Promises Unkept

Fire and Fireflies

“How much more of your deceptions, Eden?” His Lordship had hissed into her face, terribly close though not with the former sweet purposes. “How much more of your smoke and mirrors? Your absolutely disgusting lies?”

And thence, he had asked her to leave.

Not a word more. Not a glance more.

She didn’t feel offended of his coldness. She didn’t feel bad. She knew this rebuke. She had know it for such long time.

He was hurt. She had seen it in his beautiful eyes.

Illegitimacy, afterall, went beyond all norms of nature.

She exited the room, and clicked the knob shut behind herself. And then, just with that metallic sound of lock door, she heard a shattering clamor from within.

A broken vase.

A broken heart.

She went down, quietly, to the kitchen. Everyone had returned from their leisure and things were being readied around for the dinner. They hardly noticed her. She picked up a small piece of paper, and wrote a note on it, placing it on the table.

“A Broken showpiece_

           _ Lord Adelwood’s chamber.

To be cleansed.”

Whoever would read it should get his room done.

Following this, she went into her room, to pick up her apron and found Maggie within, with a glass jar in her hand.

“Eden, where have you been?” Maggie placed the jar on her bedside table. “You missed the evening glow of fireflies in the bushes. I wished you were by my side. But no worries, I just….My, you are bleeding!”

Eden touched the corner of her lips where a faint blotch of blood had dried up. She had nearly forgotten all that had happened before the….kiss.

 “That would be me.” She chuckled nervously. “Bruising and banging myself. I didn’t realize I had been biting my lips.”

“Are you certain it’s because of that?” Maggie didn’t look much convinced.

“Of course, Maggie. What else?” Eden nodded and turned around so that Maggie could tie the knot of her apron at her waist. So that Maggie couldn’t see the paleness on her face.

“Why did you leave though?” Maggie inquired from behind her.

“My uncle was here.”

“He was?”

“Yes.”

With their aprons fixed, both were now ready to leave for their chores.

“Eden.”

“Yes…?”

“At midnight, today…we will go to the garden.”

Eden raised a brow, moving towards the door. “What for?”

“That would be the secret.”

Smiling a winked up smile, Maggie hurried out of the room, followed by Eden.

***

Dinner, as ever, was a tiresome affair_ for maids and footmen, that is.

Apart from the luscious meal, only one thing went remarked and that was, tonight, Lord Stephen didn’t attend the dinner with his cohorts but it was remitted into his room only.