Goldilocks!

–·Thud!

Rochester slammed the hard back of a big book against the surface of the desk before him; panting hard.

''How did all this madness come about?'' he asked his Butler in an alarming tone. From the look on the skinny man's face, he seemed pretty much as confused as him.

Simon gobbled down a lump the moment his gaze landed on him. Rochester's orbs were fuming hot so much so that Simon felt like his skin was about to get melted off his body due to his master's rage.

Simon began to worry.

Judging from how unstable his boss's mood was appearing to him right now, something about his conduct caused Simon to conclude that it clearly had something to do with the girl he brought back from Griffinwald with him: Ms. Hazel. Simon felt genuine pity for his boss because of how he kept scratching his hair and pacing about with one hand on his waist. He looked distressed, pretty much and Simon wished he could perform some magic that would cause him to feel better.

''Answer me this, Simon.'' the Butler lent his boss a listening ear whilst he spoke again. ''How did I allow myself to become so careless? Also what extra ingredient did you pour into my drink last night?'' Rochester asked him.

''Eh.. boss. I honestly don't understand what point you are driving at. Also, I did not add anything extra to the wine I served you and ms. Hazel back at that inn.''

''You did not?''

''No, boss. I did not.''

''For the last time. Simon, are you sure that you did not?''

''I am very certain that I added nothing extra to your drink.'' Simon reiterated.

''Fine, then!''

Rochester declared with a tone of authority and as his eyes towered with fury, Simon cringed backward in a manner that reflected that he was frightened.

Upon seeing this, Rochester decidedly peeled his gaze from him to look outside the window instead.

His peek of the outside view was an enchanting premise. The trees stood erect in their roots, bold and full of vigour brooding such colourful leaves that jolted a blend of sweet fragrances around the garden. The flowers seemed well groomed and oozed out delicateness just the way Rochester loved them. The birds fiercely danced into the flames of the rather hot afternoon. Yet the breeze managed to dampen the glimmer of the blazing sun.

By his calculation, the time should be some 3.00 p.m.

But he wasn't too sure.

As he kept his eyes fixated on the outside environment, he stole a glimpse of her.

Her, who could cause his burning anger to dissipate as it had just done just by watching her running clumsily about the garden whilst she tried to catch up with the blue birds who had hurriedly taken to flight.

Rochester could not look away from her that easily and yes! She was his blindspot after all.

He observed her retire her little legs from running so much, and whilst she sat back down on the tiny slab facing the flowers, she entwined her delicate fingers around the lush petals of a purple rose flower. Rochester's eyes watered up from seeing her smile so happily and ponder so innocently. She was always the inquisitive one and he was certain that she would be running up the walks into the Study to ask him about her new discovery the instant she learns of his return.

Rochester found himself smiling without reason and when her childish laughter trickled into his ears, he relished the sound of it and did not know when he shouted an exclamation of it.

''My beautiful Goldilocks! Look how beautiful she's grown!''

''Master.. '' Simon's voice was coated with a little bit of worry. ''Are you by chance talking to yourself?'' he asked.

Rochester, turned to look at him irritably.

''Simon!''

''Yes, Sir..''

''Thank you for reminding me just now. When did Grace start allowing Little Adele all out in the open to play by herself?''

'huh.. Little Adele is out in the open?'

Simon spent a minute to digest what his boss had just inferred by his talk. Leaning forward, he stole a peep of the docile beauty jumping ecstatically about the garden.

''Oh! I can see the Little Miss. She seems like she is having a fun time.''

''Of course, she is. But is she supposed to be out of her room by this hour? Imagine if Hazel had seen her, what next?''

''Oh! That.''

''Yes, that! Help me call that woman, Grace. Tell her she has a number of things to answer to.''

Simon left his vision at once. It almost seemed like he had not walked out of there but had instead disappeared from plain view. Rochester chose not to indulge in such a line of thought. He had more serious matters to deliberate upon and Simon was definitely the least of them.

________

Rochester sighed exhaustively, and slumped back in his chair. 

Alone, he allowed his thoughts to digress from Hazel to Giselle after exhaling deeply.

'How did the situation experience a 360 degrees turnaround? I was supposed to search for Giselle not end up getting her cousin pregnant. Why did I even get to meet Hazel in the first place? This is all too bad. Very bad especially with that person coming to visit soon. I should never have agreed for Hazel to accompany me back to the manor.'

The deeper Rochester sank in his thoughts, the more he felt compelled to clear his mind of all weathering storms.

Rochester sat still and aimed to abolish all negative imaginations from his mind. Granted, his mood was not so great over a lot of instances, but he would not allow himself to sissy much about it.

It took him a few minutes to couple his thoughts back together. But once he'd done that, he put out his hand to pick a book that wasn't too far from his reach. On the back cover was boldly engraved the words 'Scion Of Death.'

Rochester flipped through a couple of pages but stopped abruptly to think on something.

''I wonder if Gretta has put Hazel to her place and offered her something to eat. Would it be wrong if I bothered to check on her one last time? Moreover if she is really carrying my baby, then behaving a little less toxic is the least that I can do..''