by Lily Orevba
“Hannah!” Tears ran down his face unrestrained. “Please Hannah,” he whispered but she was gone and he was left standing alone in his room, surrounded by red angry flames.
***
Leaving Stuart alone couldn’t have been a good idea, but Alice needed her sleep. It had been three days since she had a full night’s sleep because her mind was occupied with thoughts of Gloria.
Finally feeling her eyes droop, she looked forward to laying her tired body on the bed but Stuart was unwilling to fall asleep. He instead stayed up studying a book. Alice knew she couldn’t order him to bed but she also knew she wouldn’t make it if she was required to stand for much longer.
When Stuart ordered her to bed, she couldn’t have been more thankful. She trudged to her room which was right next door to Stuart.
Placing herself gingerly on the bed, she drifted to sleep. Darkness surrounded her, peace filling her heart for the first time in days. However, her peace was short lived when she heard a heavy knock on her door. Ignoring it, she turned to her side and closed her eyes.
“Miss Alice?!” The voice sounded frantic.
Alice wanted to disappear to a house where she’d be allowed to sleep for as…
“Miss Alice, wake up! Wake up! It’s an emergency! You need to come out!”
The words were strong enough to jolt her out of bed with one man on her mind: Stuart!
***
Howard’s fingers trailing down Gloria’s arm left a burning desire on her skin. Gloria’s mind could hardly process the words he spoke as he absentmindedly caressed her arm: a sensation she decided she absolutely loved.
She closed her eyes and let her mind focus on the feelings that were created in her just by his touch. She felt like she could drown in them.
She felt him withdraw his hand and her eyes immediately snapped open to find him staring at her.
“Did you even hear a word I said?” he asked, raising a brow.
She blushed and shook her head, choosing honesty.
Howard let out a small laugh before pulling her against himself. Her head came to settle on his chest and she planted a light kiss on his chest.
“We should get some sleep, sugar. Tomorrow, I have to go over the preparation for the ball with Father who insists on one.”
Gloria felt sorry for Stuart. She could see him grow increasingly restless and she knew what that meant. Just like her father, Gloria knew a time was coming when Stuart would become angry and his anger would lead to violence once he begins to lose his memory. It was the worst feeling in the world watching the same thing that killed her father attack Stuart and just as she had fallen in love with Howard, she loved Stuart dearly as well.
She nodded to Howard’s words and closed her eyes. What did she ever do to deserve such a perfect life? A husband who loved her more than anything, a wonderful father in law and a lovely home? Every time Gloria was in Howard’s arms, she knew she belonged there; she was born to stick to his side.
A loud banging on the door jolted Gloria upright. Surprised, she turned to find Howard pulling on his clothes; he heard it too.
“Sir?!” A frantic voice called: Bradford.
Gloria watched Howard’s expression fall as the same thought ran through their minds at the same time. Stuart was in danger.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Father!” Howard yelled, racing frantically down the hallway; his father’s room felt miles away all of a sudden.
There was a fire and it had started in his father’s room. If he didn’t hurry, his father would die.
He could hardly see past the white cloud of smoke that covered the hallway. He knew he needed to get everyone out of the building as fast as possible before the fire got the chance to spread.
“Gloria!” He paused in his tracks.
“Howard!” she called. He was surprised to find her by his side.
“You need to get out. Bradford, get my wife safely out of the building. I’ll find my father and I’ll get him out,” he barked the orders, smoke filling his lungs.
Howard didn’t wait for their response, his mind working frantically to get to his father. The house could burn down for all he cared, but he needed to get his father out.
Something bumped into him in that second, staggering him.
Hands shooting out, he took hold of the figure’s shoulders.
“Alice?” He had almost forgotten about her. It was urgent everyone got out.
“Howard!” She clung to him. “It’s…”
“Alice, Get out, right now!” He detangled her hands from around his waist and kept moving.
He could see the red flames that burned in his father’s bedroom, blocking the entrance. His eyes searched frantically for Stuart as he stood by the entrance of the room.
“Father?!” He turned around in a small circle, looking for something, anything to quench the flames burning at the entrance, in order for him to pass through. It almost felt like Howard was the only one standing before the flames and he knew if his father was still in the room, then he’d hear him calling for him and he’d respond.
Howard would have heaved a breath of relief if the next thought that entered his mind didn’t fill him with fear. Stuart could be in there, perhaps confused due to his disease. His father could be burning to death and still have no idea anything was happening.
Pulling his shirt off, he wrapped it tightly around himself and filled his lungs with what was supposed to be clean air. Taking a step forward, he immediately felt the intensity of the heat. He was close enough to glance inside without getting burned but he still couldn’t see past the white smoke.
Deciding that he’d rather die trying than leave his father to die in a fire, he took the next step inside, a step that brought him face to face with the blazing hot fire.
***
Alice jolted out of bed and rushed to the door. The second she pulled it open, smoke assaulted her senses. A maid stood before her, her eyes filled with fear.
