Chapter 80: Esme
Rose woke up with a start. She was unsure what she had been dreaming about, but she could vaguely remember running. She hadn’t gotten away, and just as she got caught, she woke up.
She sat upright in bed as she tried to gather herself. The candle by the bedside was dead, but she could see the sunlight from the window. It brightened the whole room.
Rose got out of bed immediately and rushed to the window. She pushed it open and took a deep breath, enjoying the feel of the sun on her face. Below her was a stable and a mini barn. Only one horse was out of the stable, with a few cows eating from a stack of hay.
She caught sight of Slade, and the only reason she could recognize him was his very particular cap. It was a flat cap and he wore it a little lower than he needed. He still wore it even as he fetched hay from the storage building next to the stables. He wasn’t alone; there was a younger boy with him.
As if realizing someone was looking at him, Slade looked toward her window, and Rose fell to the ground. She didn’t know why she was hiding, but it felt like she couldn’t let him see her. Still on the ground, she started to crawl away from the window just as someone knocked on her door.
She jumped, scrambling to the door to undo the latch. She was met with the same young girl from last night. In her hand was a shoe. "Miss Esme said I should give this to you. She also said if you’re awake and feel like it, you can come out now. She also said Lady Delphine won’t be awake till almost noon, so to take your time. I think I said that right," the girl ended her rant with a thoughtful look on her face. It was the same child that was with Kali.
"Thank ye," Rose said and accepted the shoes from the girl.
Happy that she had done what she was sent to do, the child retreated, hopping down the corridor. Rose watched her go for a few moments before she retreated into the room, shoe in hand. She placed the shoes on the bed and slipped her feet into them. They fit perfectly.
Rose paced the room, contemplating whether she should leave it. Deciding there was nothing for her here except her thoughts, she chose to step out. She walked slowly, listening to the creaking sound her feet made on the wood.
She got to the stairs and slowly went down. Halfway through, she had a clear view of the hall and saw someone cleaning it. They were scrubbing the chairs and humming a tune as they worked.