Chapter 18

Catherine was awake and he watched her poking the fire in resemblance to his manner the other day when he felt like dying of heartbreak. He inquired 'Are you alright, love?'. She ignored his words as she was lost in the day's event when Oliver took her to check on different stalls. 'I presume this guy is not as handsome as Richard we can check out his stall! What do you say, Cathie?' remarked Oliver at one of the stalls they walked towards. Catherine asked him 'What do you mean?' as she was quite infuriated by what he said. Oliver yelled at her 'You know what I mean?'. She never saw him behave in such a manner, he was both sarcastic and provoked. She said, 'Just because I was being nice to Richard! It incited jealousy in you!'. Oliver didn't agree and said, 'Jealous and me! No way, that is not the problem!'.

Catherine retorted, 'Yes, you are envious of him? And I didn't even know him that well!'. Oliver interrupted, 'And yet you are all over the moon when you see him! I think we need to reconsider . . ..!' Catherine remained silent for a good minute she was double minded now. Catherine protested, 'No, we don't! You are just taking it too far! We are good and everything is fine!'. Oliver said, 'I don't think that now is the right time to say anything! I need to leave and you reconsider about us again! Because It feels like you do not need or desire me at all! It is all in the way you look at him! Just reflect about what you really want?'.

Johnathan took Catherine by the shoulder and steady her up in the couch beside the fireplace. 'What is the matter? Is there something you want to share with me?' he inquired. She snivelled a little, asked him for a hug. After which she told him that she was good. She left to bed before him. She just didn't know what she actually desired. 'Oliver was right!' she thought. She was aware of her feelings towards Richard. She wished that her mother was at home as she need her opinion on that Johnathan was a gentle soul but not the right person to share her trouble with. Her mother didn't visit Italy since the day Johnathan arrived first to Keswick. It was a big deal for her and she needed her here.

She fell for Richard and never realised that was the case. He shone the brightest like the way when she first glanced at him. He made her happy thinking about him and imagining him. He was just like his Uncle Crimson in appearance. At least his face was and Catherine knew that and that is what the people in town said about him. But he was different in character to him. He was a gentle, kind, fair, and loving soul. Catherine daydreamed about him for days till they the day their postponed lake visit day arrived. Johnathan was also eager to meet Rosalie at the Lake side that day.

Rosalie was happy wholly as she would not be there for Johnathan, but he would be there for her. Angie told her to get ready as Uncle George would drop him to the Lake side. Richard got ready and George sat in the foyer. Richard told him, 'Let's go Uncle!' George asked him about Rosalie, 'Is she not joining you with all her friends?' Angie told her, 'She has gone to a neighbor's house and is assisting their daughter with some matters! She didn't share the detail about anything else!' George appeared concerned and he didn't further inquire. Angie asked him to not let our handsome mister wait outside. He went outside and escorted him to the lake side where Catherine, Nora, Johnathan and Eliot waited for him. Catherine's eyes shined like the black pearls who met Richard's eyes and he turned his gaze. Catherine felt embarrassed a little as it sort of discouraged her.

Nora went to Richard and held his arm. It blazed Catherine's heart into a scorching fire. She desire to hit Nora's arm and separate them. Then at that instance when Eliot said. 'All of us are here!' to which Johnathan asked, 'Rosalie is not here!'. Richard nodded in agreement and disappointment could clearly be seen at his face. Eliot retorted in a humour manner to, 'Hey Johnnie boy! Don't worry . . .. we are all here for you, deary dear!' Oliver joined them just then and Catherine didn't desire to see him. She turned her face sideways not to look at him. Nora and all noticed that. Oliver greeted all of them and they greeted him warm-heartedly. Then they all went to boats in pairs of three. Johnathan, Nora and Eliot rode a single boat and Catherine, Richard and Oliver rode in the same one.

Catherine was still in doubt but she talked to Richard about what North England was like? And many things about that place. Oliver felt like an outside in half an hour the spend on the boat. Richard sensed this hostility that Catherine created and stirred it up by talking to him. 'So, Oliver I haven't get an opportunity to talk to you at all this week! How are you and when are we having the grand wedding?'. Catherine instinctively leaped in surprise to hear it from Richard she thought that he knew nothing about it. Oliver smirked a little in malice and replied, 'Soon, real soon! I wish we could have it, today!' Richard responded, 'I am really good to see an excited groom! I wish I could as well be as excited about such an event but I am happy for you both!' 'Why is that you can be excited about an event like this for yourself!' asked Oliver. 'That is because I see many ladies but I have not quite come across one I can say she is the one!' said Richard. Catherine now felt like ghosted as Richard was quite exhibiting a good amount of interest in his topic by now. Oliver was quite careful to use the right questions to make her feel like Richard is not even thinking about her.

'Oh no! Don't get me wrong you are so desirable that the committed, engaged and married ones will be open for proposals!' as Oliver remarked. Richard sensed a little strangeness in the manner Oliver put such a proposition to his treatment. But he was calm and without any malice replied, 'I would simple deny any such proposals! I may make such a mistake naively of being involved to such lady but if I am aware, it is a big no on my part! I would rather kill such hopes that to alight them!' Oliver by now had done his part and Catherine now knew that she had no opportunity with Richard in any sort of relation such as that of courtship or lover ship. She was quite abashed and dismayed with how Oliver made him feel at that time. He took revenge from her quite capably and she now was quite distant to both of them. Richard was quite aware to what Oliver did right there he could sense it. He thought 'Nora cautioned me about Catherine's interest in me. He was aware that it was essential at that point what happened!' The boat was about to reach the deck but it turned into an unpleasant ride but only for the three of them. Nora, Johnathan and Eliot enjoyed the ride, they had a lot to talk about, and they took a long turn in the lake but yet they reached the deck before them.

As the boat stopped Johnathan looked at them and Richard climbed the deck first and he assisted Catherine to ascend it. He walked toward them as he couldn't wait to just talk to Richard. At that instance Oliver asked Richard for assistance to ascend the deck. Nobody knew what he intended except for Catherine who sensed malevolence in his manner. He held Richard's hand and tugged him off the deck. Catherine let a scream out as she watched him struggle in the lake. Richard was sinking and Oliver thought that he would just swim out without any effort. He wanted to affront him by drenching him in water. It turned out to be a fight for life to Richard. Johnathan's walk turned into a sprint and he jumped after him instantly. Richard held his breath but couldn't swim out. His shoe were too heavy to let him do so. He took struggle to take them off and succeeded in making his weight light. But he passed out in that attempt. He caught a sight of Johnathan's face while fainting due to suffocation. He held him from his waist and took him to the surface.