"Where there is a woman, there is magic." –Ntozake Shange

Oliver felt like his body was being pierced by icy needles. It was a miracle he made it back to his estate in one piece with what felt like a high fever gripping him. He was going to be horribly sick and the princess was going to execute him for abandoning her in the middle of ball preparation. But he had to get away from the Royal residence and back to his estate if he was going to make it through his illness.

He tried to open the front door to no avail, every passing moment his body was freezing and he was struggling to keep his consciousness. He would later regret leaving the Royal Residence with a stolen royal Arabian mare without notifying anyone.

He knocked on the door praying Mr. Morrison heard him and will come to look for him lying half-conscious at the doorstep. He was being foolish but he couldn't stay at the Palace not when he was falling sick and the rumor of the princess fancying him whispered through the palace corridors.

The door opened suddenly his already failing senses unable to keep him standing upright. Before he knew he collided with a warm and soft body. His freezing senses finding warmth in the hot skin touching him. He tightened his arms around a slim waist, filling his lungs with a unique soothing smell.

He wobbled to his bed-chamber with the help of his butler and an unknown person while Mrs. Morrison prepared herbal tea and sent one of the guards for the doctor. Hannah rushed to the kitchen and brought cold water and started putting the washcloth on his forehead trying to cool him down till the doctor arrived.

Oliver felt his entire being was buried in ice and the coldness on his forehead was the pain inflicted by Satan himself. He found himself drained of all the energy, shivering with unbeatable cold. He was fighting to keep himself from seeping into unconsciousness.

He woke up when someone forced a disgusting liquid down his throat. He recognized the voice of Mr. Morrison and his doctor while there was also the presence of someone with a haunting voice that was like a balm on his brain. He was afraid he might be delirious.

Oliver kept slipping in and out of consciousness, he used to wake up when someone tried to force-feed him medicine or food and slip back into darkness once again. He lost track of time but he was constantly aware of the person taking care of him. He would have known if it was his butler or cook. He never had to know any service people hired at his estate but he wished he knew the person taking care of him. There was something about the caring nature that Oliver wanted to revel in.

He woke up feeling much better and famished. The fire was burning in the hearth and the darkness around him indicated he has woken up in the middle of the night. The illness rendered him weak and he can barely get out of bed. The movement at the corner of his chamber caught his attention, he couldn't believe his luck, an intruder decided to break in when he could barely stand upright. He should have listened to his brothers nagging him to hire more help at his estate.

Before he could react, the intruder spotted him standing near his bed and the silhouette started moving towards him in the dark. He summoned up all the remaining strength, he will be damned if he didn't fight till his weak body would allow. 

"My lord," he heard the silhouette say in a sweet voice.

As the silhouette came out of the shadow transforming into a beautiful woman catching his entire attention. She was bewitchingly beautiful. Her long golden blonde hair with the fairest skin and bluest eyes captivated him. He had never seen a woman more enchanting. He never wanted to come out of the heavenly dream.

"My lord," She said with an alluring whisper, "You shouldn't be standing."

He was frozen in a spot, a victim to Medusa's gaze. A voice in his head screaming he was hallucinating but a larger part of him wanted it to be real.

His attention was solely focused on the woman in his room, he didn't notice when his butler entered and was standing near him trying to gain his attention. 

"My Lord," Mr. Morrison said ushering Oliver back to his bed, "I will send for the doctor at once. Miss. Hannah, will you please look after what his lordship needs?"

The lady nodded and walked toward him like a dream that will vanish within thin air. Oliver couldn't believe his dream was not a dream and the woman standing in front of him was real.

"My lord, you need to lie down. I will ask Mrs. Morrison to prepare something for you," She asked and he finally put a face to the voice he had been hearing.

After settling him comfortably back in bed, she left his chambers most definitely to find his cook. The reality became more apparent when he had been left with his thought his stomach grumbling. She seemed familiar but he couldn't remember where he had met her, he was sure she was not employed at his estate.

Like any other gentry he didn't know the service people in his employment but when he relived all his staff from his estate and entrusted Mr. and Mrs. Morrison to keep his estate running in his absence the only female help that stayed back were two young sisters who were attached to the Morrison like their daughters. But the woman had a striking appearance that didn't match any of the sisters.

Instead of her, it was Mrs. Morrison that entered his bed-chamber with the food on her plate. 

"Mrs. Morrison, how are you?" He asked his voice coming like a whisper. 

"I am perfectly well, my lord, but you are not. I made your favorite soup, the doctor will be here soon," She said placing the food carefully on his bed.

"Mrs. Morrison, who was the woman that was in my bed-chamber before?" He asked.

"Her name is Hannah, my lord. She is a maid at Raymond's estate, she came here to run Lady Kentshire's and Lady Raymond's errands. She was the one who found you at the door and has been taking care of you ever since. She is such a sweet girl," Mrs. Morrinson said.

Oliver realized why she seemed familiar. But how come he didn't notice such a beautiful face at the Raymond estate. He asked Mrs. Morrison to send Hannah to his bed-chamber. After waiting for several moments, his soup getting colder with no intention to drink he was disappointed when his door opened to reveal Dr. Johannese and his butler but no sign of her.

After a couple of questions from his doctor and a thorough check-up, he was prescribed bed rest for a week and a lot of liquid food. Doctor Johanesse took his leave and he reminded his butler to send Hannah to his bed-chamber. Mr. Morrison promised to send her with hot soup while taking back the untouched one from his side.

While he waited for her, he felt all the energy drained from him. He heard two knocks at his door and she was in front of him once again. He looked at her carefully while she situated the food properly. There was a certain air of sophistication that comes with age but the curiosity in her stance suggested she had a sheltered life and defiance that she carries with her naturally.

"Miss Murphy," He exclaimed.