Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 96: Lydia Getting Inspiration.

Chapter 96: Lydia Getting Inspiration.

Afternoon.

Flower Garden, Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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Lydia, went out into the garden and sat gingerly, today is a boring day she thought.

As she stared ahead at the flower garden and the breeze greeted her with its tenderness, an inspiration attacked her mind without a warning. She suddenly had a vivid image of a beautiful necklace that could be made, her heart was pounding as she held on to her imagination, the picture was clear but she was scared of she blinked it would vanish.

She stood up abruptly and began to run into the mansion.

"Dorothy!" she wailed.

No answer so she tried again. "Dorothy!"

"Yes, Lady Theodore" Dorothy was by her side soon enough.

"Get me ink, quick" she ordered urgently.

"Yes, lady Theodore" Dorothy replied and rushed off another way.

Lydia reached the library where she had a sketchbook amongst her various books, she searched for it quickly and sighed when she found it. She turned swiftly, her feet intending to take her back to the flower garden.

As Lydia was running back out of the library she came face to face with Joyous who quickly moved out of the way.

"What is the matter Lady Theodore? I heard your voice" she said as she matched Lydia’s steps towards the front doors.

"I have an inspiration, get me rum" Lydia wailed excitedly.

"Lady Theodore" Joyous drawled a reminder and a warning.

She was a lady and it was the afternoon.

"Fine, a cup of tea please" she relented, her feet reaching the garden.

"Alright lady Theofore" Joyous bowed and rushed off.

"Here is the ink and feather lady Theodore" Dorothy alerted Lydia when she brought the needed tool for t

Lydia’s sketch.

She is back and sitting on a seat outside in the garden.

"Thank you" Lydia whispered.

She attempted to draw the table closer so Dorothy quickly supported her and placed it right in front of her.

"Water please" she waved Dorothy off, feeling thirsty.

The weather was becoming unforgiving.

Immediately Joyous showed up. "Here I brought tea and water, the weather is getting hotter," she said dropping and filling a cup for the lady.

"Thank you" Lydia mumbled before taking in gulps.

Joyous left for the kitchen while Dorothy stood behind.

Lydia took her hair into a messy bun, arched her back and started to sketch, with precise

She meticulously sketched her design on her paper, carefully considering every curve and contour to showcase the gemstone’s natural beauty.

As she traced the lines on her sketchbook, her excitement grew, fueling her passion for craftsmanship, she was happy she found a passion a job and perhaps an income means, she just needed to choose the right gem now.

She took the sketch up and watched the design with a proud smile on her face. Dorothy from behind watched it and was equally proud of her lady.

Lydia dropped the book her hair had managed to release from the bun she had put it up on, she breathed before calling out. "Dorothy"

"Yes, Lady-" before the maid could complete her sentence Lydua cut her off, too excited.

"Please get me Hound" she instructed, she had an errand for the man.

"Yes, Lady-"

She cut her off. "Just go!" she prompted.

She took a sip of her water and realised it had finished.

Dorothy went ahead unto the gates to get Hound, it was a long walk and when they reached Lydia she was sweaty and red.

"You asked for me Lady Theodore" Hound reported when he reached the lady’s side.

She smiled. "Yes, leave the gates Hound, I need you to give this to the dressmaker" she offered a letter to him.

He took it.

She had written a letter addressing the dressmaker on the matter of the dungaree never made before that she had promised her because now she had a job that needed it.

She’s going back to the lake.

"Get me water please" she whispered to Dorothy, the tea wasn’t helping.

As Dorothy left for the water, Hound left to deliver the letter despite it being a bad move, but anything for the lady.

Dorothy came back with a glass of water and the smile on Lydia’s face told her this month would be a pleasant one.

*

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*

Afternoon

Parlour, Statham Estate.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

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Shi’Enz stepped into the parlour, she was tiptoeing for the door but the she was met by her who sat on a couch, she frowned she had seen their family physician upstairs just now, so why is Mother here she thought.

She cleared her throat. "Mother, why is a physician here?"

