The Tug of Loneliness

CHAPTER 26

Evelina felt the icy fingers of the night cutting through her bones, and she hugged herself tightly. Alexander and the buff man she had confided in earlier had both failed to come to her aid, which was surprising and unsettling. As she surveyed her surroundings, the magnificent castle bathed in radiant light was truly a sight to behold. Was this what a Duke's castle looked like?

For a fleeting moment, her mind shifted from her urgent need to escape to admiring the breathtaking views around her. A towering fountain at the center of the lawn reminded her of Lady Featherstonehaugh's ball and refreshed her spirits momentarily before reality set in. She needed an exit, and fast.

Evelina's eyes darted frantically in search of the gate they had entered through, but the compound seemed to grow bigger and more foreboding, swallowing her hopes of escaping.

"I must find a way," Evelina muttered, gritting her teeth in determination.

As she tried to step forward, a gentle tap on her back interrupted her. Spinning around, she was met with the sight of a middle-aged woman who towered over her with her long, braided hair and a robust stature that seemed out of place for a woman. She donned a tunic, skirt, and a loosely fitted cap on her hair. Evelina assumed she was a maid, and the woman's size made her stomach knot in apprehension.

"Excuse me, but you must come wiz me. Here, haf zis jacket," the woman spoke softly in her thick German accent, handing Evelina a jacket.

Evelina was caught off-guard by the woman's unexpected kindness, causing her to smile inwardly at the thought that the Duke truly cared for her. Was this why he had instructed the maiden to come to her aid? As the memory of her abduction resurfaced, her smile vanished, replaced with a frown of disapproval. No amount of kindness could compensate for what he did, and she had to find a way out.

"Thank you for the coat," Evelina said firmly to the woman, her eyes unwavering. "But I will not be following you back in. I refuse to be forced to stay in this house tonight."

"Mein Gott!" The woman cried out suddenly. "Ze cold is terrible und you shouldn't stay out here any longer. Und, His Grace instructed zat I don't leave wiz you staying back here."

Evelina scoffed inwardly as she realized that her assumptions about the Duke were somewhat accurate. Perhaps he had a heart, after all, and didn't want her to suffer out here in the cold. But she would not be bought by it.

"Where's the exit from this place?" Evelina asked, defiantly. She scanned her surroundings, hoping to see a way out. "If I can get on the main roads, I am sure I can find a carriage to fare me back to my hometown." Facing back to the woman, she demanded, "Now tell me, where is it?"

The woman looked surprised, shaking her head in disbelief. "Believe me, miss, I cannot do zat. But I can show you ze vay inside to a nice room vhere you can keep varm for ze night."

"I have no desire to stay here for the night," Evelina replied, her voice quivering towards the end, almost on the verge of tears. "I am being held here against my will, and you must understand that. Please, help me find a way out of here."

"But zat iz ze order zat I vas given, to convince you to come inside." The woman remained firm, resolute in her duty. "My name iz Frederike, and you can trust zat I vill be at your service zroughout ze night. Please cooperate. I do not vish to lose my job tonight. I have a family to feed."

At Frederike's last words, Evelina relented. Even though she knew the Duke's behavior toward Frederike was deplorable, she could not bring herself to watch the woman lose her livelihood. The thought was gut-wrenching enough to melt Evelina's icy resolve.

Evelina let out a dejected sigh and began to wander aimlessly around the grounds. "Very well, I'll accept, but only for your sake. However," she added, looking directly at Frederike, "please make sure to put me in a room that is as far away as possible from the Duke. Do you understand my request? Can you accommodate that for me?"

Frederike nodded frantically before turning around and leading the way into the house.

_

The interior of the Duke's home was breathtaking. From the endless shimmering tiles that adorned the grand foyer to the elegant sculptures scattered around its vast expanse, Evelina's eyes were transfixed. The ceiling was so high and vaulted that she wondered how they managed to hang so many lofty chandeliers.

As they made their way through the castle, Evelina noticed that the Duke was nowhere in sight. A strange tug on her heartstrings stirred within her, but she quickly dismissed it. She did not want to entertain the thought that she might actually be disappointed by his absence.

They continued up several flights of stairs, eventually arriving at a hallway on a particular floor. After navigating a sharp bend in the broad corridor, Frederike fished out a set of keys from her skirt pocket. The sound of jingling keys filled the air as she struggled to open the door.

With a smile, Frederike led the way into the room. "Just as I said, I already haf ze best room prepared for you und oh you vould need a change of clothes too. I vill varm a bath for you. Vatever you need, Lady. I am at your service. Right zis vay."

Evelina was taken aback by the intricate details and the colors of the room. Her eyes gleamed with appreciation as she feasted on the intricate painting that adorned the room's wall, directly across from her bed. She loved everything about the room.

"Do you like your room? It is ze best one und are you hungry?" asked Frederike, to which Evelina shook her head.

"No? I could haf ze cook make somezing fast for you. Mein Gott, do you look so thin. Sit. Let me get you out of your clothes first."

Evelina obliged, allowing the woman to remove the jacket she had given her and the tight corset dress that her mother and Germaine had forced upon her for the ball. A sigh of relief escaped her lips at the foreign feeling of comfort. Her gaze drifted to the neatly arranged king-sized bed and the variety of free-flowing nightdresses placed enticingly on its edge.

Frederike helped her into one of the nightdresses, and Evelina couldn't help but feel grateful for this woman's incredible kindness, even if she didn't verbally express it.

"All done. Now, your bath? I vill return in a couple of minutes okay? You can as vell settle in while you vait."

With Frederike gone, Evelina began to feel that perhaps spending the night there wouldn't be so bad after all, yet she refused to lower her guard.

She was determined to secure every bolt on the door and would even go as far as insisting Frederike provide her with the room keys for additional security.

More so, she had yet to determine the perfect explanation to offer her parents the next day. It would be her first night away from home, and Breanna was bound to throw a tantrum.

Despite her vigilant preparations, Evelina felt an unwelcome sense of loneliness as soon as she found herself alone. Perhaps the vastness of the room assigned to her contributed to this feeling, but she sensed there was a deeper reason.

As the cool wind blew through the open balcony doors, it unsettled her mood even more.

She got up, feeling frustrated and shut the balcony doors.

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