Sereughe shut her eyes closed, refusing to look at any more of their disgusting acts. However, her ears were the ones that were tortured from hearing their laughs and giggles and their incredible fondness of each other.
The man, only in his breeches, which Sereughe had probably failed to notice, took his shirt and buttoned it up. His eyes instinctively went to Sereughe, feasting on the awkwardness of her stance.
Her head was kept low, and her eyes were closed. Even her hands were placed elegantly above her stomach, like a palace maid obedient to her lady. She was a delicacy to his eyes, who had long not been amused.
Lady Lorendale shot a glance at the man, then at Sereughe, her lips curving into joy.
"Forgive me, Miss Mericon. I have yet to introduce you to my—"
"I believe we do not need introductions, Lady Lorendale," the man interrupted.
At last, Sereughe's eyes fluttered open, her eyes landing on the man as soon as they did. She gazed upon his figure, scrutinizing him every second she got before his intense eyes locked on her again.
The man was indeed young; she was guessing probably in his late twenties. He was lean yet muscular. He had long hair, cascading down to his shoulder. The top three buttons of his shirt were undone, shocking her at how bulky he was inside. Her eyes went up to his face to examine more of his features, but there it was—his intense eyes locking onto hers.
"SEREUGHE! Have you found that elusive m—" Milliflore hitched her breath at the sight of the situation. "The ugh... The modiste! Miss Yoren, where is she?"
A bulb lit up above Sereughe's head.
"I am afraid Miss Yoren is nowhere to be found," Sereughe answered, as she hastily walked straight to Milliflore, anchoring her arm on hers. "Please excuse us, Lady Lorendale. I am worried about Miss Yoren."
"And why is she missing?" Lady Lorendale probed.
"We were playing hide and seek," Sereughe answered with a straight face.
"They played hide and seek in another's home?" Lady Lorendale thought in disbelief.
Nevertheless, she had no choice but to let it go. She simply nodded her head, and the girls sent their regards.
"Wait," the man called out.
Sereughe and Milliflore halted on their steps. Sereughe urged Milliflore to go on before she turned around and faced the man.
"The watch is a keepsake from a loved one. And you almost broke it."
"I offer my sincerest apologies—"
"Why don't you look at me in the eyes?"
Sereughe almost raised her eyebrows. She kept her head low but raised her eyes to look at him. The moment their eyes locked on, she felt it— the intense aura coming from him.
How could a nameless man like him give her that feeling? Sereughe cannot help but ponder over the man's identity. After all, if Lady Lorendale wishes to have a man beside her, she would not settle for one with poor temperament, right?
They kept their eyes on each other, just staring with no words. But those stares were enough to convey what has not been said. Sereughe, disgust for the man, and the man, disdain for Sereughe.
"I am looking at you now," Sereughe uttered the obvious.
The man raised his eyebrow.
"Leave," he answered.
Without much contemplation, Sereughe hurried outside the room. The man had one more thing to say just before she vanished.
"You have beautiful eyes, my fair lady."
Sereughe was caught stuck in her position, his words ringing a bell. A memory she wishes to forget resurfaces.
"That's exactly what he called me," she thought.
Masking the unraveling chaos inside her, she resumed her steps. Her pace was slower than a sloth's, and her mind was more foggy than the mist.
That man called her "my fair lady." Could it be that he is the same man in the woods that time? Just the thought of it brings Sereughe to shiver.
Sereughe took a step down but did not notice the step on the stair was slightly lower than it should be. Thankfully, she was quick to grab onto the rail and regain her balance. On the first floor, she catches sight of Milliflore, twisting herself back and forth with a facial grimace. She lit up the moment she saw Sereughe.
"Sereughe! Miss Yoren is inside the carriage!"
Sereughe heaved an exasperated sigh before she revealed a smile obviously opposite of what she feels.
"Great! Let's leave."
The three of them quickly set off. Miss Yoren was to be dropped off at her shop, then the carriage would continue for the Mericon household, where Milliflore should start to prepare for her first ever ball.
