September 1856

The clouds dissipate and a stage comes forth, one that I thought never I'd see again.
Fire crackles in the parlour room where four individuals sit.

My hands curl into fists at seeing the one with raven hair and pitch black eyes.

Dannoso Maleece laughs at something his companion says.

The person's green eyes and red hair glows like embers as he glances at the fireplace.

Red headed Henry and Dannoso?

Please, that is not me. Look closer.

A giggle echoes, but in my head.

And stop giggling, Kathleen.

Squinting my eyes, the person seems a bit different than Henry now, other than just the hair. Henry's eyes seem more peaceful and collected, but this person's seem more like the silence before a storm.

Then it suddenly clicks.

One of the two women-- one almost the copy of Kathy and Matthew-- at the other side stands up and goes to Percival, placing a hand on his shoulder. He turns around with a smile.

“Marietta and I will have to take leave now. Mother’s already waving her cane from outside.”

“Send her mine and Harriet's regards, Estelle.” He takes her hand and swiftly kisses it.

“She will come in the morn to see how poor Harriet’s doing with her fever.” Estelle frowns a bit, her hand still remains on Percival's shoulder.

“I wouldn't expect anything less.” He squeezes her hand.

I look away, as the smile grows larger on Estelle's face.

But then my focus on the floor breaks with Elizabeth, the house maid, hurries in with the women’s cloaks.

Both Percival and Dannoso stand up, as the women take their cloaks.

Walking out, Marietta glances back at Dannoso with a smile.
He bows and nods, as she leaves the room. Estelle looks in between the two with tightened lips, but makes no comment.

“I think it is time for my departure, as well,” sighs Dannoso.
He takes a few more steps, but Percival's hand on his elbow stops him. Dannoso looks at the intrusion with a raised brow.

“I still have so many matters to discuss with you, Dannoso.” Percival lets go of Dannoso’s arm and proceeds to the fireplace, looking at the flakes of fire left.

“And they are?” Dannoso asks.

“Why the haste, cousin?”
Percival turns around, hands wrapped behind his back.
“Truth be told, I never thought I'd see Aunt Adelia’s child. The one who died with her at the news of the untimely death of her husband.”

Dannoso just stares at Percival, but then a grin grows on his face.
“I should have known you'd figure it out sooner or later.”

“And I also know you have a lunatic uncle back in Italy, some estates here and there with no conceivable background and quite a mysterious past.
A past that surely Marietta's parents would like to know.”

The grin on Dannoso’s face falls into a solemn line.
“How do you know all this?”

Percival rolls his eyes, walking over to the table with a bottle and two glasses. He pours red wine into the latter.
“Knightleys are a resourceful breed.”

But then Percival looks at Dannoso straight in the eyes, handing him a glass.
“I know you didn't come to England to reconnect with family.
All I'm concerned with is your attachment to my fiancé's friend.”
Percival sits back in his seat, swirling the wine.

Dannoso does the same, but still standing.
“Should you not be more concerned with your brother's secrets being dug out of the grave once again?”

Percival stops swirling the wine.
“My brother may be a fool, but he did nothing wrong.”

What secrets?

Not our story to tell,
Lindsey.

A grunt releases from me.

Dannoso sits down and takes a sip from his glass.
“I don't think that's what your society may conclude.”

Percival puts his free elbow on his knee, while the wine glass hangs on his other fingertips.
He actually laughs.
“It appears, as though, we are at a match.”

“Well, you never know how unpredictable your own shadow may be, dear cousin.” Dannoso smiles into his glass.

“Not when you know your shadow has ambitions not yet satiated.
Not when you know your dearest cousin will never lay a hand on anything related to his mother, especially her blood.” Percival sits back into his seat.

“Are you not interested in the reason for the falsehood?” Dannoso asks, brow raised.

Percival waves a dismissive hand.
“Digging out corpses from their graves does not intrigue me, like it does you.”

Dannoso’s hand remains still on the glass, unmoving.
“This gives me an idea of a bargain.”

