Page 87 of House of Bass

The next day, Harley had woken up early despite the late night and thought a walk around the mansion would be a good idea. She gently slid out of the bed as both girls were still asleep, softly snoring together in unison. Harley smiled looking at them, she was glad to have gained unconditional acceptance from this bizarre time in her life.

It was a little cold but she put on her coat and scarf, still in her pyjamas and headed out anyway. The sun was only just rising, its orange light bared across the sky.

She was lucky she remembered to bring her antihistamine and had one before leaving, she was easily prone to catching something. The gardens were beautiful; some flowers bloomed and the grass still freshly green despite winter knocking on its front door.

Harley stood in front of the fountain and closed her eyes, trying to prepare herself for the day ahead. She felt uncomfortable by how many people she would have to put up with.

She also itched to ask her father about why he never cared about her mother enough to look after her. It had to be more than a fling for her mum to have never gotten over him.

“A cold morning we’re having,” A deep voice said from behind her, it startled her out of her thoughts. Standing with his hands in his pocket was William, a small vacant smile on his face. Speak of the devil and it shall appear.

“It is,” she answered softly.

He moved a little closer so he was standing right by her but she aimed to look everywhere but at him. “I have always loved this part of the grounds, the fountain was my doing.” He chuckled to himself. “The carving of sculptures especially for fountains were objects I had always found fascinating growing up, we had two in my childhood home.” She didn’t give him a reply. “Moreover, the view here is excellent.”

He was right about that. The area they stood on was on lightly sloping terrain, a small hill of sorts, so you could see the entire garden from there. But she wasn't in the mood for small talk or frankly any talk with him so just as he was about to utter another word she interrupted him.

“I’m letting this off my chest now or else I’ll explode. The only reason I came here is because your daughter begged me to. I don’t want to talk to you nor do I want to be around you for that matter. If we can limit all contact till tomorrow evening that would be great.”

Harley started to walk off but she didn’t get too far when his voice stopped her, “Does that include your mother?”

He was doing what Annabel said he would, pick at a weakness, but still she turned her head, “What about her?”

“Don’t you want to know where she is?” he questioned.

She had gone no contact with her because she wanted to make something of herself without the weight of her problems dragging her down. But Posy had assured her that her mother would be fine and she was frightened she had trusted the wrong person, “Tell me what you’ve done to her.”

“Something I have always told my children, and I guess this now extends to you, is that when I am speaking, you don’t interrupt.”

Her jaw ticked in frustration at him not answering her question but also at the smug smile plastered on his face. “It’s astonishing how you ever managed to manipulate your children into thinking you’re someone worth respecting. What was the point of bringing me here in the first place if you were just going to ignore me?”

The smile on his face vanished, “Contrary to what you wish for, Harleen, there is no escaping me. Not anymore. Why did I bring you here? Because I can .” Just as he was about to walk away, he told her, “Your mother is fine. Frances placed her in some rehab facility up north.”

A sigh of relief escaped her. Rehab. She had always wanted that for her, to get better. She would finally have the chance to do it. Something akin to hope slithered around in her chest. A dangerous feeling to have but one she was going to hold onto nonetheless.

“Did you ever love her?” she asked the question she had itched to know for a long time.

That stopped him briefly and he turned his head, not even thinking about it. “No, I didn’t.”

He walked away and his answer broke something in her. She had hoped her existence came out of something good, she let the tears float down her face as she watched him disappear into the house. Mourning a life that never would have happened.

Despite her walk going terribly awry, she went back to her room making sure all traces of tears had been wiped from her face. She walked back into her room to see that Stassie and Annabel were both awake. Both were laying down, still under the covers, fiddling on their respective phones. They sat up a little straighter at her entrance.

“Where did you go?” The latter asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as a yawn overtook her. Harley joined them on the bed but atop the covers, she folded her legs forward and rested her chin on it.

“A walk. I wanted to clear my head.”

“Did you?”

Harley gave a one shoulder shrug hoping it implied that she didn’t want to talk about it. Instead she asked, “Who were you texting so early?”

Annabel gave her a look, subtly trying to shake her head, and she immediately understood.

“Wait, what don't I know about?” Anastasia, who had also been equally distracted, immediately grasped that she was in the dark and gasped.

The girl was much more incisive than people likely gave her credit for despite the happy go lucky personality.

“You can’t tell anyone.”