Louis sighed at the situation. "What about brother Albert? Is he alright, knowing about Catherine's situation?"
"He's very worried about Catherine, but he's fine," William observed. Just then, Fred entered the room.
"Master William, Master Louis… the carriage is ready. Let me know when we'll depart," Fred informed them as he walked to the table.
"Brother, you're going out at this hour?" Louis asked, concerned about his brother's health.
"Yes, we only came back for a change of clothes. We've offered to help Catherine back to health." William glanced at the stairs leading to the second floor before speaking again.
"Albert would be so worried thinking about her that he might not be in his right mind, so I suggested the idea. Besides, I'm not that busy, and Catherine did help us during the case of Lucian."
"I see. You're right, Brother William. Then, do you need me to pack you some clothes?" Louis offered to help.
"Yes, thanks, Louis," William smiled.
"It's alright. Why don't you take a bath and nap first while I set it up? You'll need a lot of energy to take care of a patient," Louis said while cleaning up the cups. Fred also helped out.
"Okay. Wake me up in half an hour. Thanks, Louis. Thanks, Fred." William did not wait for their reply and went upstairs. Louis and Fred continued doing the chores silently.
In Albert's bedroom…
As soon as he entered the room, Albert took off his hat and suit jacket, putting them on the rack. He walked toward the bed as he took off his cuff links and loosened his tie. He sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. The image of Catherine lying unconscious with her clothes torn apart was still vivid in his mind.
Albert clenched his fist. Anger overtook him, and as irritation and a heavy feeling crept over him, he forcefully took off his clothes and tossed them in the bin. He then went to the bathroom to take a hot bath, easing his mind.
"Tsk!" Not long after, he lost his usual kind and patient demeanor, letting his anger out.
Albert was not the type to just let his anger out. However, it was due to that personality that when he was truly enraged, it was more dangerous and lethal.
There was a glint of red in his eyes as he sat in the bathtub. After a few minutes of silent thinking, Albert concluded. He then got out of the tub, not minding the splashes of water and the trails it left on the floor. Wearing a robe, he looked at himself in the mirror.
"William is truly right. The hell is empty, and all the devils are here! Looks like I need to mete out punishment myself…" He smirked at the mirror, as if he were not looking at his reflection but rather at a certain someone.
Albert left his bedroom and went straight to the cellar, pulling out at least twelve bottles of wine. Normally, people would think that carrying this amount of wine meant it would be used for a gathering and for a lot of people, but for Albert James Moriarty, this amount was still not enough.
He then went to the drawing room and opened one. He drank and drank while looking at the fire, his face unreadable. Not long after, Louis, who was preparing for the departure, came in with a pile of boxes.
Seeing Albert in the room, Louis was shocked. His eyes widened when he saw the bottles. "Brother Albert, this is…"
Louis didn't know what to say. Even though he was not the person who loved Catherine, he still felt a sense of companionship with her. He considered her a longtime friend and a sister, so he understood a little of what Albert was feeling, but seeing the bottles, he felt it was wrong to drink that much, even if Albert had a high alcohol tolerance.
"I advise you to stop drinking. You shouldn't drink too much. You still need to take care of Catherine. Please compose yourself." Louis grabbed a few bottles and put them away.
"Perhaps you're right. Thanks, Louis," Albert calmed down after hearing Catherine's name. he sighed, showing disappointment in himself.
Louis did not reply, focusing on cleaning up. Albert also didn't mind being ignored.
"I'm sure you know about my feelings for her. You're an intelligent person; it would be easy for you to guess it." Albert spoke up suddenly, causing Louis to pause.
"I don't know why, but when I saw her like that… there was something in me that wanted to just wreak havoc and destroy everything." Albert sighed as he finished the last wine in his glass.
"That's because you love her, brother. Because of your love, you want her to be safe, far from harm. I understand the feeling." Louis paused for a moment.
"Whenever brother William is involved in our missions, I worry for his safety. I have many thoughts in my mind, but ultimately, all I can do is help him and try to keep him safe. Because we love them, our emotions take over every time things involve them. So, what you're feeling right now is totally normal." Louis stood up, took the glass from Albert's hand, and placed his other hand on his shoulder.
"There's no need to be sad. What happened has happened. Let's just move forward and do what we can to protect them in the future. Together." At the end of his speech, Louis gave Albert an encouraging smile.
"Thank you, Louis, truly."
"If you really want to thank me, don't drink too much in the future." Louis returned to his stoic demeanor. Albert just chuckled at the scene.
"Well… I better get prepared for our departure." Albert stood up and approached Louis, this time placing his hand on Louis' shoulder. "I leave the manor to you."
He then walked upstairs to get dressed. Louis bowed in understanding. He then went to the kitchen and did some things. By the time he was done, he returned to the room with the box, only to see William with a bag.
"Is that all you'll be bringing, brother?" Louis asked with a smile.
"Yes. I've packed a few days' worth of clothes—Louis, what's that in your hands?" William asked when he noticed the box in Louis' hands. But before he could answer, Albert, followed by Fred, entered the room.
"Good! Everyone is here. Oh, Louis, what's that box in your hand?" Albert also asked curiously.
"This? Well… you were all sad about what happened to Catherine, so I baked some cookies to lift your spirits." Louis handed the box to William and looked at Albert. "Eat them in the hospital. I hope these cookies can ease your heart."
"Thanks, Louis." Both William and Albert thanked Louis for the gesture.
"We should get going; dawn is breaking upon us," Fred informed them of the time.
"Yes, you should. Be careful on the road. Give my regards to Catherine when she wakes up. I'll visit later if I have the chance." Louis walked them to the porch and stood there as Fred loaded the luggage into the carriage's trunk.
"I'll be back in a bit, Master Louis," Fred informed Louis as he opened the door for the two masters who were leaving.
"We'll be off now, Louis. Take care," William bid his farewell as he boarded the carriage, while Albert gave a wave of goodbye and followed suit.
Fred closed the door and climbed into the driver's seat. With a nod to Louis, the carriage set off towards the town as the sky lit up, indicating the arrival of dawn.