At that, Percival raises a brow.

Dannoso says,
“We are both men whose families have done them more harm than good.
Like my uncle faking my mother’s death and then resulting in her damnation.
Like your brother’s ignorance resulting in the Knightleys almost being near bankruptcy.
I must say, I'm impressed for how long you've kept this secret, even if  it meant managing an estate you had no experience for.”

Percival sighs, and Dannoso smiles into his drink.
"You forget the Maleeces also are a resourceful kind, Percival."

“And your reason for stating the obvious?” Percival furrows his brows.

“Family helps family, cousin.
You don't tell Marietta's parents about my past more than I want, and in exchange…” Dannoso puts his glass on the floor.
“And in exchange for that, I shall sign some lands of mine, in both Italy and England, in your name.”

Percival also puts his glass aside, his hands forming a prism at his chin.
“Why do you think a few properties will solve my problems?”

Dannoso flicks a hand at Percival. “You're a clever man. Clever enough for business.
Invest and invest some more.
Industries have only started to fruition in your land. Take advantage of that.”

"Again, that isn't useful. The industrial revolution started a century ago. I will be stepping into an already saturated field."

"Legends are neither too early nor too late. All you need is ambition, cousin."
Dannoso stands up and proceeds to the window behind him.
“Miss Estelle may be tolerant of your falsehood, but your sister's future husband may not. And any children you may have...”
A harrowing night howls outside.

Dannoso stays there, while Percival thinks.

No… That's not how we got the lands in Italy and the company…

… Right?

Henry and Kathy don't answer me.

I place a hand at the back of my stiff neck.
Cold and pale.
Like a corpse.

“I shall accept on one condition,” sighs Percival.

At that, Dannoso turns about.
“Which is--”

“When you marry and take Miss Marietta with you, you shall not barricade any correspondence between her and Estelle.
Estelle loves that girl too damn much.”

Dannoso flicks his arms about.
“What if she tells Miss Estelle of all my plans? What will your fiancé think of you then?”

Percival stands up, raising a brow and crosses his arm.
“Controlling wives is the husband's job, dearest cousin.”

He crosses the length in between them till he's only a few centimetres away, facing him.
“That is my condition.”

What the hell!

Your internal screams made my ears bleed again, Lindsey.

Will you two quiet down?

My arms fold against my chest, eyes rolling.

Dannoso runs a hand through his hair and stares at Percival's outstretched hand.

After a moment, he takes it.
“Blood is thicker than water,” Dannoso concludes.

But Percival shakes his head, grin taunting.
“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the womb’s water.”

Cold wind slices my dried lips as they part, unable to say or think anything else.

Dannoso laughs and shakes Percival’s hand.
“Well played, cousin.”
With a final shake and pat on Percival's shoulder, Dannoso turns to walk out.

He passes Percival's still shoulder, the latter rubbing his chin.
“Tell me one thing.”

Dannoso’s foot stops at the doorway, only Percival's back facing him.
“Do you love Miss Marietta or your plans?”

Dannoso doesn't turn around, his voice travelling for him.
“I need her.”
With that, he struts out of the parlour.

“Love and need are not synonymous.”
Percival walks over to dying embers, picking up his glass.
After giving it a good look, he smashes it against the bricked fireplace.

When my head stops spinning, my feet settle within a semi-alit room with someone else's shoes pitter pattering.

Marietta walks to and fro with her arms conservatively wrapped around her body, but not from the cold, from something I can't pinpoint.

The door creaks open and comes forth someone whose path I want to block by angling a foot in front of him.

Dannoso squints his eyes as he steps in. He sighs at seeing Marietta pacing,
“One would think you're not my wife by how formally you invited me here.”

Marietta looks at him from the corner of her eye, pulling a stray blonde strand to her ear’s back.
“What are you going to do with Meredith?”

Both of Dannoso’s brows raise.
“Meredith? Whatever a father does for his heirs.
Train them.”

“For what?” Marietta flicks her hands about.

