Lenore's illness lasts a few more days before it lets up enough for her to feel almost healthy again. The weather returns to normal, which isn't nice, but better than the storms with their harsh rain and violent winds. She's still tired and the small amount of energy she has drains quickly when she moves. But it's enough that she can sit up in bed with a tray over her legs, armed with ink and paper.
It's been a while since she sent a reply to her family's letters, one filled with joy that they want to talk with her and hopes that they can meet in the future. She hasn't received a new letter yet, but she knows that the distance between Barrowmere and Rowanhart is great, and couriers can only travel so quickly. This time, she's okay with waiting. The worries in her heart regarding her parents and siblings have been soothed through their words and the apologies that she never expected.
As such, she plans to write different letters today. Well, they're more like notes. A way to thank everybody in Barrowmere who cared for her so kindly during her illness, including Alaric who cared enough to allow her to receive such warm treatment. Alaric... She'll write his note last. After her feverish dreams involving him, she finds herself struggling to calm her heart, which races at the thought of him.
Instead, she starts with the chef. He made her so many soft, warm dishes based on what she requested throughout her illness. She knew that he was talented before, but now she has a new appreciation for his abilities. After all, she never would've guessed that food could be bland enough for a sick stomach, but still have just a touch of flavor to make eating it enjoyable.
"Eva, does the kitchen here lack anything?" Lenore asks.
"In terms of ingredients, most are brought in from other towns in the duchy due to the inability of the area nearby to properly grow plants, which also makes raising livestock here difficult. Despite that, there are rarely disruptions in the supply chain, meaning that the Duke's kitchen is able to access the ingredients they need without issue." Eva's answer is quick and thorough, reflecting her long experience working for Alaric and her in-depth knowledge of the estate's operations.
Lenore looks down at her simple thank-you note. "I just wondered if there was something I could give the kitchen as a gift to show my gratitude, but I don't know what would be good if they don't need anything."
Eva looks surprised at her reasoning. "My lady, any servant here would be more than happy to hear your gratitude alone. However, if you want to give a gift as well, I have an idea. You just need to wait until you're done with all your notes and have your midday meal before I show you."
"I understand." Lenore knows that she's not fully recovered, and Eva's conditions are meant to prioritize her health.
She pours her heart into the many notes she writes, not taking long to express her gratitude. She's truly thankful to the people of Barrowmere, and she hopes that they feel her sincerity. Their kindness reignites her goal of becoming a duchess they can be proud to have.
Then, she's at her last note, and she finds that she doesn't know what to say to Alaric. She doesn't remember seeing him while she was sick—at least, not outside of her dreams—but she was told that he inquired about her condition during those days and reminded the maids to serve her medicine, not that they needed those reminders.
She thought of him as distant at first—uninterested, even—but she sees now that he simply shows his heart in different ways. More subtle ways. He might not love her—he might never love her—and that's okay. He's kind and respects her, and that's more than she ever thought she'd receive.
Even if the knowledge that he doesn't love her leaves an inexplicable sadness in her heart.
In the end, she keeps it simple.
Alaric,
Thanks to your kindness and care, I've been able to recover well from my illness.
Lenore
"Eva, bring my midday meal," Lenore says. "I've finished my notes, and you must uphold your promise to show me that gift."
Eva smiles, bowing before she leaves. "Right away, my lady."
The meals she's served are still simpler than before, and she keeps herself from rushing to finish her food, eager to find what Eva thought of as a gift.
Eva helps Lenore dress in warmer clothes and pulls a cloak over her shoulders, pinning it with a shining brooch that had Barrowmere's symbol engraved on its ruby.
"Are we going on a trip?" Lenore asks, not looking forward to a carriage ride after being ill. She doesn't need a bout of motion sickness after being confined to bed the past few days.
"No," Eva says. "We're just going outside. However, you're still recovering, my lady. I won't have you catching your death."
Lenore follows Eva's lead through the hallways, and Dame Brina joins them soon after they leave Lenore's chambers.
"It's good to see you on your feet, my lady," Brina says.
Lenore smiles. "It's good to be back on my feet. Lying in bed all day doesn't suit me."
Eva takes Lenore down a familiar path—the one to the single rose bush she's been tending to. However, she doesn't expect the sight that awaits her there.
Instead of one rose bush, there are now dozens of flowers blooming in the section of the garden she had been focusing on. The section she refused to leave when it started raining, after which she fell ill. The rose bush was large now. Larger than it should be, and full of roses in bloom. Around it, she saw more roses, but also other flowers. She doesn't know the names of all the flowers, but their vibrant colors remind her of a dream with Alaric, where this garden was filled with life and untouched by curses.
"It's beautiful."
"It's a miracle," Eva says. "For us in Barrowmere, no gift would be as meaningful as a flower grown on this property—the one said to reject life."
Lenore leans down to touch the velvet petals of these flowers, the ones she wished would bloom again with all her heart. Finally, her work paid off. She could prove that she was a duchess who can complete her duties.
"Yes, that's a lovely idea, Eva," she replies, her heart swelling with pride and a sense of accomplishment.