The Bastard (Darling #2) [complete]

Chapter Twenty-Eight

R U B Y   W A S cleaning Louelle's room, again, for when she would finally find the strength to move down to her own quarters. She had cleaned and cleaned the room over and over. She spent maybe eleven straight hours recleaning the already spotless room.

She only needed to do something to keep her mind preoccupied. Her Lady Louelle still hadn't woken up from her unconscious, beaten state. And Ruby had blamed herself.

Ruby was the one who had woken Louelle up the morning of her attack. She was the one who told Louelle that the king wished for her to meet him alone, without informing anyone of her whereabouts - more specifically, Thatcher. It was ordered by the king, and Ruby knew better than to cross him. She had nearly dealt with a punishment from him not too long ago, and was saved by her lady - the one she had unknowingly put in danger.

Ruby should have known it, though. A little piece of her did, because she had attempted to warn Louelle of what he was capable of. Louelle had dismissed her thought and had mentioned she was certain it was just to see the dress she was making for Maryann's "wedding day"

Once Louelle left to meet with King James, the lady in waiting nearly woke the prince to inform him of the situation. But, she didn't. She listened to her lady's request of leaving him to sleep.

If only she had woken them both. If only she had woken Prince Thatcher after Louelle left.

Ruby blamed herself greatly, and because she had allowed her lady to go by herself, she blamed herself even more. She would never forgive herself for allowing the attack to happen.

She also felt guilty for not tending to her lady's side. She hadn't yet gone to visit her, and she was uncertain if she would ever find the courage to do so. If Louelle were to wake up from her unconscious state, she wondered how she would react to Ruby being there. Would she shout at her? Scream at her for Ruby to leave at once?

Would Louelle also blame Ruby the same way Ruby blamed herself?

Ruby heard the bedroom door creak open, but it didn't faze her as she began to remake the bed for the umpteenth time.

Dane, however, jumped in surprise upon seeing Louelle's lady in waiting haphazardly cleaning the room. He was expecting Louelle's quarters to be empty. Ruby cleaning like her life depended on it was not something he expected.

He took in the state of her as he quietly shut the door behind him, in case Louelle's parents were somewhere inside their family apartment. He doubted it, though. Barclay Clemens was often in the boardroom, taking care of meetings on behalf of the king. Elizabeth Clemens was often in the drawing room, sitting around and enjoying a cup of tea while gossiping with other esteemed ladies of the castle. He had slightly memorized their schedule so he would know when they would be around Louelle - or searching for her.

What had surprised him was that they hadn't once come to visit their daughter, who was in a very critical state. But he also thought Thatcher may have paid the doctor and nursemaids to keep her state of being quiet. Afgterall, she had lost their bastard child at the hands of the king and his attack.