The Girl with no name, chapter 2

At first the man did not know what to do. He held the young woman, clasped her, as if to never let her go...again. She seemed weightless in his arms. The years hadn't changed her much as he was scanning her face. Her features were sharper though. And she was pale. But her lips.

He wanted to kiss her so much.

But this wasn't the moment.
He needed to get her inside.

With his hand under her chin he gently shook her head.

"My love." He whispered while a tear wandered over his cheek to mingle with the raindrops.

"That's okay, sir." A sharp voice suddenly came from behind him. "I'll take her now."

"Why? Who are you? She...she fainted."

"Yes. It's all right. I'll take her to her room. Thank you, sir."
"What, no...my place is just over there." Edward objected.

"Thank you. But I'll take her now. I'm an employee of the old man, her grandfather. I know how to handle this." The big man said more urgent.
"But it's raining! She need to be inside quickly!"

"Let her go, Edward." Another voice joined in.

Desperate Edward turned in the direction where the voice came from.
He saw the faint outline of the old man and another man holding an umbrella and a blanket.
"The strain was too much for her. We'll help her. She'll be fine."

"Please." Edward begged, unwilling to let her go.
"Sir. Let her go. Now." The first man said while he grabbed Edward's shoulder, forceful.
"Robson!" The old man spoke.

"We shouldn't argue. You carry her to the big house, if you wish, Edward. But let's make haste. We're all getting soaked."

While the old man had draped a blanket over the young woman's body, Edward - carrying his precious bundle - and the other men ran over the lawn back to the big house. The doors to the courtyard were wide open and the light and the warmth inside welcoming.

A fire in the hearth was burning.
Edward followed the old man's instructions and laid her down on the couch in front of the fire. The man with the umbrella pushed back her sleeve and gave her an injection, in a professional manner.

"No! What are you giving her?" Edward cried out.

"Calm down, sir. Just to make her more comfortable." The man said.

With a worried look Edward saw the man leave the room after the old man had given him a reassuring nod.
The old man sat down in a chair next to the hearth and seemed to doze away.

All was quiet in the room. Just the ticking of a pendulum was heard and the slight snoring of the grandfather.

"She looks so calm and ethereal lying like that, but away, far away. Like the snow queen has frozen her heart." Edward thought.
He was siting on his knees beside her. His eyes caressing her.

The slow breathing of the young woman, the crackling fire and the warmth in the room made Edward a bit drowsy too. The only thing keeping him from laying his head in her lap and falling asleep too was the man called Robson standing at the door with a severe frown on his face. Staring at Edward, a grimace of disapproval around his hard mouth.

Edward lifted his brows in a questioning manner.

"What's your problem?" He said.
"I have no idea why you're here.  You have no fucking right to mess her up like that."

Edward averted his eyes.

"I would never hurt her." He whispered.

Carefully he stroked a damp strand of hair from the young woman's forehead.

"Who the fuck are you anyway?" The hostile man was now standing next to Edward.

With a frown Edward looked up.
"Don't be an asshole."

The man suddenly grabbed Edward by the throat.

"If you fuck with her, you'll fuck with me. Do you hear?"

The man gave Edward a shove that made him slam backward against the thick carpet.

"Now get your pretty face out of here." The man sneered.

A bark sounded.
Some scratching at the door and then it opened. Letting in a dog with a mixed fur of grey and brown spots. It walked straight to the young woman and started licking her face.

The man called Robson wanted to grab him by the collar, but it growled so he withdrew his hand.

A soft grunt was heard.

Both men looked eagerly at the young woman who appeared to wake up.