"Agnes?" Nalini whispered, her eyes wide, horrified. She wasn't that surprised to hear it, but at the same time, she couldn't believe anyone would make a child cry...deliberately.
There was a part of her that wanted to believe that Agnes may have made him cry accidentally. After all, some kids cried for no reason, but it didn't seem like that was the case.
"Yes!" Nora exclaimed, eyes burning. "Richard talked in his sleep, you see, and he was whispering her name and pleading her not to hurt him and that it was all a mistake!"
A mistake? She wondered what he was talking about.
"Mistake?" Nalini voiced her thoughts and leaned forward, eager to know. "What do you think he means?"
Nora shrugged helplessly. "I do not have one clue. However, I am more concerned about him being hurt by Agnes."
That much was true. Nalini's heart was beating rapidly and all the missing pieces seemed to fit. Having Ricard cry here and there especially when Agnes was around—did that mean she was abusing him?
A gasp left her lips. "Oh my goodness...Richard's being abused by Agnes!"
Nora frowned, nodding. "He, moreover, persisted on not wanting His Grace to know because he is afraid."
"Afraid?" Nalini repeated. She didn't blame him, though, the Duke was the scariest man alive.
Nora nodded, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Afraid!" she echoed, incredulously. She then shook her head, the emotion shifting to one of anger. "I cannot believe Agnes would do such a barbaric thing. Pardon my language, but she is nothing more than a harlot!" she exclaimed, in passionate anger. "How could one think of hurting a young child?"
Nalini sighed and bit her lip. She didn't question her on what 'harlot' meant and instead, nodded, pretending she knew. Besides, she was just as angry as Nora to care much about what an ancient word meant.
"I know," Nalini said, a frown on her face. "She's gone too far. And that's exactly why we have to tell the Duke this—he has to know!" She got out of bed and went to race out the door when Nora took her by the arm and pulled her back.
"If you disturb him or Richard whilst he is sleeping, surely he will get mad at you. We must wait till the morrow and we shall address this concerning matter, then," she said, softly.
Nalini said nothing in response and nodded. She just wanted to let the Duke know so that Agnes could get fired, once and for all, but Nora was right.
"I have another confession," Nora said, quietly this time. Nalini squinted her eyes at the blonde girl in the dark, confusion consuming her.
"A confession?"
Nora nodded, once. "Richard believes...Agnes has fallen in love with His Grace."
If Nalini could faint at that very moment—she would. Agnes in love with...the Duke?!
She pushed down the urge to laugh. "What?"
"Such was another mumble during his sleep. He does not want His Grace to fall in love with such a horrible woman!" Nora bit her lip. "And, perhaps tis why she torments him so much."
"Because she's in love with the Duke?" Nalini didn't understand that logic. If she loved the Duke, wouldn't she try to get on his good side and want to love his child as her own?
"Or, mayhap, she wants him all to herself and believes Richard is standing in her way."
Oh.
That actually made more sense and the thought caused Nalini to choke on her saliva. Was that really Agnes' thought process?
She swore she could feel the bile rising in her throat at the woman's indifference.
Agnes was just...a vile person.
It was also hard to believe that someone as heartless as Agnes, was capable of falling in love in general, let alone with someone as irritating as the Duke.
"The poor boy," Nalini mumbled with a frown. "We have to talk to him tomorrow. I need to know what mistake he was talking about."
Nora nodded once in determination, grabbing Nalini's hand tight. "To the morrow, we must."
***
Richard giggled slightly as he pointed at a black and white illustration. "Miss, that looks funny!"
Nalini cracked a small smile. "It does, doesn't it?" She couldn't find it in herself to be happy that day; everything that had been told to her by Nora was still uncomfortably floating around in her mind and had kept her awake until it was time to wake up.
She watched as Richard bounced up and down on his bottom. He sat close to her, half his body leaning across her lap as she read to him.
It would have been endearing, if not for the fact that her mind was occupied with how she was to approach a subject of abuse with a five-year-old boy.
Nalini reached out hesitantly to stroke his blonde hair that covered his eyes a little, relieved to find that he didn't pull away in disgust. He looked up at her, his doll eyes questioning.
"How is Agnes, Richard?" she asked softly.
As soon as she mentioned Agnes, his face dropped slightly and a frown formed in place of the cute smile he had on before.
"She's fine," he said, quietly.
Nalini sighed internally. This was much harder than she had imagined.
"She's not being...rude to you?"
Richard froze, and leaned away from her and her touch. Nalini's palms started sweating. Did she go about this the wrong way? Clearly, she wasn't very good with kids and it was too late to change anything now because he looked like he was about to cry.
"Richard, don't cry!" She panicked. "If anyone's being rude to you, just take me to them and I'll give them a big, old slap!" she said teasingly, in an attempt to make him feel better.
Luckily, it worked as giggles bubbled its way up out of his lips. Then followed a silence that enveloped them.
Nalini bit her lip and gave up. There was no point pestering a little boy. He would share if he wanted to. Just as she turned her attention back to the book again, Richard opened his mouth.
"M-my..."
Nalini turned to him, her whole body tense and awaiting the next words that would come out of his mouth. Richard sniffled as he scratched his cheek.
"M-my nanny is h—"
"Richard."
The door opened to reveal the awful woman that we were just talking about. Agnes' beady eyes narrowed in on Nalini's figure as she watched them, suspiciously. Nalini tried not to show on her face that they were talking about her.
"It is time for your bath," Agnes said, in a monotone voice.
Richard, whose face suddenly paled, shuffled away from Nalini and got up. She watched as he walked past Agnes, who glared at her as she shut the door behind them.
