“Nicholas doesn’t visit here anymore. He says it reminds him too much of Mother. She and him were quite close,” she said
sadly.
With her sad words my mood collapsed. Nicholas and his sisters had lost both their parents, where I was lucky to still have
mine and my grandmother.
“The last time he was here, he said she visited him as a ghost, urging him about something. But he never told any of us what
it was. I personally think he’d dreamt all of it.”
Sadness washed over me in waves as I sat next to her, thinking about how it must have felt to lose both parents. Gardeners
were working quietly nearby. One was feeding the fish and another clipped away at some overgrown roots near the pond.
“I come here every day, in a way to remind myself of her. The others barely visit, and of course Nicholas stays far away.”
“That’s a shame, I think he’d find this place most peaceful given the chance.”
“Perhaps.” She placed a hand on my knee, a small smile ran across her face, and she said, “You can make this place happy
again for him.”
“I will try my best.”
Chapter 21
ORNELLA
After spending some time in the cottage, I left Morg at the side door. She left me to escape to the stables and meet Vanessa.
No doubt she had all the juicy gossip. I didn't want to head back up to my rooms just yet. I wanted to explore more. To
see how far I could wander without Nicholas becoming worried or annoyed with me.
There were many features of the castle to explore. Including a rather large drawbridge that opened out into the city below.
The hustle and bustle of the world outside the stone walls was enough to make me want to escape. To see what else went on,
but I’d already been ordered to stay within the grounds.
This time, I listened. There was no telling what was outside, maybe more Fae with magic, even creatures that lurked in the
shadows.
Pulling up my shawl around my shoulders, I wandered down a dirt path and headed in the direction of where Morg had run
off to. Perhaps I would bump into her and her sister. Instead I came to an empty stable house. The only ones there were the
horses who grazed on the wide-open field or were set up already in their stalls, ready to rest for the remainder of the day.
“Would you like to be gifted your own horse as part of your wedding presents?”
Nicholas startled me when I ventured into the timber building, not expecting him to be standing there brushing a large black
mare. She was almost shoulder to shoulder with him.
“We are gifting each other?” I asked, once my heart settled. “I wouldn’t know what to get you.”