CH 18

Recap :

The senior ran out in a hurry to an unidentified place and knocked rhythmically. Soon, the door opened, and a maid appeared. The maid then took him to a room. The man bowed down and said, " My Lady.... we have a location."

A voice responds, " Are you sure about that, Doctor? Mistress would not be happy if this lead also goes to a dead end, just like its predecessor."

"Yes! I'm pretty sure this time this is the person that our lady is looking for. Trust me. I would never deceive the one who saved my life from misery." The doctor gushed out." But there might be a minor issue here."

The Maid cautiously asked, "What issue?" and looked towards Her Mistress which was hearing the all the conversation happening there.

"The child does not have parents, but a guardian is present instead. And that man is Arnold Kingsley. And something quite agitated him while I was inquiring about the patient with him."

"Agitated... How ... that man has nerves of steel. Why did he get agitated so easily? "

"Ah! One more thing....it was not in his knowledge that Ashton was a girl, in fact. It quite surprised him when he was informed regarding her situation. He's the only one who replied with astonishment and saying that he thought Ashton was a boy."

Another Voice comes through the Dark, " What is the full name?"

"Mistress. I..... I'm sorry! I did not know that you were present here with us. This servant of yours must apologize for his imprudence. Please Forgive me My Lady! And the full name of the Patient given to me is Ashton Merchant."

Meanwhile, in the carriage, April was so worried about Ash not waking up that she was quite all the way back to her mansion, immersed in her thoughts. She only snapped out of her thoughts when she felt her father shaking her shoulder.

"April! April! Come on Child we are back home. Come." Arnold looked at his daughter and said.

"Ah! Sorry Father. I was just thinking something."

"I know April. That you are worried for the brat even though I keep on telling that he will be fine."

"I know Father....it's just .....you know it's all because I was sulking around that he tried to cheer me up and then all this happened." She sighed, remembering the situation where Ash hugged her. She could still feel the warmth of his body and the confidence in his voice when he said to 'trust him.'

She was so into her thoughts that at one point she was standing outside her home and the next moment she looked around, it was her bedroom and she was dressed in her casual sleepwear. she could see her maid prepare the hot towel for her to wipe her face off and get ready for bed.

".....Hey.... Kate....can I ....um. ask you a question?"

"Sure Mistress. You can ask for anything you want."

"It's nothing that important..."

"If my mistress says so, then it might be true. But what did you want to talk about? I would answer it to the best of my abilities."

"One of my friends.....she...one day when we were going together for shopping, she said to me that she was feeling sick. Me, being the concerned friend, asked her what was the issue? And um....then she said that whenever she was walking with her other friend she felt that she was getting sick constantly being around the other friend, you know, like her heart beating faster and faster, then her friend saw her face being flushed, asked her if she was feeling ok? And things like that. So she was concerned if she was sick or something like that...I said that I don't know and then we went ahead. I am concerned about my.....HER health? I mean I should be right? She's....she's my friend, right?"

"Mistress, your friend should probably distance herself from that person as we do not know what kind of ambitions they harbour and mistress should also stop having these types of feelings for the other person as they are not someone of your caliber as your father has employed them for your safety."

"But it's not me, my friend, NOT ME!"

"Then i warn your friend to put a stop on it as they are not someone you should associate yourself with."

".....ok." 

Kate sighs and kneels in front of April. "Mistress, listen to me. Just humor me for a second, ok? I know this sounds harsh, but these feelings will only harm you in the long term. Trust me. Ok. The boy you think he is.....it's not what he is....they are hiding something from us...all of us know this, even your father. But they posses certain talents that are handy in protecting you. We all are tolerating them just because of YOU. so just please promise me that you will not follow up on these feelings, ok?"

".... if it's you, then ok I promise you. AND IT'S NOT ME!"

"Ok, your friend, I apologize, my Mistress, your friend it is."

Kate then wipes her face, motions for April to lie down. She tucks her in bed and moves towards the door.

"..Kate..what if they gave up their life for me, if i am in danger, should i still look away and help them?"

"Yes Mistress, for we are there to serve you...Goodnight mistress."

In a different room, Arnold was siting in his chair facing the window. A knock on the door broke his train of thoughts. Kate enters the room, and he looks at her with an inquiring look in his eyes.

"Master, it looks like our lady is quite taken with the kid. Should I dispose of the kid now?"

"No need. Leave them be, for I have a different plan. It did put me off guard, but no sense in dwelling on what has transpired. We will still continue as planned. I'll let you know what to do next. Just keep protecting April as usual. I am trusting you with her life. DON'T DISAPPOINT ME KATE."

"Yes, Master."