The Bitter Taste

Chapter 36: Final Flirt

The Trip back to the Baron's mansion lost the intensity that it had once contained. Jane and the Earl now shared senseless conversations, which Ms.Vanderbilt couldn't help but smile upon, about Thomas and the girl that he liked. It didn't take too long until the baron's daughter decided to join their chat and inquire about Thomas. 

"So what is this about my Brother? I'm been hearing you two talk endlessly about him since our leave." 

"Oh it's quite an amusing story, Ms.Vanderbilt." Jane said. "According to your cheerful little brother, he said that he's fallen quite hard over a young lass." 

"Oh?" Ms.Vanderbilt said as her lips formed an 'o', placing a hand over it. "That certainly is amusing. How come I have not heard of this yet? I feel rather disappointed." 

"You don't need to be. Here, I'll tell you what we're going to do." 

The Earl halted Jane. "Wait... hold on. We?" he asked. 

"Yes. We." Jane said. "And Ms.Vanderbilt can help us too." 

"This is silly..." He said. "Don't drag me into your ridiculous plans." 

"It's not ridiculous! Besides, we must act fast if we should meet the date of his birthday."

"What exactly is this plan?" Ms.Vanderbilt said, gesturing her hands in front of them to earn attention. 

"Well... since his birthday is approaching a week from now, I thought it would be a good idea to look for the girl that he liked. Probably, it would serve as a great birthday present considering that it might also be the day he leaves the Lunacy Hospital." 

"He told you that?" Ms.Vanderbilt asked. 

"He said that the doctors did." Jane said. "I truly hope they weren't joking." 

The Earl looked at Ms.Vanderbilt. "What did the doctor tell you?" 

Ms.Vanderbilt looked up a bit in a pondering manner. "He didn't mention anything about Thomas's leave." She said, but focused her gaze back on them with a bright smile. "But he did say that his condition was getting better and better each day. According to him, Thomas became a lot more optimistic than several months before, due to some medicines I think, but to believe that pills can do such great impact..." 

"Ms.Vanderbilt, I don't think it's the pills..." Jane said, crossing her hands together as if she was praying. Her eyes twinkled and the creases on her face expressed the amount of happiness she had. "I think it's because of her. The girl!" 

"Do you really believe so?" Ms.Vanderbilt said, copying the same reaction that Jane had. Now, both of them looked like young little eight year old girls, fangirling over a boy. 

"You two are ludicrous. I swear." said the Earl as he placed a hand on his forehead while shaking his head in a very tiresome manner. Everything about him spelled killjoy. 

"Mr.Chichester, you might say that, but you can't deny that his smile got your heart softened." Jane said, throwing him an annoyed glare. 

"I can't say that he didn't. But it's not like I would automatically agree on this completely cheesy act simply because I-I sympathized with his condition." The Earl explained. "On a realistic note, how in the world would you even know where the girl is. For all we know, she could have been a foreigner that already left the land, never to be found again to a stranger's eyes." 

"Hey, don't be so pessimistic!" Jane said, chuckling. 

"You say it like I care." 

"The girl who he was referring to, and I am absolutely certain about this, lives solely within London. I would speculate her home to be around the areas of Westminster and Hammersmith."