Crimson Lace

Chapter 14

ELLE
CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Arriving at my bedroom door with one hand in my pocket and the other stretched towards the doorknob is a euphoric feeling. I made it. The door swings on its hinges and opens before me.

The feeling of euphoria immediately ceases to exist when I see who is on the other side.

There stand three of my maids, Hattie, Freya, and Elisana.

In a tidal wave of gentle hands and comforting words I am scooped up into their rushing arms and practically dragged into my room. My mind seems to go still before me as I allow them to deal with my situation. They take me with them in what looks like a blurry tornado of faded greyish blue uniform dresses and white aprons.

Once my bloody dress is off I find myself regaining some conscious mind. It feels more like a tickle in my head rather than a genuine thought, but the images of today still linger in my brain. From Wesley's thorn covered body, Alec's electricity, to Wesley's tears, and Ciana's cold corpse still planted in my brain. The feeling of being stuck in her pool of blood and not being able to get to my feet will forever be haunting. Same with the feeling of Wesley's lips on my face. I didn't want that. I don't want our relationship to go down that path. I couldn't do that to us, not when I still feel something for Alec. But I didn't even get a chance to explain that to Wesley. He's gone now.

Warm liquid surrounds me now just as it did in the courtroom after the shooting. The blood.

With a loud gasp of terror I sit up from the warm soapy waters of my bath. Hattie and Freya hurry into the room.

"Are you okay, Madam?" Freya asks, looking slightly bewildered.

I wonder if either of them were near the courtroom when the shots were fired? If they were I feel even worse about the fact that they have to be in here with me now. It is not fair that they have to care for me when they might need to care for themselves.

"I'm fine," I reply, although I don't recall how I got in the tub in the first place.

I remember Wesley's words outside the sewer tunnel and that note. He had told me then to read the piece of paper and to not let anyone else see it.

"My dress," I choke out.

Freya leans forward and offers me a hand towel to wipe my tears, which apparently I have been shedding.

"No worries Madam. Elisana took it to be cleaned," Hattie assures me.

"No—" I start trying to collect my composure. "I need something from my pocket." I scramble out of the bubbly water to grab my towel from a hook on the wall. They exchange confused glances.

I'm wasting time.

While I have been daydreaming in my bathtub, Wesley is out running for his life. If anyone gets their hands on the paper he gave me, who knows what could happen? Wesley had told me to keep it a secret, and I am already failing.

"No problem, Madam. I will go fetch it from your pocket—" Freya replies, about to turn around. I shake my head no in response. My body feels weak and slow, and I have an inkling that no one is taking what I say seriously. It is quite infuriating. The heat of the steaming water makes me feel faint, and it takes a lot of willpower to keep my eyes open.

Don't let anyone see it, Wesley's words still ring in my head.

"No. You mustn't. The item is private. I need the dress, the whole dress." I assert myself.

Strangely, I feel the need to shake myself off like a wet dog in order to rid myself of this daze-like feeling, but I refrain from doing so.

"I'll fetch it." I say, standing on the white bath mat now covered in foamy suds. Again the maids exchange confused glances. It takes all of my energy not to raise my voice for a third time.