Dannoso rubs his nose bridge, while crossing his free hand on his chest.
“I pardoned you before.
Told you that you could leave with the twins.”

Marietta takes a few steps forward, standing straighter.
“And leave Meredith with you? And where would I go with the twins, all my assets being here?”

Dannoso’s face remains emotionless, as he holds his arms out, stepping forward.

Marietta scoffs.
“I won't trust you with Meredith. Nor with the twins.
Not after what you did to me, to someone who loved you with every speck of her soul.” The blow on her chest by her own hand would have shattered it, but Marietta stays still.

I flinch.

Dannoso rolls his eyes.
“I'm sure you also loved your parents when you left them for me.”

Marietta sucks in a breath at that, as if drowning.
"And how convenient that they died after my coming here."

Dannoso again takes a step ahead, but Marietta moves back, breathing shallow.

“I am only cruel when I have to be, Marie,” Dannoso rasps in a low voice, as if scolding a child.

Thunder bursts against the window panes. Water showering down like blood after a war.

“Look at the silver lining, Marie.
You shall be East of Eden’s very own Mother Mary when I succeed.” A grin grows on Dannoso’s face, as he brushes off non existent dust from his coat.

Marietta's face pales.
“Mother Mary’s only child was crucified…”

“For the greater good,” laughs Dannoso.
He turns on his heel, towards the door.
Marietta grows paler.

As soon as the door opens, three children spill into the room, toppling over one another, not more than seven years old.

Dannoso steps to the side, while the twins run over to their still mother.

Meredith also follows suit, but stops midway.

"Meredith, come here to Mama." Marietta holds a hand out for her, voice as sharp as a glass shard.

Meredith looks back at Dannoso.

The latter bends down and gives out his hand to the former. His voice is softer than a lullaby.
“Come, Corvo.”

Meredith looks back at her mother and siblings.
"Meredith, please," Marietta sighs deeply.

Dannoso says,
“The alike must stay together, Corvo.”

My eyes just keep juggling in between the two parties.

Dannato and Cruento mumble something to each other, but nothing out loud.

Fiddling with her hands, Meredith nods slowly. She takes Dannoso’s hand and he smiles.

With one fleeting glance, Dannoso adjusts Meredith is his arms and leaves.
The twins and Marietta remain, the rain mourning with them.

I'M ALIVE

Hullo everyone, I hope y'all are good ❤️
I was writing something else and then remembered that I needed to post this deleted scene and voilà!

Like the original route I've taken, Lindsey finds out about Percival and Dannoso's bargain through the final battle with Meredith.
At first, I was going to write this scene, but decided to drop for the reason Kathy's already said in '68. Instruments of Our Souls':

"You couldn't have removed Meredith without confidence in yourself.
If a blow like that can't shatter your perspective, then nothing can."

Plus, this was weighing on my word count.
Hence, the first scene was replaced with exposition through Meredith and the second with Marietta talking to 15 year old Meredith, her whining and storming out and her powers smashing Dannato against a mirror.

And yes, Dannoso is very emotionally manipulative person, who only considers religion as a means for personal advantages.

Still though, I thought I ought to show this to tease a bit of what will be discussed in Matthew's novella, "Symphony of Lilacs".
You'll find out Percival's brother's secrets there and how his "ignorance" nearly bankrupted the Knightleys.

P. S. Symphony of Lilacs has been published!

Media Box Song:
Dynasty by MIIA
I just felt it perfectly described how Marietta was feeling by the chapter's end.

And guys, I watched Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and I LOVED IT SO MUCH
DO WATCH IT GUYS EVEN IF THE TITLE SOUNDS ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS AND RIDICULOUS

TRUST ME, IT'S A HELLA ENTERTAINING COMEDY WITH THE PERFECT AUSTEN ROMANCE AND AMAZING VFX AND ZOMBIES

Just a warning, you're going to need to be open minded while watching if you're a strictly P&P fan or a zombies one.
But trust me, it's the best of both worlds.

I hope you all have a great week!

Love,
MS Zame