"I understand." The word came with submission as if she was a sweet girl who always listened to others. He did not pay attention to her voice. It had nothing to do with him.
It did not matter that she had offered careless laughter to him in the woods. It did not matter that she looked like the girl again when she had cared for the commoners. A feeling that had assured him that she would not care about his background, his wealth.
"But the escort must let me move freely. I still have my estate to run." she spoke as if she had the power to bargain with him in this matter. It reminded him how she always treated him.
Every time their encounter ends faster for the fear of getting discovered. She must have wanted to hide it from the start. He was nothing but a distraction for her? A man who treated her like she was his world. It must have been fascinating, or entertaining. He was the perfect clown to entertain her until her parents wed her to someone better. Someone richer and man of ambition while he only wanted to be a knight.
When he kept contacting, his palace was burnt. His parents were attacked and then he met that man and his life changed forever. He closed his eyes and inhaled fresh air, hoping that it would clear his mind.
"We will see what is important." he whispered in a cold voice, "but your days or roaming freely end here." that brought a laugh.
Something in that laugh that he could not understand as if he had ridiculed her. Anger, he could have understood but this? Why did he care? She made no more protest. For a free woman like her to accept it this easily. At least she was aware of her position. When would he open his eyes? He was here to make sure that she and her criminal husband would reach their punishment.
And he should find pleasure in it. This would end his hatred for her and he would finally be liberated from her clutches.
When the horse finally stopped, she took a deep sigh. He reined up to help her down but she had already dismounted the horse effortlessly and was walking away. The ground had red stains wherever she kept her feet.
The blood must have been dripping still. She did not give him a chance to tend to her wound properly. He had only applied some ointment but did not bandage it.
Now she was walking without limping. Her squared shoulders, straight back made him baffled. How could a noble woman be so habitual of pain that it did not affect him at all.
His eyes narrowed and he dismounted from the horse too. When he walked in, he saw the woman serving Elara closely the day he had entered the manor.
"You.. are coming with me." the woman stiffened but did not dare to protest as she followed him.
"Where is your master?" he asked as he took the leather seat. Leaning on it, he tapped the arm rest with cold and threatening taps. The woman stiffened at once. "If you will not reply truthfully, you will end up in the prison and i will make sure that you suffer there till eternity or your death." he laughed as if there was a perverse pleasure in the threat, "though i am sure it would come sooner than you think looking at your glowing face.'' How could a maid have such soft hands and skin?
Polly tried to hide her hands when his eyes narrowed on them. But there was nothing she could do about the cold smirk he offered to her.
"I have been serving the lady from the start. I have no idea when it comes to the lord, my lord. I am just a maid to know much about his presence or absence." she replied in a downcasted voice that showed the abandonment she had received so far.
"Is that so?" his hands stopped moving for a second before resuming again but the small action did not go unnoticed by Polly.
"Then tell me about her. Any secret that could help me in the search." he added but there was something in his voice that made Polly frown. She had noticed how he had let her go after only one night of confiscation when she should have been rotting in the room till the end.
And in the morning, they had returned on one horse. And she looked so disheveled. She had sighed loudly in the chair and her lips. Polly stopped as a while thought roamed in her mind. Could it be?
"The lady? She is kind and gentle. She had helped everyone in the palace. She offers a good salary and bonus but if any family is in trouble, she offers help readily. Everyone loves and admires her in the estate.
The lord was fascinated by her too. They have a good relationship and they never slept in different rooms. The lady only takes the guest room in the absence of the lord like she had taken when you have arrived." he moved forward with a bewildered look on his face.
"Why would the lady sleep in the guest room when the lord is not there?" the maid bit her lips as if she finally realized that she had made the mistake.
She looked around as if waiting for someone to interrupt them so that she didn't need to reply to that foolish question.
But there was no one in the room.
"That… i." his eyes narrowed at once and he leapt on his feet. She flinched and took a step back when he walked to her.
His body was emitting a cold aura that would scare anyone from a distance. A threat, a warning or a punishment could be anyone depending in her reply.
"The lady is needy sometimes."