt was futile.

"Answer me, Edwin," Martin pressed, his voice low and controlled. "What are you planning to do with that gun?"