Chapter 59: Cunning old lady
Orabela sprinted towards her grandmother and wrapped her arms tightly around her, burying her face into the comforting embrace. She held on, her heart easing from the momentary burden of missing her so deeply. After a long moment, she pulled away, her eyes brimming with affection.
"Grandma, I missed you so much," Orabela said, her voice tinged with a hint of longing. "Why did it take so long for you to come back?"
Lady Agatha smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling with fondness as she stroked Orabela’s hair. "Oh, my dear, forgive me," she said softly, her tone filled with regret. "I ended up traveling the world with some old friends of mine—an adventure I hadn’t expected to last so long. And after that, I went to visit your aunt to spend some time there." She gave a small chuckle as if recounting fond memories.
As Lady Agatha stepped back to get a better look at her granddaughter, her expression shifted to one of concern. "But, my goodness, why do you look so thin?" she exclaimed, her sharp gaze immediately darting over to Miriam and Darius, who stood nearby.
"Aren’t you feeding her well?" she added, her voice taking on a more stern, reprimanding tone as she looked at them both with a mix of authority and maternal protectiveness. Miriam and Darius exchanged a quick, uncomfortable glance, clearly caught off guard by Lady Agatha’s sudden disapproval.
Orabela smiled sheepishly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I’ve been busy with work and other things," she offered, trying to downplay her grandmother’s concern.
But Lady Agatha wasn’t convinced. "Nonsense!" she huffed. "You need to take better care of yourself. A growing girl like you shouldn’t be skipping meals. We’ll fix that now that I’m here." She softened her tone as she turned back to Orabela, her affection clear. "I’ll make sure of it."
"Mother, why don’t you sit? Your favorite tea is here. Drink it and then you can rest," Miriam politely said.
Lady Agatha hummed and settled on the couch. A servant came with a tray in her hand, which made the old lady frown.