The next few days were no different from the previous day for Meredith. She hadn't caught a glimpse of the Lord ever since, and for a minute, she thought he had abandoned her in his house. Day after day, she found herself waiting, and night after night, she had to battle the drowsiness that hit her. Morning after morning, she kept awake, hoping she would catch a glimpse of him before he left—but she did not. The only consolation she had, and clung to, was the knowledge that he returned every night.
While she hated Ezekiel, she couldn't exactly put up with his absence. She was cooped up all day in his room; at least, when he was around, she could leave the room for the dining area, but now, every meal was brought to her in the bedroom.
Frustrated, Meredith stepped out of the room, and she wasn't surprised when she found one of the maids waiting there. The maid stood at the door, her head bowed, seemingly waiting for Meredith to speak. The sight almost made her laugh. She was but a slave, yet ever since she came into the house, she was treated like a noble lady, with maids waiting on her hand and foot. She wondered if Ezekiel had instructed it to be so, but she was reminded of his words that she was lower than the maids.
Without a word, she walked past the maid and down the stairs, making a beeline for the front door. After all, Ezekiel did say she could walk around the mansion.
"Do you need something, miss?" The sudden voice of the butler startled her, even if it was familiar, as he was the only voice she heard in Ezekiel's absence. And did he just call her "miss"? "I can help you if you need anything."
Meredith shook her head, swallowing as she said, "I don't need anything. I just want to look around." She saw the displeasure on the butler's face and immediately added, "Lord Ezekiel said I could, so long as I do not leave the house."
A frown formed on the butler's face. The Lord had seriously instructed him to keep Meredith in the room if he could, and what Meredith was saying contradicted the instructions he received.
"But miss…"
"I will only look around, I promise," Meredith said immediately, knowing the butler was about to refuse her. She couldn't bear another second locked up in that room. She needed to feel the breeze, the sun, and fresh air in her lungs.
The butler was conflicted, but the girl in front of him was about to go on her knees if that meant he would allow her. He pitied her. After all, she had been locked up for days in the Lord's room. She needed to see the world outside that door, and he couldn't deprive her of that, even if it meant disobeying the Lord.
"Very well, then. I will have one of the maids escort—" Before he could even complete his sentence, Meredith bolted out the door and out of his sight. He sighed and shook his head before sending one of the maids to follow her.
Freedom at last, Meredith thought, smiling to herself as she strolled around the mansion, surprised at the thrill coursing through her. She couldn't believe that feeling the sun on her skin would make her so happy. Truly, a person wouldn't know the value of something until they lost it.
Ezekiel wasn't bluffing when he said the mansion was big. And it wasn't just big with tall grey walls that seemed to have been standing for centuries—it was beautiful. There was a fountain, statues, and flowers of different kinds and colors. Meredith admired them, even touching the flowers to see if their colors would come off. Some did, some didn't.
With her attention stolen by its magnificence, she walked until she reached the stables, where she found Catherine talking to one of the stable boys. Excited, she wanted to approach, but then she stopped when Catherine placed her hand on the boy's chest, and he dropped to the ground like a log.
For a moment, shock overtook her body, and she stood frozen as a chill ran up her spine. When she finally found her reasoning, she ran to Catherine.
"What did you do?" she asked, as Catherine squatted to shake the boy. His body was turning cold, and he seemed to have lost every bit of life in him.
"Err…" Catherine stuttered. So shocked by Meredith's unexpected appearance was she that she found herself stumbling over her words.
"What did you do to him?!" Meredith shouted, still shaking the boy violently as tears pooled in her eyes. "Did you kill him? Why isn't he waking up?"
Catherine squatted and tried to touch Meredith, but her hand was slapped away, and Meredith moved back.
"Alba, calm down. The boy is fine," she said gently, but Meredith was still crying and shaking the boy.
Suddenly, the boy, who had been lying lifelessly on the floor, got up and ran away without a word, like a rabbit at the shot of a gun. Meredith watched him run, her shock and confusion renewed. She was speechless.
"See, I told you he was fine," said Catherine, helping Meredith to her feet. "We were only playing around," she added.
Meredith wanted to argue, because she knew what she had seen and felt. She could still feel his lifeless body under her palms. They were definitely not playing around.
"But—"
"Now now, Alba," Catherine cut her off, turning the girl to face her. "You saw him for yourself. The boy is fine. It was a harmless jape."
Meredith studied Catherine's face and nodded. Now that she thought about it, there was no way a boy who had been dead could suddenly be running around like a horse. And Catherine couldn't have possibly killed him by just placing a hand on his chest. She had been a fool to think that.
"I'm sorry," she said, wiping her face. Her shock had dissipated, replaced by embarrassment. She had accused Catherine without hesitating and had even slapped her away.
A warm smile found its way to Catherine's face.
"It's not your fault. It's the boy's for taking it too far. He was only supposed to play dead for a few seconds, not frighten you like he did," she laughed and tapped Meredith lightly on the forehead. "Now get those thoughts out of your head and walk with me, will you?"
Meredith gulped, her head still hanging from embarrassment. "Hm," she responded, and Catherine took her hand.