Ordained

Chapter Sixty-Seven

The rest of the day was an odd empty sort of day. The feeling after the immense anticipation that had led up to the men leaving was a hollow sort of sensation. She was still on edge, yet the event she had been dreading had gone and passed. Retreating into the library, she asked Clementine to bring her lunch there, her armchair by the window a far more appealing prospect than any of the dining rooms. The manor felt steeped in silence, the gathering troops that had set up camp in the manor's grounds had been louder than she had realised. The constant background din of voices making the place feel suddenly desolate in their absence.

Emmeline threw herself in reading, determined to replace the voices of the troops outside with voices of fictional characters. She wasted the day inside, only taking a short walk when the autumn afternoon sun began to weaken.

Normally, she would then ready herself for dinner, but Carmen had banished her from evening meals. It was a relief not to have to share a table with the woman who so obviously hated her, but it did leave a gap in her routine.

Retreating up to her chambers she sat where Cassius had been only hours earlier, clasping and unclasping her hands. Clementine appeared only moments later, a cloche of food in her hands and an apologetic look on her face.

"Forgive me my lady, but I have been told that you are not welcome to join the family at meals any longer." She announced awkwardly, looking at her shoes.

Family? Emmeline wanted to scoff, two thirds of the family had ridden off into battle. It couldn't be a family meal with only one person. That was petty though, and not Clementine's fault. So Emmeline just smiled and nodded. "I was already aware but thank you for letting me know."

Deciding that if she was going to be eating alone, she would at least be comfortable, she took out her earrings, moving to her jewellery box and dropping them inside. "Come help me please." She asked, untying the bow at the base of her corset. Clementine, seeming to understand, discarded the plate at once, her fingers making deft work of the clothes that tightly bound her.

In just her night dress, it felt freeing to eat in such comfortable clothes. In the alcove of her bay window, a small table and two chairs had been positioned. "My new dining room." She gestured to the table, making Clementine smile. She could tell her maid was uncomfortable, and she wanted to alleviate her discomfort. Clementine Broods was now her only ally within this manor, and she wanted to keep her happy.

The cloche that had been so eagerly discarded now came back into focus. Clementine lifted the lid with a deeply regretful expression. "Her ladyship has instructed that you are to eat this."

It was a small ration of bread with an apple. That was it.

Emmeline took it gratefully, ensuring Clementine that she didn't blame her. "Her ladyship is probably just helping me to lose a little weight before the young master returns." She smiled. This was obviously not true; Emmeline was on the thinner side already. It gave her a boyish figure that she hated; she had often wished to have more curves but that clearly wasn't going to happen on this new menu.

Having dismissed Clementine and climbed into bed, Emmeline laid out looking up at the ceiling.

So, Carmen Marcellus was trying to make her life uncomfortable? Evidently she was continuing the original plan of making her so miserable that she would leave. Emmeline grinned grimly. Well, things had changed since then. Closing her eyes she recalled the memory of Cassius' expression as he pressed his lips to her wrist. The feeling of anticipation, of excitement, filling her more thoroughly than her pitiful excuse of a meal.

Pressing her own lips to the place he had kissed she tried to remember the exact sensation. Smiling at her own silliness she rolled over in her blankets and tried to sleep. The promise she had made to her ordained pair feeling stronger and solid than it had all day. 

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Author's Note:

Let me know your thoughts people.

S x