Nalini resisted the urge to scream in frustration. He was about to open up! Ugh, just my luck. She dragged her hands down her face in exhaustion and sat on the floor in the empty room, silently.
There was no point in dwelling about it now--Agnes would get suspicious and that was the last thing she wanted.
The best thing to do was to put it off, for now, at least. She didn't want to push the matter too much. It was important, but right now, all she could do was wait. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. She just wanted to go back home–
Wait.
What about going back to the well? She contemplated that thought. Maybe if she jumped into the well, she could go back. That's how she ended up here in the first place...right? The mere thought of the plan excited her, and she got up from her sitting position.
She needed to tell Nora so she could cover for her. If she was lucky, she could sneak out of the manor and out in a flash. The only problem was finding transport–but she could deal with that when she dealt with Nora.
Getting up, she raced out of the room and downstairs, hoping to find Nora somewhere. As soon as she casually went past the study which was closed shut, and into the kitchen, she found her making Richard's favourite triangle-shaped sandwiches filled with bland flavours that Nalini couldn't even imagine trying.
"Nora," Nalini whispered to her as she shuffled across, trying not to bring the attention of the other staff.
Nora looked up from the tray and her eyes brightened upon seeing Nalini in front of her.
"Have you spoken to Richard?" she whispered. The mention of Richard quickly brought Nalini back to reality and her heart sunk.
She sighed. "I tried, and Richard was going to tell me something, Nora. But, right at that moment, Agnes showed up."
Nora's jaw tensed and she shook her head. "That woman always seems to know whenever she is being talked about!" she whispered. "What is it that we are going to do?"
"I wanted to wait a little before we asked him again. He's only five years old. I'm worried that if I keep pestering him, he'll become upset and start to cry."
Nora nodded. "I do not blame you for thinking in such a way." She looked up in thought before a smile graced her face. She turned to Nalini. "Would you like to put Richard to bed tonight?"
"Isn't that Agnes's job?"
"Indeed, however, she refuses to do so some nights and sleeps early, and so it is I who does it. Tonight, I shall tell her that I want to do it and there is no doubt that she will buy that excuse."
Nalini contemplated this. It would give her the perfect opportunity to talk to Richard without anyone poking their head in and out, too! She nodded her head but then froze.
"But...doesn't the Duke stay with Richard before bed?"
Nora shook her head. "He bids him goodnight and leaves thereafter, that is all."
Nalini nodded. "Alright, then, that's what we'll do." She then bit her lip. "Um, Nora?"
Nora looked up with questioning eyes.
"Could you please help me with something?" Nalini asked, softly, internally hoping she'd agree.
She furrowed her eyebrows. "Help?" Then, a smile bloomed across her face. "Indeed, I would love to be of help!" Nora exclaimed, in excitement. Nalini weakly smiled, grateful but nervous about the outcome.
"I...I need to go somewhere really quickly, so can you please cover for me?"
Nora's eyes widened and she leaned forward. "Surely you have His Grace's permission, do you not?"
Nalini forced a nonchalant laugh, guilt eating up at her now. She scolded herself internally; there was no need to feel guilty! She'd jump into the well and go back home and there would be nothing to worry about!
She sighed in defeat. If she got caught then she'd be murdered by the Duke!
"No," she whispered. Nora looked at her in disapproval.
"You will get into much trouble, Nalini! You, of all people who have endured his wrath one too many times, understand what His Grace is like!"
Nalini knew what Nora said was true, but she wasn't going to hang back, wondering what would have happened if she had tried to go back to the well.
She needed to try. And it would be worth the risk if it could potentially take her home. Though the thought of going back to her grandpa and maybe even Mahesh wasn't the most appealing, it was certainly better than this place.
Nalini folded her hands in front of her face and pouted.
"Please!" she begged. Nora stayed silent and stared at her, contemplation swirling in her baby blue eyes. She then sighed, exasperatedly.
"Oh, so be it!" she said, giving up, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "But, you must come back quickly! I do not know how long I can cover for you."
Nalini nodded. She wasn't sure if she would end up coming back. But, she flashed a bright smile at her before casually strolling out and getting ready to sneak out of the manor, unaware of the eyes that watched her from afar.
***
Alastair swirled his wine glass, staring at it absentmindedly. He had planned to give the woman a break by handing her a valid job to do.
Yet, however many times he ordered someone to fetch her to his study, they came back empty-handed, stating simply that they did not know of where her presence might be. Her disobedience and stubbornness were starting to become most annoying.
The tethers of his self-control were at its very end.
The door opened and Agnes shuffled in, her eyes squarely fixed on Alastair's face. He raised an eyebrow at her, purely annoyed at her unwanted presence.
"Yes, Miss Brooks? What is it that you seek?"
"Your Grace, I was not at all sure of what had must be done, moreover, I truly did endeavour to stop her—"
She had caught his attention, but the irritating woman kept prattling about unnecessary things that he did not give a damn about.
"Spit it out, woman!" he boomed. Agnes visibly paled and stumbled back a few steps.
"Nalini s-snuck away, Your Grace," she stuttered.
The swirling stopped. His eyes narrowed in at her as he calmly put the glass down on the table. He uncrossed his legs and leant forward, his elbows on the table. Oh, how angry he was. It took everything within him to not display such rage to the haughty woman in front of him.
"She...what?" he ground out, pure rage shaking his very core. Alastair knew very well what she had done; it was clear as day. He just could not believe that she would go as far as disobeying him and disrespecting him yet again.
He had had enough of her antics; she was going to be punished.
Severely.