“Stuart!” Alice yelled, not stopping to think. She immediately headed for his door but his room was already engulfed in flames. “Stuart!” She made to go into the room but something held her wrist captive. “Let go of me!” she cried frantically.
“Everyone is heading outside, miss. I can’t let you go inside that room. The men are trying to put out the fire from the outside. Perhaps…”
“Does anyone have an idea where Stuart is?!” Alice maintained her position planted by the door way.
The maid shook her head solemnly. “The entire room was already engulfed when we noticed. Our main concern…”
“Stuart!” Alice let out a bloodcurdling scream, her voice bearing a striking resemblance to a wounded animal.
It was all her fault, she thought. Stuart was most likely dead because she was too lazy to wait up with him.
Alice didn’t argue as the maid pulled her arm and led her away from the fire that was hissing violently. Running blindly, Alice bumped into something and nearly fell backward. Firm hands took hold of her wrist, steadying her.
“Alice?”
Relief flooded her features as she fell into his arms. “Howard!” she cried. “It’s all my fault…”
“Alice, get out, right now!” Howard ordered, releasing her hold on him as he jogged toward the flames.
Alice knew, as she ran out of the front door, that whatever resulted from the fire, would all be her fault.
***
With her heart thumping loudly in her chest, Gloria raced down the stairs, praying and hoping that Stuart and Howard would be just fine. But something in her knew Howard would put himself in danger of being burned in order to save Stuart. Fear gripped her heart. She couldn’t lose Howard. Not now!
Her heartbeat doubled in speed as she turned to Bradford. “Was Stuart spotted in the room when the fire…”
Bradford shook his head. “It was too dark for us to see anything. Our main concern is getting everyone to safety and I came as soon as I heard of the fire to inform…�
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Hope sprang up in Gloria’s heart. Stuart wasn’t spotted, which meant he probably wasn’t in the room. Perhaps he strayed off when the fire began. Gloria knew it was an unlikely scenario but she also knew Parkinson’s didn’t render Stuart invisible. Stuart, hallucinating or not, would not be getting burned alive and not let out screams of pain...
She glanced around frantically. Stuart was somewhere, she knew it! Yet, Howard was about to put himself in danger. Her heart was torn between her father-in-law and her husband.
“Go back! Find Howard and stop him from getting into the fire.”
“He’ll never listen…”
Gloria shook her head, knowing Bradford was right. Yet, she couldn’t lose Howard. “Tell him Stuart is safe and sound outside. Tell him everyone’s outside…”
“I’m afraid…”
She held Bradford’s collar and glared into his eyes, tears stinging her eyes. The thought of losing Howard was powerful enough to knock the air out of her lungs. “I don’t care what you think, but I’m not losing my husband! Go!”
She released his shirt and bolted out of the door. Running past the small crowd of staff that gathered outside, she saw a handful of men battling the fire from the outside.
Gloria knew she had to find Stuart even if she wasn’t sure she was right. Would Howard forgive her if Stuart was indeed trapped in the fire and perhaps passed out due to the smoke? What if she was wrong? She didn’t stop to contemplate the consequences of her actions. Deceiving Howard could cost her his love but she was willing to risk him hating her and staying alive than have him die loving her.
Her night gown swept the ground, picking up dust as she raced down the grassy slope.
“Think, Gloria!” she heard her breathless whisper. “Where would a man with Parkinson’s go after almost being killed by a fire he caused?”
Fear…
She knew fear would make Stuart run and hide! The realization seemed to strengthen her legs as she continued to race through the estate.
He was hiding. But where?
Her eyes darted from left to right even if she couldn’t see a thing in the darkness. Gloria turned back to look at the mansion, her senses worried for Howard. Thick smoke had engulfed the entire building, rising to the black sky above.
Smoke. Fire. Water!
The thought hit her like an arrow as she hastened her pace.
Water! Stuart, in his confused mind must have gone in search of water! The thought nearly made her burst out laughing but for the urgency of the matter before her. She needed to find Stuart as soon as possible, knowing Howard must have come out of the building by now and must have realized he was tricked to come out.
Gloria knew there was a lake somewhere but her frantic mind couldn’t seem to come up with its location. She had seen it once when she was exploring the property with her mind coming up with different schemes to conquer Howard. She smiled a little. It was ironic how she wanted to conquer him but he ended up conquering her.
She knew the lake was far from the building, and the men trying to put out the fire weren’t getting their water from it. If they were, they probably would have seen Stuart.
“Stuart!” Gloria yelled, air filling her lungs. She was exhausted beyond words but she knew she couldn’t stop now. “Stuart!” She staggered briefly, her leg muscles aching.
It was too dark to see anything and she was beginning to feel the need to give up. She needed a horse if she was going to make it to the lake and going back without Stuart was not an option. She was stuck!
Yet, she couldn’t disappoint Howard. She couldn’t give up on Stuart!
She bunched her night gown in her hands and began racing again. It wouldn’t be for nothing! No, it couldn’t be for nothing! She had to find Stuart!
Determination pumped through her veins, strengthening her.
