Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 212: Lydia’s Carelessness.

Chapter 212: Lydia’s Carelessness.

Morning.

Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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Mr Granger, Edmund came along with Jeremiah and his crew the third day even though Jeremiah didn’t have to be there as he should be preparing the glasses.

Once the designs were finalized and permits obtained, the foreman, Mr. Granger, led his crew into the parlour. His team of burly men set about their task with quiet efficiency. They carefully removed the heavy furniture, draping it in protective coverings. The grand piano, the plush armchairs, and the intricately carved bookshelves were all moved to safer quarters.

Jeremiah was acting as a contractor as the rest worked.

"Gentlemen, we have our work cut out for us. The temporary supports go up first, then we can begin the demolition." Edmund said.

The men worked tirelessly, installing steel beams to support the ceiling. The sound of hammers and drills echoed through the mansion, mingling with the distant chirping of winter birds outside.

Shade who was watching from the shadows with a scowl whispered. ’I still think this is unnecessary.’

Lydia smiled reassuringly at the invisible man, ’You shall see, Shade. It will be worth it.’

Suddenly her eyes narrowed when she remembered, ’Now what might you be doing here?’

’I had come to check on you,’ he claimed in a whisper.

She shook her head, ’Thank you, you may return to the gates please’

’Of course, it is getting colder, I would need a brewing kettle Lady Theodore’ he complained.

’Go to the kitchen, Shade’ she sent him away, her eyes searching the area for a hint of him so she could glare.

She was starting to see why Theodore had restricted the man or creature from seeing her, he was a stubborn handful.

She sighed when his presence vanished and that was when her eyes clashed with Jeremiah’s, he lifted his cup of tea as a sign of greeting after holding her eye for almost a moment, she nodded but couldn’t muster a curtseying smile.

She missed her husband.

She walked uppstairs and stood by the grand window of their bedroom, her fingers tracing the delicate patterns of the lace curtain. Outside, the vast mansion sprawled in serene beauty, but her heart was starting to feel an ache. Theodore had been gone for two days on a hunting trip, and each moment of his absence weighed heavily on her.

She missed his presence, the comforting warmth of his embrace that made her feel safe and cherished. His scent, a blend of earth, leather, and a hint of his manliness, lingered faintly in the room, teasing her senses with memories of him. She closed her eyes, recalling the way he would pull her close, his strong arms enveloping her in a hug that spoke of love and protection.

Theodore’s grunts, those low, reassuring sounds he made when he was lost in thought or acknowledging her in his quiet way, echoed in her mind. They were a part of his rugged charm, as were the small, almost imperceptible smiles he reserved just for her. Those fleeting expressions of affection and amusement were treasures she held dear, signs of a deeper bond beneath his stoic exterior.

Sigh.

She missed him and would jump on him the minute he comes back, she thought.

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Afternoon,

Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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"Pick him up" A barked order reached Lydia who sat watching her books and sipping tea, she wasn’t exactly reading, she was merely enjoying the view, her fortune and missing Theodore when the familiar sound reached her. She promptly vacated her cushion to rush to the parlour where the commotion was coming from.

"Please, please... Lord Theodore!, my lord..." another voice flowed to her ears.

Her steps carried her to the room and she was surprised as her eyes met her husbands proud and broad shoulders, "Theodore you are back" she said but he doesn’t acknowledge her making her frown as her eyes settle on Blanc and an unfamiliar man grabbing onto Jeremiah as he pleaded like they were dragging him to hell. "What is happening here?"

Theodore finally looked over he shoulders, his face looking tired with eyebags she felt shaken, "Oh gooseberry it is nothing you should bother yourself with, I would be right up soon enough" he assured her, but that only deepened her frown, "Theodore, why is my glassmaker being hauled outside the mansion like a burglar?"

The Theodore mansion dropped silent and it was suddenly as though ice started to rush up the walls like frozen debris blanketing the walls as Theodore did a small turn to face her, his eyes hardened.

"Your glassmaker?" he asked.

