On the other side of the mansion, Heidi had a hard time sleeping in the new bedroom that was given to her. The fluffed pillow and the soft bed underneath did nothing to comfort her. She had twisted and turned the whole night, thinking in her subconsciousness about things that worried her and by the time she had woken up, the sun was up and high.

Streaks of sunlight passed through the creak of the curtains, birds chirping soft and happily at the welcome of the morning. It took Heidi some time to adjust her sleepy eyes before she sat up on the bed, looking at the shadowed room due to the curtains that hindered the light from passing through.

She was in the East empire of the Bonelake and she hadn’t forgotten about it. How could she when all she thought about was the previous night in the mansion’s drawing room. It was still hard for her to digest the fact that the person she had few times ago in her town was the Lord of Bonelake.

“I am sure if you have the energy to run your mouth, you can also finish tending to your wounds yourself.”

“…” Heidi stuffed her face in the blanket.

She had been completely disrespectful during their first encounter and she didn’t know how to face him. Last night it took some time for her to recover from the shock but now that she was fully aware she didn’t know how to speak to him. They would be bumping into each other often as it was his mansion and she was a guest living in his mansion for a few days. But then it was his fault for intimidating her that night when he spoke about the drink he wanted to have.

Still. Fault or not, she had disrespected him, who was one of the Lord of the Empires.

“Ah!!” she let out a muffled cry to hear someone speak at the door.

“Which cat died?”

Heidi snapped her head up to see the butler standing at the door while carrying a bag in his hand.

“I am sorry. I didn’t hear you. Please come in,” she replied getting down from the bed a little embarrassed that he had heard her groan. The butler placed the bag down on the floor, “What is that…” she remembered him mentioning his name but it had bounced off her head due to the anxiety she was experiencing last night, “…Mr. Butler,” she added in the end.

The butler sized her up and down, wondering if the family the council had chosen to Mr Lawson were of high social status or may be, she was just a simple girl. He brushed her last words knowing she had forgotten his name not that it was required after all he was the butler of this mansion and she was a guest who would leave in a few days. None of the guests bothered with it and neither did he.

There was something that had been bothering him since yesterday but he had kept his lips shut. The inn he had suggested her was a place he knew of and when he came in search of her, he noticed that the owner had renovated it with only a sink and nothing else making him wonder what she was doing for such a long time.

“I don’t think it would be suitable for you to attend the breakfast in a night gown seeing you had no luggage with you, I have brought you a few dresses which might fit you for the time being,” he didn’t know why she had come empty handed but as his Lord had asked him to help the lady to steer her mood towards the Lord’s cousin, he would do his job diligently, “Please wear this and come down to the hall. A maid will be here shortly to help you if you need anything,” he bowed his head.

“Wait!” She called seeing him leave the room.

“Yes, Ms Curtis?”

“I…Is there a church nearby?” She asked.

“There’s one in the next town. Would you like to visit? I can make the arrangements if you want to,” he offered and she smiled nodding.

“That would be very helpful. Thank you,” Heidi replied and then asked him, “I am sorry I didn’t catch your name last night.”

“It’s Stanley Greeze miss.”

“Thank you, Stanley,” she thanked him again and saw him shake his head to himself like he was talking to himself in his head and then left the room so that she could get ready.

Getting dressed for the day in a soft and elegant, lilac dress Heidi reached the hall, taking a seat on the table where everyone had already gathered for breakfast. She had made an eye contact with the Lord only once since she had arrived at the table which was when she had wished him a good morning and the others. Keeping her eyes on the food and decor her eyes wandered quietly like a curious child. Putting up a smile on her face, she answered her table companions when they had questions about her and her family. She mostly spoke of what Nora had done and thankfully her sister was a great reference of the elite.

As food was served she looked at the number of spoons, forks and knives that were placed next to her plate on both sides. The silverware shining just like her forehead that had begun to sweat.

The rest of the party was yet to start and she didn’t know which cutlery was to be used with the number of it displayed in front of her. Deciding to wait for them to start she picked the glass of water to her right and drank one sip after another until she heard the Lord speak to her,

“Isn’t the food appealing to your eyes, Ms. Curtis? I can ask the cook to prepare something else,” Lord Nicholas spoke to her with a smile that played at the corner of his lips.

“No no. The food looks more than appealing,” Heidi replied with an uneasy smile.

“Go on then,” he said.

The others who had been speaking now had their eyes on her due to the Lord drawing attention to her. She hovered her fingers over the silverware, dread filling up her mind and hoping to pick the right one. It was a normal etiquette for a lady of the high to know what to use at the table but unfortunately, she had never bothered herself with it until now. Just as she was about to pick one of the small spoons the butler came to her aid.

“Ms Curtis why don’t you start with this dish. It has a very crisp and a lovely texture which you might like,” and just as he was explaining he slipped the smaller fork in her hand.

God, preach the butler! Thanked Heidi internally in her mind.

Taking a bite she had to agree, the butler was right about its crisp outer layer. When she sneaked a glance towards Lord Nicholas she saw him smiling at her.