𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 ✔

Chapter Fifteen

I knocked frantically on Lord Chambren's door, constantly looking around in a paranoid sort of way as if Sebastian was going to lurch from the shadows at any moment and drag me back to his estate of hell.

"Yes, yes I am coming. Please stop beating on the door." He called out just before he opened it, "It is rather rude at this hour to. . . Oh, Mademoiselle Lafleur it is nice to see you, I am so very deeply sorry about your father."

"Please help me, I need you to send word to the Marchioness immediately." I begged out of breath as I entered his home quickly out of fear of being seen by anyone that could report back to Sebastian. "I apologize for my intrusion at such an hour, but I am terrified, my lord. I had nowhere else to go and her estate is too far away to simply run to."

"Of course, child. Please, take a seat and breathe for a moment." He was quite startled. I felt guilty for going to him for help, because I had just involved him in something that he had no reason to be a part of. But I had nowhere else to go and I trusted him with my life.

"Please, if you might, explain to me what has happen to put you in such a state of distress? He looked at me with concerned eyes.

"I think it best if you do not know, my lord, for your safety and my own." I was doing all I could not to cry.

"It's his grace, the Duke, isn't it?" His face hardened. By the way he said referred to Sebastian, it was clear that Lord Chambren was not fond of him either. "I will not let him hurt you."

"I am afraid no one can stop him from doing anything he wishes. He is far too powerful and admired by the town, and in truth no one would believe my accusations because against his public façade. They simply do not add up, and I am very well disliked by most of the townsfolk. However, no matter how well he hides it in public and how much they eat his little show up, once behind closed doors, the the real monster comes out and that dashing Duke is all but graceful." I hadn't noticed until I looked down, but my hands were violently shaking. It felt like at any second Sebastian would burst through the front door.

In truth the events which took place that day were a jumbled mess in my mind, I could not focus on any one thing at a time and conversations felt more like my mouth was talking, but I was watching from afar, trying to make since of the words that flowed all around all while the constant fear of Sebastian ate away at my nerves.

He did not press me for more information, nor force me to talk after I had gone mute. He just sadly sat at his desk and pretended to do paperwork as we both waited for Madame to arrive.

After about a half an hour later, Madame showed up very upset asking for me. Lord Chambren did his best to explain what little I told him, and I tried my best to listen to everything they said but there were moments when he spoke so softly that I could not hear what he said nor her responses. They both looked tense from where I was sitting and glanced at me every other sentence.

"My Lord, could you do me a favor?" I blurted out after sitting there silent for quite some time.

My insertion into their conversation from afar took them by surprise and in turn, they both made their way into his study to join me.

"Of course, Mademoiselle, what is it you need?" he had this sad look on his face, which I figured rooted from the paternal nature he still had from once having two little girls of his own. It reminded me of how Papa would look at me when I was sick, and if I hadn't been in shock, I would have broken down into tears.

"If you still have it, may I see Monsieur Pelletier's note again?" I did not feel like myself. My words came out in a monotoned sort of way, perhaps tired. I might have been traumatized. There was no nice way of putting it, but it felt like something in me broke that day.