Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 107: The ghost of a touch

Concern wouldn’t leave Ada’s eyes the entire time she tried to help Arabella. Although, the young woman had stopped her multiple times from giving a hand, preferring to do things herself.

Arabella was as polite and courteous as per her usual, but something had shifted that morning.

Ada had gotten the impression she was being kept at a distance with no clue whether it was intentional on Arabella’s part or otherwise.

"Miss...?" very reluctant the maid was.

"Yes, Ada?" Arabella stopped midway through tying a golden headband behind her neck.

"I... I don’t mean to pry, but... Did something happen yesterday?" she twiddled her fingers together, while raising her gaze, from time to time, to glimpse Arabella’s reflection in the mirror facing her.

The subtle, barely visible twitches rippling through Arabella’s features had answered her enough, but what had sealed it was the very awkward attempt at refuting it from Arabella.

"No!" she let out a chuckle, "Nothing happened at all. On the contrary, yesterday was quite the beautiful day,"

The young woman did her best to force a smile on, however, and once again, the micro expressions that escaped her control told it all.

"Right...," Ada looked away, unable to stomach the silent pain in Arabella’s eyes.

Speaking of her eyes, they somehow seemed heavier, earning her a tired outlook.

"Was the night unkind to you then?" Ada started, "Usually, when I come with breakfast, I find you already up and dressed,"

"Oh... Yes," Arabella cleared her throat and headed for the table before sitting down, "I was so excited after coming back from the valley, and I fell asleep at a later hour than I am accustomed to," her voice remained unsteady, but there was a tad more life in her at those words, "Have you ever visited the Fata, Ada?"

"I am afraid not, Miss," Ada slowly shook her head.

"I’ve never seen anything like it!" Arabella stared right through the little cup in front of her into the void, a nebulous air on. Then, as if the bubbles floating around her had suddenly popped, a warmer smile snapped across her features, "The fairies were so kind and welcoming to a stranger like me. oh! And their village with everything surrounding it was a sight to behold!"

"Truly amazing, Miss,"

"After speaking with them, I realized I know almost nothing about them. I’d like to spend some time at the library today and change that, would that be alright with you?"

The question pushed Ada out of her element. The way in which Arabella had phrased her question as if asking for permission, took the maid by surprise so much so she’d started to flail her hands in front of herself while stuttering through her answer.

"Of course, Miss! Whatever you’d like to do. You certainly don’t need my input!" she gave the most awkward laughs.

"Well, you are, sort of, stuck with me. I don’t want to make your days miserable," she smiled apologetically.

"Please, don’t say it like that, Miss,"

Had she been in the mood, Arabella would have placed figurative pats on her own back for successfully derailing the conversation onto different tracks.

But she barely held on as it was, her mind continuously bustling with recent information that had been thrown her way. Lines that blared on repeat clashing together with images that flashed over and over again behind her eyes.

Underneath her dress, her ungrazed thigh still burned from the ghost of his touch, her ears still stung from the distorted voice of her father and to think she was bound to meet him the next day outside the land of the dreaming, suffocated the last ounces of hope in her.

"Miss?"

Upon hearing Ada’s voice, Arabella released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, "Yes, what is it?"

"No... It is simply that you seemed to have gotten lost for a moment there...,"

"I am sorry," at those words, Arabella shook her head fiercely, determined to ward off as much weight as possible, "Ada, may I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course!" all ears, and eyes strictly on Arabella, Ada straightened her stance, ready for what was to come.

"I am aware that people from the lower class in Lustris do not receive any education. I was wondering if...," she trailed off, hesitant, "Well, Lord Foy said that the humans he welcomes receive an education under his care. Does Lady Persephone offer the same thing?"

"Oh, yes! All of the maids and butlers must undergo at least ten study sessions after their arrival. I did as well," it seemed Ada too had found some energy. She’d launched into the telling of her story, gaining more and more confidence after noting the growing smile on Arabella, "They encompassed the basics such as the alphabet then some reading and writing. Although...," Ada looked away, her face painted red, "I must admit, I was never a great student. Not that I slacked off, but...," her excitement dimmed a tad, "I quickly understood, I was not the brightest bulb. It was still too hard for me to write my name when others could already jot down paragraphs. The tutors saw no purpose in pushing me,"

A very short moment of silence followed after that. One that Arabella took upon herself to shatter, "Would you say it is difficult for you to read as well?" she asked, hands clasped together on her lap.

"Yes," Ada admitted very sheepishly.

"And... Would you be offended if I offered you further tutoring?"

"Oh... I am flattered but... I’d never want to waste your precious time like that. I-," a bit frantic, the maid almost fanned at her own face to cool it down.

"I was told I am very patient and besides, I’d never consider it a waste of time," tone assertive and very direct, Arabella had cut Ada off, "Believe me, from what I’ve seen of you, you are a lot brighter than you give yourself credit for,"