Startled

Louisa's mother quickly collected herself and started towards the door. As she walked closer to the area, a certain awareness hit her. It was the kind of thought that prompted her to halt right in front of the door.

'..It cannot be.' She mulled over the possibility of it and decided to speak up first.

''Husband, is that you?''

She'd asked because Louisa's complaint a while ago was what birthed such consciousness in her— that Jacob, her husband, could suddenly arrive from Aegremonth to bust in on them as the element of a foolish surprise. Who would want that? Not at a time like this; Letita began to fidget just from thinking about it. But wasn't it a six-hour drive by coach all up from Aegremonth  to there? As such it cannot be him, unless how early did he set off on his way?

She considered the subject for a minute but soon shook it off as being somewhat implausible for it to even be true.

She waited.

When Mrs. Blythe saw that an answer did not come from the person at the other side of the door, she concluded that it was most likely because her voice had betrayed her by resounding too faintly and that person had not heard her just now.

Poking out her chin and her rather prim nose, she apportioned herself to speak up at ease.

''Whoever you are, I'll have you know that I have no patience for stupid games..''

Still no answer came. The situation began to rattle her out.

''What are you, deaf?! I demand you speak your purpose of visit, or forever hold your peace and move your useless ass out of my doorpost!''

''Madam!'' A gravelly voice considerably spoke up at long last.

''..It is I, Zeke; the King's personal aide and we have come with a message from the King.''

Letita's eyes quickly shot open.

Messengers from the king?

That can't be right!

Promptly, the woman reached for and opened the door. The ones she saw with him did not trouble her heart into a state of turmoil as much as it did him; who she'd grown rather accustomed to seeing many times before..

''You!'' Mrs. Blythe exclaimed with a feisty tone. ''How dare you; all of you,— how dare you come to my house after the humiliation your king put my family through?''

''I beg your pardon!'' Zeke rebuked her, ''My Lord did nothing so evil to you and your family. It was your action of concealing the truth to your household that brought the ridicule you suffered.''

''How dare you!'' Letita charged at the man but quickly maintained her place when she remembered who they were; Knights of the King's echelon. The man's face wore a fearsome scowl and the woman concluded that she was not about to die yet.

''Where's your husband?'' Came Zeke's demand.

''Why should I tell you? What do you need him for? Besides, he is not at home.''

''How soon should he return?''

''Even though I am his wife, I have no clue regarding Jacob's movement.''

''I see..''

Zeke pressed his lips together and dimmed his eyes whilst he contemplated on the best decision to take. Back in the Palace of Aegremonth, Briceus had charged him with the mission of making certain of the husband's presence in the home before pushing forth with the questioning. But how could he push through with that when the woman, as was her nature, had presented such a useless explanation as to her husband's whereabout and when he should return home.

Zeke first heaved into a sigh.

''Fine.'' He settled. ''Since you do not know when he will return, the matter we have come for is rather urgent. We would need to come in so that we can question you about it.''

''Come inside my house and do what?Question me?'' 

At this time, Zeke and the two others had already planted their feet forward to reach inside the house but Letita was quick to obstruct them by boasting her full breasts in their way.

The men retreated.

''Why have you done this? Why did you obstruct us?''

''I should be the one asking the questions, Sir. What do you think you're trying to do?'' Her voice riled with tenacity.

Zeke gnarled at her and said. ''The King gave us a command to have you questioned. Isn't it unusual to keep us standing outside like this?''

''Outside like how? Pardon me, Sir but are you alright?!'' Her tone was vicious. ''Don't you see that I am a woman and alone in this house? Why should I allow three grown men into my home? What if you overpower me?'' 

''Okay. Since you will not let us in, I might as well just say what we are here for.''

''Whatever. Just suit yourself.'' Letita scoffed with disinterest. 

''Elizabeth is missing!''

Zeke dropped the bomb, instead of beating about the bush. He was certain she would not care either way.

''Hahaha.'' Letita laughed rigorously. ''Didn't I say it was only a matter of time before that snake revealed her true colours? Tell your King to get over it. She must have absconded with a man.''

''No.'' Zeke refuted. ''On the contrary, she was kidnapped and our investigation led us to you because..''

''Because what!'' Letita clapped back at the man. ''What concern is it of mine if that slut ends up breaking the heart of your king by staging her kidnap?''

''I beg your pardon! Lady Elizabeth is not like-''

''Is not like what?'' Letita cut him short. ''A girl I picked from the road and raised like my own. That ingrate! You think you would know her better than me?''

''All evidences go against your manipulative words, madam.''

''Oh please...'' Mrs. Blythe rolled her eyes towards the heavens. ''If your talk here is done, kindly leave. Right now, I have somewhere to hurry off to and it is far more important than this nonsense talk you have held me up for.''

''Very well then.'' Zeke settled. ''The actual reason we came to seek you out is for a matter much more deeper than you may have assumed.''

''Really? And what is that?'' She sneered at him who'd spoken.

But Zeke did not pay much mind to it.

''Well.. We came here to make an enquiry about a supposed letter you allegedly picked out from the box my Lord's person, Elizabeth, was found in by you and your husband when you picked her up as a little babe by the side of the road.''

''What note?'' Letita was quick to retort at him. ''Also who told you we found her inside a box?''

''We have information about all of that and the note you so craftily hid along with the gold coins. In any case, that second thing is not as important as the first. We believe that the content of that note might help us out in the search of my Lord's person.''

''Hahahaha..'' Letita burst out laughing. But Zeke saw through her facade of laughing so ridiculously. He knew she was clearly nervous about the talk.

Letita laughed some more before apportioning her mouth to speak.

''Haha.. You, Sir, are so funny. Okay, even if I collected the note and hid it, what makes you think I still have it up till now..''

''Mother!''

Her daughter's call startled her from behind making her shoulders jump on default. She turned around slowly to cast a glance on the girl.

''..What is this I hear about a note?'' Louisa's voice trembled a little. ''Do you truly have that note?''

Letita faltered in her heart for not knowing what to say next.