🌷The Duke and The Widow🌷

{6}That Woman

🌷Chapter 6🌷
That Woman

        After bidding farewell to Orletha and her son Abel, Nicholas got into his carriage and rode to the Southern Palace.
Waiting at the door was his advisor, Bastien Jaques, a man of French decent. He was lean, fair-skinned and middle- aged. His hair slicked back with prominent streaks of silver.
"Monsieur Howard, I must ask about the sudden late arrivals. It is unlike you, Sir." The advisor said as he tailed behind the Duke.
"And you know me?" He glanced at the unsually slim man that followed him.

"Is it that woman from the market? Le veuve? The Widow?" He pressed on, concerned in the sudden but strange changes in his behavior and attitude.

"I returned the book she  lent me, she's just a mother worried about her son." He replied curtly.
"And I'm worried about you, Sir. Many people may not like you, but venturing into the world of commoners is potentially dangerous. I do not recommend–"
"Bastien.."
"Yes, sir?"
"I'll be fine. Have my documents sorted for tomorrow's meeting."
"As you wish.." Bastien left Howard's side to fulfill the job given.

    Howard entered his dark and lonely chamber, undressing himself as his maid prepared him a bath.
Pouring water on his hair, he wondered what she was doing right now.
Perhaps tucking her son to bed, he thought as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax.

    After his bath he went to bed after going through some paperwork, also mentally reminding himself to gift to Orletha some books that her son Abel liked. He was a nice boy. He grew wary of staring at the ceiling, which was painted with clouds and infant angels with harps and closed his eyes.

Nicholas found himself in a never-ending field of flowers, all of many colors, shapes and sizes.
In the distance he saw a woman, bending over to caress the delicate petals of a white flower. She had hair the colour of custard and honey, it was loosely braided and settled over her right shoulder.

She soon caught his gaze and looked up, their eyes met and she smiled warmly. It was Orletha. She skipped over to him while holding her skirt up as the gracefully pranced about the flower beds. She was now face to face with him as her hand made its way up to his pale cheek, her and on his face was soft and delicate, like the petals of a flower.

"Why so serious?" She said, and her voice sounded like a song. He placed his hand over hers and closed his eyes. He never felt so much at home with a woman he barely even knew. He actually began to believe the saying.

A motherless boy is a heartless man.

"You have a heart," She said as she drew him into an embrace. "I'll take good care of it " She whispered, her glossy lips grazing against his ear.

  His eyes peeled open as he took a deep breath, sitting up on the bed while running a hand through his hair. He went over to the grand windows and pulled away the thick and dark curtains that blocked him, welcoming the light of dusk into his dark and void room.

   A bird caught his eyes as it landed in the trees, nearing a nest where a little bird popped up, chirping heartily at the sight of its mother.
"What is it about her?" He asked to himself as he watched as the mother bird fed her youngling and cozied up in the nest with it.