I closed my bedroom door and hung my brown coat behind it. The sweet, faint scent of vanilla still lingered on the fabric.
I reached into my trouser pocket and pulled out her handkerchief. The fresh blood that had stained it earlier was now dry, a dark, rusty brown that carried a slight metallic tang.
"I suppose buy her a new one" I murmured, before remembering her insistence that this particular cloth was irreplaceable.
My gaze fell upon the corner where the name Claire was embroidered in gold thread. The stitching remained pristine, untouched by the crimson splotches.
I sat on the edge of my bed, turning the fabric over in my hands. An odd sensation had been gnawing at me since we returned—a feeling I could not quite put into words or capture in writing.
It was strange, yet somehow not unwelcome. It was simply too early to name it.I placed the handkerchief on the bedside table, blew out the candle, and pulled the covers over my head.
…
Srak
I turned the pages of my journal, jotting down key points from the material I intended to teach. I glanced toward the empty sofa in my workspace.
The room felt unnervingly quiet.
The night we returned, Countess Winston had been waiting at the entrance. Her face was a mask of grim displeasure, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She did not speak at first, but her aura screamed of a foul mood. "Where have you been?" she had asked sharply, her eyes boring into Claire. Claire bit her lip, looking utterly lost for an explanation.
"Pardon me for interrupting, Countess" I had stepped in.
"But as her tutor, it is my responsibility to explain why Lady Clairence has returned so late"The Countess sharp gaze shifted from her daughter to me. I am not a man prone to lying. it is not in my nature. Yet, I felt a surge of protectiveness that overrode my conscience.
"The truth is—"
The Countess suddenly froze, her eyes landing on the bandage on my forehead.
"Is that a wound, sir?" My mind raced for a logical excuse, but before I could utter a word, Claire spoke up."Mother! That wound is my fault"
Both the Countess and I stared at her. She spoke with a startling, defiant honesty. I could not begin to guess what was going through her mind. She laid out the entire sequence of events. how she had insisted on going out, the accidental collision, the trip to the clinic, and our late return. She told everything without omitting a single detail.
I was baffled. I had expected her to lie, perhaps to shift the blame onto me. Why had she chosen the truth? As a result, the Countess had revoked Claire’s freedom, confining her to her room for an entire week.
That why she was not here now. My duty had shifted to delivering assignments to her door every morning and collecting them the next. "Pardon the interruption, Mr. Harrie. Lunch is served downstairs"
I nodded to the servant and gathered the scattered papers on my desk. I headed down, intending to bring a new set of lessons to Claire once I had eaten.
As I descended the stairs, I passed a maid carrying a tray with water, roast beef, and pudding toward the upper floors. She bowed her head briefly before hurrying past.
In the dining room, I found Countess Winston finishing her meal. She dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin and looked up. A faint, somewhat forced cheerfulness touched her face. "Ah, Mr. Harrie" she said.
"Am I late?" I asked, taking my seat and placing the stack of papers on the empty chair beside me.
"Not at all. You arrived at the perfect time. Please, enjoy" As I cut into the roast beef, the rich scent of butter filled the air. Across the table, the Countess watched me with a focused intensity, her fingers fidgeting nervously.
"Countess Winston" I said softly.
"Is there something you wish to discuss?"
She started, looking like someone caught in a shameful act. She kneaded her hands together—a gesture that reminded me painfully of Claire’s own nervous habits.
"Mr. Harrie" she began, taking a long breath.
"I apologize for speaking while you are eating, but I wish to offer my sincerest apologies for my daughter’s uncouth behavior"
"I promise to discipline her strictly. Therefore—" She paused, her eyes pleading.
"Please, do not mention this to Lord Eric"
"I fear that if he hears of this, he might sever ties with our family. I beg of you, sir. I will do anything to make amends, only keep this matter between us"Suddenly, the meat in my mouth tasted like ash. I wiped my mouth with the napkin and set it aside.
"You have no need to worry, countess" I said.
"The behavior the Lady showed me is proof she was raised in a healthy environment. She hides nothing and acts exactly as a girl her age should. Lord Eric dislikes duplicity above all else. Her current character is the best it can be"
I concluded my sentence with a faint smile as I rose from my chair. The Countess didn't say anything, but her previously pale expression began to brighten again. "Thank you for the meal"
I grabbed the papers and climbed the stairs toward Claire’s room, my jaw tightening. I couldn't explain the sudden surge of irritation. It felt familiar, like a memory I couldn't quite grasp.
I stood before her door and took five deep breaths to steady myself. When I knocked, Claire peeked through a crack before letting me in and closing the door with a sharp
Brak
Her hair was slightly disheveled, and she looked exhausted. "What is it?" she asked, walking toward me.
"I am not in the mood for anything. Make it quick" She slumped onto her sofa, her eyes darting away every time they accidentally met mine.
"Assignments" I said, handing her the stack of papers.
"What is all this?"
"Task. Just because you are grounded does not mean your education pauses. You simply need to read and answer. It is quite simple"
She rolled her eyes and tossed the papers onto the table. "Is that all?"
"Not quite. There is something else I wish to say"
"Then say it. I am not in the mood for small talk"
I sat on the sofa opposite her, keeping my posture formal. She glanced at me, then looked away again. "Are you quite alright today, Miss?"
She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know. You seem... different"
She let out a mocking laugh, leaning back into a more relaxed, almost arrogant pose. "Pfft, what do you know? My room has always been like this. You just haven't seen it before"
She stood up and walked to her bed, which was still a mess of unmade blankets. She grabbed a red-covered book and returned to the sofa. With her eyes buried in the pages, "There. You have said your piece. You may leave now"
"Not yet. I am not finished”
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