William couldn't say what it was, but the mystique in her eyes urged him to look for the answer to his lifelong quest in her. That feeling overwhelmed and suffocated him.
Jerrick cleared his throat as a warning and that snapped him out of his reverie. William met eyes with him and Jerrick looked peeved. William shrugged acknowledging that he had lost his control for a few moments.
It was not intentional!
Jerrick shook his head and proceeded to talk to the household staff about something.
"I didn't find the chance to earlier, but I want to thank you, Your Highness," Jessamyn said.
William looked at her with a friendly smile. The defiance on her face had eased to a polite smile.
"You took an arduous journey to attend my husband's funeral and I wanted to apologize for not thanking you…" she paused.
"An apology is unnecessary, Lady Jessamyn. We all loved Hector. He had saved our lives more than once," William smiled.
Although Hector was not the type to laugh and share drinks with everyone as he loved to be alone, he was honorable and reliable. He truly felt the loss in his heart.
That day, Jerrick was with him and everyone was standing in a queue to say their condolences to her and the Dowager Countess. Jessamyn was covered from head to toe in black; no one could see her face. Just as they reached her, she fainted and had to be carried inside. Hector's loss must have been a lot for her to take.
"You're magnanimous," Jessamyn smiled and wiped the corner of her eyes. "…and gracious…" she looked at him and her eyes clouded once more thinking of that day. "I know of your attempt to stand for my sake in the King's Court after I decided not to stay in my husband's home after his death. Only you stood up for me," she said.
She must be good at controlling her emotions. Although her voice broke in the beginning, she finished the rest of her sentence crisply. The strength she portrayed was admirable.
William smiled in acceptance. But at the corner of his eye, he could see that figure clasping his hands tightly. He didn't want to get punched after the lovely lady left, and so he cleared his throat.
"I protested against an outdated sentiment, Milady. Nothing more," William said. He didn't want to be rude to her by insinuating he didn't do it for her; it was not the truth either. But he valued his friendship more.
He might be wrong but he sensed a little accusatory tone in her voice too. Only you, she said when there was another powerful man in the room.
Jerrick could have changed the result but he didn't. He didn't try to save the titles of the family who graciously gave his wife status before he wedded her. If he could get the royal permission to marry a widow, he could have stopped the King from taking her family's title.
Jessamyn was right to be upset.
William felt a little sad for Jerrick in a way too. Knowing she was engaged to be married to Jerrick, she mentioned her late husband as my husband a couple of times. It didn't look like she deliberately said it as those words flowed in her speech.
William could only sigh at Jerrick.
"A lot of sentiments need change. But still…I am grateful for you, Your Highness," Jessamyn smiled. She wanted to thank him for a long time and she did. She didn't care whether he accepted her gratitude or not. He appeared to be casual about it. But for her, it was a great deal.
"You're the vanguard spearing through the obsolete practices, I'd say," William smiled. "After you broke the custom of noble widows spending the rest of their lives in their late husband's home, many ladies have come forth with their resentment of that practice. And with your upcoming marriage, I foresee more positive changes in the kingdom."
He wanted to see how she reacted to the looming wedding for the sake of Jerrick. Through his peripheral vision, he could see Jerrick tuning his ears to hear what she thought about it. Seeing her face getting pale, he regretted telling her that.
She gathered herself pretty well after her initial reaction. Her gentle smile returned and she looked out the window. "Vanguard? Your Highness must always think in terms of war..." She chuckled dryly. "I'm not a vanguard. I'd rather hide somewhere… as a nobody…" she said.
"But you're not a nobody," William said.
She might be still grieving for her late husband but that didn't diminish her personhood. She still was someone with immeasurable strength and she had people who loved and cared for her. Why would she sound so depressed when he tried to compliment her?
Jessamyn said nothing to him and kept on staring at the trees in the distance. The smile she tried to force on her face earlier went missing too. William saw Jerrick's eyes getting dim out of sadness.
He let the room get filled with silence. What else could he do when both of them are unhappy?
A maid entered with an ointment tin and Jessamyn let out a deep breath. She wanted to protest but she didn't have the energy to fight anymore. She was exhausted.
Jerrick asked the maid to apply the ointment on her feet and hands. Jessamyn said nothing. At least he was not doing it himself. Also, the scratches did hurt a lot. She needed treatment.
Jerrick sat on the chair behind the table. William poured himself another glass of scotch.
The maid said it would hurt a little as the medicine was potent. Jessamyn nodded gingerly. She didn't like these medicines. But she didn't want to have sepsis.
The maid dipped the ointment in the cotton and gripping her ankle with her other hand, started rubbing the cotton harshly against her wounds. Before she tried to speak, she declared loudly that she was only trying to help her and asked her to be silent.
No matter how she looked, Jessamyn didn't think the maid was gentle with her. When she winced, the maid gripped her ankle tightly and scrubbed hard on her wounds.
Jessamyn clutched the coat hard. The pain was unbearable, her teeth chattered. Unfortunately, she was used to such treatments before.
She stared at the maid. The maid met with her eyes. Carefully shielding her expression from the lord of the castle, she smirked.
'You're not my mistress,' she mouthed with a look of despise.
Jessamyn smirked.
Oh, what am I going to do with you?