What if she was running the wrong way? Gloria knew it was the middle of the night and with the darkened sky, she couldn’t tell where she was going. Tears stung her eyes.
“Stuart…” she whispered, weakened. “Please…”
A soft sound caught her attention. Not stopping for a second, she turned sharply in the direction of the sound and scanned the surrounding bushes, excitement filling her bones. Stuart!
“Stuart!”
“Hannah?” he called back.
Relief flooding her features, she raced in the darkness to the location of the voice. Pushing some heavy bushes aside, she found Stuart sitting by the lake, his gaze searching his environment.
Staggering toward him, she fell to her knees before him, wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, tears falling unrestrained down her face.
“Thank God! Oh, thank God! Stuart!” She kissed his neck, her body shaking as she wept against his shoulder.
She felt his arms come around her as he tightened his hold on her. Gloria felt her heart leap at the sight of him but she knew she wouldn’t always be able to save him. She knew she was powerless against this disease that ate at his mind and body. She knew she would lose him, sooner or later and the thought alone left her weeping against his shoulder.
CHAPTER TWENTYONE
The heat of the fire was powerful enough to cause the hair on Howard’s skin to rise in fear. His face began to hurt just by standing so close to the fiery flames, but he couldn’t turn back, not without his father.
Muttering a short prayer under his breath, he made to take the next step into the fire when a loud sound from the hallway stopped him. Turning sharply, he listened again to make certain of what he was hearing.
“Stop!” Bradford yelled.
“Bradford?” Howard took a step away from the fire. “Bradford!”
“You can’t go in there, everyone’s outside.”
Howard took the next step away from the fire and began jogging toward Bradford’s voice. He pulled to a stop the moment he sighted the butler.
“We have to get out of here!” Bradford pulled his arm, but Howard was unmoving.
“My father?”
“Outside!” Bradford yelled. “We have to go, sir.”
Howard offered a small nod before racing out the house with Bradford.
Once outside, the gush of clean air that washed over Howard’s face was a welcomed relief from the smoke and the heat of the fire. His eyes scanned the small crowd in search of Gloria and his father.
“Where are they?” He turned to Bradford when he couldn’t find them.
The butler shook his head solemnly. “I’m sorry, sir. I had to get you out.”
Howard could feel his face burn red with anger as he watched Bradford stand nervously before him.
“You said everybody’s outside!” Bradford shook his head and Howard fought to keep his knees from giving out beneath him. “Where’s Gloria?”
“I have no idea. I left her standing by the door way, she made me promise to get you out of there.”
Howard clenched his teeth. “Where’s my father?” Bradford stood before him, shaking like a leaf. “Bradford, where in Hades is my father?!” He yelled, drawing the attention of his staff to himself.
“Howard, oh thank God!”
He heard Alice’s voice but didn’t turn to acknowledge her. For all he knew, his father was dead and the only person responsible for it was his insubordinate butler. Get everybody out! That was all that was required of Bradford. But no, not only was Stuart missing, Gloria was missing as well.
A part of Howard wanted to rip Bradford apart but he didn’t have the luxury of time to engage the butler in a brawl. He needed to save his father!
With one final glare, he turned to go back into the building but someone took his wrist captive. Upset, he wrestled against the hold on him.
“I can’t let you go in there, sir! The second floor might cave in any moment from now and you’ll be killed,” Bradford insisted.
Howard yanked his arm free and turned to the door, angry. He’d deal with Bradford later. But as he made to go back in, some men
stood before the door, blocking his path.
“Move!” he growled.
“Howard, please listen to reason,” Alice pleaded.
“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you, Bradford?!” Howard yelled. “Just one! My father’s in there, burning to death. My wife’s most likely in there as well—”
Alice shook her head frantically at his words. “I saw Gloria race out the front door. By the time I came out, she was racing in that direction.” Alice pointed forward.
“Gloria’s not in the house?” Howard heaved a breath of relief briefly.
“She believes Stuart might not be in the building as well. If we find your wife, we might find your father.”
Bradford answered with a nod.
For a brief second, hope sprang up in Howard’s heart; hope that his father and his wife were somewhere in the estate, safe, and hope that he wouldn’t be losing anybody tonight.
“I want half the men trying to put out the fire to go in search of Gloria,” he began to bark his orders.
“That is insane! The fire has already spread to the next room…”
Howard didn’t care to acknowledge the protesting men. “Right now! I don’t care if this building burns to the ground! Find my wife and pray my father’s with her.” He turned briefly to give Bradford a disapproving look before racing toward the direction Alice confessed to have seen Gloria go.
***
The sun was beginning to peek through the clouds when the occupants of the Sullivan estate began to slowly make their way into the mansion. The cooks were busy trying to whip up breakfast while the maids tried to clean up the building that was affected by the fire. Every property in Stuart’s room was burned to ashes. Alice lost her room and her belongings as well. In the end, the only person who came out of the ashes of the fire unharmed and triumphant was Gloria.
Alice could feel her face turn red with rage as she watched Gloria take the glory for being the one to save Howard and find Stuart.