CHAPTER 11: Candy Acted
"Handsome young man?" asked Candy to verify what she heard.
"Oh heaven, yes! Haven't you seen him?" asked the old lady.
"No, unfortunately. H-he... had left before I could see," stammered Candy.
The lady opened her eyes in surprised. "I thought he was your..." but the she refrained herself from saying "fiance or husband". Instead she said, "He reminds me so much of my late husband of 58 years. That's the way he used to carry and look at me."
"How did he look like?" asked Candy. Her heat beat so much really curious to know more about Sam.
"Oh my, my, you really don't know who he was?" she asked in surprise.
Candy shook her head.
"He's young, tall, slender, tanned with brown hair," she said chuckled. "Really handsome, dear. Young people would call him hot." She smiled.
Hearing those words made her heart beat fast, instant rush of heat darkened her visioned, her head started to spin, hurriedly she held on the arm bench to balance herself. She dag her nail as deep as she could to her fingers to sober herself with the pain.
For the first time, she realized that Sam spoke with a Chicago accent instead of a British accent.
Chicago accent!Can't be Terry. Brown hair, tanned? Can't be Archie, Stear, ... or so did dozens of her closed circle of men from Chicago that came to her head at the moment except...
Neal? Neal!, she thought in alarmed. But, can't be! Sam is patient, mature, quiet... not at all like Neal...
"Does it ring a bell?" asked the old lady.
"I'm not sure. I only know that he found me when I was injured and helped me to recuperate," answered Candy like an open book.
"You should see the way he looked at you, the way he carried you and wrapped a blanket around you… And you tell me that he's just some random stranger you met on the street?" she looked at Candy in disbelief.
Candy finally realized the strange logic behind Sam's mysterious behavior. How could I be so clueless!
"I've got to find him," said Candy almost liked talking to herself. "Thanks, ma'am." Candy hugged her briefly and ran back to the mansion.
"Find him! Don't let him go!" she said waving to Candy. "Good luck, child."
Sam..., eh! I bet that's not your real name, thought Candy while waving back to the lady at the same time. Old and ugly! You lied to me, that means I can break my promise, too. I'll find you!
Candy was so determined to decisively uncover Sam's real identity. She ran as fast as her feet could take her back to the mansion. She banged the door impatiently until Dora came to open. Still gasping for air, she requested Dora to tell James to wait for her on Saturday.
"Don't say a word to James that I want to meet him before that."
Dora nodded. "Do you want to stay here, Ms. Candice? You're welcomed to stay at anytime," said Dora kindly.
Candy shook her head. Instead she hugged Dora and said, "Cooperate with me, help me… Help me to meet your master."
Dora nodded. "Don't worry, Ms. Candice."
Candy lingered in the nearby woods for a moment to cool down and to think about her next plan after meeting Sam.
I should go home, to Pony's home, after meeting Sam, thought Candy. Albert?
She thought sadly about Albert, the last straw that made her hesitate to go home. He more likely cared about her, otherwise he wouldn't invite her to come to London.
But, she sighed, Albert never says anything about what he wants with us.
She thought she had lingered long enough in the dark. Ms. Pony and Sr. Lane were getting older. It's always her dream to take care of them, to find a job and gave her salary to them. She had postponed this far too long.
The more she thought about it, the more she's confident with her plan. She would leave London and go back to America. If Albert didn't try to stop her, then she'd leave him. Feeling happy to finally have the courage to decide, she then walked back to the car to go home.
That night Albert saw Candy greet him with bright sparkling eyes which he thought she had left in Chicago.
"Did you meet Sam?" asked Albert automatically.
"No, but I have a plan." Her eyes sparkled more glamorously than he had ever witnessed.
Candy excitedly told Albert about what happened today in the Gendon Hall and her plan to meet Sam. Albert saw her spirit soaring high. The excitement, the energy was like the old Candy. She also told him about her plan to go home.
"Albert, I received a letter from Ms. Pony and Sr. Lane. It reminds me that I haven't visited them for a long time," said Candy. "When I was captured long time ago, I promised myself to take care of them. I have been postponing this longer than I should."
"Ah, that's just like you Candy. Always care about others," answered Albert, blandly+.
Her heart shrank one size smaller, feeling dejected. Part of her was somewhat hoping that he'd ask her to stay. Well, that's expected, though, she comforted herself. Albert was kind, but he never stepped outside that sphere of kindness and did more to bring their relationship closer together. Strangely, although she tried to deny it, part of her was relieved since that would mean, she'd be a free woman when she met Sam.
She hid her feelings by excusing herself to go back to her room to pack her belongings.
As soon as she closed the door, Albert threw himself to his seat.
She's leaving, he thought.
From her smile and excitement she showed today while talking about Sam, he perceived that she's still the same person after all. An idea began to creep into his mind that there's an undefinable something about Gendon Hall which changed her.
He's sure if he went down on his knee begging for her to stay and marry him she'd accept it. He couldn't care less that she's his legal daughter. Armed with the best lawyers in the world, he could easily dismiss that issue as if it were a non existent.
But after seeing such a big smile of her talking about Sam, he just couldn't do it... He's worried that she'd feel obligated to accept his proposal. She did mention that she's indebted to Sir William and was willing to do anything for him in return.* What if she regretted that and became unhappy for the rest of her life because of him?
They might be in a new step of life where they'd better be not together. That night Albert thought and rethought about his decision and finally, resolutely, he decided that romance should be out of their precious relationship. Their relationship should be left as it was without any romance.
oo
At the same time, Candy was staring at the Ardlay medal which she had worn since she was six, thinking about her guardian angel, Albert. Part of her was a bit disappointed that he didn't prevent her from leaving.
