The Angel of Death

Part - 37

Everyone was silent, including Darien. They were deep in thoughts and feeling sorry for Lady Elizabeth Whitson.

Abheeliya cleared her throat and immediately all eyes were on her. Nervously she looked up at Darien, who nodded his head. Giving his permission to let her take Lady Whitson's hand, that she started getting restless now.

She came forward and took Lady Whitson's waiting hand before gently petting it. Immediately she calmed down and lowered her head on Abheeliya's shoulder. It was clear how close she was to the lady and how the lady dependent on her.

"You are very kind Abheeliya, to look after Lady Whitson so well. She clearly trusts you the most." Janet said watching the two of them.

"It's my honor, My lady. She is like a mother to me and she thinks I am her lost daughter." Abheeliya replied, lovingly looking at the elder woman.

"Oh... It must have been so hard for her to except the lost of her only daughter along with her husband. That too in such a cruel way. I've become mother few hours ago and I can't even think of loosing any of my twin sons. I can understand her pain. How old was her daughter.... I mean at the time of..." Janet stammered at the end of her question, thinking she shouldn't have asked such question in front of Lady Whitson. so she immediately apologized "I am sorry... I shouldn't be..."

"Don't worry my lady. Lady Whitson lost her voice and hearing after that terrible night's horror."

"Oh god... That's awful."

"That it is." Abheeliya replied, briefly eyeing Alayken then averting her eyes back at the queen and asked "You were asking something my lady?"

"Yes, I asked how old was her daughter at the time of her death? Did she suffer a lot? Did lady Whitson made to watch her die?" Janet asked unable to think from where these questions come from or why they seems so important to her. Maybe because of her all new motherhood or just simple curiosity, but she wanted to know.

Abheeliya looked confused for a moment before she asked "You mean her elder daughter? Who was killed by him?" she inclined her head towards Alayken.

"Yes. Why did she had more then one daughters?"

"No" Stefan spoke before Abheeliya could reply and Tessa looked at him with raised eyebrows. He immediately clarified "She was just a kid. Used to play with other servant's children in the palace garden." making Tessa suppress a smile, but she narrowed her eyes at him and he immediately said "I swear. Ask Darien."

"He is right, Nora was a kid, but he has been too busy with other ladies at the salons and brothels to notice how beautiful she has turned out." Darien volunteered, taking immense pleasure in his brother's discomfort.

"and you clearly did notice. Didn't you dear?" Janet asked sweetly but the Darien couldn't miss the hint of her jealousy and anger so he immediately denied "Of course not. I just saw her once with her father, before leaving for battlefield."

"Battlefield dear brother? Shouldn't you be paying more interest in weapons and strategies then our gate keeper's young daughter?" Stefan asked, unable to resist the temptation to increase his brother's discomfort.

Darien stared at him in warning before saying to his wife "He is just trying to make you jealous love. you know I never payed much attention to girls before you."

"Does it mean you do now?" Stefan asked innocently but couldn't help and laughed when Darien turned towards him angrily and continued "Don't trust him Janet. I know all his secrets"

"I have no secrets." Darien growled.

"You don't? Then I must revive your memory brother. Dolce, Moira, Tanana and not to forget Count MacKenzie's fair hair daughter Sheron, and I can't believe you can forget Lord Lancaster's buxom wife Rowena. You nearly killed poor Roger to compete over her. Need I say more?"