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It had been a long trip to visit Brian. The rain had seemed to get worse by the minute, with lightning cracking in the sky like it was angry. She knew Brian needed the visit. He was a mess. As much of a mess as he let himself be. And that was a period where Marianne still envisioned a future between them. She wanted to help him, as tough as that was sometimes. Even if it meant trudging herself through the rain in a carriage where the horse looked as scared as the squirrels without shelter.
Oddly enough, the rain did not bother her half as much as her nerves did. Those rattled far more than the lightning in the sky. She had prided herself on being a fixer, and when it came to fixing, Brian was the hardest puzzle. He was a challenge, a man of struggle who kept that struggle as private as it needed to be. But she could see through it all. And that made her feel good.
When Marianne arrived at Brian’s home. She sat in the carriage for a moment, eyeing the building. What was she doing? She had no idea. Yes, she did know the actions that she was about to set forth—visiting Brian in a time of need. But overall, what was the point? He was often as cold and unmoving as the stone his home was made of. His friends knew it.
His family knew it. And more importantly, Marianne knew it. But part of her believed that she could be the one to get through to him. Someone had to. Everyone needed that someone in their life to see through the complex facades that people display to the world.
The rain fell to a slight drizzle while she walked up to the home. She took a deep breath before knocking and then gave three long raps.
It was a few seconds before the door slowly opened with a staff person at the helm of it. It was a maid named Harriet and her eyes immediately fell into recognition.
“Harriet, how are you today?”
“I am well, thank you.”
There was a heaviness to the atmosphere as Harriet closed the door behind them both. There was nothing different about the house in terms of aesthetics. But Marianne could sense the tone of the home somehow. Perhaps she had picked up on it through Harriet.
“Are they at odds?” Marianne whispered to Harriet, knowing the answer already. “The last time I saw Brian, he was not in the greatest of moods and briefly mentioned his father. That is why I am here today. I wanted to check up on him.”
Harriet sent her attention to the floor before giving Marianne her attention again. “They have not gotten along in some time, and I am afraid it is only getting worse.” Harriet caught her tone and lowered it to match Marianne’s whisper. “You know how Brian is. He only becomes more withdrawn by the day.”
Marianne nodded, knowing there wasn’t much to say to that. “May I see him?”
“Yes, of course.”
Marianne knew where Brian’s office was. It was his father’s. Ever since he had taken on his father’s workload, the office had become essentially his.
When she arrived, the door had been already open, but Brian was nose deep in the papers that sat before him. So, she gave another light three raps on the door. His eyes slowly went up from his work.
“Marianne. Hello.”
She took a few steps into the office. “You look busy.”
“As always. There has not been a day without work since my father has passed on his duties to me. Without me requesting him to do so, I might add.”
“I know.” She felt as though she needed to be careful with her words. “Don’t you think that maybe if you showed him a different side of you, he’d be—”
“Do not beat a dead horse, Marianne. You say what everyone else has said time and time again. The advice that I receive regarding my relationship with my father is as outdated as last year’s calendar. We stand where we stand.”
She took a few steps closer, hoping that her presence would calm him to an extent. Maybe the human contact could soothe his nerves. “I understand from an outsider’s perspective—”
“No one understands. No one understands what it is like to be the son of a man who is so…it doesn’t matter. Me venting my problems will not solve them. No one ever got anywhere by complaining.”
“You need someone to talk to, though. There have been kings that have gone mad because they have not spoken about what they truly felt.”
“I am no king.”
“I know. But you are a man just as they are. And all men need an ear from time to time. You only put more stress on yourself by avoiding it.”
“Fine.” Brian leaned back in his chair. “You want me to speak? I will say this. If it means being like my father, I will never love. I will never take a wife.”
It was then that Marianne knew Brian would never commit.
