At Stenwulf House

Chapter 7: The Trip

Chapter 7: The Trip

Miss Everild was nervous, Calden could tell. Her hands were in such tight fists, her knuckles had turned white, and the muslin of her dress had gotten rumpled. She looked so pale, she might as well have been sick, but she looked better than she had a few days past. Her cheeks were fuller, and there was more colour to them. Through it all, Calden could see that everything she had gone through for today had been worth it, for she still managed to hold herself properly, a posture that had given her away when he saw her at the auction. 

Right at that moment, Miss Everild sighed. "Mr. Stenwulf, I... I need a distraction. I feel quite nauseous." Her eyes shifted from the window to meet his.

Calden blinked. "Are you quite all right?"

The lady nodded. "Even if I weren't, I need to do this." A flash of determination crossed her features. "Everyone has been so helpful, I can't think to put their efforts to waste." And there, she looked out the carriage again. Calden wondered if she was thinking back to the earlier events of today. Baines had arrived in the morning and removed the stitches. He reported that Miss Everild had healed well, but they had to keep in mind that the scars on her back would take years to fade. The doctor had given her the permission to walk out and about now, but had advised her to handle herself carefully for another week. After which, Martha and the girls had given her a good bath. The soft scent of rosewater filled the carriage as it trundled down the roads of Illenia.

The stubborn clench of her jaws was apparent, which made Calden ask, "What would you like to talk about?"

A grateful smile lit up her face. "Anything."

Calden thought for a moment, but he couldn't think of something worthy to say.

Miss Everild must have seen him struggle because she chuckled. "Let's see. Did you ever wonder why... I was allowed to walk around the city on my own that day?"

"As a matter of fact, I did."

"I've thought how strange it was that neither you nor Martha brought that up."

"I think it was natural for both of us to assume that your mother trusted you enough to not get yourself into trouble."

Miss Everild smiled sadly. "Well, yes." She chuckled, looking slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry for choosing to talk about something so... uninteresting."

"Not at all. You wanted a distraction, and if that's what you chose to speak about, I'd be happy to oblige."

"Thank you."

He leaned forward. "Your parents, are they very strict about the proprieties of society?"

"Not very much."

Calden raised a brow. "It would have been wonderful if I had the chance to speak with them. I never thought the Everilds had such thoughts on society."

Miss Everild shook her head quickly. "It isn't that they think the rules nonsensical. They just felt we should be given the freedom whenever we could to help us grow, as long as it was within the limits of safety. My mother would never allow me to walk around on my own, far away from the crowd. She told me there must always be someone near, such that when I called for help, I would be heard."

Calden nodded his head, understanding, but a strong feeling of envy pierced his heart. He quickly shook away the feeling before it had more control over his emotions.

"Have you... seen my parents before?"

"Yes, I have. Unfortunately, I was never introduced."

"Where did you see them?" asked Miss Everild eagerly.