Chapter 9: Secrets of the Vineyard
Elena POV
With rows of lifeless vines covered in the gentle gray of winter, the vineyard extended as far as the eye could see. I wouldn't have connected the bleak but somehow lovely scene to Adrian Blackwood's icy, clinical demeanor.
Adrian followed Lily as she skipped along, her laughter resonating through the clear morning air. I followed along, admiring the view. Even though I didn't want to be here, there was a calmness about the place, a feeling that time was slowing down.
"In this manner!" Pointing to a stone road that wound up a little hill, Lily shouted.
Adrian gave me another look. "The former storage facility. Nowadays, it is mostly disused.
"You have a whole house to store things in?" I raised an eyebrow in question.
He grinned. "Among other things."
With its worn stone walls, the storage building ended up looking more like a rustic cottage. Lily was so excited that she hurried inside as Adrian opened the hefty oak door.
I yelled after her, "Be careful, Lily."
Adrian told me, "It's safe," and motioned for me to follow.
The air was cold inside, with a subtle smell of dirt and old wood. Old barrels, dirty containers, and fading furniture draped in white sheets littered the room.
Lily exhaled and spun around, saying, "Wow." "It resembles a treasure trove!"
Adrian laughed. "Not quite. Years have passed since much of this material was last handled.
I moved toward a shelf brimming with books and souvenirs as Lily explored. A framed picture grabbed my sight among the mess.
A youngster, no older than eight, was seen in the black-and-white picture standing rigidly next to a lady and a man. The boy's look was eerily similar: reserved, aloof, but longing.
"Adrian," I said, displaying the picture. "Is this you?"
His face tightened as he looked across. "Yes."
"And your parents are these?"
His mouth clenched as he nodded.
I remarked, carefully selecting my words, "They look… formal."
Adrian laughed without humor. "That's one way of saying it."
The guy in the picture had a severe, even cruel expression, and I thought he was Adrian's father. Even though she was more sophisticated, the lady seemed detached. The source of Adrian's aloofness was readily apparent.
"Did you take this here?" I inquired.
He turned aside and remarked curtly, "In the main house."
Before putting the picture back on the shelf, I took another look at it. Adrian's stance had become heavy, and the armor he wore so beautifully had cracked.
I was left alone in the cabin when Adrian volunteered to take Lily around the vineyard later that afternoon. Curiosity pulled at me like an unseen thread, and I couldn't help but want to learn more.
Near the window, I opened an old trunk and found a number of journals, letters, and further photos. I was particularly drawn to one message, whose ink was faded but still readable:
Adrian
I expect better of you than your father does. This pouting has to end right now. It's time for you to start behaving like the guy you were destined to be because you have obligations.
Mom
I felt chilled because of the words' coldness. I couldn't fathom writing Lily anything like that.
"Discover anything intriguing?"
Adrian was resting against the doorframe as I startled and spun around.
With the letter in my hand, I said, "You scared me."
His gaze darted to the trunk as he entered. "You seem to have located my mother's assortment of reprimands."
Unsure of how to react, I paused. "I didn't mean to pry."
Despite the implication in his tone, he responded, "It's fine." He came across the room, took the letter out of my hand, looked at it for a while, then folded it and put it in his pocket.
"She frequently wrote those?" I asked quietly.
"Frequently enough," he answered in an emotionless tone. "My parents placed a high value on discipline. There was no room for affection.
"I apologize," I murmured, my words seeming insufficient.
Adrian looked at me, and we had an unsaid exchange. "Avoid becoming. It shaped who I am now.
We all met for supper in the main house that evening as the sun began to set. Adrian had prepared a little feast, and Lily was ecstatic. Her laughing filled the dining room.
She ate a second serving of dessert, and I said, "You're spoiling her."
Adrian only said, "She deserves it."
I couldn't dispute that.
Adrian surprised us by proposing a stargazing stroll across the vineyard after supper. With great anticipation, Lily took his hand, and I followed, enthralled with the silent enchantment of the evening.
The sky was a canvas of stars, and the air was clear. Lily sprinted forward, her laughter resonating through the silence.
Adrian broke the stillness by saying, "She's amazing."
As I looked at him, I nodded, "She is." "You know you get along well with her."
He gave a little grin. "I didn't anticipate being. However, she makes things simple.
We strolled in quiet for a while, and the tension between us decreased.
We stopped when we heard a sudden stirring in the bushes as we approached the vineyard's edge.
"What was that?" With my pulse pounding, I inquired.
Adrian took a step forward, tensed. "Remain here."
As he approached the commotion, I automatically drew Lily nearer to me.
Adrian returned a few seconds later, his face glum.
"What is it?" I inquired.
"We're not alone," he said softly as he peered into the shadows.
"What do you mean?"
"Someone was observing us," he uttered softly. Now that they're gone, we must return to the house. Right now.
I got a chill from the uneasiness in his voice. As we rushed back, the tranquil beauty of the vineyard was now overshadowed by an eerie tension, so I tightened my hold on Lily's hand.
I couldn't get rid of the feeling that whatever—or whoever—was out there wasn't done with us yet as we entered and locked the door.