Chapter 38

As the next few days passed, the news of the duke's illness, which was once kept calm, was now spreading after the death of Sarah. Not only that, but his health seemed to decline significantly.

I wasn't sure why but I had been the one to watch him for the following days, calling upon the doctor whenever I could.

The doctor, Baron Zebedia, was a close friend to the young duke. However, he looked and gave off a much friendlier feeling than the cold duke.

He had warm chestnut hair, and although not as tall as the duke, was still reasonably tall. If there were a quality to him that I could never forget, it would be his smile. Even when the duke was in grave health, his mood never seemed to be affected.

It was charming at first, but now, I saw why he and Cain were close friends.

"Isabelle, if the duke's cough gets worse, be sure to give him this syrup, but not more than two servings a day. And please, make sure he drinks his medicine properly", he pointed to the glass of crystal clear water. It was probably the cleaned water I had ever seen.

"Yes, Baron Zebedia", I replied with a nod.

"Please call me Zebs. We've seen too much of each other and will continue to, so let's be a little less formal", he patted me on the back, resulting in a flinch from me.

"That would be disrespectful of me. I am well beneath you, my lord" I stood aside to give him space, keeping my hands neatly by my side.

"You must drive Cain insane", he laughed as he began to pack his things away.

He wasn't wrong, but why would he bring Cain up at all?

"I hope the duke isn't too displeased with me?" I wasn't sure how to ask the question, so I worded it rather funny.

I had been avoiding Cain. If I smelt a whiff of musk, I would be out of sight. If I heard a maid who chatted loudly suddenly become as quiet as a mouse, I would be nowhere to be found.

I was lucky he hadn't called for me because I wasn't too sure how to avoid him in that case.

"Displeased with you? No, not at all. Rather he worries about you so much that it makes me worry about his health", he gave me a friendly smile, hair covering his right eye as he bent over to take a final look at the sleeping, blue-skinned duke.

"He worries about me?" I found that hard to believe.

"Let's just say you are special to him". He stepped away from the duke, satisfied and then he held his arm out for me, "please, let's have a little chat outside regarding Cain. I've been meaning to".

I took his arm hesitantly, knowing it would be rude to decline, and we made our way out.

"What is it that you want to speak of?" I found myself asking as we walked down the flight of stairs to the front doors.

"Not where ears can hear" he pressed a finger to his lips.

I felt the curious gazes of maids as I walked with my arm in his. It must've looked strange to see such a well-dressed man walking arm in arm with… well, me.

When we finally got outside to the gardens that I could never venture alone into, with its beautifully cut hedges and the flowers that were well kept and blooming even in the winter, preserved by some magic I had never felt inclined to learn about.

It was mostly empty, and even the guards didn't venture into the gardens. It was strictly for nobles and their companions.

I found myself so distracted by the garden, the flowers, the soft petals and green leaves that I didn't realise that the doctor stared at me until he laughed at my reaction to a butterfly.

I felt my face flush when I realised.

"I'm so sorry I got quite distracted there", I apologised.

"Don't be sorry. It's my fault for bringing you here so thoughtlessly. Is it your first time being here?" He asked, trying to stop his chuckles.

"It's been a long time since my last visit here", I admitted embarrassedly.

The last visit was with Cain, of course. It must've been just after the duchess had passed. I could remember it well.

I hadn't noticed the flowers at all that day. My gaze focused on him only. The way he somehow fit among those flowers. How he looked so delicate as he stared at them with his sorrowful face.

"Mother loved these flowers", he looked to the colourful stargazers.

They were rare in any home regardless of status, but the duchess had brought them with her from her home. She would take such care of them that even Cain was forbidden to touch them.

I was never too interested in stargazers. They somehow felt terrifying to me. The boldness. Their confidence. They were beautiful, and they wanted the world to know.

I nodded in reply to his words. Back then, I would try to distance myself slowly, but he realised the change immediately.

"Mother would've wanted you to treat me normally after she had passed. She would want you to love me as she did. You know that, right?" He turned his gaze to me.

His expectant stare made me feel rather naked at that moment.

"She would have…." I replied guiltily. When he looked like that, I could never say no to him. Somehow, I struggled to reject him at all.

"But if she were here, you would treat me normally, wouldn't you?" That look he had given me at that moment. The piercing glare, full of accusation and betrayal.

At that moment, he resembled the stargazers with their glaring colours and outstretched petals. They looked like they were glaring as well. Glaring at me. Blaming me.

"Isabelle?"

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the Baron's soft voice. I hadn't realised I had been staring at a stargazer as my thoughts swelled and flinched as I turned to him.

"Sorry. I lost focus for a moment" I noticed the worry etched in his face.

He lifted a hand to my face, and the unexpected movement made me cringe. But he carried on regardless, wiping a tear I hadn't realised had fallen.

"Why do you look so sad?"-

"What are you doing?" Cains's voice cut through the air like a sharp dagger.

We turned to him in surprise.

He was glaring again. Eyes blending in with the stargazers, but this time he didn't pout at me. He glared at his friend, the Baron.

"What do you think you are doing with my maid?" He demanded as he pulled me to his side, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as if I'd escape if given a chance.

The baron grinned at his friend in a way that showed he felt satisfied with Cains reaction—gone the friendly man and in his place a mischievous cat.

"Why nothing, I bought her here to have a chat regarding you". I felt my heart seize at his boldness.

Was he insane?!

"If you have anything to say about me, say it to me" Cain's fingers curled around my arm tightly.

"But you can be so stubborn at times, so I figured Isabelle would be a much better choice", he gave me a smile that tried to reassure me but did no such thing.

"Do not speak her name with your mouth", his words that weren't even spoken loudly roared thunderously in the garden.

The Baron finally grasped that he was walking on fragile ice. But instead of backing away, he continued ploughing through.

"But she allowed me to".

I had never cursed death upon anyone until that moment.