Chapter 69

"F-Forgive me! I didn't mean to intrude!" The maid half shouted, half whispered in exasperation. Thomas eyed her skeptically while Carina seemed comfortable.

"Then why were you eavesdropping in the first place?" His tone was harsh, which seemed to fluster the girl even more. "Are you a spy? Because if you are I swear I don't mind knocking out... "

"Hey, wait, no!" Carina cut him off frantically. She knew Thomas could be ice cold in situations like this. A stark difference from his past self. "She isn't a spy. She's just a new maid. She won't do us any harm." The girl appeared relieved, a nervous smile on her face. Thomas crossed his arms, a frown decorating his lips.

"A new maid? Then that's more than enough reason to suspect her. You've barely met. Don't put so much trust in an outsider."

Carina's right eye twitched, signalling she was offended. Thomas still spoke rudely to her sometimes. As if she was a baby who blindly trusted anyone. 'You are trusting Nathan though...' Her inner thoughts whispered. She dismissed it. Now was not the time to ponder on obsessed murderers who claimed to love her. A shrill ran down her spine.

"Excuse me? She isn't an outsider. And we haven't barely met. In fact, we know each other quite well!" She crossed her arms as well, mirroring his frown. This was turning into some sort of twisted challenge... in the middle of the night, at a cursed garden.

Thomas's eyes narrowed. "You know her? How?" He gave the girl a once over. Did she seem familiar? Was she a maid at the Howards'? No, she was too young.

"Her mother used to be a maid at our mansion. I saw her as a toddler."

"What was her mother's name?"

"Luna", the girl answered hesitantly.

A look of realization fell over Thomas's face. Luna. He knew her all too well. She was one of the kindest souls he'd encountered at the mansion. How come he didn't know about her daughter?

As if reading his thoughts, Carina said, "Luna gave birth after you left. She named her Amanda." The sentence caused something to stir inside her. She was still sour about the past. For the first time in a while, Thomas's eyes softened. It felt warm, meeting people connected to the past.

"I'm sorry for assuming you were a spy. That was rude of me." Carina jutted her chin out smugly, as if she had won some great battle. "But that doesn't mean we shouldn't be wary." Thomas glared at her, warning dripping from his voice.

"I'm plenty wary", she muttered. "But what are you doing here?"

A look of horror crossed Amanda's face. She suddenly strode towards Carina, almost tripping over. Hushed whispering was exchanged between the girls. Thomas felt irritatingly left out. After the whispering subsided, all colour had been drained from Carina's face.

"What is it?" He inched closer.

"Get back to your wife. It's almost dawn." Carina's voice held authority. As if it was an order. Thomas scowled.

"Tell me what you two discussed. Then I'll leave."

"We'-I'm in trouble. So do me a favor and go back. Amanda, let's go." She turned on her heel and took quick steps, leaving a confused Thomas behind.