Chapter 55 - Fifty Five
Suzy pushed open the heavy oak doors of the library, the scent of aged paper and leather immediately filling her senses. Sunlight streamed through the high windows, casting long shadows across the rows upon rows of books that lined the walls.
"Elias?" she called out tentatively, her voice echoing in the vast silence.
A figure emerged from behind a towering bookshelf, a surprised smile breaking out on his face. It was Elias, the library’s keeper, a young man with kind eyes and a perpetual air of quiet scholarly enthusiasm.
"My Lady Duchess!" he exclaimed, bowing slightly. "What a pleasant surprise! How are you doing ?"
Suzy offered a smile in return, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "Elias, it’s good to see you again," she said. "I’m doing well, thank you for asking."
"Excellent news, Your Grace," Elias replied, his voice warm and genuine. "These past few weeks have been... trying, haven’t they?"
Suzy nodded, a wave of weariness washing over her. The memory of the attack, the constant feeling of being watched, it all took its toll.
"Indeed," she conceded. "But we persevere, don’t we?"
Elias chuckled softly. "Indeed, Your Grace. Perseverance is the key to overcoming any obstacle, be it a locked door or a complex book."
Suzy felt a flicker of a smile playing on her lips. Elias’s quiet optimism was infectious.
"Speaking of books," she continued, her voice taking on a more purposeful tone. "I wanted to return these." She held out a small stack of worn leather-bound volumes.