A Bend in Time - Chapter 11

Sometime later back at Reginald's study, Sirsa knocks at the open door. "Can I have a quick word, Reginald?"

"Of course, dear," Reginald muttered as he looked up from his manuscript.

Sirsa quietly enters the room and closes the door firmly behind her. "It's about the twins," Sirsa explained.

"What about them?" Reginald hastily said as he rose to his feet. "They're not hurt, are they?!"

"No, no, nothing like that," Sirsa hurriedly replied. "It's just that there was an incident this afternoon with Georgine."

"Then I'm sure Georgine was the one at fault," Reginald answered without any hesitation as he sat back down in his seat.

"Yes, it was, but I want to speak about what happened afterward," Sirsa replied and quickly began to recount the events including the conversation that had transpired afterward.

Reginald slumps back in his seat and rubs his face with his hand. "I should have known something was off," Reginald lamented. "The twins are far much to calm and mature for their age. They just seem to take everything in stride that I had assumed it was because they were still children. I never thought-." Reginald lets out a sigh as his hands clench in anger until his knuckles turn white.

"I don't how Eileen permitted this either," Sirsa dejectedly muttered. "But what I am certain of is that as long as we are here the twins shan't ever be taken back to that hellhole."

A steely look enters Reginald's eyes as he icily says, "I will ensure that man is properly taken care of."



"No, don't," Sirsa hastily said as Reginald stares at his wife rather puzzled. "It is for the twin's sake, Reginald, don't confuse my request for mercy. I just don't wish for the twins to feel forcefully adrift of that man. And for better or for worse, that man is their father."

"Very well, dear. I don't like it, but I will do as you ask," Reginald grudgingly said.

"Thank you, Reginald," Sirsa sincerely said, before turning to open the door.

"And dear," Reginald called out to Sirsa's back. "Eileen may very well deserve all of your wrath, but for the twin's sake, please try to reign in some of your anger."

"I shan't make any promises, but I'll try," Sirsa replied over her shoulder, before striding away to receive her guests ringing the doorbell.

Reginald is left to quietly ponder in his room as he taps his fingers in thought. Maybe, he had promised his wife not to kill the bastard, but there were plenty of other ways to deal with such a brute of a father. And just like that, Reginald would write a few letters to ensure that man would be properly taken care of.

Hours later with some satisfaction, Reginald hands Dawn the written letters to be sent via owl, before rising to his feet to see his younger sister, Georgine. Reginald makes his way to Georgine's personal quarters in the east wing and gently knocks on the door. "Who is it?" Georgine harrumphed.

"It's me," Reginald replied rather muffled via the door.

"Fine, come in," Georgine grumbled.

Reginald turns the golden handle to reveal the inside of Georgine's room. The inside of Georgine's room is quite bright and exorbitant full of wonderous paintings and gorgeous furniture pieces. There is an almost oriental feel as there are various decorated fans and even katana's and Chinese swords hung artistically on the wall amid the tasteful decorations.

Georgine is reclining on a gorgeous red sofa as she smokes her usual red, long thin cigarettes and holds a book in hand. "Well, be quick about it, I'm trying to read," Georgine puffed.

Reginald takes a seat in an elegant low back Victorian-era chair. "I know that you've never been fond of children, Georgine-."

"Nasty little things," Georgine rudely interrupted.

Reginald impatiently raises an eyebrow as Georgine shamelessly glares back. Reginald sighs in vexation and says, "I understand that Georgine, but they are fairly well-behaved children. Other than the incident of today, can you actually say that the twins have been a bother to you?"

"No," Georgine stiffly huffed as the tip of the cigarette ash fell to only be caught in an enchanted ashtray.

"I am not asking you to grow to like them, but please try to be a bit patient with the twins," Reginald genuinely requested. "They have led a rough life and they may not always react as you and I would have."

Reginald waits for a reply as Georgine curtly gives him a stiff nod in reply. Reginald leans back in his chair at ease and says, "So how was the tea party?"

"Oh, the usual bore," Georgine murmured as she puffed out a cloud of smoke. "I don't know why, Sirsa, still insists on holding those annoying tea tête-à-têtes. Those women have nothing on their mind but fluff. I would even hazard to say that any muggle picked off the street would be that much more interesting to converse with."

"I don't know either," Reginald muttered back in agreement.

Georgine glares at her brother and accusatory says, "Easy for you to say, you just hide away in your study, while I'm the one who gets dragged in by Sirsa to attend to each time." Reginald apologetically shrugs as a trace of a smile appears on Georgine's face.

Seeing the faint smile on Georgine's face, Reginald knows that his job is done. Reginald rises out of the chair with a grunt and turns to leave. "Just make sure not to kill him, Reginald," Georgine pointedly remarked.

Reginald pauses and innocently says over his shoulder, "I fail to understand your meaning, Georgine?"

"You know exactly what I mean, Reginald, don't play coy," Georgine said as she took another puff of her cigarette. "I saw that girl's gaze. It was the gaze of someone prepared to bitterly face off to the death at the expense of their own life to protect another."

"I already promised, Sirsa, that I wouldn't."

"Mm, that's not much of an answer."

"I won't kill him and that's all I can promise."

"I suppose that is the best that you promise given the circumstances," Georgine muttered in a cloud of smoke that now permeated through the entire bedroom.

"You really should open a window," Reginald grumbled back, before leaving and softly closing the door behind him. A slow lazy smile appears on Georgine's face as she releases a cloud of smoke in defiance of her brother's request. With some satisfaction, Georgine reclines back against the soft pillows and continues to read the biography, My Exotic Harem Adventures by Amelia Earhart.