Baskergrand The Nautilus

Valerie was on her way back home from a trip to the town when she decided to take a detour.

'I need to find out if Percival is being truthful to me. I hope Garth's perceptions about him are wrong,' she thought as she journeyed to Comerton Hall. She could see out of the window of her carriage that the sun was beginning to set. She had a constant apprehensive look on her face, conveying the toll thoughts of Percival's supposed infidelity was having on her. Her heart began to beat faster as she noticed that she was bearing closer to his home.

'I hope he is home,' she wondered before her carriage stopped. She climbed out of it, and ensured her peach dress and cream bonnet were not caught by anything, then glanced up at the grand building that was Comerton Hall. She then exhaled deeply before proceeding towards the entrance. Once she had knocked and a manservant opened the door, she was led into the hallway by Parsons.

''Please wait here, Miss Horace, I shall tell him you are here,'' Parsons said to her. She nodded and smiled briefly before he turned away from her. However, before Parsons could reach the drawing room, laughter was heard coming from the room, and Valerie could distinctly hear the sound of a man and a woman laughing.

'That doesn't sound like...his mother,' Valerie surmised internally. She wanted to know who Percival was with, so without a moment's hesitation, she strode towards the drawing room, ignoring Parsons. When she swung open the door, she became stunned by the sight she had come across.

''...Valerie, wh-what a surprise...'' Percival stammered. Valerie saw Percival with Chess, and it seemed that he had been touching her arm.

''Who...is this?'' Valerie asked him, suppressing anger in her voice. She stared at Chess as if she had daggers in eyes. Percival turned white, shocked that Valerie had turned up suddenly.

''Uh...she's a friend...from America,'' Percival answered.

''America? Why didn't you tell me about her before?'' Valerie interrogated him. Percival struggled to come up with an answer.

''You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend, Percy,'' Chess said to Percival. She folded her arms and raised one of her eyebrows.

''Oh? I thought I did...I guess I was so...so...'' Percival stuttered once more.

''So what, Percy?'' Valerie shot bitterly at him. Percival saw her face becoming as fiery as her hair.

''Valerie, I-'' Percival started.

''Garth was right! You are being untruthful to me, Percival! I thought you loved me!'' Valerie shouted at him as tears streamed down her face.

''Valerie, I do love you! Plea-'' Percival attempted to protest but Valerie swiftly turned around and ran out of the house. Percival stood aghast for a while, unsure of what had occurred.

''Something tells me she's not that happy with you,'' Chess remarked. Percival looked up at her slowly, his expression dumbfounded.

''She mentioned Garth's name...did Garth say something to her about me? Does she think...I was being unfaithful to her...with you?'' Percival queried aloud to himself, puzzled as regards to Valerie's outburst. Chess sighed when she looked at him.

''Go after her then,'' Chess prompted him. Percival nodded silently before he went to chase after Valerie.

''Didn't think a trip to the past would have me end up as a love doctor,'' Chess mused as she stood alone in the drawing room.

* * *

Valerie ran tearfully outside of Comerton Hall and straight into her carriage. The coach driver ordered the horses to move whilst Valerie sat inside, sobbing quietly to herself.

'I can't believe I was so foolish as to believe he loved me! It took him so long to finally say it, but he probably said it only to make me happy! I am such a stupid girl!' Valerie mentally chastised herself. As her carriage moved along the path, she noticed something out of her window.

''Charles...Beller,'' she said as she glimpsed at Charles driving his carriage in the opposite direction, going towards Tuckerby Bay.

'Percival's mother said that he had been spending an awful amount of time with him. I wonder what he is up to,' Valerie thought.

''Merrysmith! Turn the coach around please! Take me to Tuckerby Bay immediately!'' Valerie ordered her driver.

''Yes, Miss,'' her driver acknowledged.