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“I’ll go find out what is happening, Milady. Our apologies for the inconvenience,” Fenella continued. She offered Eloise a woven blanket, in place of her shawl, to warm her shuddering figure, almost tripping on the way.
Eloise offered a brief smile in return. “It’s quite all right, please, don’t worry. I don’t mind waiting.” She laid further back in the violet chaise, resting for a moment.
The young maid excused herself and exited the room. Sighing in relief, Eloise grabbed a book by a stand, Little Women. Beside it was placed a torn copy of Alice in the Wonderland, a classical work she found quite childish even for her tastes.
Distracted, what first started as five minutes of waiting, soon turned into ten, followed by twenty, and then thirty. Had the young maid forgotten about her?
A sweet melody began flowing through the silence—sweeter than the sound of the boisterous blizzard outside. It was most definitely a pianoforte. She stood up, letting her blanket loose and walking outside the room toward the hypnotizing melody.
Ascending the staircase and winding through endless corridors, Eloise followed the faint humming. The music touched the walls, allowing it to resonate through the dark castle and temporarily alleviate her concerns. The moment she reached the origin room, she paused at the door, slowly pushing against the golden door handle. It creaked open, the harmony growing louder and louder, until—
“Milady!” Fenella spoke in a loud whisper as she hurried to her side, shutting the door. “Apologies for the delay and the sudden outburst, but this chamber is off-limits for everyone. I hope you can understand. Here, let me guide you to the dining room, food is waiting.”
The young, skinny maid encouraged her to walk ahead as they were guided deeper into the darkness and away from the sound. She offered a last glance at the door, believing it held some sort of intriguing mystery she needed to explore.
“Milady, I also have some unfortunate news,” Fenella added.
Eloise intertwined her slender fingers, still focusing on the fading melody.
“I’m afraid your Aunt left a while ago. And with the blizzard outside,” Fenella pointed out of a nearby window, “you may have to stay the night.” What started as a low, chilly wind, with a few snowflakes, had now turned into a loud roaring.
The snow swirled and danced in the air, creating a mist that surrounded the Castle, and Eloise widened her eyes as the rest of the maid’s words finally reached her ears.
Stay the night?
