บท 21: Knots and sheets

Bg Music recommendation: I Did Something Bad by Taylor Swift

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The other maid who had not spoken before spoke this time, "The lady is stubborn in her ways. It was so tough to even bathe her. We don't want to offend an important guest of His Grace and then face his wrath." Nicola, who was the maid who had spoken first, noticed the envy that brewed in Agnes, who had spoken just now. It was like she was trying to dig trouble for the lady that Vincent had brought here just an hour back.

Agnes had felt it since the time she had seen Prudence. All muddied and dress with stitches in a hidden way to cover the torn fabric. She smelled like stables and how could Lord Dominick have brought someone like her here.

Not only that, but she was given a room right in front of his. These quarters were not even accessible to every servant and a girl like her had got a room here.

Agnes thought this was just another lady that their Lord brought to the house, but with all the privileges that were offered to Prudence, Agnes felt she could have easily replaced the girl. After all, every girl dreamed to be held by His Grace and Agnes was no different to his charms.

Nicola was neutral with her thoughts in the beginning, but somehow she had felt the need to defend Prudence. The girl was too anxious about everything here.

Nicola could tell the girl was not ready to be here and was shaken to her bones, but Agnes had talked against Prudence's favour, which was only going to get the lady in trouble.

The head maid dismissed the two, almost sensing their intentions, and knocked on the door before trying to turn the door handle. She thought it had jammed, but she tried again and the door won't open itself. It was locked from inside. "Lady Prudence?" The head maid shouted, but there was no response from the inside. She knocked on the door again and paused before saying, "His Grace would be disappointed if you join him for dinner. Please join the table he has been waiting for you."

The head maid also had the impression that Prudence was some lowly girl who had coveted her way to His Grace, so she tried to persuade Prudence to get her to not disappoint His Grace.

Little did she know that it was Vincent who had brought Prudence here against her will.

Inside the room, Prudence had heard the conversation that took between the maids while she had locked the door. When the maids had taken their exit from her room, she had looked down the window and saw the stables of the manor were visible from here. Prudence wanted to escape here as soon as possible. She thought she would be able to take it for her mother, but the way the maids had spoken Prudence had seen right through their objectives, and now she knew the politics that would follow here was not for her.

It was a simple exit, thought Prudence, as she hardly saw any patrolling guards around the vast premises of Lord Dominick's manor. She was on the second floor and a long enough cloth would take her down to the ground.

Her hand quickly went to open the cupboard, which was stacked with fine quality clothes for her.

Below were some extra bedsheets. Perfect! thought Prudence in her mind. She gathered all the bedsheets in the cupboard first and started tying the ends. There was a knock on the door again and the head maid said in a stern tone, "milady, His Grace does not like waiting for others. Please open the door so I can take you to the dining room."

Let him wait to his life's content! thought Prudence in her mind, and she tightened another rope in her hand.

The plan was already being executed in Prudence's head. She would get down from here and she had changed into something more comfortable than a dress for that. Luckily, the maids had stacked some skirts and shirts. Even though they were of good quality fabric, they were perfect for Prudence's escape. She was to get down and steal a horse from the stables. Then prudence would speed it off to where ink road was and, taking both Daisy and her mother along, Prudence would leave Dewrest.

All the stacks of bedsheets inside the cupboard were done being tied to each other.

Prudence let the knotted rope be inside the cupboard before she got up, making her way to the window to check the height. She needed more fabric and so she started removing bedsheets on the bed. The first layer of bedsheet was thin enough, so she took it to place it near the cupboard when the door of her room flew open with a huge thud and in came Vincent, furious about Prudence.

Prudence's eyes snapped in the direction as she shoved the sheets inside while she shut the cupboard door deliberately slow as if everything was casual.

"When your presence is demanded, you don't keep me waiting," Vincent growled his words as he stepped further inside Prudence's room.

Prudence was sure she had locked the door. Maybe Vincent had spare keys, thought Prudence; after all, this was his house. She was lucky she had not kept the knotted fabric outside and rather let it rest on the bottom shelf of the cupboard. Prudence saw Vincent, who continued to walk towards her, fuming as he took in her attire. Before he could say anything, Prudence justified, "I was not comfortable in the dress. Skirt and shirts make me feel comfortable."

The fact was Prudence had changed into the attire so it would be easy for her to escape. Nowhere was she expecting that Vincent can open the door at his will.

Vincent stepped closer to Prudence, and his long legs did a better job of catching up with her than how her legs stumbled back on seeing him dauntingly approach her. Prudence held onto the Pembroke table that was by the wall as her legs almost made her trip and her back thudded against the wall.

"Are you sure you were just changing?" Vincent asked doubtfully as he took another slow step to place his hand on the wall over Prudence's head.

Prudence gulped down as her finger curled around the fabric of her skirt nervously. At this point, she really hoped Vincent was not able to read her mind or she would be in trouble. Prudence nervously looked towards the bed, away from the cupboard where the evidence of her plan was hidden, "Yes, His Grace-"

Vincent caught hold of her chin, and that was when Prudence realised the distance between them. It was unusually close, and her heart hitched with the way he tilted her head up to look at him. She wanted to run away, but she was stuck between Vincent and the wall. On her side, the table blocked her path and Prudence wished he did not do something to her with the way he had cornered her. Vincent narrowed his eyes at Prudence and asked, "Why is your heartbeat so frantic, were you trying anything else?"

Prudence could not feel her ability to breathe for a few seconds as she heard her own heart thud in her ears. He was too close to her and the question was setting her in panic.

"Hi-His Grace, I was simply changing and y-your sudden entrance had me afraid," Prudence tried to cover up. But Vincent was not letting go of her.

It was a good reason indeed, but Vincent knew her guts, and he did not want to test what the girl was capable of. She was bold and daring, and Vincent turned his head around to look at the room. The bedsheet was ruffled, and the window was open and it did not take him even a minute more to understand what the girl was planning. His lips twisted as a wicked smirk rested on his lips. Vincent turned to Prudence, bending down so his face was on the same level as Prudence.

The girl's heart was jumping in her chest with every little distance that Vincent covered between them and it amused him to see the colour that was rising on her ears.

Their faces were close enough, and Prudence was utterly flustered. Vincent spoke in a whisper, "If you try escaping here, I will tie you to my bed and do things till you are begging for me to stop." Prudence's eyes widened at his words. She was no kid to not understand what he meant, and she looked at him worry ridden, hoping he wouldn't do anything. He was already standing this close. "Be a good girl and come for dinner now."

Vincent took his distance, but prudence was still in the moment. It scared her how Vincent had just taken one look at the room and warned her about not try to escape from here. She gulped gingerly, walking behind Vincent as he left the room.

The last thing that Prudence wanted was to be caught red-handed, so she went ahead for dinner, even though she had lost her appetite. The colour on her face had not reduced as her head kept down while following him. This man was sure to make her heart jump out of her chest with the way he had threatened her in the afternoon at his house and the way he had done it now. Two different ways, and yet the underlying intentions were the same.