"Please don't ever think like that, my Lady," Lily replies softly, her eyes shining with absolute sincerity. She steps closer, gently taking my hand in hers. "You are never a burden to us. In fact, you are the person I and everyone in this estate care for the most. Please, don't ever say such things."
A genuine, soft smile melts away my lingering embarrassment. I squeeze her hand lightly and nod. "Alright, I get it. Thank you, Lily. But as for what just happened, forget everything. You didn't see me, understood?"
Lily's lips twitch into a mischievous grin. "Oh, absolutely. I will make a deliberate effort to forget how my noble lady completely lost control of her body and turned bright red."
"Hey! Stop right there, don't tease me!" I groan, waving my hands frantically in the air as my cheeks flare red all over again. "Drop it, please! Wipe that memory right out of your head!"
For a moment, the quiet bedroom fills with the sound of our genuine laughter, clearing away the lingering tension of the day.
Once we catch our breath, I clear my throat and shift back to business. "Alright, let's get back to the point. Could you fetch me some writing supplies?"
"Of course, my Lady," Lily says with a bright smile, quickly stepping over to the nearby desk to gather crisp parchment, a bottle of ink, and a fine-nibbed quill. She brings them over and sets them up smoothly across my lap.
I take the pen. At first I think that maybe I can't use it but then after holding it, I realized that I can use it maybe it was because of Elanore's reflexs. Then I quickly draft a short, reassuring reply to Arthur:
Dear Arthur,
I finally woke up today. I'm doing quite well, so please don't worry about me too much. I was simply completely exhausted and needed to rest. Make sure you take good care of yourself, too. I'll see you soon.
Eleanor
After folding the letter neatly, I hand it to Lily. "Here. Please give this to the head butler and tell him to have it dispatched as quickly as possible."
"Right away, my Lady," Lily says, taking the letter and stepping out of the room.
As She promised, just a few minutes later, Lily returns. "The letter has been given to the butler for immediate delivery. Do you need anything else, my Lady?"
I toss the blankets aside and push myself toward the edge of the bed. "Actually, yes. I can't just lie here staring at the ceiling any longer. I need to get some fresh air. Even the doctor said movement is good for recovery, remember? Help me up."
Before I can even place my feet on the floor, Lily rushes forward, hovering protectively. "Wait, my Lady! You shouldn't be straining yourself just like that. If you need to go out, just tell me what you want, and I will arrange it!"
"No, Lily, I've spent days trapped in this bed; I need to walk," I insist, standing up with a bit more steadiness than before.
Lily sighs, looking me up and down before her eyes widen slightly. "Well, you certainly can't go anywhere dressed like that. Before we even think about stepping outside, you need to change your outfit."
I blink, looking down at myself. I'm still wearing what I assumed was a comfortable, rather gorgeous loungewear dress. But as I look closer, the soft, flowing lace, delicate silk, and lightweight drape make it painfully obvious that it's a nightgown. In my world, oversized loungewear or sleep-dresses were totally fine to move around the house in, but in this rigid aristocratic society, walking around in a nightgown in broad daylight is practically a scandal.
A hot flush of embarrassment hits me for the second time today. "Ah... right. I completely forgot."
Lily lets out an affectionate, teasing chuckle. "Goodness, you are so eager to wander around that you completely forgot you're still wearing your nightclothes. You really can be so childish sometimes, my Lady."
"Alright, alright, mock me all you want," I laugh, shaking my head. "Let's go get it changed then."
Just as Lily turns to prepare a warm bath and select a proper daytime dress, the doors of my bedchamber suddenly fly open with a loud bang. There is no knock, no polite warning, just an abrupt intrusion.
Lily and I both surprisingly look toward the entrance.
Standing right there in the doorway is Orlando, looking entirely too smug for his own good.
His sudden appearance makes me shock but within few seconds, I regain my composure. I look at Lily and realize that her situation is also same as me. I glare straight at him .
"What in the world do you think you're doing?" I ask with irritation. "Did you completely forget how to knock on a door? Have you actually lost your mind, Orlando?! What happened to basic etiquette, did they stop teaching you that a gentleman's primary duty is to knock before entering a lady's private chambers? I think you desperately need to retake your manners lessons!"
"Just why had Orlando sprinted all the way to Eleanor's room in such a frantic, breathless panic? What was the reason behind his sudden, desperate dash?
Stay tuned to find out the answers in the next chapter!"