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Trying my best to find a comfortable position, I kept rutting in the bed, my body shaking trying to battle the cold air in the room. Galdur said nothing as I continued to act like a cat on zoomies.
Suddenly, his soft snores were loud in the silent room.
The deep noises acted like a blanket of security. No harm would come to me as long as he was asleep- at least that is what I convinced myself.
With that final thought, I curled into a ball and fell asleep next to my husband.
***
The following morning, I woke to an empty bed and a blanket thrown over me. I yawned and sat up, my eyes scanning the room.
Despite my earlier troubles finding sleep, I had to admit that it was the soundest I had slept in the last three years.
I stretched my stiff muscles, reveling in the cloud-like mattress until my eyes saw a small sheet of paper held down by the lamp to the left of me.
I had to leave home today. Jason will give you anything you need or carry you anywhere you need to go.
I should be back in time for dinner.
Your husband
Elias Galdur
I laughed quietly at him signing his name as if I didn’t know who my husband was. Resting the note where he originally left it, I walked to the shower, wanting to explore the grounds.
I didn’t fully get to appreciate the beauty of his estate when I first came here and if I was to stay here for the rest of my life,or escape, I needed to know every nook and cranny.
When I was dressed, I peeped out my door to see what I presumed to be my guard, Jason, standing there like a statue.
I cleared my throat causing his eyes to dart to my small figure hidden behind the door.
“Yes, Mrs. Galdur?”
My next words clogged my throat at the mention of my new name. The name my brother swore would protect me.
“Uh…can we- I- walk around the house? I would like to see…” I trailed off as he kept staring at me. There was nothing deviant about his stare, but I was nervous. For what? That wasn’t clear.
As if sensing what I was going to say, he replied, “This is your home, Mrs. Galdur. Mr. Galdur said nothing was off limits to you.”
So, for the next few hours, I walked the halls with Jason, my hands sliding against the walls as I admired the architecture of ‘our’ home.
When we finally reached the ground floor, I stopped at the French doors that were hidden by the staircase when I arrived yesterday. They led to a courtyard but another house was on the opposite side.
“Who’s house is that?” I said pointing to the building, afraid to trespass as stupid as that sounded.
“Yours. It’s the guesthouse.”
With a tight lipped smile, I nodded and pushed the doors to what translated as Earth’s paradise. There were various trees and bright-colored flowers that covered the space: lilies, tulips, roses. Some I never knew existed. It was nothing short of magical.
“Mr. Galdur’s sister, Elizabeth, planted everything here,” Jason said as my feet guided me on the green floors, my hands touching each leaf and stem.
“Wow,” I said smiling, still amazed, even more so now that I knew it was my husband’s sister that did this work on her lonesome.
An idea popped into my head.
Beauty like this needed to be documented.
I ran up the stairs to Galdur’s room hoping that my brother remembered to pack the small, portable camera that I had at my side daily- before Ilya.
