Finding Him

7l Blindness

A walk had been what Hadassah needed to get her mind off of the vile master that awaited her behind the gates of the Talbot estate.

The soft breeze and perfect clean air, carried into her nostrils, filling her with the illusion of peace as she listened to Paul speak nonstop beside her. She enjoyed Paul's company, she decided as she listened to his tale, nodding and smiling to his words. It was easy to relax with him around and he had been right; the cinnamon rolls were lovely.

It was evening before she decided to return to the estate, knowing it wouldn't speak well of her to be seen with a bachelor in the middle of the night.

Paul walked beside her, long strides reduced to match hers as they made their way back to the estate. She really didn't want to see him go but she decided she didn't exactly have a choice, she would see Paul on Sunday anyway and perhaps they would walk back together.

Reluctantly, she waved him goodbye and made her way into the gates and through the cobbled walkway. She entered the building through the back door -as was expected of every servant- and was surprised when she didn't find Berta working in the kitchen. Marcia instead stood by the sink with her hands buried in soapy water.

"Oh, hello, Dasa." She offered her a small smile, before returning her attention to the task of doing the dishes.

Hadassah's eyes swept the kitchen, certain she would find Berta somewhere close by, engaged in another task. When she didn't find the older woman, she turned her attention back to Marcia.

"Where is Berta?"

"Helping the mistress," A tired puff of air escaped Marcia's lips.

"Do you need my help?" She made her way to the sink as she spoke, stopping in her tracks when Marcia shook her head.

"Lord Talbot rang for you earlier."

Hadassah's lips fell open, shocked.

"Perhaps he is no longer in need of your service for tonight, but it would be wise to see if he still is." Marcia took the rag from the sink and wiped her hands. Turning around, her eyes swept the clean kitchen and a smile settled on her face. "I will just see if the mistress is in need of anything else, before going to my room and taking a long deserved break."

With that, she turned to the door and made her way out, leaving Hadassah standing there, utterly shocked that Daniel would finally, after two months, be in need of her.

It was several minutes before Hadassah forced her mind out of a shocked state and turned to the door leading out of the kitchen. She wasn't thinking as she made her way to Daniel's bedchamber, praying she would remember which room actually belonged to him. Her knees trembled and her heart pounded but she kept walking, refusing to consider the reason he was summoning her. She guessed it had everything to do with her walking out on him in the presence of his guest, hence the reason her knees trembled, but she didn't dwell on it. She couldn't dwell on it if she was successfully going to make it to his bedchamber.

She reached the door she assumed, from the memory of the day he had slammed it in her face, belonged to him and pounded on it.

Silence followed.

Guessing he was most likely asleep, she withdrew her hand and made to walk away, when she heard a gruff voice commanding her to enter.

Hands trembling as well, she reached forward and turned the doorknob. She pulled her eyelids shut and said a small prayer under her breath for some supernatural help, before pushing the door wide open.

She stood frozen for a while as the door gave way before her, revealing the lavishly furnished bed chamber. The large canopy bed with red curtains draped over it, was the first thing that caught her eyes. It stood in the center of the room and while it was large enough to bring comfort to about five people, it only occupied a small portion of the larger room.