Chapter 241: Mere precautions
The next morning, when Ada was given permission to push the breakfast trolley inside, Arabella was already bathed and dressed.
But she did not face the door and instead turned towards her nightstand, sitting right by the bedframe.
"Morning, Miss!" Ada chirped per her usual.
"Morning, Ada,"
When Arabella barely glanced her way, the smile on Ada melted, the lack of action prompting her to rush around and meet Arabella’s gaze.
"Oh dear! What have you done to yourself?" the maid gasped, eyes stuck on Arabella’s wrist.
"Everything is alright, Ada, please! There is no need to sound the alarms, this is just a precaution!" the young woman attempted to calm Ada down, but it wasn’t as effective as she wanted it when her own nerves needed calming.
She’d blurted every word so fast and waved with her free hand at Ada as though that’d defuse all of her worries.
"A precaution against what exactly? floating off your feet?" Ada launched forward to untie the rope around Arabella’s wrist, but the young woman yanked her hand away.
"No! You can’t unleash me onto the world! I will embarrass myself!" she cried.
"Miss, please! You are scaring me. What are you on about?" Ada pleaded, still trying to get her own hand around and over Arabella to reach the rope.
"Believe me, Ada. This is necessary," she shielded the knot that kept her tied to the bed frame.
"Why?"
"I tried to get to Master Silas’ room. Again!" she’d simmered down long enough to grumble those words under her breath while avoiding eye contact at all costs.
"I am sorry, I didn’t catch that," Ada bent forward, closer to the young woman, extending her ear for better hearing.
"I said, I tried to get to Master Silas’ room!" Arabella exploded right before slapping her free hand over her lips, but it was too late as she was sure the entire manor had heard her.
"Well, why didn’t you just go then?" Ada once more launched forward for the rope.
"No! I can’t do that! It’s too embarrassing!" she shook her head and shielded her hand with her own body.
"Really? And how do you think this looks then?" Ada did not relent and completely hugged Arabella just to reach her goal.
"What is the meaning of this?" the masculine voice, although calm, filled the entire room.
It had the merit of freezing the two women in action.
Silas said nothing else before the sight of Ada wrapped around the seated figure of Arabella who curled and bent her body down towards the nightstand.
Their red faces peeked at him like meerkats as utter silence took over.
"Well, it is... It’s...," Arabella stuttered and trailed off without ever aligning her words.
"She tied herself up to prevent herself from coming to your room,"
Arabella gasped, she watched with horror as Ada spilled the beans and held nothing back.
Her wide eyes then squinted, hoping it’d communicate the deep sense of betrayal she harbored at that moment.
After looking between Arabella and Silas, Ada immediately added, "I will take my leave," she blurted before scurrying out of the room as if her life depended on it.
"Forgive me! This is quite embarrassing," she began tugging at the rope to free herself in order to stand and greet him with proper manners.
"I had come bearing news but since you seem busy, I suppose I’ll come back later," he slowly turned around and started walking towards the door.
"Please wait!" her words stopped him, "I can’t undo the knot...," the initial yelp turned to a soft and sheepish mutter.
Silas came back and walked around the bed to face her seated figure. He towered over her, diamonds straight onto her tied wrist.
"All of this to avoid coming to my chambers," he half asked.
Something else other than his usual dryness transpired in his tone. It was subtle, but it dragged like exasperation would have.
"I started having that same feeling from yesterday and decided to lock myself down before my feet escaped my control again," she hung her head low, avoiding his gaze.
"Look at your wrist," he started, "It’s already all red. You’d rather injure yourself than see me," another half question.
At those words, her gemstones snapped up, finally locking with his. Dull as a blade that hadn’t been sharpened in ages they were. The Mirari had completely engulfed her senses and reached its peak, but it seemed she was determined to separate and guard herself from its effects.
"No! I simply didn’t want to embarrass myself!" she squeaked.
One of Silas’ eyebrows rose up his forehead as his eyes fell back on her tied wrist.
Arabella cleared her throat, "Granted, this is quite embarrassing as well, but still... To me, the shame of it is more bearable than...," she killed her own voice upon realizing where the sentence was heading.
"More bearable than what? My company?"
"More bearable than that of throwing myself at a man without having the ability to properly control myself," it came out in a mutter.
By then, her face had completely fallen, eyes on her nightstand and the frown occupying her features tragic.
"I promised I’d stop you if you tried anything at all,"
"Still...," a mere whisper, she uttered.
Silas said no more on the matter and simply bent down, bringing his face so close to hers, it forced her to look at him again.
He maintained eye contact as his hand lowered and broke the rope entrapping her with great ease.
They breathed in and out, studied each other’s faces from that up close of a distance for a good moment.
But that was until he stood to his full height, consequently towered over her again.
"I’ve received word back from Cynric," those words had her complete attention, "He’ll be sending his brat tomorrow instead of today," he said.
In response, she merely nodded.
"As for Madame Morgana, I have yet to hear from her," he added.
"I see. She must be very busy," Arabella swallowed her own saliva and tried to nod, but her features were clearly strained.