Mist of invention

Part thirteen

Marianne,

Though we haven't spoken in forever I need you to know that my mind has not changed. I am determined to see this out to the end.

Are you?

Yours,

Lisa Mortusra

I scrunch up the letter. This is insanity, I should've never believed that- that imposter of a Lord. Lisa... that thing was right. She is gone. It cannot be her that wrote this to me. It is someone vile and cruel and - how would Faulkner even knew of Lisa? I was so bloody occupied with it I never even asked about him.

Perhaps it is time to pay Lord Faulkner a visit.

I change into my lunch dress - things have been too tense with Aileen lately, and I refuse to ask her for help with it - but it is such a struggle it makes me understand why someone normally helps me with it.

When I manage it and walk out I see Aileen standing in the hall, waiting outside the door.

"Why are you standing there?" I ask her.

"I am the lady's maid. It is my duty to be near." She doesn't meet my eyes, staring straight in front of her to the opposite side of the hall.

My chest feels tight. Perhaps I messed up the corset after all.

"Well, you shouldn't. It's weird - go do something else."

"I cannot." Her arm twitched. She put it behind her back. "Unless Milady wishes to fire me I shall do my duty. Speaking off, it is noon, when would Milady want to get dressed?"

"I am already dressed."

Her head turned to me, and, as if catching herself doing something atrocious, she looked back at the apparently so interesting wooden frame of the hall. "I see," she said through tight lips.

"Aileen-"

"I suppose you shall be going somewhere today?" She pulled down the bell connecting me to the left wing of the house. "I will prepare a carriage." And immediately she walked away. Somehow that felt even worse than her standing there.