Promises Unkept

Stephen and Eden

Ten minutes?

Oh indeed?

What even had she been thinking to decide that ten minutes was enough for her to bath herself clean and groom herself presentable and upon all that, be present at his doorstep?

“Ow! Eden, go easy! You will pull your hairs out like that.” Maggie grimaced from behind her, only for she had been watching her thrash about since previous one minute with great resentment.

It only made Eden more anxious.

Crap!

Eden threw the comb down on her bed and twisted her still tangled, still wild fray of the hair into a rough braid, threading the ribbon way along. Transparent pearl beads dripped the end of her long raven ropes, making the back of her white cotton gown wet.

“Open your mouth Eden, this one would be the last bite.” Maggie ordered, bringing her hand to her mouth with a morsel of bread in it. She had been hand feeding Eden since the girl had stepped out of the bath.

But Eden couldn’t. Eden couldn’t open her mouth, to eat or to speak. It was already stuffed with previous five bites which she had gnawed but couldn’t chew and swallow blaming all the feverish excitement that this lack of time had accursed.

Her mouth tasted horrible.

She shook her head in a no with pleading eyes.

Maggie nodded with a resigned sigh, and gave Eden moments to chew away and swallow her mouthful, before handing her the glass of water which Eden downed in one go.

Eden took this time to catch her breath and at last wrapped her old, emaciated shawl along her shoulder.

“Alright there!” She sighed, ready to leave. “Eat, Maggie. Change and go to bed. Do not wait for me. If you like, you may sleep in my bed as well but no loitering in the corridor. It will not do, it is cold so wear something over that flimsy gown of yours and you may let the candle go un-extinguished if it makes you feel better. I will come back soon. Understood?”

Maggie affirmed with an overly rolled eyes gesture. “But if he dares insult you, I_”

“He won’t.” Eden assured Maggie on Lord Stephen’s behalf, for she was oddly sure herself that he wouldn’t at least insult her tonight, whatever business he might have otherwise.

“And if he does,” She continued sternly. “I am certainly not going to let him off easily enough.”

Maggie gave her a lop-sided grin and before Eden could hurry off, Maggie folded a piece of bread with some jam in it and handed it to Eden, with a commanding suggestion. “Finish it on your way.”

What chastisement…..!

Eden would have protested had she had some more of time.

But alas! She was already running late. So clutching her shawl’s threaded ends in one hand and the bided bread in other, Eden merged herself out into the darkness of the corridor, feeling her way to the main hall for she couldn’t really carry around a candle and incite interest of others in her late night endeavors.

***

Heaven!

Eden was stooping low with her one hand on her knee and the other holding the unattended bread as she tried to catch her breath, panting like she had been running since one lifetime and no less.

She was here, in front of his door.

But to knock, she needed energy, and that she had none.

At last, she pulled herself together and lifted her fist to knock but before she could, the door was pulled open and there stood, the tall, regal figure of his lordship staring at her with unruffled pensiveness.