1928 ✓

06 - see again

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Leslie held the tray firmly in her hands, marching towards Esmé's room. Determined that this time, she would force her Lady to finish her breakfast. Without knocking, she was about to step inside, noticing that the door was ajar anyway.

Laying on her bed, her legs propped against the wall, Esmé stared at the ceiling. The happenings of that night in the pub played in her mind repeatedly for the thousandth time.

It was difficult to comprehend what had happened, who she had met. Her head ached the more she thought about it. Charlotte. Dean. And William. Many people but not one information that brought her forward, in fact, they confused her even more.

She had to see William again. He should bring some clarity to whatever was going on. But Esmé was dazzled, unable to distinguish who to trust.

New faces. None of them was familiar. All secretive. All made shivers ran down her spine. And she could tell by the look in their eyes that all of them were ready to use her because she was the Colonel's daughter. A Colonel she didn't know either.

She huffed, rubbing her eyes as Leslie sat down next to her on a chair, watching her with an expression of sympathy. Esmé saw the desperation in her eyes.

Leslie had been to the White Shore for the first time, too and she had told Esmé, she had resolved not to go there again. She wouldn't let Esmé leave either, not letting anybody hurt her. Leslie's eyes travelled up her Lady's legs, she chuckled, wanting to ease the tension in the room,

"You really like this new position, my Lady." She put the tray in her hands on the vanity table.

"It helps me clear my head."

"Does it really?" She raised her brows.

"No."

Leslie snickered again. Two days had passed since the night in the White Shore and Esmé had stopped eating regularly, not leaving her room. Lying in bed all day. Her condition worried Leslie.

"Leslie?" Esmé's soft tone made Leslie flinch, straightening her back.

"Yes, my Lady?" She waited patiently. "Do you want me to get you something? I brought you something to eat. You didn't have breakfast-"

Esmé whirled around on the bed, propping her head on her hands, staring up into Leslie's eyes. "I have to go to the pub." Her sincere statement caused Leslie's shoulders to slump.

"No," She mumbled. "I don't want you to."

"I need to see William." Esmé's thoughts drifted away again, his words echoing in her head. Beware of the woman with the green bracelet. Who could that be? Since then, Esmé had been paranoid, looking for a woman with such a bracelet. This was getting too much for her to handle. She wouldn't find out unless she talked to him again.

"How do you even know him?" Leslie asked, her eyes fixed on her hands.

"It's complicated."

Leslie hummed annoyed, hearing Esmé's response. That's been the only thing she had been saying lately. Complicated. But was there any other way to put it than that it was complex? She couldn't even explain herself how she knew William and how she ended up meeting him here.

"But anyway," Esmé continued, "I need to talk to him."

"But it's too dangerous," Leslie argued. "You saw yourself, my Lady. And I don't have a good feeling about those people."