Holder Manor Secret

On this snowy night, in the castle about nine miles from Holder's estate, a violent argument broke out between the duke and his young heir.

"I will never go back!" Vincent was a little emotional, and his blue eyes were dancing like candlelight.

This is a huge study room, many books are displayed on the brown-red bookshelves, extending from the lower part to the high roof, blending into the immersion in the darkness.The ground is covered with thick carpets, like a trap, which makes people fall deeply.

The Duke sat behind the table, his face shone with a warm light, and the wrinkles pooled around his eyes like a flowing liquid. "Be quiet, child. Don't lose your grace." He said softly, so softly that he lost his dignity.However, this gentleness was familiar to Vincent, his father was always gentle and calm.

Vincent took a breath. He lowered his head and straightened his cuffs, covering his expression in the drooping hair and shadows. When he raised his head again, the intense emotion had faded from his face.

There was an approving expression on the Duke's face.

Vincent's father, Ives, has only been a duke for ten years, and his title does not come from the family inheritance, but a gift from the king.Like many other noble children, Elvis received a good education and perfect protection when he was young, and lived a life of dreams and dreams in the capital.However, this kind of life has an inevitable end-he is not the eldest son of the family. In order to prolong his current status and wealth, Elvis must make some efforts himself.

Under current law, the eldest son inherits everything.Therefore, the second son of the family often chooses to join the army, and the younger children go to missionary schools.Strict inheritance laws protect the family's property and status from division to the greatest extent.

If there is no accident, Elvis will, like his other brothers, barely maintain the dignity of the nobility, and gradually slide down from the upper circles.However, during a card game, he got a secret message from the king's guard.

This is the first opportunity.

Elvis proposed to the king's mistress, for which he received a new title and lands.Soon after, the beautiful but stupid lady became pregnant, and even she herself could not tell the father of the child.But Elvis knew it well.After a brief moment of anger, he was suddenly swept by an indescribable excitement.

This is a second chance.

He raised the child with care and tried his best to educate him.This is the most successful work in his life, and he doesn't allow anything to spoil it.

"Father," Vincent calmed down, "I don't understand why you insist on going back to the capital. You know very well that those people in the capital don't want us to go back."

"They are bound to deal with us in the most cunning way, curse us with the foulest words, and stop us with the most wicked means. We may even be assassinated on the way..."

"Vince." The Duke interrupted him.He is still gentle, "Now is the best time. Of course, we will encounter some difficulties, but a nobleman will not stop for such difficulties."

"But father..."

"That's enough, Vince." The Duke interrupted him again, "It's late now, and we're leaving tomorrow. Now, go back and rest."

The Duke didn't want to talk to Vincent, he was too young, and young people were always a little unreasonable.He stood up from behind the table, wanting to leave.

Vincent stood silently, with a straight posture and broad shoulders, like trees bearing heavy snow in a snowy night.The light from the fire cast a shadow beneath him.

"...Even if I return to the capital, things will not go as you wish."

The Duke stopped.He turned around and stared at Vincent, his pupils were dark, like shadows behind the light.

"What are you talking about, my child?"

The Duke's voice was deep and pleasant, and Vincent felt a threat from the elderly, like a torrent under a calm ice surface, or a swamp buried under white snow.He remembered that when he was young, he accidentally broke through the mess between his mother and the king, and they made wild animal noises.He was terrified and ran to tell his father that he had fallen so many times that his knee hurt so much.And his father sat behind the desk and said in his ever-soft voice, "Vince, be a good boy."

His tenderness is the opposite of indifference.

"I'm not going to approach that woman. She's going to marry William and William's going to be king. Just as it was meant to be."

Vincent stared at his father with the same deep eyes, this man who relied on the marriage contract to enter the center of power, had long-term patience and tenacity.

The Duke thought for a while.

"Then, is it because of that Brooke?"

"I'm disappointed, Vince. Didn't we agree on this before? I thought you didn't learn anything bad from your stupid mother, but now, I'm worried."

The Duke spoke slowly and in a long sentence in the usual tone of aristocrats.His emotion fills every word, dripping from the mellow tones.

"You don't need to worry about anything, I assure you that everything will be properly arranged." Vincent stepped forward, his eyes were firm, shining like a sharp weapon.

"it's here."

he stressed.

The Duke lowered his eyes.

Same-sex love is too common among gentlemen. As long as it is not exposed, everyone can live in peace.The Duke didn't care who slept in Vincent's bed, but he had to punish the disobedient child accordingly.

He needs Vincent to be a good boy.

Nobody is ever a good kid.

"This Mr. Brooke molested my poor child for which I had to have someone come and arrest him to protect others from harm."

The Duke's voice was very calm, and Vincent's face changed, "Father, you can't do this."

"You know it has nothing to do with him! Isn't your current status enough to satisfy you? The minerals in this land are enough to afford any extravagant expenses. As long as you want, we can live a comfortable and peaceful life here. Why do you have to return? Royal capital, to expect something that does not belong to us?"

"No, Vince, you're wrong." The Duke cut him off, his emotions turned agitated, and a psychedelic glow and rosiness came to his face. "That is yours, and the whole of England will be at your feet! As long as you want. Vince, my dear child, as long as you want, you can have her."

The duke's eyes looked at Vincent, with fever and excitement, but his eyes passed through him, across the high mountains and low-lying rivers, through the gorgeous dresses and torn armor.

He was looking at the highest point in England.

Vincent stared at the Duke's face, this jester who was very famous in the capital, climbed to the side of the throne by relying on the hem of a woman's skirt, enjoying the spit and honor.He had a love of power, a fearful love.On the other hand, however, this love is deep and hidden, and it hides in the Duke's ever tender eyes, a tenderness that is empty.

"I won't..." Vincent's voice became hoarse, his throat moistened by red wine seemed to be wrapped in gravel, and there was an unbearable, rough pain.

"Vince."

The Duke's face was still flushed with excitement, so his voice was higher than usual, even trembling slightly.Yet his word is so strong that no one can contradict it.

He said, "Vince, I don't wish to hurt anyone. Neither you nor that Mr. Brooke."

He is even sincere.

Vincent could not doubt the Duke's sincerity.

Sir left.The fire in the fireplace gradually weakened, and the cold spread in the room and penetrated into Vincent's body.He stood alone in the cold.The Duke's words kept repeating in his mind, and his heart was stabbed countless times.

I can't protect him.he thinks.I need to see him, maybe for the last time.

The thought made him almost unable to stand.

Vincent walked out of the study quickly, and the Duchess stood outside the door. They had a short look at each other, but his mother remained silent like a dumb girl whose tongue was cut out, just like every time before.

She cannot protect him.

Vincent ran away, and the time was very short. He was like a beast preying in the dark and had to be fed before the light came.

Behind her, the Duchess returned to the bedroom slowly, carrying a heavy skirt.She's going to throw everything away and go back to the capital with an empty box, which needs to be very big to hold all the new jewelry and dresses.

Now, she's going to bed.