Bell softly hummed a song while combing her blonde hair. Her little brother was still sleeping, looking peaceful. The other bed in the room was empty, a painful sting went through her heart. Her older brother wasn't here anymore, of course, it had been his own fault.

He attacked Lovino without any reason. And when Antonio tried to stop him, Mark had attacked him too. The same day, Mark was gone. Bell and Sebastiaan didn't even have the opportunity to say goodbye to him. Antonio refused to say where Mark was, although he did insure them that their brother was coming back, eventually.

For the next few days, Lovino had been much calmer and less swearing. But quickly he picked up his old habits. Bell decided to let her little brother sleep a bit longer and softly walked out of the room. She was used to the size and wealth of the house by now. Bell shortly looked at the frontdoor, hoping there would be a white letter with black stains on it.

When Antonio received those letters, he always had good news about Mark. Although Bell couldn't read the Spanish in the letters, Antonio was always really careful that Bell nor Sebastiaan could ever get the letters.

It had already been a few days since they last received news about Mark, Bell was sure a letter would arrive soon.

While putting the plates on the table, Antonio entered the room, smiling at her. ''Goodmorning Bella'' he greeted her. She responded with a smile and turned around to get the bread. The Spaniard walked towards her and put his arms around her waist, letting his head rest on her shoulder.

Bell turned her head and was slightly blushing. Antonio had his eyes closed so he didn't see her face becoming red. He let go of here and walked out of the room. ''I'm going to wake Romano, belleza'' he said. Bell put her hand at her cheek, feeling it being warm.

Antonio had been acting like this since Mark left the house, but she didn't really mind about it. Bell breathed a few times deeply to make the blushing vanish and her heart return to normal beating.

The Spaniard returned quickly, with Sebastiaan and Romano. The two kids had become friends rapidly, although Mark had tried to convince Sebastiaan that Romano had bad influence on him. They sat down at the table, praying shortly before starting breakfast.

There weren't many differences between Protestantism and Catholicism, Bell actually didn't have much trouble with converting into a catholic. Only her eldest brother made a huge fuss about it. While thinking about Mark, she looked vaguely at the unoccupied chair at the other end of the table. Antonio noticed and took her hand.

''He will come back, don't worry Bella'' he tried to cheer her up a bit. ''I got another letter, I will read it to you but I first have to go to the city today. I will be back at the end of the evening'' he said, while quickly finishing his breakfast and heading towards the door. Bell smiled in a response, happy about the fact that there was another letter.

But it took ages for Antonio to return home, the whole day Bell was pacing around the house in impatience. She tried to distract herself with cleaning, cooking and watching Sebastiaan play with Romano. Bell entered the garden and started plucking carnations to put in a vase. She saw Miguel working in the back garden. The man had lots of work to do, now Mark wasn't here to help him.

She stopped for a moment, thinking. Bell couldn't read Spanish, but Miguel most certainly could! She rushed back inside, pacing towards the study of Antonio. She hesitated for a moment, Antonio never allowed anyone into his study. But she would only enter to get the letter and then she would leave immediately, not such of a big deal, right?

Bell put her hand on the doorknob and turned it, hearing a click before pushing the door open. She looked around, the room as wealthy decorated as the rest of the house. A cross above the desk. In a bookcase, she could see dozens of Spanish books. On the desk, everything was neatly stored. Only a white envelop, with black stains was in the middle. Bell did a few steps towards it, on her toes. She was still a bit afraid that Antonio had come home early and would find her in his study.

Bell opened the letter careful, taking the piece of paper out. After Miguel would have translated it for her, she would put it back and pretend she didn't know the content of the letter. She unfolded the letter and her eyes followed the sentences. Bell couldn't understand it, but it gave her some kind of feeling that her brother was okey. Bell again folded it and put it in a pocket of her dress, before heading towards the door.

''Miguel!'' she called for the old gardener, while standing in the doorframe. The man looked up, Bell walked towards him, while taking the letter out of her pocket. ''Could you please translate it for me?'' she asked, tilting her head. ''Please, it's news about Marcos'' Miguel lifted a eyebrow. ''Where did you get that letter?'' he asked, while taking the piece of paper. ''Ehm… doesn't matter'' she mumbled back, while staring at her shoes.

Miguel sighed, wanting to give her a sermon about stealing but he was also curious about news about Mark. He read the sentences and started translating. ''My friend Antonio, it's rather difficult managing the mine over here, since I had to fire my foreman. But I'm still making enough money to make a living out of it'' he said, while reading a few more lines.

''Nothing interesting….nothing interesting'' he mumbled while continuing reading. ''Aah, about Marcos'' he said. Miguel was looking at the paper, his eyes following the words. But he stopped translating, becoming paler and paler. ''What does the letter say about Marcos?'' Bell asked impatient. Miguel didn't respond.

'' Hijo de puta'' he mumbled while his eyes widened with shock. ''What's wrong?'' Bell asked frowning, not understanding why Miguel stopped translating. But she did notice the frontdoor closing, Antonio was back. Her heart skipped a beat, hoping he wouldn't immediately go to his study. But even if Antonio was planning on going there, Miguel would have stopped him.

The old man paced into the house, towards the corridor. ''¿Te has vuelto loco?'' he shouted furious. '' Él es sólo un adolescente!'' Bell followed him closely, not understanding why Miguel was shouting at Antonio. The Spaniard did a small step back when Miguel paced rapidly towards him, a bit surprised. '' ¿Una mina? ¿Tu lo envió a una mina?'' Miguel yelled at him. '' ¿Estás tratando de matarlo?''

Antonio recovered from the first surprise and started to yell back. '' Se lo merecía! Se atacó a Lovino y me!'' Miguel hissed in anger. '' ¿ Usted se llama un tutor?'' he snarled in disdain. '' Te le envió a la rusa…'' Miguel threw the letter to Antonio. '' Se está casi muerto a golpes. Te sabía que esto iba a pasar''

Antonio took the letter from the ground and started reading. ''Se lo merecía…'' he repeated, while reading. Miguel walked towards the frontdoor. Just before slamming the door behind him, he snarled at Antonio. ''Hujo de puta'' Bell looked in shock about what just happened. ''What's wrong?'' she asked Antonio.

He made a gesture to her to be quiet, while walking towards his study and shutting it behind him. Bell was left behind, not understanding what happened, but it had surely something to do with Mark.

Hijo de puta = son of a bitch
Te has vuelto loco= have you gone mad?
Él es solo un adolescente= he's just a teen
Una mina= a mine
Tu lo envoi a una mina= you sent him to a mine?
Estás tratando de martarlo= are you trying to kill him?
Se lo merecía= he deserved it
Se atacó a Lovino y me= he attacked Lovino and me
Usted se llama un tutor= You call yourself a guardian?
Te le envoi a la rusa= you sent him to that Russian
Se está casi muerto a golpes= he was almost beaten to death
Te sabía que esto iba a pasar= you knew this would happen