The winter morning offered a depressing greeting to the estate, yet the two restless hearts within the bedroom remained awake long before the dawn. Aiden left the bedroom early in the morning to settle the final arrangements for their departure, his footsteps fading down the corridor. For a long while, Kelly stayed completely still in the silent room. The only sound breaking the quiet was the rhythmic clatter of horses and heavy wheels outside, which she could hear clearly from the balcony. Five grand carriages had arrived at the manor courtyard. Their departure had been set.
A soft, hesitant knock came from the door. "It is us, your ladyship, Annie and Marie," a voice called out. They slowly pushed the door open, just as a sharp gust of wind rushed into the room, blowing their long uniform skirts.
Out on the balcony, Kelly stood like a specter, her nightgown whipping violently around her ankles as the freezing winter wind tangled her hair.
"Oh my goodness, my lady! What are you doing out there?" Marie cried, her voice thick with worry as she rushed forward. "You still have your nightgown on, and it is already freezing outside!"
The two servants gently but firmly assisted her back inside, closing the glass doors against the chill. Even as they pulled her away, Kelly's attention remained glued to the courtyard below. Through the frosted glass, she watched the broad back of the man standing beside the head coachman, her husband.
Marie and Annie immediately set to work, dressing her in heavy winter clothes. The serene, stoic look of her pale face stood out beautifully against the thick, dark fur coat wrapped around her neck. Yet beneath the elegant exterior, she had the look of a lost child amidst chaos. Those once gleaming eyes had turned as cold as the winter forest outside. The doubt in her heart grew deeper with every passing second, but she knew the words screaming in her head could do nothing to save her. In this foreign land she was now bound to, she had no one. She had a husband whose words could no longer be trusted, and the watchful, calculating eyes of the estate's people felt like constant thorns piercing her heart. She stared blankly at the mirror, where her own reflection seemed warped and distorted by her anxiety.
Noticing her distress, the maids carefully brightened her face with a soft, summer glow makeup, trying to bring color back to her cheeks. The two women were not ambiguous with their actions, every gentle brushstroke showed a deep respect and a quiet understanding of her situation. Neither Marie nor Annie were originally from this place. Marie was the daughter of an overseas merchant, and Annie was a refined woman from a fallen nobility. The welcoming warmth they gave Kelly now was the exact comfort they had desperately tried and failed to find for themselves when they first arrived. In an unfamiliar culture, they were offering the solidarity they had never received.
Marie gently tapped Kelly's shoulder, a warm, reassuring smile breaking across her face. "It is a lovely morning, is it not, my lady? A smile would truly brighten your day. We once sat exactly like you now. The only difference is that you are not alone. You have us, my lady."
The two servants took a step backward and bowed their heads in unison. Kelly stood up from the vanity, her composure breaking for just a moment as she reached out and pulled both of them into a tight embrace, desperately fighting to hold her tears back.
She forced a small, grateful smile as she pulled away. "With deep gratitude, I thank you for your effort and your sacrifices. However, I will be leaving this house today to move to a place I can only hope I can call home."
The two servants smiled back at her, their eyes shining with loyalty. "The two of us will be coming with you, my lady," Annie confidently replied.
"The young master Aiden begged his parents to let us accompany you so that you would not feel left out," Marie added, her posture softening into a comforting, motherly stoicism. "You do not have to carry such a heavy burden, my lady. The young master is a fine man, and he will surely be on your side."
Before Kelly could process the relief of their companionship, a sudden knock rattled the door. The elderly butler's voice cut through the room. "Your ladyship, the Master and the Mistress await your presence at the dining table."
"She will be with you in a second," Annie called back sharply.
The farewell breakfast was quite a feast for the eyes, but the atmospheric tension in the grand hall was suffocatingly heavy. This was the very first meal Kelly shared directly with the head of the house. Sitting at the long table, Lord Laurdy constantly reminded them, in a stern and unyielding voice, not to forget to stop and pay their formal respects at the grand temple along the way.
After the agonizing meal, the Mistress of the house approached Kelly, handing her a beautifully wrapped, ancient relic as a parting gift.
By the time it was late noon, everything Aiden owned had been carefully arranged and locked into the heavy transport carriages, ready for travel. On the other hand, the contrast was heartbreaking, the only things Kelly owned and carried with her were the small, fragile memories of her origin, a single picture of her family, an old book, and a few personal keepsakes.
Before stepping into the carriage, Kelly looked out across the vast fields one last time. In the distance, the lone wisteria tree stood noticeably vibrant against the dead winter landscape.
They left the manor behind with an unsettling, heavy feeling hanging in the air. Kelly climbed into the carriage and sat beside Aiden, staring straight ahead, silent and obedient.