"So, did you see him?" Miss Yoren inquired, to which Sereughe replied with a knotted forehead. "The monster!"
Sereughe sighed and answered as she took in the peaceful scenery outside.
"There was no monster. It was Lady Lorendale's lover," Sereughe answered.
Her two companions instantly revealed their intrigue and curiosity. Their ears perked up and their necks extended towards her, with their eyes having that familiar glimmer.
"What?" Sereughe raised her eyebrow.
Milliflore spanked Sereughe's arm and told her, "Of course, you have to give us some details! Well, I saw him earlier, but I only got a glimpse! Tell us!"
Sereughe's lips quivered, doubting if she should share her thoughts or not. In the end, she did.
"Well, he's young. Has great countenance. Poor temperament though," Sereughe said in limits.
"And Lady Lorendale put up with that?"
The two made a lot more comments than what Sereughe could handle. After some time, she just let the two gossip with each other, forcing herself to sleep. However, the memory was too fresh. She could not sleep when she was haunted by that scene in the Googham Mountains and the man earlier. She kept changing positions, fidgeting, and sighing.
After some time, Milliflore and Sereughe already bid their goodbyes to Miss Yoren and headed straight for their household. Lady Jyliette was by the door, already waiting for their arrival.
"How was the trip to Lady Lorendale's house, young misses? Lady Jyliette asked with all smiles.
Milliflore gave Sereughe a meaningful look before answering.
"Lady Lorendale was very accommodating. We had fun in her humble abode."
Milliflore had a joyous giggle, which Lady Jyliette adored. It was a great thing to start her day happy so she can carry that energy later to the ball.
"Go upstairs now. You are quite behind time and should be taking a bath right now."
Milliflore hurried upstairs before she missed her first ever ball. Sereughe intended to follow, walking with visible instability. Lady Jyliette gripped her wrist and took her to the drawing room.
"Mama, I really want to rest. So much has occurred in Lady Lorendale's mansion," Sereughe complained.
"Trust me, my dear, you will want to see this."
Lady Jyliette pulled out a sachet from her sleeve. Inside the sachet was a handful of sand, which she threw slightly up in the air. Like a whirlwind, the sand spiraled above her open palm until it formed a figure. It was a figure of a woman. The sand moved as the woman moved.
She seemed to be behind a table, attending to customers with a visible smile.
"Who is she?"
Lady Jyliette blew softly across the sand, watching as it dispersed and spiraled back into her sachet.
"I have gotten you a lead. To your father in Nepherim."
Sereughe stood motionless, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of hope and disbelief. She was silently thinking it was just a dream, but no. Seeing that expression upon her face, Lady Jyliette's gaze softened and allowed a subtle smile to grace her lips. She tenderly brushed Sereughe's hair.
"You did not think I would just let you do things on your own?"
"W-Well, who is she?"
"Her name is Sorafi. Her store is at Crinoline Town Circle. I do not know how she went here, but she was a lady-in-waiting for Nepherim's queen. She might prove to be useful."
Sereughe wrapped Lady Jyliette in a tight embrace, her heart overflowing with gratitude. With each second, she muttered a silent "thank you," which she knew was never even enough to convey her appreciation towards her help.
Sereughe had spent all her life searching for the slightest clues that could lead her to her father. What her mama had discovered—a lady-in-waiting—would undoubtedly prove to be an invaluable clue. A lady-in-waiting accompanies the queen most of the time, next to the palace maids. Definitely, she knows something that only the walls of the palace could ever know.
"I should get ready now. I have to go."
"I'll have someone accompany you."
"No, Mama." Sereughe composed herself. "I shall deal with this on my own."
Lady Jyliette merely nodded, her gaze remaining on her beloved daughter as she set off to prepare. The fire within her, fanned by her urgent need to find her father and the truth, burned even more now that she has a clue. Just thinking of waiting until tomorrow to move was unbearable. That night, she was determined to make progress, no matter the cost.