บท 20: Heart in Control
Having lost someone so dear to her, Leonor found it hard to rely on another person for her happiness in fear that she would have to live without it again.
Yet as the evening hour drew close, she realized that she was anxiously waiting for the stablehand. He had become her nightly routine. It was hard to sleep if she didn't get to bid him a goodnight first.
Leonor was reviewing materials she had received that day to further her studies. The normally uncomplimentary tutor of hers was surprisingly impressed she had kept up with so much when she was healing. Most noble ladies she dealt with didn't have the tenacity.
However, a lot of noble ladies didn't have a father determined to make them feel worthless. There wasn't much for them to prove considering they weren't spoken down to on a daily basis.
Most would think that healing mostly alone for a month would have been torture but Count Mikael didn't visit Leonor once. She had a brief respite where she was able to truly self reflect without outside interference. Valerio was making her believe perhaps she wasn't useless after all.
There was a tap against the door leading to her small balcony and she nearly jumped out of her skin. With a hand over her heart, she cast her eyes towards the door but didn't see anyone.
Cautiously she stood and crept forward, wondering if it was perhaps a bird from one of the nearby trees. Since early spring was showing itself, she had noticed quite a few more animals outside whenever she went to her balcony or the windows.
Once on the balcony, Leonor hesitated to go forward but she saw a familiar person standing on the ground. Being on the second story, they were apart but close enough to hear one another.
He held his hat in his hands since no one was around. His long blonde hair freely cascaded down his back. Against the dim light, she thought an angel would be envious of his appearance.
Valerio smiled in relief the moment he was met with beautiful sapphire eyes. He glanced around, making sure there weren't guards nearby before he spoke. In the month Leonor had been healing, it seemed that the Count's safety measures had waned. He was no longer watching his daughter closely, feeling that she had done nothing but behave for a month.
"Leonor," he called to her, feeling the name was such a privilege for him to say each time it left his lips.
"Valerio," she responded with as much warmth. "Why aren't you coming up?"
Just over a month before she longed for the courage to know his name. She had no way of knowing just how dear he would become to her in a short time.
"Tonight I have been burdened with something I'm unable to get out of," he explained. "I wanted to tell you so you wouldn't wait for me. The thought of you being disappointed by my lack of presence is too much for me to bear."
He started his explanation with a serious tone, but he finished lighthearted as he normally did. His self assured smile made her face feel hot and she stood up straight, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I wasn't waiting for you," she said. "Don't you worry."
Yet her expression spoke volumes of how he had hit the nail on the head. She was caught red handed. The thought only made his smile widen.
"I'll make it up to you somehow," he said.
"Whatever helps you feel better," she responded. "After all, you're taking away my only friend this evening and only source of entertainment since I'm not allowed to leave and hobble around the manor."
Guilt flashed across his face. It wasn't fair when she used a lighthearted tone but said something serious. It was clear her father had given her another order. She was walking perfectly fine. Since she wasn't riding a horse, she was wearing dresses and they easily hid any awkward movements that might occur while her leg regained its strength.
"If you're going to make me feel guilty, I'll climb up this vine and spend time with you," he responded. "But then you'll be the one feeling guilty that I've lost a great deal of money because I visited you instead."
As if to show her that he was serious, Valerio stepped towards the vine and reached out his gloved hand.
Leonor gasped and leaned into the stone bannister.
"You win, Valerio," she said, her tone urgent. "I can only be grateful you informed me that you wouldn't be here tonight."
"So very understanding for a lady of your station," Valerio considered teasing with a relieved smile.
Leonor could only sigh as she leaned her elbows into the bannister and gazed at Valerio for a moment. As usual, she resisted saying more knowing that anything else would be met with teasing. Then her heart wouldn't rest until late at night.
"Please go before I call a guard and say there's a worker throwing sticks at the Count's daughter's window," Leonor muttered, kicking one of the twigs Valerio had used to get her attention.
"Goodnight, my lady," he said.
"Goodnight," she responded softly.
With one of his large hands, Valerio swept his hair over his shoulder and began twisting it so he could put back on his hat. He nodded at Leonor before he took to the path and walked along the manor walls.
Leonor's eyes remained on him. Since he wouldn't visit her that night, she was going to watch him until she couldn't anymore.
However, before Valerio could disappear around the corner, he stopped near a shrub and a hooded figure joined him on the path as if he had been waiting for him the entire time. Leonor couldn't glean any further details but her dark eyebrows knit together in confusion.
Curiosity ate at her insides and she remained outside until well after Valerio and the hooded figure disappeared. She only realized she was standing there for so long when a breeze rushed by that chilled her to her core.
She figured she would simply ask him the next night.
Unfortunately, the following two nights, Valerio arrived in the same manner and gave the same excuse that he would have to see her another time.
She started to feel a bit crazed. A wild streak she didn't know existed seeded in her heart and grew until she found herself sneaking out of her room and climbing out of the very vine Valerio told her he would use to see her.
Valerio had only just left so she decided to follow at a distance.
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