Lily's legs trembled as she gazed up at the Duke who could tear her apart with an arm. "She's currently resting, Duke Elsher."
"Resting? In Ralph's ho?" Orion barked out, looming impressively over the tiny maid like a lion staring down a mouse. He peered inside the house, half-expecting Soleia's blonde head to pop out from a corner at the sound of his voice. "Ralph, where are you? Co out now!"
However, only silence greeted his ears. Orion crossed his arms.
"Where is Ralph, the actual patient?" Orion asked. "Has his condition deteriorated so thoroughly that he cannot respond, or is he simply too busy cozying up to my wife in bed to greet ?"
Lily's face paled at the implications of his words, and she shook her head frantically. "No, Sir Ralph has left to take a walk!"
"A walk?" Orion scoffed in disbelief. "Ridiculous. Wasn't he deathly ill a re day ago? He should be resting in bed!"
"Sir Ralph is outside taking a walk while my lady is resting. She is very tired," Lily repeated, ntally praying for Princess Soleia to return soon. She wasn't good at lying, and she feared Duke Elsher might lose his temper with her and force his way inside the house.
If he found out both Sir Ralph and Princess Soleia had vanished at the sa ti, it would be near impossible to claim innocence! However, Lily knew Sir Ralph did not have any untoward intentions. Sir Ralph had rely insisted on chasing after Princess Soleia, claiming that it was his responsibility to make ands after all the trouble he caused her.
How could Duke Elsher, his own best friend, think so wickedly about him? Lily grumbled bitterly to herself. She wanted to use this chance to give the Duke a taste of his own dicine.
After all her lady had done for him, he didn't even give her a single word of thanks or apology for the trouble he caused her! He didn't help his best friend either!
"The Princess has been in poor health recently since we stayed in the servant's quarters before Sir Ralph offered us his rooms. She also had to resolve the issue of Sir Ralph's illness on her own," Lily said, purposely keeping her head down but her voice clear.
There was a pause, and she chanced a quick look at the Duke.
He was staring at her, a dumbfounded expression on his face. Good.
"Despite her poor health, she visited the town and paid for the physician with her own funds, and then brought the dicine back for Sir Ralph to drink," Lily added. "Sir Ralph recovered well enough, but the exertion was too much for my lady. She needed to rest, so he left for town so as to not disturb her."
Lily ntally patted herself on the back for spinning this tale. It sounded entirely plausible! They definitely weren't lying in bed together in the house! Or in a bed anywhere else! Her princess wasn't such a woman!
"I wish to see her," Orion demanded, a furrow between his eyebrows. He took a step forward into the house, but Lily imdiately stepped forward, blocking his way with outstretched arms. She quickly shook her head again.
"My apologies, Duke Elsher, but Princess Soleia gave strict orders to deny visitors," Lily tried to sound as firm as possible, even as her feet were quaking in her boots. "She has had a very long week. Please let her get a good rest!"
Lily bowed lowly after her words.
There was a pregnant pause before Orion scoffed at himself. "Is she denying all visitors, or is her order ant for alone?"
"It's for all visitors, Duke Elsher," Lily said hastily because she knew Princess Soleia would never make such a pointed statent, but Orion did not look convinced at all.
Lily bit her lip. Duke Elsher had already drawn his own conclusions, and it was useless for her to say anything to change his mind.
Although, if he honestly thought that Princess Soleia would welco a visit from his new lover and his relatives, Lily would visit the church to pray for her princess to find a smarter second husband. Her princess was so smart and wise, she didn't deserve an idiot for a husband!
"Fine then. Since I'm not welco, I shall leave," Orion said, a muscle twitching in his jaw. "Send word if she needs a physician's help."
"Yes, Duke Elsher," Lily said, her head low. However, she only relaxed minutely after she shut the door, her hands clasped in desperate prayer.
Please let her lady and Sir Ralph return without bumping into Duke Elsher on the way! If they didn't, heads would roll!
***
Unknown to Lily, Orion wasn't a fool with only two coins in his head to rub together. For all the young maid claid that his wife was supposedly resting in Ralph's ho, he was very sure she had left the house.
After all, the snow that had freshly fallen was not heavy enough to completely cover the tracks right outside of Ralph's humble abode quite as quickly. To top it off, her scent seed to linger faintly in the doorway, wordlessly taunting him, goading him to chase after her.
The footprints were half-buried in the rapidly falling snow. One pair was small enough, yet the prints were vivid, as though soone had stomped off in a hurry. They most likely belonged to a woman, and Orion was all too familiar with the second pair of footprints.
After all, Ralph was one of his oldest friends. He could recognize his gait anywhere. Ralph had the tendency to tread lightly, leaving the faintest mark on the thickest snow. But even the rudintary pattern of the soles of his boots was distinctive enough for Orion to identify him.
A scowl ford on his face. If they were so intent on lying to him, he might as well play their ga. Their tracks led towards the nearest town.
He shrugged his shoulders, fully intent on chasing them down to demand an explanation.
But before he could make his way there, his cousin rushed out, her long red hair billowing in the winter wind. "Cousin, co quick! Elowyn says she's in pain!"
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