The Baroness Misbehaves
Chapter 56: Finding Cassian (1)

Chapter 56: Finding Cassian (1)

Madeline’s scanty long lashes squinted tightly, and shortly after her eyes snapped open. A short sharp gasp escaped her parted lips as she sprang from her slumbers and impulsively sat upright. She immediately turned on the light of the lamp that rested on the side table, brightening up the room and relieving her heart that she was nowhere else but her own room.

Although she felt relieved to some extent, her heart continued to drum exponentially as beads of sweat lingered on her forehead. She just had one of the most frightening nightmares that didn’t relate with the tragic incident of her parents, and she felt out of breath due to how scary it had played in her mind.

Turning her head to the empty cold space beside her, Madeline’s slender brows knitted when she realized Cassian hadn’t returned as promised. Her eyes snapped to the clock on the wall, and it was already moving past 4am.

After waking up from her uneasy slumbers, Madeline couldn’t remember exactly what she dreamt about. She couldn’t picture the nightmare she had after waking up, but the dreadful feeling in her heart made it clear that it wasn’t a good dream at all.

"Cassian." Her heart drummed in fear just at the mere thought of what could be taking him so long to return. He told her he wouldn’t stay out too long, and that when she woke up she’d find him sleeping right beside her, but now she has woken up, and he isn’t here.

Pushing the blanket aside and getting out of bed, Madeline moved to the window to confirm if Cassian was back, but after staring out through the double sliding glass window, she realized he didn’t leave with his carriage.

It was safely parked at the corner of the building, which means he didn’t leave with Amade either, and the idea of him being out there alone increased her worry.

’He left for a really long time, why isn’t he back yet?’

Madeline couldn’t describe what she felt presently but it made her really nervous. She could only hope and pray that Cas was doing fine wherever he was, and that he’d return back home safely once the sun was out.

In the morning when Cas still didn’t return, Madeline took a stroll through the long empty corridor, feeling restless from the dream she had last night, and maybe having a little conversation with Inna might help ease her trembling heart.

In one of the study rooms where the door was left ajar, Jeremy, who was seated before his study table and going through a tons of list that involved the disappearance of people, lost his focus after catching sight of Madeline who strolled past his study room.

The image of what she did to him by piercing his hand with a fork still hadn’t escaped his mind. He wanted to follow her and get his revenge, but remained seated when the butler showed up from nowhere and bowed his head.

"Lord Jeremy, your father has sent a message that he wants a list of your ideas concerning the missing people before tonight."

Due to the butler’s intervention, Jeremy could no longer go after Madeline, and he dejectedly sank back to his chair. His expression twisted into annoyance but he didn’t bother to vent it on the butler.

"Leave." He dismissed Frederick who bowed once more and stepped out of the study room, closing the door with a light bang.

Thank goodness he was able to tell Jeremy’s intention and stopped it on time. With Lord Cassian’s absence, he’ll have to keep a close eye on the new lady to make sure she doesn’t get into too much trouble with the rest of the Lords.

Keeping that in mind, Frederick walked off.

Reaching Inna’s big double doorstep, Madeline knocked on the door, and it took a few seconds before Inna opened the door to see who had come to keep her company this morning. She was expecting Adeline, but her eyes widened slightly in surprise after seeing it was Madeline.

"Oh, it’s you." Inna made way for the worried woman to come in, and she closed the door when Madeline got the message and stepped into the lovely spacious room of Inna.

The pleasant scent of lavender filled the air in her room.

"Is everything alright, you look worried." Inna emphasized after studying the expression on Madeline’s face. Apart from that, the young lady was nervously fumbling with her nails.

"Shouldn’t I be?" Madeline’s worries grew as she paced back and forth. "Cassian still hasn’t returned Inna, and I can’t get rid of the feeling that he might be in serious trouble."

"I warned him not to leave last night, but it was all pointless since I knew he wouldn’t listen." Inna shook her head as she equally grew concerned that her brother was nowhere to be seen. "I think I still remember the location of the house he went to visit, we’ll go there after breakfast so no one suspects a thing."

"Do you think he’s fine?" Madeline stopped pacing and turned to look at Inna who hummed while taking a deep breath.

"He has to be fine. I know my brother."

After finishing what she said, both ladies heard the sound of a riding carriage entering the building through the gates, and when they went to peer out from the window, hoping it was Cassian who had returned, it turned out to be Elaine’s carriage.

"Mother’s home." Inna said in relief when she watched her mother step down from her carriage, but then the relief vanished and was replaced with anxiousness.

She knew her mother would certainly ask for Cassian once she came up the stairs to meet them. What will she say??

"Should we tell her?" As though reading Inna’s thoughts, Madeline asked her a question, wondering if it would be better to let her mother-in-law know about what was going on.

"Cassian wouldn’t want that, and he would be very upset if we did, so no." Inna shook her head. "We’ll just tell mother he stepped out. Cassian was fond of disappearing from the house many times, but that antics of his reduced after he married you."

If Inna knew all it took to make her brother’s behavior reduce greatly was to get him married, she would have gotten him married when he turned sixteen.

"Shall we go down together?" Questioned Inna as she looked at Madeline. Fixing up her face in Inna’s standing mirror and trying to cheer up, Madeline nodded when she saw she was good to go.

Exiting the room and going down the stairs to the living room. The butler was already welcoming Lady Elaine with a gentle smile as he asked about the well-being of Madam Evelyn.

"She is alright, I’ve managed to convince her to attend the little event we’ll be holding for Cas’s wedding. It’s just one week away now so we need to start preparing." Elaine said with a smile and Frederick nodded, also beaming that the Duke had agreed to let the celebration hold.

"Inna, Madeline." Elaine called their names after spotting them standing at the side of the stairs, and Inna walked ahead as she went to greet her mother.

"Welcome, Mother." She bowed respectfully, followed by Madeline and she smiled at the two of them.

"I can’t even start to tell you how sorry I am for missing out on you my dear." Elaine cupped her daughter’s cheeks. "But I heard that stubborn brother of yours was there to keep you company while you came first."

Inna tried not to roll her eyes at the mention of Cassian. His presence was more of a nuisance, but who is she to complain?

"I got you lots of gifts, come, you too Madeline." Elaine beckoned Madeline over and together, they went up the stairs to look at the gifts Elaine had brought.

Just like Inna predicted, she asked about the whereabouts of Cassian, but the two of them were able to cook up something stating he stepped out early this morning, and Elaine didn’t push further since she was aware of how her son can really be.

After having breakfast, Madeline and Inna left the Duke’s mansion in Cassian’s carriage as planned. He still hasn’t returned and Madeline was thinking about the ways she would make him pay for worrying her to death.

It was a very long and bumpy ride to the lower East quarters. Thankfully, Inna could remember the location of the house, and when Amade stopped the carriage, they both got down from it.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Madeline asked for confirmation, and based on the note Inna had re-written before handing it to Cassian, she couldn’t be wrong about the place.

The area appeared desolate with only trees and bushes on each side. Looking up ahead, Inna noticed a trail of ashes colored smoke coming from a nearby direction, and ascending into the clouds as though someone had started a fire.

"Is that smoke?"

When the two ladies moved further with quiet steps to view what could be burning from that direction, Madeline felt her blood go cold, and her pupils dilated at what she saw in front of her.