Cecelia left at the week's end. Meriddion had always hated good byes. As she hugged Cece for the last time she felt tears come to her eyes.
"You'll have to come back to visit soon."
"Of course, Mary. Do be well."
Cece smiled and got into the back seat of her car. Lionel followed, casting a small smile towards Ash. The two had become something of friends.
Meriddion turned back into the house and Ash followed her to her room. She sat down on her bed and Ash stood by the door. She motioned to a bag sitting on her couch.
"That's for you."
He looked at her in astonishment, this was almost the Meriddion he once knew. He walked over to the bag and withdrew a plain dark blue hoodie. It was the nicest thing that he had ever been given.
"Thank you," he glanced up at her, only to be met with a cold glare.
"Mistress," he added.
She flipped her hair, attempting to put on an air of contempt.
"You earned it. Perhaps there will be more if you have good behavior."
He pulled it over his head. It fit perfectly. The inside was soft, he felt almost safe. He looked over at Meriddion who was absent mindedly playing with her phone.
Maybe he really could change her.
Sleep evaded Meriddion once again. Everyone in the house had grown accustomed to her having dark black circles under her eyes after her fall. She had taken to drinking coffee just to keep awake while her tutor was in the house, even though she hated its taste.
She sat on the edge of her bed, breathing seemed a chore. What was the point?
She didn't understand anything anymore.
Before she had been filled with passion. She wanted nothing more than to help those less fortunate than her; but now, all of the energy had nowhere to go. That's why her eyes never closed at night. Instead she watched Ash sleep. He intrigued her very much. He wore the sweater almost all the time, of course it was the only blanket she allowed him.
Ash's eyelids fluttered open as he felt her gaze on him.
"I'm sorry for oversleeping."
She didn't acknowledge him, simply walked to the bathroom to shower. Everything seemed so routine, like nothing had a purpose anymore.
Ash had made Meriddion's bed and left her room to go to the kitchen as he had done every day for the past two weeks. Pierre nodded at him and turned back to his work. They were nicer to him now, but he still didn't really have any friends.
As every other morning he helped prepare the food before getting ready to serve it. He rarely had time to actually get ready in the mornings, usually less than five minutes before the meal was ready. He served meals with four others and was hit most every meal, either by Meriddion or one of the men she dined with.
He did usually make some mistake to deserve it.
Taking Mary's plate Ash headed out to the dining room where the group was waiting.
Meriddion seemed different than even the first couple of days after her fall. She was getting fragile. She rarely ate, not did she go outside. She studied with her tutor, sat through meals with her father and stayed in her room. Of course she got good grades and kept her father happy, usually by hurting him; but it seemed like she wasn't living anymore.
Entering the room Ash found what he usually did, the four in their seats. Men conversing and Mary simply waiting for her food. He set her food down while the others did the same around the table and left to get her coffee. He set it in front of her and she took a drink. She coughed and set it back on the table.
"Cream."
His eyes widened as he gulped. How could he have forgotten again?
"Well, Meriddion, punish the insolent fool."
His teeth ground together as he faced the floor waiting for whatever she had for him.