Jonathan's response was a chuckle, a sound that seemed to dance with the shadows cast by the flickering candlelight. "Haha... I heard a tale from the Maid," he began, his voice taking on the cadence of a storyteller. "Yesterday, Ledvic returned from his mysterious ventures, parking his car on the porch. In the absence of light, a figure emerged from the darkness, a phantom in the night. With a swift motion, this specter grasped Ledvic's shoulder and delivered a blow to his knee, forcing him to kneel as if in fealty. A fistful of hair was claimed as a trophy, and a warning was issued in a voice as rough as gravel: 'Don't mess with the wrong person...'"

  Jonathan's imitation of the rough voice sent a shiver through the room, and he paused for effect before continuing. "The next words were a riddle wrapped in enigma: 'Two person one day.' Ledvic, convinced he had encountered a ghost, fled in terror, colliding with the maid who later recounted the tale to me. She described him as a man unhinged, spewing his fears in a frenzied confession."

  Isabella's brow furrowed, skepticism etching her features. "No, there are no ghosts in real life. It's the work of a human, surely. Perhaps someone seeking retribution for a misdeed?" She pondered aloud, her mind weaving through possibilities. "Where is he now?"

  Jonathan's laughter bubbled up once more, a mirthful sound that seemed out of place in the somber narrative. "He's taken refuge in his room, assuming the guise of a cat," he whispered conspiratorially, "paralyzed by fright."

  The conversation turned to the other victim of the night's strange events. "And what of the Miss?" Isabella pressed, her curiosity piqued.

  "On the very same spot, at the stroke of one, Linda found herself ensnared in a similar encounter," Jonathan recounted, his laughter returning as he spoke of the absurdity. "Who can say where she had been or with whom, but upon parking her car, she too felt the grip of an unseen assailant. Her screams pierced the night, alerting the maid who found her disheveled and trembling on the ground. 'End of the day,' the voice had declared before melting into the darkness."

  The security's testimony only deepened the mystery, claiming vigilance yet witnessing nothing. "Who knows the identity of this avenger?" Jonathan mused, his story leaving more questions than answers.

  Isabella's expression remained a tapestry of confusion and concern. "But why? Why would this person target both the young Master and Miss without revealing their motive?"

  Jonathan could only offer a nod in response, his own understanding as clouded as hers. "And to add to the intrigue, my son and daughter-in-law return tomorrow," he sighed, the weight of the family's troubles pressing upon him.

  The Master and Madame's neglect of Mr. Perry was a known fact, their visits fleeting and self-serving. "Let's set aside these troubles for now," Isabella suggested with a smile that belied the tension of the evening. "Medicine first, then I shall read you a novel."

  Jonathan's smile mirrored hers, a shared moment of respite in the midst of unfolding drama. The promise of a story was a balm to their weary spirits, a temporary escape from the enigmas that lurked just beyond the walls of their sanctuary.

  In the stillness of the night, Isabella's mind wrestled with the enigma of the evening's occurrences. Despite the turmoil within, her exterior was a bastion of calm. Ensuring Jonathan was nestled comfortably in his bed, swathed in soft linens that whispered against his skin with every subtle movement, she began to read from a novel. Her voice, a melodious timbre, infused the romantic passages with a palpable tension, eliciting a look of sheer pleasure from Jonathan. The gentle rhythm of her narration, akin to a lullaby, soon coaxed the old man into a restful slumber.

  Isabella sat vigil, her gaze tender and watchful. A gentle smile played upon her lips as she observed the serene countenance of Jonathan's sleeping visage. The room, bathed in the warm glow of a single lamp, cast soft shadows that danced upon the walls with each flicker of the flame. She leaned forward, her lips bestowing a featherlight kiss upon his forehead—a silent testament to her affection and esteem. With a quiet efficiency, she began to pack her belongings, the soft rustle of her movements a stark contrast to the hushed room.

  As she approached the threshold, a voice, tinged with vulnerability, arrested her departure. "Isabella... please stop..." It was Ledvic, his characteristic ire is now supplanted by a note of disarray. He pressed her for details of the prior day's happenings, causing Isabella's heart to miss a beat. With steadfast resolve, she denied divulging the incident to anyone.

  Ledvic's attempt at an explanation was clumsy at best, a haphazard effort to dismiss his earlier indiscretion as nothing more than a blunder born of inebriation. Isabella offered a smile, devoid of warmth yet brimming with civility, her true emotions regarding his unwelcome advance carefully veiled. With a courteous nod, she excused herself, her senses tingling with heightened awareness.

  Unexpectedly, Ledvic inquired, "Do you have a brother or boyfriend?" The question hung in the air, heavy with implication. Isabella deflected with haste, her response underscored by a commitment to her scholarly and vocational endeavors.

  With a nod of assent, Isabella made her escape, her thoughts a whirlwind of speculation regarding the shadowy figure who had sown seeds of fear within the household. Clasping the cross nestled within her bag, a talisman against the unknown, she hastened home. Upon arrival, she secured the door with a resounding click, the sound echoing her relief.

  •••

  Elsewhere, the bar was a cacophony of laughter and clinking glasses, a symphony of nightlife that Edwin and Benjamin sought to distance themselves from. Edwin had secured a secluded nook, a sanctuary from the revelry where they could survey the throng from their vantage point. It was a spot shrouded in privacy, the dim lighting casting their faces in relief against the backdrop of obscurity—a haven for two friends to exchange confidences away from the scrutiny of the world.