Chapter 44: Chapter 44

Oliver was standing in front of the shelves in the family library.

He sometimes thought it was enough to just spend time there, surrounded by some of the rarest editions of books. He was trying not to think about what had happened last night, so he'd come here.

He hadn’t seen Callum in a day.

Again.

He turned his attention back to the rows in front of him. Oliver had begun understanding why Callum preferred it here.

It was different from the one Tennyson had in his study not only by size.

The collections here were much more different and wondered how many years it had taken to gather them, how many generations of noblemen had held them in their hands.

A great number of them were on political topics, but Oliver found with a surprise the collection contained various other types of stories in other genres.

The books were prevailingly in English, but some were in German and French.

There were also some in Chinese- Callum's.

He followed the spines with his fingers and then moved his hands over the masterfully decorated covers with unfamiliar symbols drawn on them.

Oliver pulled out one which had a a golden dragon drawn on the black covers. He examined the illustrations inside with interest. He'd never seen anything like this before.

He heard the door open and saw Liam.

The Lord closed carefully behind him and leaned on the tapestry-covered wall.

Oliver returned the book quickly back in its place, but Liam said.

"No, you can take it, although I can't say if it's a good one. I can only advise on the German ones."

Oliver nodded and took back the book in his hands. He looked back at the man.

Every time Liam was in the room, he could swear it felt like the temperature dropped.

It was the first time he was alone with the young master and he could swear the library was getting colder by the minute, despite the big fire in the fireplace.

Liam's perfect, never crumbling composure added up to the impression of a distant, unreachable figure.

An impression perfectly fitting for someone who'd be standing alongside the future head of the Parliament, and maybe one day- the leader of the government.

Oliver nodded at him.

"Thank you, Sir."

Liam kept his distance and continued standing unmoving by the door when he said.

"I prefer being straightforward, Mr. Abram. It will save us both time. "

He sounded very much like all the men who he was going to succed one day. Oliver said.

"I'd say it's always beneficial for both sides. "

"It is. "

"Is there any way I could help, in that case?"

Liam looked at him.

“You’ve been doing a lot for us.”

“I believe it’s my job. “

“I am not going to discuss your duties.”

He said and Oliver stood straighter.

“What I came to say, “ Liam continued, “ is my brother is often impatient and doesn't stop to think or consider things over. I'd even dare say he never thought how much a possible bad outcome would cost him. He's always been ready to jump at something at first opportunity, ready to sacrifice himself even if it wasn't absolutely necessary, or if there was another way. I thought it gave him something. A thrill. "

Liam's dark eyebrows formed a thin line and Oliver remained standing opposite him

"But now I see it wasn't that. And I've noticed a change in his behavior recently. It's... It's like he hesitates before he does something. He looks at you and he thinks twice. "

"I am only trying to help."

"No, I know. He tells me the things he finds appropriate to share with his brother."

Oliver was instantly alarmed.

He hadn't expected Liam to come and inquire about what Oliver and Callum did together, of all things.

And if Liam had noticed anything and was against it, Oliver was in the biggest trouble he had stopped thinking about quite some time ago.

Associations of the kind and prosecutions meant the end for him at this point. At any point, in fact.

Liam most likely noticed Oliver's pause and added.

"No, this is not why I came here. Let's say I'd close my eyes if it means Callum's more... himself. And I think he is when he's with you. "

"Thank you, Sir. "

"As I said, he seems more, maybe not entirely level, but he's trying to be. It might be thanks to you. "

"It's thanks to him."

"However you choose to word it. Just don't abuse the power of your arrangement."

Arrangement. That was what this was, of course, Oliver thought.

Liam's pressed his lips together and it looked like he was battling with himself whether to continue and say what was on his mind. Oliver took a step closer

"If you allow me, if you didn't come to ask me about this, then?.. ."

"Callum has always liked to see the good in people, Mr. Abram. It one of his weaknesses. “

“What’s the other?”

The words had left his mouth before he was able to stop them and Liam regarded him. He went on, ignoring the question.

“But I prefer the truth."

Oliver knew where this was going.

"Which is?"

"I remember where I knew you from. It wasn't the army, although it's no secret to anyone who sees you you've been there."

"I don't mean to undermine your words, but I've never denied I have been a soldier."

"No, you haven't.  And I did see you in Charles' manor. But as far as my informants tell me, you were also never his servant and you didn't really work for him. You only spent a few months there, because you were in fact supposed to come here. That was what had been planned from the very beginning."

Oliver closed his eyes.

"Does he know?" the lord asked. Gravely.

"No, no he doesn't."

Liam pushed away from the wall.

"I think Callum deserves to know the truth. I don’t about the rest, but my brother thinks you still work for Charles. It was one of the reasons he trusted you in the first place."

The Lord opened the door and said, without turning

" Tell him or I will. "