Chapter 15 - The Regret
Not wanting to disturb their prickly host any further, Jacob took exaggerated care as he walked toward the front entrance of the house. Noticing that his brother was nowhere in sight and the front door was locked and bolted shut, Jake began to wonder whether Wilhelm had changed his mind. Considering that neither of them knew where anything was in the house except for Herr Lehrer's study and the front door, Jake wondered if perhaps his brother had gone upstairs to talk to their host. When a better idea failed to present itself, Jacob turned towards the stairway and paused with a foot on the bottom step. The younger Grimm was almost certain that he'd heard a noise behind him. Not feeling particularly brave or inquisitive at the moment, Jake put a hand on the banister to steady himself and froze.
"Looking for something?" A voice drawled beside his ear, raising goosebumps along Jacob's neck.
Hiding his panic with a polite smile, the younger Grimm slowly turned to face their host. "Good evening, Mein Herr," Jacob greeted the other man, unnerved by his proximity and unnaturally quiet movement. When Herr Lehrer gave no signs of responding, Jake hastily continued, "Actually, I was just looking for you. I was wondering if you'd seen Wilhelm."
The other man gave a long pause. "Wilhelm?" Herr Lehrer repeated. "I think I heard him go outside," He said with a small smirk. "Now Jacob," He started, taking a step towards the shorter man and him to take a step backwards, "I have a question of my own."
"I-is that so?" Jake replied, trying to remain calm as the other man took another step forward, forcing him to back up another step.
"You have something of great value with you," He hissed, leaning towards Jake.
"Mein Herr, I can assure you that I- we have nothing of value with us," Jacob exclaimed as the other man held up a finger to his lips.
"Lying isn't very becoming, Jacob," The other man murmured, "I've seen the item in question. Are you two criminals? Robbers?" He accused, golden eyes narrowing as Jake stayed silent. "Well?" He snapped, grabbing Jacob's collar roughly, "How. Did. You. Get. That. Book?"
"Book?" Jake repeated quietly, as understanding dawned on him. That book given to him by a thief. That book accepted in good faith. That book he'd been reading as the other man had accepted their lodging plea. That book.
"Why does it interest you? We've never set foot in this house before," Jake rebutted, realizing with a sinking feeling that although they hadn't set foot in his house, Weiss probably had.
"No, no. Not this house," Lehrer answered angrily, clenching one hand into a fist. "I imagine the man whom you stole from was kind to you and your brother?" He continued, tightening his grip on Jacob's collar. "Did he offer you tea and free lodging, perhaps?" The other man continued, glaring at Jacob who froze in stunned silence.
"Mein Herr," Jake began quietly. "We aren't thieves. I received that book from someone in good faith," He answered, pushing his glasses into place and looking the other man in the eyes, "I write books, I don't steal them."
Noticing Jacob's ink-stained fingertips, Lehrer felt doubt begin to creep into his thoughts. Yet if the book had been a gift, that in itself seemed a betrayal on its owner's part. "Truly?" He questioned, loosening his hold on Jacob's collar as the anger and mistrust faded to leave an unsettling and queasy discomfort.
The younger Grimm's demeanour shifted from fearful to perplexed as he watched their host's face pale. Cursing softly, Herr Lehrer let go of his collar and pushed past Jacob, disappearing up the staircase. Perplexed by their host's sudden change in behaviour, Jacob wondered if there was something to be gained from trying to talk to him. Jacob paused to unlock the front door for his brother, before heading up the carved wooden stairway.
Taking a moment to compose himself, Jake knocked lightly on the study door, and received a soft sigh in return. Since the other man had obviously heard him and hadn't told him to leave, Jacob slowly swung the wooden door open and stepped into the study.
"Mein Herr," Jacob began, wishing he shared his brother's natural eloquence, "I -are you alright?" He wondered, noticing the other man's defeated posture.
"Fine," He sneered, pulling himself upright in his chair. "No, wait," He exclaimed, "Sorry." Slouching back down into his chair, Herr Lehrer's face softened. "No, I'm not in the best of sorts at the moment," He explained.
"Why? What value does the book have to you?" Jacob enquired softly, taking a step towards the other man.
"Why?" Lehrer echoed, "The story of that book is not particularly interesting, neither is the value it holds for me." The copper-haired man appeared mildly horrified by the idea that Jacob seemed to be genuinely curious in talking with him.
"I'm sure I've heard drier tales," Jacob assured him with a small smile.
"Well," The other man began hesitantly, "I haven't accomplished much greatness in my life, my greatest achievement was in teaching." Rubbing his temples in irritation, Herr Lehrer continued with a dry laugh, "Even that I ruined."
"The story of this book begins and ends with an extraordinary student of mine," He started. "I'm not sure why it came to pass, but I was beseeched by the student's father to teach him everything I knew about my trade. I was utterly against the whole idea, seeing as the boy was less than five years my junior." Shifting in his chair, the agitated young man stared pensively out the window, "I spent five years, day in and out, teaching my protégé the art of my craft. The art of thievery. And he excelled at it." Sighing, Herr Lehrer added, "There is some irony in a disgraced aristocrat becoming a well-respected thief."
'That explains the locks,' Jacob thought dryly to himself, 'Trust a thief to be paranoid about getting robbed.'
"I made a foolish mistake," Herr Lehrer continued. "I cared very much about him after those years together, perhaps too much. On the night of his twenty-second birthday seated in a tavern and warmed by several rounds of drinks, I gifted him that book." The thief paused, smiling ruefully, "He kissed me, Jacob, as thanks. And I, driven by my own uncertainty, fear, and cowardice over what that meant, got up and left." His voice faltered under the heavy weight of regret as he turned his eyes away from Jake, "I would describe myself as many things, and noble is not one of them, but I didn't think myself capable of such levels of cowardice."
A heavy silence hung between the two men, the room remaining still save warm candlelight casting flittering shadows along the walls. Staring at the thief with poorly concealed surprise, Jacob considered his next words carefully. "It was Weiss you left there, wasn't it?"
Recoiling in surprise from Jake's words, Herr Lehrer gave a slight nod of confirmation before hanging his head. Jacob approached the other man cautiously, putting a hand lightly on his shoulder. "Weiss gave me that book as a gift because he thought it may prove useful to my brother and I. In doing so, he told me it held immense sentimental value, but it also grieved him to keep it because he dearly missed the person who had given it to him."
Lifting his head to look at Jake, Herr Lehrer gave him an incredulous look, "He said that?"
Jacob nodded in affirmation with a slight smile, "He did. Perhaps you should pay him a visit sometime, Herr Lehrer. True love's kiss is a wonderous gift, and regret is a heavy cross to bear." Hearing the front door slam shut, and the sounds of Wilhelm's boots in the hallway, Jacob Grimm gave a small nod to the thief, "I'll take my leave of you now, Mein Herr. Good night."
"Good night, Jacob," Herr Lehrer replied softly, "Thank you."
Exiting the study, Jake let out a soft sigh and headed downstairs towards their room. Meeting his brother at their bedroom door, Wilhelm gave Jacob a questioning look, "The girls have bedded down for the night. What have you been up to?"
"Talking to our host about books," Jacob replied as they stepped into the room.
Rolling his eyes in response, Wilhelm prepared to snuff the lights, "Predictable as ever, Jacob. Though I am surprised our charming host warmed up to you."
Chuckling, Jake nodded in agreement as he readied himself for bed. "As am I Will, but it seems we have more in common than I first thought. Good night."
Author's Note: Thank you for reading. This is the updated version of Chapter 15, uploaded on 02/2023.