Hidden in the Castle

Part 15

Chapter 14

Turning on her side, Annabelle reached for her duvet as shivers ran through her body.  Her hands shook as she reached for it, but her eyes stayed shut.  Even before she could wrap the thing around her, someone was easing her hands away and pulling it over her.  It was that simple action that finally made her open her eyes.  A maid, one who she did not recognize, was easing the blanket over Annabelle with careful actions.  Behind her, William stood, a slight frown on his face as he watched every move as if waiting for the woman to do something wrong.  By the worried expression on the woman’s face, Annabelle knew that William had been there for quite some time.

The thought warmed her; something that she didn’t think was possible as the chills rankled her body.  The maid wrapped the blanket further around Annabelle, frowning with worry.  Annabelle smiled at the woman, trying to ease her worries, but for some reason, the action sent the woman’s eyes wide with panic. 

“’Tis all I can do,” the maid said as she straightened and began brushing off the skirt of her dress. 

Annabelle frowned at the woman as she fidgeted under William’s stare.  She had to admit that William looked none too happy at the moment, but the worry on the woman’s face ran deeper.  It wasn’t her fear of William’s glare that had her worried; it was something else.  Annabelle opened her mouth to ask what she was frightened of, but before she could, the maid curtsied and made her way towards the door.  William’s eyes followed her and as the woman left, William sighed and moved to do the same.

“Wait!” Annabelle said, as loud as she could.  A wince formed on her face as a slice of pain ran up her throat, but the pain was worth it when William stopped to look back at her with a smile on his face.

“Until Cassie or another can return, I am under strict orders not to be alone with you in your chamber,” he said with a smile on his face. 

She sighed, knowing that nothing would have changed from earlier, but she hated lying in this bed.  What she wanted to do was question that maid, question the other maid who was outside her chamber the day of the fire.  She could do none of that as she lay there.  Her frown began to form into a small smile.  There was a way she could question the maids, stay in her bed, and have William in the room all at the same time.  She could simply request them to be brought to her.  In the past, she had never used her power of the servants to get what she wanted, mainly because she enjoyed doing things on her own, but now while she could not leave her room, she had no other choice.  Not when she wanted to know exactly what was happening in this castle, exactly who was after her.

“William?” she asked with a large smile on her face.

He frowned slightly.  “You have the same expression as Cassie when we were children and she would convince me to do all sorts of things.”

The smile only widened, making him shake his head and laugh at her.  “I just want to know whether you can fetch that maid once more.  There are some things that I wish to ask her.”

“You want me to fetch your maid?” he asked.  “That is not as horrid as I thought it would be.”