Page 37 of House of Crimson Hearts
A Thousand Years Ago
Mother stood in the doorway of our manor house, fury lining her forehead, her finger wagging in my face.
“What do you mean you left without getting the herbs? Why in god’s name would you have done that?” she spits.
“Well, I… it’s?—”
“Spit it out, woman. How do you suppose you’re going to attend the ball and find a suitable husband when you can scarcely walk on your ankle, let alone dance on it all evening? You must return to the dhampir witch immediately.”
“But I?—”
“No. You get back there and take some flowers from the garden by way of apology. Honestly, Cordelia, I don’t know what you were thinking. That poor dhampir must have thought you were a sure bet for trade walking, or I should say hobbling, in the way you were.” She spins on her heel and marches back into the house still berating me. “And then you go and hot foot it out of the apothecary without so much as a single coin donated, and I bet you…”
The words trail off as she disappears deeper into the manor. I suspect she’ll continue her rant over my errors at Father for much of the afternoon.
I sigh, take a deep breath and ask the driver to ready the carriage again.
“Again, miss?”
“I apologise, but I require you to take me back to where we’ve just been. It appears I left too hastily.”
“I see, ma’am. Not a problem. I’ll ready the horses in just a moment.”
I take my leave and wander, using Poppa’s walking cane around the garden. I pick some flowers as an apology. I’m sure Mother will find out if I don’t, and then I shan’t hear the end of it.
I check the rose gardens first and find several exquisite white varieties blossoming. I open the gardener’s shed, pick out a set of clippers and snip two snowy flowers. Then I see a clump of blue forget-me-nots and cut a handful of those.
I snip and cut, trim and shape. I add greenery to make it fuller, and within just a few moments, I have a full bouquet that I think is perfect.
It’s not until I arrive at the apothecary again with the flowers in my hand that I realise I picked a bunch that matches her eyes almost perfectly. I stare through the glass door at her. If I were to put the flowers next to her, the ice blue and white of the flowers would set off the sea blue of Eleanor’s eyes. Even through the glass, they’re practically glistening like the crystal waters of the lagoons in Lantis Bay.
I shouldn’t be noticing her eyes. It’s not proper conduct.
“You’re back again?” Eleanor says.
“I… um…”
“Did you decide better of the examination and return for your herbs?”
I nod and swallow, my throat thick and clogged. My words stick there, hiding. Like perhaps I am hiding a secret.
“I see. Well, would you care to take a seat again? I didn’t quite manage to finish the examination.”
She gestures for me to sit on a stool and to prop my leg up on another. I do as I’m told, my throat slowly loosening.
That’s when I realise I’m still holding the flowers like a lovesick fool. Not that I’m lovesick. What a ridiculous notion. Honestly, these are just fleeting thoughts. Perhaps if I were to see to some self-care then I wouldn’t be having them. I could focus on the gentlemen Mama wants me to marry.
“Excuse me?” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes?” she says as she stoops to lift my skirts high enough to examine my ankle again.
“I brought these for you.” I shove the bouquet at her. Her fingers brush mine as she takes it, a spark of static rushes through my fingertips. I hastily withdraw my hand, brushing it down my skirts.
“Why, thank you, that’s incredibly kind of you, but if I may enquire… why?”
“Right. Yes. Well, you see, I got home, and Mother was quite furious that I’d not had my ankle attended to and thought me rather rude for abandoning you without first paying for the examination, and second, not bringing home the correct medicines or herbs to actually fix my ankle.”
I’m babbling but she smiles.
