Salvation Equation - Chapter 17. Movie Screening

For the first time in a long time, the mansion was crowded with people from all walks of life. The local celebrities and even the famous socialites and London fashionistas were there.

Madeline was absorbed in greeting them. Sometimes there were people to whom she had not sent invitations, but they must have been so interested.

“These days it seems to be ‘polite’ to come even if you are uninvited in this way.”

Sebastian grumpled. To him, urban society these days was nothing more than a hotbed of all kinds of decadence. It was sickening to see people from such cities all gathered together at once. Of course, for Madeline, it was as fresh as a new wind.

Madeline wore a soft silver silk dress and a silk headband.

There was no way to tell who was of what status just by looking at their appearance. The distinction between nobility and commoners was no longer significant. Each person was at first overwhelmed by Nottingham Mansion, and then regained a sense of stability as they watched the lovely Madeline smile.

Madeline Loenfield in their imagination must have been a pale, tragic woman, but in reality she was a healthy woman with pink cheeks. They could not believe this fact.

It was hard not to be curious about the visit of such a visitor. For everyone has a psychological need to witness the downfall of others.

They glanced sideways at Madeline and said, “Come on”. Now that they had confirmed that the hostess was in good health, they were curious when will that famous ghost Count come out.

Such was the time when the tea party was in full swing. Madeline rang a small bell.

The people who had been conversing with each other looked at their host, Madeline. Hm-hmm. Madeleine carefully adjusted her voice and put her hands together.

“Now, let’s go together to see the movie I have prepared for you.”

She suggested shyly. And that was when a black shadow came down the stairs. The Count was coming down the stairs, supported by his servants.

For a moment, the crowd held their breath. Madeline did the same. A cold sweat broke out behind her.

“…….”

Madeline leaned toward the stairs. There was really no need for the man to force himself to attend.

The Count came down the stairs and looked at his wife. Then he greeted the guests watching him at the bottom of the stairs.

“My apologies for the delay. I am Ian Nottingham, the master of this mansion.”

The man in his best clothes with neatly arranged hair, he was sophisticated, unlike his usual image of a brooding recluse.

He has a natural look about him…he was polished. He was not like he was in his prime, but rather a different atmosphere. Of course, the others had no idea how hard the man was trying to pretend to be unconcerned.

Madeline was not the only one who was overwhelmed by the Count’s strange, twisted, pearl-like charm. The whole crowd nodded their heads. Each was busy correcting their first impressions of the Count.

“Let’s go together.”

With those words, Ian wrapped Madeline’s arm with the one hand that was not holding the crutches. The people couldn’t help but admire his skill, but Madeleine felt a twinge in her chest.

The man’s hand, holding her arm, trembled like a tree branch.

***

It was very close to the chapel, but inconvenient for the Count to move. Madeleine whispered into the Count’s ear in a very small voice.

“Do you need a wheelchair?”

Ian shook his head slowly.

“It’s not that bad.”

They were quite a sweet couple for a stranger to see. A man and woman who relied on each other, if not perfectly. An image far from the truth. But even Madeline was fooled by their performance.

It was strangely familiar to get used to the sight of her ear to ear with the man who had just left her in charge. It was enough to create the hope that they would get a little closer like this from now on.

They walked slowly behind the guests as they made their way to the chapel.

“You don’t have to overdo it.”

She could never forget the feeling of the man’s shaking hand. Madeline carefully and surely examined the man’s complexion.

“It’s hard for you to welcome guests alone.”

He dismissed it at once.

“But…”

“I wanted to see the movie….”

He trailed off. Madeline couldn’t see the tips of his reddened ears in the darkness. Madeline’s smile was also buried in the darkness. But the warmth was the only thing they really felt for each other.

Once everyone was in the chapel, the video technician began showing the film. One, two, three. The pianist began to play a lively tune, and a string orchestra added delightful accompaniment. People’s faces lit up in the flickering light of the screen.

Madelene turned her head and there was her husband, looking serene and bearing it all. Half of his face, which was not scarred, showed strange emotions elaborated and intact.

It was so raw that Madeline had to hurry to look at the front screen again.

Buster Keaton’s <The General>.

Even though London was already showing the film, the silent film was still on view. This silent film that they were showing now came from the United States.

Buster Keaton. He was a famous mime actor, but actually Madeline did not know much about him. Still, it was interesting. Even without knowing the fact that it was set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, she was so immersed in the movie that she almost forgot to check on her husband.

People would start laughing at the funny parts, but the Count did not laugh. He just looked at the varied black and white screen. It was hard to distinguish between immersion and boredom.

Then it was time for the film to come to a close. A scene came on in which soldiers, presumably from the Confederate army, were firing cannonballs.

Boom!

At the same time, Madeline heard a thud from her side. They did mention that it was a silent film. The people seated in the auditorium began to murmur.

Madeline covered her mouth with her hand and barely managed to stifle a scream. Ian had fallen to the floor. Madeline was about to get up from her seat, but Ian stopped her.

“I…I’m fine…”

As Ian tried to move his body with a groan, Madeline sat down next to the fallen man in a hurry. She tried to get him up somehow.

But Ian’s body was shaking so much. He was having a seizure. Instantly, Madeline’s heart seemed to have stopped. The heart that had stopped beating seemed to sink endlessly.

Whether the chapel was in an uproar or the people were buzzing, Madeline heard nothing.

She was in a hurry and managed to wake the man up. Suddenly someone approached her and curled up next to Ian.

“Madam, calm down. I’m a doctor.”

The approaching man carefully backed Madeline away. He began to measure the fallen Count’s pulse and breathing with familiar hands.

“Everyone calm down. Don’t worry. The Count is just suffering from a syndrome.”

He whistled. He led the situation calmly, waving his arms and calling the servants.

“What are you doing standing still? Hurry up and take the Count to his bedroom.”

***

Madeline didn’t care what happened to the movie afterwards. Sebastian would have taken care of it. Madeline was more worried about Ian, who collapsed than her immediate responsibility as a host.

Lying on the bed, Ian’s face was light purple and pale. His hands and toes were cramping. The doctor sitting on the bed grabbed the pulse in the Count’s wrist and checked this and that. He sighed.

“It seems the Count is suffering from the aftereffects of ‘shell shock’.”

Madeline had no idea what “shell shock” was. It was the first time she had heard the term.

“…….”

When Madeline’s mouth only stiffened as she was speechless, the doctor’s brow furrowed in reassurance.

“It’s a kind of neurosis…when he saw the flashing in the dark. No, I’m telling you not to worry. “

“…I have done something stupid.”

She shouldn’t have played the movie, or threw a party in the first place. Madeline, as white as Ian, murmured.

“I didn’t mean to blame the madam. There are many neurological fields that have yet to be explored.”

The doctor’s neat blond hair was slightly disheveled. Gentleness and calmness individually showed on his clean face. Like a butterfly looking at a specimen, he observed the sick Count.

“Doctor, are you sure he is alright?”

The shock blew over, and now tears of regret oozed from her eyes. Madeline turned away. It was so shameful, pathetic, and unbearable to be such a pathetic hostess.

“He will be alright. He will need rest.”

The doctor stood up. As soon as he got up, he pulled out a business card from his pocket.

“My name is Cornell Arlington.”