Chapter 112
“Sister Lisa?”
“It’s an emergency. Miss Felice is trying to go outside! I need your help!”
Lisa grabbed Annie by the shoulders.
“Miss Felice?”
“Tell her you’re sick. Really, really sick—so sick she has to stay with you. Got it?”
“Oh… Okay, I understand!”
Annie answered, and as soon as she did, Lisa ran out, warning Thomas to keep quiet before hurrying away in another direction.
Just then, Felice came out of the house with the butler and Tom, the youngest kitchen helper. Thomas let out a sigh.
“Covering her eyes won’t fix anything…”
Still, he kept his mouth firmly shut.
“Dad, what should I say I’m sick with?”
Suddenly burdened with an important mission, Annie anxiously opened her window and asked.
“For now… just say you have a stomachache.”
“Okay!”
* * *
Felice was growing increasingly suspicious—both Ben and Tom stuck close to her, as if guarding her on either side.
It felt like everyone was trying to keep her from going out.
“Good morning, Thomas.”
Felice greeted the gardener outside. He returned her greeting a bit awkwardly, but nothing seemed too out of the ordinary.
If Annie was sick, how could Thomas be acting so normal? Feeling more uneasy, Felice stepped inside Annie’s cottage.
“Oh… Miss Felice.”
Annie, lying in bed, called out to her.
“Annie, are you not feeling well?”
“Yes… my stomach hurts a lot.”
It was strange. Annie was the type who rarely admitted she was sick, even if she really was.
Felice sat beside her, suddenly worried it might be serious.
“Your stomach hurts a lot? Can you tell me what kind of pain it is, Annie…?”
“It… feels like rumbling thunder in my tummy.”
“Really? Maybe you ate something bad yesterday…”
Felice placed a hand on Annie’s forehead, checking for a fever.
“The butler said he’s called for a doctor, so once you’ve had some medicine you’ll feel better.”
She pulled Annie’s blanket up.
“Well then, I just have to step outside for a little bit. I’ll be right back, so don’t worry, okay?”
Felice gently stroked Annie’s face.
“Um… can’t you stay with me, Miss Felice?”
“Stay with you? I’m sorry, Annie, but I really have to go out for something important. I’ll be back soon, I promise, alright?”
Annie grabbed her wrist again, but there were no more excuses left to make. In the end, she could only watch as Felice left the room.
Felice tucked Annie in and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead before leaving.
By now, Tom—who should have gone to the kitchen already—was standing outside the cottage. As for Thomas, who should be genuinely worried about Annie, he’d gone back to his gardening.
Felice looked at Tom curiously.
“Uh, Miss… I was about to go buy some groceries for the cook, but if you like, I could run your errand too?”
Tom repeated what the butler had said earlier.
Felice’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Is something going on outside?”
“Huh? N-no, nothing like that…”
“It just feels like everyone is trying to stop me from leaving.”
“No, not at all…”
“Then it’s fine. I’ll go myself, so don’t worry.”
“Uh…”
Tom hesitated, but as Felice started to walk away, he hurried after her.
“I really can do it for you, Miss.”
“It’s fine, Tom.”
Felice replied, continuing on her way.
As she passed the central fountain and headed toward the front gate, Tom anxiously followed, his footsteps practically tripping over themselves.
“Miss…”
His voice was so plaintive that Felice finally stopped at the gate and turned to him.
“Tom, you can go instead—if you’ll just tell me what’s going on.”
“There’s… nothing wrong! Really!”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course!”
“Well, if you’re not going to tell me, I’ll just go myself.”
“A-…”
Seeing that Felice really would go, Tom finally gave in.
“Alright! I’ll tell you. But only if I can go instead.”
“…Fine. Go ahead.”
“Well… um, there was a rather unpleasant article in the paper.”
Tom said, swallowing nervously and glancing at Felice for her reaction.
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