Life at the Balemount estate has started to fill normal for Alora, she was getting used to being woken upby the servants going around their morning duties very early before the main members of the family woke up. The smell of freshly baked bread was the one thing she could really relate with as they reminded her of the one in her house while growing up.
Wait a minute, she thought to herself, the smell did not just reminded her of home it was exactly the same smell, that cinnamon and butter mixture, she definitely would remember that even in her dream.
Alora quickly dressed up and rushed out of her room, she would not be seeing the duchess till 3 hours time so she had plenty of time. She quickly rushed to the kitchen. Praying she was right, she looked around the kitchen staffs one after another and finally she found him, chef Philippe, the chef in whose locker the letter was found after he ran away.
She paused in her tracks, she had to be careful, she did not want to risk giving herself away.
She hurried back into her room. she did not want to create any suspicion looking around her she walked up and down her room and finally decided to sit on the bed she looked up to the ceiling she knew she had to be careful because any little mistake on her part, any little miss calculation on her part, and she knew she would fall into the Trap. Valdrain Balmount was not a man she should joke with. She knew he had eyes on her so she definitely needed to be careful.
She looked up at the clock it was time to attend to the Duchess, she picked up her medicine bag and adjusted her dress. As soon as she opened her door to step out, she almost collided with Valdrain
'Oh sorry" he said holding her to steady her
She felt light headed for a second and then she came steady.
"How can I help you my lord" she asked surprised to see him at her door
"I am just coming from my mother's room and I noticed she developed fever and it looks quite serious"
"Oh my god, we better hurry that's a very bad sign at this stage of her treatment" she said looking scared and ran ahead of him but he quickly caught up to her, held her hands and ran with her
They got to the door of the Duchess room and Alora paused, please get me a bowl of cold water she said to servant at the door and she hurried inside.
She took a metal tester and put it in the Duchess mouth, after a few seconds she brought it out and checked the color against the white material then she placed both down.
Valdrian to their looking scared and unable to do anything
Soon the Servant arrived with the bowl of cold water
Let me try to get her temperature down first Alora said as she took the bowl of cold water she dipped the towel on it and placed it on the touches head
She picked the metal tester up and stared at it for a while then placed it down
Help me get her to sit up she said to the servant but Valdrian stepped up instead and helped her lift his mother up to an almost sitting position.
Alora brought out a medicine from her bag and poor the liquid on a spoon, she fed the medicine to the Duchess and then signaled to Valdrain that was standing closed by to help her lie her back down on the bed.
Alora removed the towel from the duchess's forehead dip it in cold water again and place it back on the forehead. Soon the Dutchess fell asleep.
"She will be fine now Alora said to Valdrain I will watch her till the fever breaks you can go and give attention other duties." Anything to get this man and his presence away from her, she felt stiff with him around and she was mentally standing on tiptoes when ever he was around.
"I will stay till the fever breaks she is my mother and I will stay till I am certain she is okay if not I will not be able to focus on any other thing"
"I am sorry my lord, I had no intention of denying you your duties as a son"
"I am not offended and I understand you"
"As you wish my lord, Alora said that she began arranging her medicine bag
Valdrain stood there watching her closely, he admired the swiftness with which she worked. She seemed professional but there was a grace she carried that was only peculiar to noble women. He knew there was more to her she carried an air of mystery around her but he did not know what it was and he was determined to find out but for now his mother's health came first. "How is she doing?" he asked her
Alora proceeded to check her temperature, "the fever has broke my lord" she turned to him with a smile.
He came close and placed his hand on his mother's forehead, and turned to face her "you're right" he said and she held her breath, she could literally smell his masculine cologne
"If it is okay with you my lord, I would like to go into town and fetch some more medicine"
"What part of town is that, I am also going into town for business and I might drop you off on my way"
"No thank you I'm fine by myself my lord," Alora politely rejected his offer, she needed to stay far away from his watchful eyes
"Very well then but take a servant with you"
"Okay I will"
"Also instruct her other servants on how to care for her while you're away"
"Yes my lord"
He started to leave but paused in his step and turned to face her
"Were you born and Noble" he asked her thinking maybe she was a noble but something happened and she was forced to learn the skill of medicine to survive.
The color instantly drained from her face but she kept herself composed
She turned to face him composure in check, "no my lord, I don't know much about my origin I was abandoned at and orphanage so I don't know anything about my parents."
"Well you are well raised and that's all that matters he said to her"
"Thank you my lord"
He nodded and finally walked out of the room but he was far from convinced. The pieces fits to perfectly it's almost felt like a well written story. She was good at carrying for his mother so maybe he should forget everything and just trust her. He would love to but the suspicion kept tugging at him.
He finally left her alone and her knees almost gave way, some servants stepped in, likely instructed by Valdrian and she started giving them instructions on what to do while she was away.
After she was done instructing the servants, she went to her room to pack the few things she would need for the market and she took the seal found in the letter hoping to get clarity as to which house the seal belonged to. She thought of the servant to bring along with because she knew it would raise suspicion if she went alone but she did not want anyone aware of her movements. She finally decided to risk suspicion and went alone stopping by to inform the head of the servants of her intentions to go and get medicine.
She finally would be getting some outside air after over a month locked up in the Balmount estate, as soon as she came out of the gate she saw Valdrain on a horse like he was waiting for someone, their eyes met and he smiled politely, she froze.