Chapter 47: The unbelievable.
He couldn't sleep not even with Hilda and her voluminous hair sprawled all over his chest for old times sake. She would not let him go through out the night, she held onto him tight. He could not shift without waking her up. Austin thought he'd go give Merrigold her clothes and a blanket when Hilda was finally dead asleep but it was close to impossible. His thoughts were on Merrigold, he knew what he had done was wrong. He had not done anything with Hilda, even though she had begged to but ended up passing out and confessing her love for him as always. It was not anything new... he thought. It was nearing eight am. He had to get up, Hilda had to leave. Austin did not feel at peace. Even if he tried, a subtle nudge of concern would not go away.
Managing to get out of her clenching embrace. Austin tip toed out of the room, expecting Merri to be wildly upset with him for locking her inside a room during what later turned out to be a breezy cold night. As if he were a thief his his own home, he unlocked the room... only to find a cold empty space. The wind blowing from the opened window on the right. For a moment he panicked, whispering her name hoping to get a response but nothing. He did not want to assume Merri had left through the window, she could not have gone far, she did not know anyone or anything about this place. It worried him to no end. Perhaps she took a walk, he convinced his panicking conscience. She would return, there was simply no other place she could go to. As if on time to piss him off, Hilda wrapped her arms around his chest.
"Good Morning..." she greeted. "Looking for something?"
"Uh...not at all..." he muttered closing the door.
"Are you sure? You seem as if you saw a ghost..?"
"...nothing...Hilda..."
"Oh, if you say so." Hilda replied unbothered. "I have to borrow a coat, the wind bustling outside is giving me chills. Is the fire place lit? Your house tends to feel below zero at times."
Austin ignored her as he turned to look around, his eyes searching for every corner... for any clue. If she left, she'd at least leave a note to let him know that she was alright? Leaving Hilda to blabber on her own making coffee. He entered the spare room. A sigh of relief went through his body as he saw holdall with all the possessions that she had carried still in place. He told himself, she would not simply leave in a silk gown in this cold with nothing else... Austin felt afraid. There were barbaric men capable of hurting her, she did not have much of an advantage as they would simply go unpunished. He told himself that he would not think that far. She must have simply taken a walk and she'd return soon enough. She had to, she needed him to return home. Merri needed Austin and he counted on that for her to return.
But she never did.
Not even after Hilda had left.
Not even after it had passed sunset.
—
Sitting in a carriage with the missionaries that she had crossed paths with on her brief travel of foot. They had been kind enough to ask her where she was headed, luckily they were passing by Marlborough as well. It would take a day and a half they had told her. She did not mind. The two elderly woman preached to her, with them was three teen girls. Merrigold did not wish to talk, converse in any manner. She simply wanted to go home. They had been so kind enough to offer her some clothes. She certainly looked destitute at the time, she was not thinking... when she lept out the window and bruised herself. Merri wanted to be away from him. Once again she had been proven right by her brother. This would not be the story she'd tell them when she returned. Merrigold had no heart in her to let them yell 'I told you so, I warned you..'
"...young lady..?"
Merrigold turned to look at the elderly woman who had her bible on her lap and a soft smile.
"I apologize, I've been thinking quite a lot."
"No worries child, all I was asking was do you have a set of twins in your family?"
Merrigold thought for a bit then shook her head, confused for the most part. "Not that I know of..." she replied nervously, in their crowded carriage it seemed everyone was listening in on their conversation. Merrigold suddenly wished they'd go back to singing gospel melodies.
"I see twins."
"Excuse me?" Merrigold asked, a puzzled look on her face.
"I see a set of twins, two little boys."
Merrigold laughed.
"Ohhh..."
"Yes." The lady said seeming as serious as could be. Merrigold had been waiting for the old white lady to quit playing.
"...no one in my family has—" her throat immediately dried up when it dawned onto her that... Austin happened to be a twin. A shiver ran down her spine... this was all rubbish, so what this old white lady is a prophetess and can see in the future. Even if it were true, Merrigold did not plan on ever being sexual with that womanizer ever again. It must have been a misunderstanding clearly. Perhaps Thomas family has a set of twins that they do not know of. After all with him being an orphan they did not know much of both their family history.
"...they are a replica of their father..."
"I'm sorry ma'am, if this offends you but you've only known me for less than twelve hours. I, this has to be a mistake."
"Nana is never wrong..." one of the teen girls replied shyly. She had not spoken ever since their meeting.
"That is what I saw, when we offered to give you a lift. You seem troubled."
Merrigold could not speak, she felt tongue tied. Who was this old lady anyways... a mind reader? Probably mentally disturbed. She refused to believe it. What are the chances that her little visions would come to pass. It sounded pathetic but Merri would not say anything. She smiled at everyone giving her a smile.
"Congratulations sister Merrigold."
She shifted uncomfortably.
"...uh...thank...you..." She replied not wanting to seem ungrateful after all they had accepted her regardless of her race. They had welcomed her with open arms and shared everything even the little that they had with her. They'd even lied and told the patrolmen along the journey that she was their slave. If anything they seemed Godsent but the twins story caught her off guard. That was simply too much. She refused to believe it, believing she was probably too damaged to bare twins. She tried hard to remember each moment she shared with him, they had been careful. Merrigold revisited each memory closely, they had been regardful on the most part. It had to be a banter amongst the nuns, to scare her a bit.
"How blessed you're Sister Merrigold.." the other elderly lady piped in.
Merrigold felt suffocated talking about her none existent twins with these nuns. She had to, for the sake of gratuity. As soon as they dropped her off at Marlborough... she told herself she'd forget about all this absurdity. Forget anything was ever said or mentioned.