Georgina looked up and replied. "Your sister is sick"

"Oh my God, I was not aware" Shi’Enz confessed.

"Please check on her," Georgina said with a sigh.

"Yes mother" Shi’Enz agreed.

Mira has been weeping and hating since Liza was taken away by the emperor and now the attention of a physician had been needed.

As Shi’Enz geased back upstairs her Mother’s voice met her. "Where were you going to?"

"Nowhere why?"

"I was wondering why you wore that," she said pointing at Shi’Enz’s palm.

A hat.

It was the heat that made her pick it up, She had intended to put it on when she left the estate but with her mother having caught a glimpse of it now, it appeared her plan had been flawed.

"I am going to see Mira" she said moving up the stairs.

She sighed, it appeared she wouldn’t be reaching the Theodore Mansion today.

Her stupid sister is sick.

*

* *

*

Afternoon.

Conan’s Bungalow.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

*************

Helena couldn’t sleep, after watching Conan jog out of the house and into the Lord’s carriage, she had resisted the urge to wave like a child whose parents were travelling, she instead shut the doors and watched him through the window.

She had written one more piece today but was not in the mood to release soon, the papers were becoming much, living in Critic Arley and her seeing more than she did over at Critic-Ishelm.

She spent the day cleaning and thinking of what to cook in the evening, whenever she was stressed, anxious or bored she’d start to work as if her life depended on it and Conan’s bungalow took the brunt of her stressed mind today.

Just as she took her bathe and decided to sleep perhaps get a vision about Conan.

She would love that, she thought.

A knock resounded on the door interrupting her meditation. She sprang out of the divan, fixed her hair and rushed for the door.

"Yes?" her voice was throaty and dry as she hadn’t said a word since Conan left.

"Who?" she asked from behind the door suddenly cautious.

"A letter for Sir Conan" a voice resounded.

It was a man.

"Okay," she whispered to herself before pulling the door open.

"Hello," she said to the man who met her eyes with his surprise-filled ones.

She raised a brow.

"Good day my Lady" he bowed when he realized himself.

"Good day to you too" she responded tightly.

"Where is sir Conan?"

"He is out but I shall keep the letter for him" Helena said softly wondering if he would trust her.

"My lady it is an important letter but I shall trust you" he said suspiciously.

Helena looked confused but nodded before taking the letter from him. The moment she did it sprang open.

The idiot had opened it, she grimaced.

She met his eyes and immediately knew he had also read it, she smiled before raising her palm and just as the porter took it, his eyes started to hurt, it was as though sand was thrown into it.

He started to yell attempting to let go of her hand but Helena held on.

"Why did you open the letter?"

She raised a question her voice cold and chilling.

"I had been curious," he said, his other hand reaching to wipe his eyes.

"Curious about what? You are a courier, you should never get curious" she replied quickly.

She was baffled at his behaviour

He shuddered. "It was from his mother, I wanted to have insider information before the muckraker" he confessed, it ended with a scream as he felt a dash of pain again.

"Who are you?"

He tried to withhold the information but she pressed on with magic. "The owner of Ishire News, I am so sorry my lady" he apologised, his face pathetic.

She blinked. "When did you become a courier?"

"Last month, the muckraker is gaining so much followers while us new deliverables like us suffer," he said scornfully.

She frowned. So this was her fault?

"Leave" she barked realising him.

"I shall expose you" she promised.

His eyes were still hurting and widened. "Please my lady I apologize-" she cut him off with a screech.

"Leave this property!"

He stumbled away his eyes scratchy and sweat running down every corner of him.

Helena frowned before her eyes widened, she just exposed herself without making him forget the experience. She ran after him but he was nowhere to be seen, she blanched.

Perhaps he would shut up if he wanted her to, she thought.

She went back inside her steps wobbly.

***********

The letter.

***********

Son.

I am lonely again.

I need you to come to the house and spend some time with your mother, you know I will be at your doorstep tomorrow if you do not come today.

Yours anticipating your presence.

Your mother.