Capítulo 23: Chapter 23 - The Man Bound To Bed
Nathaniel's health was gradually getting worse. It all started with the blood on the handkerchief, and now he was so weak that he barely left his room.
Violet thought that she would be able to bring chance thanks to her knowledge about the future, but she was no doctor to help him. Fighting with death was a lost battle from the start, and all she could do was cook him a porridge to soothe his stomach.
"Your Grace, it's me, Violet. May I come in?" She knocked and waited outside for a response.
Soon, a man opened the door for her.
"Miss Violet, you are here."
"Sir Findley… How is he?"
Nathaniel's secretary looked weary. He was the second son of the count, who came to work for the duchy as soon as the young duke took the office. He was in charge of the paperwork, but now his role was more of caregiver.
Despite his condition getting worse, Nathaniel didn't like it when there were too many people around him. When he was awake, he still tried to run the duchy from his bed, but most of the responsibilities and rights were given to Cassiel already.
"It's still the same, but he is awake now… Did you bring the porridge?" Miles Findley asked hopefully.
"It's here," Violet lifted the basket and showed it to him.
"Then, I will leave it to you… I have to stop by the office for a bit…" He was apologetic. In the past few years, Violet has become an irreplaceable person to the duchy. Miles Findley wondered at the beginning, why His Grace gave so much leverage to her, but he soon understood her importance.
She was the only person who could tame the wild Cassiel Ashford and even made him take the inheritance classes seriously. And her porridge was one of the few things that Nathaniel could eat now, as his body rejected all other nutrition. It was such a weird case that even renowned doctors had no explanation for it.
"Your Grace, I'm here to visit again," she put on her best smile and entered the bedroom. What Nathan needs now is positive energy, not an army of servants with wrecked nerves.
"Violet! It must be difficult for you to come here every day…" The duke smiled weakly, but he was honestly glad to see her. As he became weaker, people approaching him mostly had a hidden agenda. To find someone who truly cared for his wellbeing was rare.
"I brought you some food… Today, I added ginger, turmeric, and holy basil. It will warm your body and act anti-inflammatory…"
She was no doctor but used her interest in oriental medicine from her past life. Luckily, it seemed to be limitedly effective.
Rice was a rare ingredient in the country and wasn't widely used in the cuisine. But since they found out that the sick duke enjoyed the simple porridge, the duchy spared no effort and money to obtain a regular and steady supply of the grain. Together with all the exotic herbs and spices, Violet was the first person those merchants delivered to.
"Let me help," she offered quickly when seeing his trembling hands. She took the bowl from him and cooled the spoon before feeding him.
Nathaniel ate slowly, but his face's colour improved the more he swallowed.
"Have you seen Cassiel today?" The duke asked.
"Yes, he is training with the knights… Their reputation is great, even the tabloids are talking about them."
Nathaniel looked happy but at the same time lonely. Despite his health, his brother rarely comes to see him.
Violet knew of his feelings. Cassiel has grown into someone super strong and handsome, but he was just so stinky with his feelings and wouldn't show his worries openly. Be it his family, or Ophelia, the young man mostly wears the uncaring expression.
"I will make him come with me tomorrow," she promised.
"P-please don't…! He must be very busy with the knights, and running the duchy… I'm of no help anymore…"
Violet couldn't retort. The responsibilities put on Cassiel were huge, but it was partly her doing. Rather than leaving him clueless when his brother dies, it was better to prepare him for the management beforehand. This way, he won't be an easy prey to Duke Belleville who will try and weaken Ashford further.
The door to the bedroom opened again and Ophelia looked inside.
"Sister! You came again, why didn't you tell me first?" The girl ran to the bed with an excited expression.
"Lia! What a rude behaviour! You need to knock first, what if His Grace was alone?" Violet reprimanded her.
"I knew you were here, my 'Violet's radar' is infallible!" She was proud of herself.
Ophelia has grown into a beautiful young woman that even Violet sometimes doubts her sexuality. The long curly pink hair made many men go crazy and her clear blue eyes were like the cloudless summer sky. But under that innocent look, the lady from the viscount house was a formidable fighter.
Not on the same level as Cassiel, Ophelia still proved her strength by beating most of the male opponents from the royal knight's academy before being disqualified from the competition.
"Please don't be so strict with Lady Ellington, she is a great help to me…" Nathaniel defended her quickly. Unlike icy-cold Cassiel, Ophelia visited him daily and brought a cheerful mood with her. Sometimes, she would tell him about the stories from outside, other times she would calmly sit by his bed and read to him from a book.
Ophelia looked around and when she found out that Violet was holding a bowl and the spoon, she happily jumped up and hugged her around the waist.
"You are spoon-feeding His Grace? I want it, too!" She was like a child who demanded his mother's attention.
"Lia! What are you doing, don't be such a baby!"
She tried to push her away, but the pink-haired woman purred like a cat. The sound she made was so awkward that Violet was lost for words.
But before she could be overtaken by the shame, the laughter filled the room. Nathaniel watched their interaction and was able to forget to pain for a moment.
His smile was contagious and seeing it coming from the man with hands wrinkled up and dried up as a branch, Violet couldn't help but let Ophelia be a child for a while.
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