What Horace said startled and transfixed Clara. She tried to decode and understand his words- “Did he want to be with me again?”
It took her several seconds to digest this confession. When Clara recovered her composure, she pushed Horace away with all her strength, “I have told you that it is impossible!”
“Then, I will make it possible,” standing straight up from Clara, Horace untied the flannelette that bound Clara’s hands and feet.
Standing in front of the sofa, Horace said, “Clara, I know it is impolite and inappropriate to bring you here with your hands and feet tied; yet I also know that you will never see me again if I don’t tie you up. Now that I have said all I want to tell you, I’ll ask Isaac to drive you home.”
Then, Horace took out his phone and called Isaac, demanding him to come right away.
After Horace hung up the call, he stared at Clara and asked haltingly, “Clara, do you want to say something?”
Slightly rubbing her wrists, Clara shook her head. Apart from the refusal, she did not know what else she could say to him since their relationship had become so bizarre.
A shade of disappointment flickered in Horace’s eyes. He continued, “I still have something to say. Although I have already said the same thing just now, I want to confess my love again-my purpose today is to tell you that I will never give you up.”
“We…” Clara was interrupted when she was to declare her refusal again.
“Stop the impossibility. Clara, you are single now, so I can court you again. Moreover, I will never ever give you up even if you get married later,” Horace stared at Clara with determination.
“Do you want to be a home-wrecker?” Clara was shocked by Horace’s attitude-she had never seen such a Horace before.
“I’m willing to if I can be your fancy man. You are the only girl who I’ll spent the rest of my life with!” Horace answered.
Gaping at Horace with disbelief, Clara was made speechless. She wondered why he would have done those terrible things to her if he truly loved her so much.
Staring at each other, they both lapsed into silence.
There was a knock on the door. Horace cast another look at Clara before he turned around to open the door. It was Isaac.
Pointing in the direction of Clara, Horace ordered, “Drive her home.”
“Yes,” Isaac responded and walked towards Clara, “Mrs. Kirkland, let me drive you home.”
Clara found such a call quite awkward since she knew that she should not be called Mrs. Kirkland anymore because she had already divorced him.
“Isaac, I’d prefer you…” Clara stopped before she finished her words. After all, it was just a title or a way to address her and it would be more than strange if she overreacted.
“Mrs. Kirkland, what’s wrong?” Isaac was puzzled.
“Nothing special,” Clara shook her head, stood up and walked towards the door, “Isaac, can you please drive me home?”
She wanted to go back home by herself; yet she dismissed her plan when she suddenly realized that she knew nothing about where she was since she was “kidnapped and taken” there by Horace.
“My pleasure, Mrs. Kirkland,” Isaac followed her.
When they passed Horace, Cara did not even look at him. Instead, she walked straight out of the room. Isaac bowed slightly to Horace and said, “Mr. Kirkland, I will drive Mrs. home.”
“Be careful,” Horace looked worried.
“Yes, sir,” Isaac nodded his head and caught up with Clara immediately.
After they left, a wave of powerlessness suddenly washed over Horace. He lay down on the sofa and carefully smelled the scent left on it by Clara.
He wondered what he should do to get her heart back.
…
A twinge of conscience overwhelmed Isaac when he observed Clara through the rearview mirror and when her crying and begging in those days creeped into his thoughts. Had it not been for his decision to help Laura, Mr. and Mr. Kirkland would not be separated for all these years.
They met each other in gaze through the rearview mirror when Clara suddenly looked up.
“What’s wrong? Anything happened?” Clara asked. She was convinced by Isaac’s expression that he definitely had something to tell her.
Clara’s question pulled Isaac back into reality and he looked away from the mirror instantly. He swallowed some saliva nervously and said, “Nothing, nothing special.”
Mystified, Clara nodded at Isaac and again lapsed back into her thought, turning over Horace’s words. What did he mean by courting her again? What did he plan to do?
Ugh, no matter what he did, she was determined that she would never change her mind since she did not want to be hurt by the same person again.
Caught in a tremendous dilemma, Isaac stuttered hesitantly, “Mrs. Kirkland, I am so sorry. I was to blame. I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t…”
Isaac wanted to tell Clara that Laura was the mastermind of what happened years before and Horace had nothing to do with it. However, he could not utter a single more word when the truth was just in his throat.
Isaac’s words drew Clara back from her thought and reminded her of what had happened.
It was impossible for Clara to blame Isaac for nothing. Yet, she knew that Isaac just acted on Horace’s order, so he was not the main one to blame.
“It’s fine. After all, you had nothing to do with it. You just did what someone asked you to,” Clara said.
Clara’s generosity installed heavier guilt in Isaac’s heart, “Mrs. Kirkland, it was not what you think. I …I …”
Isaac tried to exert all his courage to tell Clara the truth, but he failed.
“Well, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Please, concentrate on your drive,” although Clara could feel Isaac’s sense of guilt, she did not want to be kept on that topic any longer.
At Clara’s words, Isaac became silent. However, he could not focus on his drive since at all he was still pondering whether he should tell her the truth.
They finally arrived at Hutchinson’s house. Clara opened the door and got off. She bade Isaac farewell and turned around to enter the house.
Staring at Clara, Isaac bit the whole story back. Confession of guilt was indeed very hard.
Clara saw Logan sitting on the sofa, anxiety coloring his face, when she entered the house.
“Logan, what’s wrong?” she walked over and asked.
“Clara!” Logan sprung to his feet as he saw Clara, anxiety dissipating and relief breathed out. He then said seriously, “Where have you been? I have called you several times yet I can’t find you. I am so worried about you.”
“You have called me?” Clara hurriedly took out her phone and noticed that there were several missed calls. “I’m so sorry, Logan. It was on the silent mode, so I didn’t notice your call.”
The guilt in Clara’s tone pacified Logan. He led her to sit down by him and said, “Turn off the silent mode. I was worried about you. So, where have you been?”