Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74

~Chapter 30: Reluctance~

Leora stared emotionlessly at the counter as Edward and the maids worked in the kitchen. Edward cast a nervous glance at the girl, it was unlike her to be so quiet and not help out.
"Leora," Edward sighed, clapping the flour off his hands," Talk to me, you've been silent for too long now. You first come in here; soaking wet, tattered and dirty. You look to be in a fit but then refuse to speak. It's unlike you."
Leora cast a long gaze at the floor, sighing. Edward furrowed his eyebrows in concern, taking a stool and placing it opposite her, sitting down. He gathered her face in his hand, getting flour on her cheeks, searching her eyes nervously.
"Leora, please," Edward muttered," You hardly see us now and I miss you. You always look so...broken."
"I hate the tutor..." Leora struggled to meet Edward's warm eyes.
Edward's grip tightened, ever so slightly, protectively.
"The tutor. Master Hughes?"
Leora nodded, weakly," He's a monster, Edward. He loathes me and I loath him back."
Edward's gaze softened at her clearly upset one, and smiled reassuringly.
"I see," Edward sighed, sympathetically," Master Henry has been thoughtless again with you, dear? Well we can't have that now. Have you spoken to him about it."

"Not only that he's seen it firsthand!" Leora cried, frustrated," I think he takes some sort of pleasure out of it, hoping I'll fit his standards."
Edward nodded, weakly," Master Henry has always been like that, I suppose."
Helga, the maid, came in hurriedly with a bloodied cloth, running it under the cold water. Edward's eyes widened, immediately getting off the stool and rushing over.
"Helga, old girl, what happened?" He muttered.
"That Percy Hughes had a nosebleed I think, Edward!" Helga muttered, furiously scrubbing at the cloth," I didn't see for certain but he had Hettie tend to it."
"A nosebleed...?" Edward furrowed his eyebrows confused," Probably the weather."
Leora gently got off the stool and went over to where Edward had been kneading bread dough. She took over whilst Helga and Edward murmured to each other like it was a mother's meeting. She sighed, bitterly. How she wished she could give that damnable Percy Hughes a nosebleed with her own hands. After a few moments on kneading, Leora began to ache and the marks of the cane on her hands began to throb from the sensation. She turned to Edward, distantly.
"I'm going to go to my room. Can you bring dinner to my room?"
Edward glanced at her, ruffling her hair, gently," Henry might get upset."
"Let him..." Leora muttered, dusting her hands off with her skirt and storming off.
Edward let out a long sigh, meeting Helga's gaze and shrugging.