She blinked realizing what dropped the weather, she cleared her throat to reduce the iciness, "I mean the glassmaker, but since you’re paying for his work for a while I thought he is mine now"

"No, nobody but me is ever yours" he declared.

"Practica-" he cut her objection off.

"Whatever way, Lydia, Only I am yours," and she swooned at that comment, ’Kiss me’ she longed to say but simply gulped at the intensity in his eyes as she bit down on her lower lip, Theodore’s eyes narrowed on them.

"Where are you taking the glassmaker? What did he do?" she brought the attention back to the topic at hand.

"He tried to demolish my mansion and the glass he intends to add to the guest parlor has no leather and is see-through," Theodore alerted, his brows sky high waiting for her reply.

"Oh? But I reckon it’s good, it will be better that way so when they are guests over, whatever guards they have protecting them will not have to step inside and can simply watch over their employers from outside the mansion through the glass," her explanation weighed a lot but Theodore didn’t like the idea.

"Lydia, I do not want a transparent house," he bellowed, him mentioning her name outside the bedroom made her feel sad. He must be disappointed.

"I um-" she started but he cut her off with his opinion. "It could have a bigger skylight but please not see through glass," he could never completely refuse her anything.

"I would be in my office" he said curtly leaving her in the middle of the room with the awkwardly standing men and silence.

"Let the rat go," he ordered and immediately Blanc released his arms, the Glassman rubbed on his wrist pathetically while the other man followed Blanc outside and walked away.

"Theodore?" She called but he didn’t answer, she didn’t even know he was back and this hadn’t been how she expected their meeting to be, living in a big mansion made it hard to keep up with everything going on.

"Theo..." her gasp cut her call off as he breezed past her like she didn’t just reach out to him.

She glanced at Jeremiah and she didn’t appreciate the look in his eyes, though he was quick to wipe it off, he looked pleased with himself.

"Pause the work, if you could take a rest outside" she said through a frown before turning to follow her husband.

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Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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Lydia followed her husband to his office, her heart pounding from feelings she couldn’t put a name on, "Theodore?" she called as she opened the ajar door wider, her eyes connected with his and she felt her inside shudder, goosebumps coating her arms as she moved further inside.

Silence stretched as she moved closer to him, his shoulders were tight and she wished to relieve him off the stress wrapping them but the way he held her gaze made her stay a few feets away from him, "Theo-" he cut her off with a question, "Who is he and where did you pick him?"

She doubled back and appeared insulted as she called back, "I beg your pardon?"

He ran his tongue over his lips before he repeated, "The glassman, where did you find him?"

"I... I did not find him, you sent him" her words came out sharp and cold.

He rolled his neck as if the stress was pressing him and she wondered if she was the stress, "Lydia?" he growled.

"Yes Theodore you are scaring me" she confessed her eyes darting around.

"He is a stranger!" he roared, making her catch her breath.

"One you sent to the mansion and was allowed to my doorstep!" she pointed out, her voice shaking from raising its octave.

Theodore almost scoffed. "No one let him in, he just showed up here?"

Lydia’s eyes narrowed as she cocked her head, "Are you accusing me of something here, Theodore what might that be?"

"Carelessness!, I went away for two days and there’s a man in the mansion" they were people out to get them and she shouldn’t be this nonchalant, he could lose her.

"I thought you knew him" she countered

"I have seen him once before but I would never..." he trailed off, his eyes widening, he remembered the man, the red haired man from the marketplace! "Shit!" he sprang out of his seat intending to go interrogate the fucker.

"Theodore?" she called but he was moving ahead.

"Do not leave me alone again!" she shrieked, her voice dripping with dejection, she missed him and she hated that they kept fighting.

He paused his eyes wide, "Gooseberry..." he drawled, his voice dripping with regret and exhaustion.

He sat back down slowly while she moved to stand between his legs, she took a seat on his lap, straddling her hips.

"Theodore, please do not let your fear or insecurities rule us" she whispered, her fingers tracing his jaw, and feeling a few scruffs.

’My fear is losing you and I do not mind it ruling us,’ he replied mentally, unable to voice his face.

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