17 Worried and ashamed

"What was she bloody thinking? Sitting on the freaking tiled floor?! Honestly! She is the one who planned to keep the baby and yet, stupidly disregard her freaking health. Sheesh!"

His Master's voice can be heard moving further and further away but it was still audible nonetheless. Gerard could not help but smile at Mister Mortcombe's choice of words despite his angry tone.

He wanted to go down and select a suitable couch for the hallway even though he thought it would be pointless. Instead, he assisted the young woman to her room first and assured her that the young man meant well.

"I know this is not a place for an old servant like me to intervene but Mister Mortcombe's words hold some truth, Young Miss. Your health is as important as the child in your stomach," he advised. Which he had to cut short as the Master of the House was not done with his windy tirade.

"I don't quite get it. Is my furniture selection too uncomfortable to sit on? Are there no cushions on the seats? Or should I just replace the floor with mattresses??"

The old man's eyes suddenly become wider as his mouth agape. 'Oh, no! I have to stop him before he does buy them!' He thought to himself and then faced the poor pregnant lady, "Young Miss. I'm truly sorry but I have to rush downstairs. Will you be alright by yourself?"

The moment the woman nodded, he dashed with his best effort in search for the young man who may or may not be doing something reckless. However, the ranting stopped and there was only quietness that greeted him, which Gerard found rather suspicious.

He paced towards the kitchen, where he last heard his Master's voice, worried the man might have started shopping on his phone. But to his surprise, the grown-up adult was opening and shutting the door of the refrigerator like a little preschooler trying to catch the light go away from their very eyes!

"Sir..." The man in uniform asked almost whispering. Somehow he had a feeling it was best to leave him alone but his brain was only a second behind from the power of his mouth.

Frederick's jump confirmed his intuition as his master's bewildered face came with his nervous stutter, "W-w-what? You need the fridge too? Go ahead."

* * * * *

Frederick did not wait for an answer. He strode all the way to his room before shouting, "Couch, Gerard! Please!" and slammed the door.

Thing is, he thought the door had separated him from the whole world when in fact, he had locked himself in the room with Audrey inside. His safest room is no longer his but his prisoner, the enemy! How ironic.

He went straight to his bed and drive his fists multiple times onto the soft innocent pillow. When the poor object looked disoriented and he was not yet appeased, he pulled the same unlucky pillow and screamed his heart out.

'This is so freaking humiliating!' He still could not get rid of the embarrassing moment in his head and heart. What possible excuse is good enough to explain why he behaved the way he behaved without it sounding like an excuse?

Frederick jumped out of the bed and opened the window, breathing in the hot summer breeze.

"Forgive me for disturbing your precious time but if it makes you happy, I'll do the baby bump photo," a smooth silky voice tickled his ears.

Shocked, he peered his head out of the window but saw no one. "Princess?" His voice filled with scolding threats as the villain now put half of his upper body out of the window.

"Yes?"

Again, he did a quick sweep. But this time, he had one of his arms holding onto the window frame and swung his body. Still, not a single soul can be seen.

"Where are you? I hope you're under one of these shady areas. If I caught you out in the middle of a hot scorching day, you better trust me when I say—"

"I'm at the door, sir. The wardrobe," her panic-stricken voice answered hastily while making herself visible to his sight.

Immediately, he pulled himself together and faced her, "Good! You should not be out there on a bloody hot midday. Even a cube of ice would melt!"

"I'll take note of it. Thank you. I shall retreat to my room now."

Frederick, who regretted spouting nonsense when he wanted to speak his mind, took five big steps toward her just in the nick of time before the door fully closed.

"Hey, you mean it? Do you really want to do it?" He beamed and asked for confirmation as he saw Audrey through the tiny door gap.

When she agreed, he was elated. He was excited to make sure she had the best memory created. A memory where no other Bloodsworth, apart from her and baby, will even achieve.

So the young lad rushed to one of the closest drawers and pulled out a DLSR.

"Good, let's start now. We'll do it in your room, first. Once you get the hang of it, we could spice it up."