42 Deprived
'Who is she referring to? Elizabeth is in Aegremonth. She shouldn't have left the Castle by this time to get here.' pondered Ezekiel within himself.
No! Something doesn't add up.
"Woman! What is your daughter's name?" Zeke asked with a puzzled look on his face.
"Louisa! That is my sweet girl's name," said Letita.
[ Should she not have another daughter apart from this Louisa by the name Elizabeth? ]
"Wait! What about your other daughter? You do have another girl child. Am I correct?"
'Why has he decided to ruin my mood by making me remember that brat?'
"Yes, Elizabeth is her name. That brat!" said Mrs Blythe with a distasteful sneer on her face.
'Why so much hatred?' considered Zeke.
"What is her offence that you would call her that and in the presence of strange men you haven't seen before?" Ezekiel quizzed her, critically.
His tone further disrupted her mood.
"Look! My mood should not turn sour as a result of that girl who has run off with her drunkard of a lover!" Letita spat out her words mercilessly.
Meanwhile, Bessie, by this time had sneaked out of the kitchen to afford herself the chance to hear a certain degree of the matter of importance, when Mrs Blythe's accusatory remarks had fallen upon her ears.
'My god! That was what the content of the note was all about? This woman could go that far?' cried Bessie in her heart while she clutched at her chest, wrinkling her garment in the process.
Whereas Ezekiel was startled at the revelation.
"Who would dare fabricate such lies about Elizabeth?" charged Ezekiel in an angry tone.
Mrs Blythe's heart sank and her courage departed her.
'Why is he reacting to the news so personally?' contemplated Mrs Blythe.
Looking upon the woman, her guilt could not be thoroughly hidden beneath her hazel eyes. Ezekiel then adjusted himself and calculated his next words.
Mrs Blythe spoke first.
"I have every reason to believe that the state of my home's affairs should not be a bother to you.
Also I believe you have come from the King for my Louisa not Elizabeth. I will appreciate you hastening up your report in order for me to go in and continue my work."
'A message from the King? Is my Elizabeth not still behind the Castle?' thought Bessie.
Just then Mrs Blythe noticed something drop behind her and excused herself from the gentlemen to quickly turn around to see.
Once her gaze stumbled on Bessie, she could not refrain herself.
"Get lost! You wench! Did I not say you should not move from the Kitchen?!" Letita barked.
Ezekiel, Theodore and the other mercenary immediately understood the circumstance.
Ezekiel especially fit in the dots to understand why Elizabeth hadn't journeyed with her family.
'She was probably deprived. Well, I must protect her interest in my own way!' Ezekiel concluded.
Bessie walked back in while Mrs Blythe turned herself back to face the men in front of her.
Ezekiel had his plan decided.
Taking a shiny purse of gold coins (ten pieces to be exact), he handed it over to the woman who looked surprised.
"What is this?" asked Mrs Blythe while she took it from Ezekiel.
"That is the payment for Elizabeth. She has become a Castle handmaiden. It was only normal for the King to buy her off!"
Without restraint, Mrs Blythe laughed carelessly.
"A maid? She stayed back in the Castle only to become a maid?"
Thinking she should not have said those out loud, Letita waved it aside and opened the purse to see its content.
"Gold? Pure gold! My god!" Her eyes expressed her deep shock.
While she thought...
'IF the King is this benevolent just to buy off a mere servant, imagine what luxury we would come to be in once Louisa is betrothed to him.'
"That is all! We have delivered our message!"
In an instant, Ezekiel and the two others turned to head on their way.
"Wait! Please! Don't forget to chip in to the King a word about my very own Louisa."
The woman called out.
Without looking back, they each mounted on their horses and drove away.
"Such a shameless woman!" Zeke cussed under his breath and jogged away on his horseback.
Immediately, the men departed on their horsebacks, Letita shut the door and even bolted it from inside while she took out each piece of gold to test its authenticity with her teeth.
Whilst she did it, she thanked her stars that her husband had been absent while all these transpired.
After rejoicing a while, Mrs [Letita] Blythe sighed in a tiresome way.
"Now I wish that snake hadn't seen those men of Royal carriage come by the door. Since I can't keep that fact from Jacob when he returns for fear of her interfering, I need to think up an explanation for these coins."
At this time, Bessie was eavesdropping and hated that her obedience had caused her to miss out on the reason the gold coins had been presented.
'Could it be that milady has been sold out? Why didn't I come by sooner?'
Bessie continued to beat herself up in her mind.
In an instant, a knock was heard on the door following a twist of the door knob.
This alerted Letita who quickly hid the purse of gold coins amidst the foldings of the breast of her fabric.
'Who knew these would feel so heavy on me?' she complained.
"Who is there?" she called out.
"It is me!" said the deep masculine voice that caused her to feel more alert.
"My dear! Is that you?"
"Have you forgotten the voice of your husband in a matter of hours?" Jacob called out somewhat irritatedly.
'Why has he returned so suddenly?' asked Letita.
She then comported herself quickly, and moved towards the door by the house entrance to open it.
"Welcome, my dear!" said Mrs Blythe to her husband.
"What were you doing that you decided to bolt yourself inside?" asked Mr Blythe.
"Oh! You know there is news of thieves roaming about these days.
Now, dear I hope your nerves are calm because I have good news to share much later," said Mrs Blythe with a cheerful smile.
"Okay! Tell me now."
"Not now, my love. Louisa has to return as well."
"Where has she gone?" asked Mr Blythe while his wife shrugged off his question.
___________________________________
📚 Hi everyone!
So, this is to point out that the plot would be deviating from the Blythes from here on now to focus more on the 🏰
But keep them in mind for future references because Louisa's mother is a very interesting character.
Also, don't forget the kind lady Osborn and her sweet daughter, Giselle!
There is a beautiful future in store for Giselle. Haha! Stay tuned!
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