chapter eight
Like many other hiding spots, this one was uncomfortable. However, it did have one great advantage—I could hear almost everything on the first floor. The inner walls connected to the ventilation allowed noises from every corner of the house to funnel in. Naturally, I couldn’t make out distinct words around the back of the house, but I could certainly hear the activity. The sounds of clattering dishes and Gillian’s muffled scolds drifted somewhere from behind me. The front of the house was much easier to interpret, especially the front parlor.
The morning hours passed painfully slow as I eavesdropped on the maids who cleaned the front rooms. They mostly spoke of their work, but when they felt safe that no one was listening, the gossip would begin.
“Did you hear that the mistress’s room was found out of sorts this morning?” A low female voice spoke from somewhere in the sitting room. My memory flicked to the guest room I had slept in last night. In my grumpy state this morning, I must have completely forgotten to remake the bed properly.
But wait… did she say the mistress’s room? Oh dear…
“Sure did. I overheard the master shouting about it to Lawrence,” a second, higher-pitched voice chirped. “It certainly has him in a tizzy.”
“I can’t say I’m surprised,” the first voice replied. “He has always been overly security conscious, and even more so since he started having those private meetings. Mysteries spiraling within his own home probably have him even more on edge.”
An uneasy feeling of guilt washed over me at the servant’s words. I hadn’t meant to make anyone worry. It wasn’t my fault that I couldn’t get out of this blasted house. This was all such a mess, and now I was stuck relying on whether or not Elias would prove trustworthy. What was I going to do if he decided to not let me leave?
I shuddered at the thought of being brought before Elias’s father. I would try to run again before allowing myself to be turned in. Time pressed forward and, before I knew it, I could make out the voice of Lord Oberon moving to the door.
“I’ll be back at two o’ clock sharp. Jenna should be here anytime between two and three, so make sure everything is ready before I return.” The master’s hurried voice drifted off as he stepped out into the front garden.
“Of course, sir.” Lawrence’s smooth voice cascaded evenly throughout the crawlspace. “I shall personally oversee the care of her chambers to ensure no further incidents occur.”
Lord Oberon muttered something to him, but I couldn’t make out the words now that he was outside the manor. The mumbles were shortly followed by the click of the door closing, and then the light steps of Lawrence’s heels walking up the stairs.
I shifted awkwardly within in the narrow walls, trying to regain feeling in my legs. In order to fit inside the petite nook, I had to either sit on my legs or tuck them up to my chest. Both positions were rather uncomfortable, and I had been switching between the two since early morning. I withheld an irritated groan while silently hoping that Elias would let me out soon. Aside from the noises, I had no means of telling if anyone was outside the concealed door, nor could I even see the door in such an overwhelming darkness. There wasn’t as much as a stream of light let into the space since even the door cracks were covered by the tapestry.
I only had to sit still for another few minutes before a light knocking on the trap door alerted my senses. My eyes darted to the door just as it creaked open. A rush of bright light blinded me momentarily. I blinked rapidly to adjust my vision and, once it had cleared, I saw Elias’s face peer through the opening.
“We don’t have long,” he said urgently. “Follow me, quickly.”
I obeyed without a word and crawled out of my hiding place. Blood rushed back into my limbs with a tingling sensation. I paused for a moment to shake the feeling back into my toes. In the short second it took to reclaim my appendages, Elias had already climbed half of the stairs. I scurried after him, trying to keep pace behind his quick strides.
He led me through the upper halls in a peculiar pattern. If I had to guess, he was probably taking an odd route to avoid running into any servants. Silently, we weaved through the adorned halls until finally stopping in front of a bedroom at the end of the corridor.
“This is my room,” Elias informed me. “The chamber maid already finished her cleaning, so we shouldn’t be disturbed for the rest of the day.”
He opened the door for me to enter, but I lingered in the hall for a moment longer. Elias seemed honorable, yet I still couldn’t shake the discomfort of entering a man’s room without a chaperone. I awkwardly shifted my weight between my feet. My mind searched for the right way to verbalize my concerns without sounding offensive. Elias gave me a questioning look at my hesitation before turning a bright shade of red, closely resembling the color of a strawberry. He must have recognized the source of my uneasiness.
“Oh, I wasn’t… I mean, I wouldn’t—” He fumbled over his words while shielding his red face with one hand. He cleared his throat. “My room has a separate sitting area in the front. We needn’t go past there if that makes you feel comfortable.”
I let out a soft giggle at his blustering. “That should be just fine, thank you.” I stepped through the door and felt relieved to see that he was right. A small private parlor walled off the sleeping chamber from the entrance. I let out a slight sigh of relief, knowing that we hadn’t broken any extreme forms of etiquette. A lady or not, a young girl shouldn’t enter a man’s room unaccompanied.
The two of us sat in opposing arm chairs with a small sofa spanning the space to my left. A small oak tea table rested in front of the seating, and I instantly recognized it as one from my father’s business. It was a beautiful piece, but the memory of my father sent a twist through my stomach, along with a hungry growl. I looked up from the table and noticed that Elias had pushed a covered tray in my direction. Curiously, I lifted the lid and found the most enticing spread of finger sandwiches and cut fruit.
“I thought you might be hungry,” Elias said as he slid me a linen napkin and fork. My eyes widened as I gazed at the meal.
“Thank you!” I beamed as I accepted the fork. “That was very thoughtful of you!” I took in a mouthful of fresh berries, then picked out a thick sandwich.
“No thanks necessary,” he replied with a hint of a snicker. “I kept you locked away all day, so the least I can do is feed you.” I bit hungrily into the sandwich, then suddenly remembered that I should maintain some level of manners. I dabbed my lip with the napkin, then placed it over my lap before diving in for a second bite.
“Well, it is delicious.” I spoke through a half-swallowed bite. “This is the first real meal I have had in days.” I looked up from my food and saw Elias’s eyes darken momentarily. I swallowed uncomfortably.
“I can understand that.” His words were suddenly solemn. I fixed my eyes on his questioningly, but he lit back up again before I could dig. “So anyway, do you feel like telling me why you left your home?”
I swallowed my last bite of sandwich before dropping my gaze to the plate on the tea table. Guess it was time to fess up.
“Yes, I can tell you.” I could feel his eyes on me, but I kept my head lowered. “It’s all because of my parents.” In my peripheral, I noticed Elias lean forward in his chair.
“They arranged a marriage for me…” I paused for a moment, considering my next words. How much could I trust him? He was still a noble, so he could very well align with my parents’ perspective—his father certainly did.