Feeling suddenly lonely , she said to herself, Anthony, I'll be back soon. I haven't visited you for a long time, have I?
She cried tearfully until no more tears left remembering the boy's kind face when he promised to marry her when he grew up.
Did Albert ever love me?, mused Candy finally when she calmed down. How to actually know when one finds her soul mate?
Her mind automatically swung to Sam. She trembled right away. Could it be like that? She withered imagining his decisive soul-wrenching passion. It's madness. Hopelessly, she felt overpowered by deep sensations streaking down in her stomach. She shook her head, thinking, Sam, what have you done to me?
She then held the Ardlay medal tightly in her hand, kissed it, and stored it in her luggage. She believed she should start to face life without it.
-ooOooOoo-
On Saturday, Candy met Albert first before leaving for the Gendon Hall.
"Thanks Albert for your help," said Candy.
She hugged him tightly. As she walked to the door, she's rather hoping for him to call her back, but he never did. Resolutely then, she opened the door and waved one more time.
From the window, Albert saw her waving to him with the prettiest of smile+. He thought, Oh, Candy... I'm losing you. I shouldn't leave you that day in Chicago. But perhaps this is a better solution for both of us...
ooOOoo
In Gendon Hall, Dora secretly arranged Candy to meet James successfully. Just before he left, at the last minute, she took Candy to meet him.
"James, take me to your master," said Candy.
"Ms. Candice, he's on a business trip, he won't be back for months," James said, off-guard. He certainly didn't expect to meet her.
"That's how he wants you to answer me, isn't it? He doesn't let me meet him, does he?" asked Candy looking at him sharply.
James was shocked to hear her answer. "Ms. Candice, no...," he stammered.
"Tell me James, have you ever missed someone who you are so much in love with?" asked Candy. "So much that the thought of her haunts you day and night. That you'd rather sit alone in the dark thinking about her rather than do anything else? That you spend every night crying yourself to sleep just to cry again in your sleep because you miss her just as much in your dream? That every footstep and noise you hear you're wishing that it's her just to have your heart stabbed when you turn around and find it's someone else. That laughter and cry mean the same because your heart was too full too feel anything else but her."
Overcame by her own emotion, Candy's voice started to fall apart, tears started to stream down.
James was stunt. He's an old man who had worked more than half of his life, but never did he encounter something like this. How different she looked now! She looked depressingly heartbroken. He remembered her endless laughter, joke, smile with his master... At that time, he thought she was not capable of anything less than smiling. How much she had changed. Likewise to his master since the day she left. He didn't know what happened between the two. It's far from being his business. But, he just didn't have the heart to see her crying.
"Ms. Candice, please don't cry," said James in alarm.
But Candy didn't stop tears ran unchecked, she's weeping in a passion of grief. Her petite body trembled in agony. But, other then the occasion suppressed sobs, hers was a silent cry. She pressed her handkerchief tightly to her face to suppress the sobs, eyes closed tightly. If it were a loud cry with whaling, James probably would just comfort her with some words of sympathy. But hers was silent, sharpening the senses of helplessness, hopelessness, powerlessness. James' kind soft heart mercilessly sliced.
"What's the use of my eyes if I can't see his smile, my ears if I can't hear his laughter," Candy continued. "Those lengthy prayers wishing him to show up just once, are never answered. They remain nothing but words that are trapped in my mouth, never make it to the heaven door. James, please, I beg you, take me to see your master. I never can repay your favor but I can tell you this, your help means more than my life itself!"
Candy cried again tearfully.
"Ms. Candide..." said James, panic.
James was a man who's well known for his integrity and dedication to his work. Everyone knew it and regarded him highly for those. If he helped Candy and got fired for disobeyance, how would he have the face to meet his peers, family, friends? But seeing her suffering was not a better option. Her pale face drowned with tears, her thin body shaken mirroring unparalleled bleed of her heart and soul. The sound of her chilling weep of desperation begging for help which he and only he could end was too unbearable. He couldn't take it anymore.
Mr. Leagan, for once, I choose to disobey you. I am old it's time for me to retire, but she's so young and so broken. Her look will haunt me to the grave if I don't help her. Sorry, Mr. Leagan.
He composed himself. "Ms. Candice, let me take you to meet him," said James back to his regular self.
James drove Candy to another mansion and took her to his master's office. At the door, he knocked and after a polite bow he left to leave Candy alone to fulfill her mission.
"Come in." Candy heard a voice coming from behind the door.
That's Sam, thought Candy. His voice was different now that she's without bandage, but she could recognize the way he spoke, it's unmistakably his.
Candy entered. She saw a man, brown hair, sitting on his desk, head down, busy writing.
"Sam ... This is me, Candy," said Candy still standing at the door.
Hearing her voice, the pen he was holding fell instantly. He lifted his head and in shock he found himself face to face with the love of his love who by now should belong to someone else.
As soon as she saw his face she felt weak, she would've fallen to the ground had there not been a doorway for her to lean on. How she wished she could have gone back in time to undo all regrettable things she said to him on that day.
Oh no, she knows I'm Sam!, thought Neal.
"You shouldn't know who Sam is," Neal said after prolonged silenced. "Yes, he's only me."
-To be continued-
*Ch. 8 when Candy said thank you to uncle William
+ Ideas taken from manga, chapter 10 pg 64-65
Thanks for reading. Almost done, next one is the conclusion and then one more for the epilogue.