Chapter 29: Chapter 29
"I found a spider. " Jenny announced and sat heavily on the chair, pulling it closer to the dinner table. "There are spiders the size of cats in here!"
"If you cleaned better, we wouldn't have them, " Percy said and she tore a piece from the bread near her and threw it at him.
He caught it and ate it.
"Hey, that was mine, " Della complained, and Adelia scolded them "No shouting, eat your meals, come on."
Oliver gave Della some of his and she smiled briefly before muttering a "thank you “.
They were just finishing with their dinner when Thomas appeared and told Oliver he needed to be upstairs. The butler never ate with them, which was both to their relief and annoyance, as the man mostly thought of himself highly enough not to share his meal time with the rest of the servants.
Oliver gave the others an "I don't know what this is about either", kind of look and headed up.
He expected Thomas to escort him like he always did when Tennyson called for him, but this time the butler said only
"It was Lord Callum who asked for you, I'm sure you know the way by now. He's in the library. "
He said it dismissively and in a slightly annoyed manner. It was like Oliver was wasting the man’s time when the butler was more needed elsewhere.
“Horse arse,“ Oliver thought and headed up.
Oliver found Callum reading on the sofa, a glass in his hand. There was also a half-empty bottle on the table next to him.
Callum looked up from the book at the opening of the door and gestured to Oliver to take a seat.
"No, thank you." Oliver crossed his hands and looked at him pointedly. “What can I do for you? “
The Lord sat straighter and said.
“I called you because…”
Oliver wasn’t going to interrupt him, or say for him outloud whatever the Lord wanted to say, so he remained quiet and kept looking at Callum pointedly.
“Right, be difficult. “
Calum glanced around the room and said “Liam thinks it would be better, if...if next time I take someone with me during my walks. “
"And what do you think?"
"I think he can shut up and mind his business."
He picked the bottle up and Oliver said "Good night, Cal. "
He headed out when Callum protested.
"Wait, no. "
The lord got up and put the brandy down. Oliver noticed it was with great caution, the way people in their cups were careful not to break or drop anything, even while doing the simplest things or conducting basic tasks.
"Wait. I'm sorry .I really am. “
Oliver didn't reply, but he didn't proceed to the door further either, so Callum said
"I think so too. He's right. As always. And what happened last time was because I had been completely stupid and everything was my fault. "
"Go on."
“I was just lucky and it wasn’t so bad. “
“This is true. And?’
"Do you want me to ask you? "
"I don't know what this is about so I'd say yes, you will need to tell me. "
"You're upset with me."
Oliver shook his head "I'm not, I'm just thinking you're very different when..." he didn't say sober and stopped himself.
"No, never mind, it's not for me to say. What can I do?"
"I don't want to make you do something you.."
"I told you in the garden you can count on me, I'm not in the habit of backing off from my words or running away conveniently when the opportunity presents itself. "
Callum stilled.
Oliver remembered his conversation with Percy the other day and realized he was probably going too far, even though Callum couldn't know what they'd discussed. He knew he was again letting himself slip too much emotion into a conversation, which was supposed to be only between a servant and his master. The other evening hadn’t mean onything for him , probably, but Oliver was more used to that outcome of such encounters.
Yet, everything with Callum had been so unpredictable and not following any rationality.
Oliver cleared his throat and said
"Look. I need to apologize too. We somehow got on the wrong foot with this conversation." Callum rolled his eyes, and Oliver snorted.
"Fine, I know. But let's perhaps start from the beginning, shall we?"
"Do you want me to sit back down reading and you will come in? Or do you mean further back?"
Oliver laughed and he knew Callum was back to his more amused self.
"Two minutes back seems reasonable. "
"Yes, well. Good evening, Oliver. "
Oliver pressed his lips together, trying not to either burst out laughing or do something else; the “something else” bit would be absolutely unthinkable right now, so he said
"Good evening, Cal. How do you feel these days?"
“I am much better, thank you. “
They were both trying to suppress a smile and Callum said.
"I...need to do something. I have to meet some people. Xiao. "
"Okay. "
"And those people are not in London. Do you..." the lord looked away "Do you want to come with me?"
"God, Cal. Of course do. I don't know what you do, but if I could help you, or if I were able to do anything to stop you from hurting yourself ..."
"I'm not. Not this time. So you will come? "
"Always yes."
Callum nodded.” Thank you."
"No, nothing to thank me for. When?"
"We're leaving tomorrow. You don't need too many things." Then he added quickly "I don't need help packing my things as well. "
"Yes, I already know that. "
Oliver didn't ask where they were going, or what for, or for how long.
It was the same as what he always did when he was sent somewhere, especially in his past- he thought none of those details really mattered anyway and he was only going to efficiently bring what was most necessary with him and hear for his task.
This time at least he wasn’t going to let Callum risk own his life, whatever that risk included and was for.