Hopeless Romance

12 | Reunited

Addie reached the manor, dampened by the drizzle she and Beauty had braved during their travels. Her coiled hair had loosened from its bun, cascading past her shoulders and expanding gradually in the moist air.

The butler escorted her to the parlor, where Mr. Forsythe, along with his sister, cousin, and best friend engaged in conversation over a game of cards. At the sight of her slightly disheveled state, their eyes widened in unison, leaving Addie to wonder whether it was her appearance or her unexpected arrival that alarmed them. She curtsied. Mr. Forsythe and Mr. Crandall stood swiftly.

"Miss Addie!" Mr. Forsythe exclaimed, bowing, followed by Mr. Crandall. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Miss Addie," Ms. Meredith inquired, "what brings you here amid such a terrible storm?"

"My family and I received Tiana's letter this morning," Addie explained. "I came here as fast as I could." Addie briefly met Mr. Crandall's gaze, which was still fixed on her. Recalling their previous encounter from the day before, she quickly diverted her gaze away from his.

"My goodness, Miss Addie," Miss Sophia remarked with a slight smirk. "Did you crawl out of bed and walk all the way here?" Ms. Meredith coughed, concealing her laughter.

"Not quite, but I was in a bit of a hurry," Addie replied, mirroring Miss Sophia's smirk. "I rode here on horseback; the roads were too severe to travel by carriage."

"I'm sure they are..." Ms. Sophia mumbled.

As Ms. Meredith and Ms. Sophia stared vexingly, eyeing her casual attire and flowing hair, Addie found herself more perplexed by Mr. Forsythe and Mr. Crandall's silence and inscrutable gazes, especially Mr. Crandall, who observed her as though she were a piece of art in a museum. Amidst the silence of the four, Addie's impatience grew unbearable.

"Please forgive my hasty intrusion, but how is my sister?" Addie inquired.

"Oh, she's quite well aside from her ankle!" Mr. Forsythe exclaimed, snapping out of his mysterious daze. "Currently, she's resting," he elaborated. The butler stepped forward, offering to guide Addie to where Tiana was being kept. "No, allow me to take you to her," Mr. Forsythe offered firmly.

"I wouldn't want to further disrupt your game," Addie replied, while Ms. Meredith and Ms. Sophia idly toyed with their cards, their faces etched with irritation and boredom.

"It's no interruption at all," Mr. Forsythe insisted. "You three carry on without me. My hand was dreadful anyway," he told the others, then flashed a charming smile at Addie, which she reciprocated. "Please, follow me."

With that, Addie trailed Mr. Forsythe out of the room, but not before noticing Mr. Crandall's gaze lingering on her, even as Ms. Meredith and Ms. Sophia tried to regain his attention for their game.

"Did you see her hair?" whispered Ms. Sophia, though Addie heard it just as she rounded the corner outside the room. "It's like wool," she heard Ms. Sophia say, the last bit of conversation accompanied by high-pitched giggles that diminished as she approached the grand staircase in the foyer. Addie grimaced, attempting to tame her voluminous hair with her hands. Despite her efforts, it sprang back to its original, gravity-defying form.

Ascending the staircase with Mr. Forsythe, he engaged in light conversation, reassuring Addie of his eagerness to provide any comfort or necessities Tiana might require during her stay. They quickly reached the bedroom where Tiana was resting, her left foot elevated on a wooden contraption similar to a footstool with a pillow providing a soft barrier between her skin and the device.

"Addie!" Tiana exclaimed, her face beaming at the sight of her sister. "You're here," she declared, stretching out her arms as Addie circled the bed frame to embrace her sister.