THE SECOND VOW

CHAPTER 9 SHE WILL FOLLOW

Elena walked through the kitchen, the aroma of freshly prepared food filling the air. All around her, the servants moved from one place to another, carrying out orders, preparing meals, and making sure everything was in order. The familiar bustle of the kitchen brought back memories of when she had been little.

She and Lavinia used to come there whenever they could. They would gather whatever leftover ingredients they were allowed to have and sometimes even pick up scraps that had been left aside, then sit together and make their own little pastries. Their creations were never anything like the beautiful pastries prepared by the cooks, but that had never mattered to them. They were children, and the kitchen had been their little world.

Elena remembered how she used to collect extra pieces of cake whenever she could and give them to Lavinia. She would feel so proud whenever she saw the happiness on her friend's face. Making Lavinia happy had always given Elena a strange sense of accomplishment, as though she had done something truly important.

As she walked farther into the kitchen, Elena began to notice things she had hardly paid attention to as a child. The Hawthorne family had truly taken their time in building the place. The arrangements were carefully planned, the shelves were kept in order, and everything seemed to have its proper place. The kitchen was large enough to accommodate nearly twenty servants during the busiest hours, with enough room for everyone to move without constantly getting in one another's way.

Perhaps Lavinia had never thought much about it. To her, the grand kitchen was simply another part of the home she had always known. To Elena, however, it was a reminder of the life she had grown up close to but never truly belonged to.

She was heading towards the place where her mother could usually be found.

As the head cook, Olivia had her own small room close to the kitchen and storage area. It was there that she gave instructions to the other servants, assigned duties, checked supplies, and made sure the household's meals were prepared properly. Although cooking was her principal responsibility, she was also sometimes trusted to oversee other household duties when necessary.

It was a position her mother had worked hard to earn.

A servant passed Elena carrying a tray of cakes and offered her one.

"No, thank you," Elena said politely, declining the offer.

She knew better than to take something without being certain she was permitted to have it. In a household like the Hawthorne estate, even small things could become the subject of gossip.

Elena had always been good at hearing the household gossip. She rarely involved herself in it, but she heard enough to know that some of the servants were not pleased with the position her mother held. There were those who believed they deserved Olivia's place and would gladly take the opportunity to see her removed from it.

Elena worried about that.

Her mother had worked too hard for everything she had, and Elena could not bear the thought of someone taking it away from her.

As she drew closer to her mother's room, another thought entered her mind. She remembered the bitter story Olivia had once told her about her past.

Her mother had been little more than a young girl when she became pregnant outside of marriage. The child's father had refused to acknowledge the baby, and Olivia's own family had rejected her. She had been left with no one to depend on and had been forced to fend for herself.

Life had been terribly difficult until she met Lavinia's mother, Vivienne Hawthorne, who offered her a place within the household and allowed her to work and raise her daughter with dignity.

Elena had always been grateful to Vivienne for helping her mother.

Yet gratitude could not erase the anger she felt towards the father she had never known.

She did not know his face, his voice, or even what sort of man he had been. She only knew that he had abandoned them and never returned.

Why had he left?

Had he ever thought about her?

Those questions had followed Elena for years, and she had long ago accepted that she might never receive an answer.

"Oh, my dear."

The sound of her mother's voice pulled Elena from her thoughts. She quickly pushed the memories aside and hurried towards Olivia, wrapping her arms around her.

"Mother."

Olivia smiled warmly as she embraced her daughter before pulling away to look at her.

"My dear, what brings you here?"

"I came to see you. You have been so busy lately that I hardly get to spend any time with you."

Olivia sighed and glanced around the busy kitchen.

"I know, and I am sorry. The household will soon be receiving visitors, so we have a great deal to prepare."

Elena looked around at the servants rushing about.

"I can see that."

Her mother gave a small smile.

"Then you understand why I have hardly had a moment to myself."

Elena smiled.

"What sort of visitors are we expecting?"

Olivia raised an eyebrow.

"Have you forgotten that your friend will soon be married?"

Elena's expression brightened.

"Oh, yes. Lavinia."

"Exactly."

"So the Beaumont family are coming?"

"Yes, they are."

The mention of the Beaumont family suddenly made Elena realise how close the wedding truly was. Until now, Lavinia's marriage had almost felt like something that belonged to the distant future. Now, however, the day was drawing near.

Soon, Lavinia would leave the Hawthorne estate.

Soon, Elena would no longer see her friend every day.

The thought left an unfamiliar heaviness in her heart.

Olivia noticed the change in her daughter's expression.

"What is troubling you?"

"Nothing, Mother."

"You have never been very good at hiding your thoughts from me."

Elena smiled faintly.

"I suppose I have not."

Olivia reached for her hand.

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

Olivia nodded, and Elena remained quiet for a moment before remembering why she had come.

"Mother, I want to ask you something."

"What is it?"

Elena hesitated before finally speaking.

"I want to know if I can accompany Lavinia."

Olivia misunderstood her.

"You are free to go with her, so long as you both return before it gets too late."

Elena shook her head.

"No, Mother. I mean after the marriage."

Her mother's expression changed.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... may I accompany her to her new home?"

Olivia stared at her daughter.

"How can you ask such a thing? Would Lavinia not be angry? Just because she has made you her friend does not mean you should involve yourself in her private married life."

"But she was the one who asked me, Mother."

Olivia fell silent.

Elena looked at her anxiously.

"I do not want her to feel alone."

Her mother's expression softened.

"You care for her deeply."

"She is my friend."

"I know."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Finally, Olivia released a quiet sigh.

"If she has asked you herself, then you may go."

Elena's face immediately brightened.

"Truly?"

"Yes. But you must promise me something."

"Anything."

"You must come and visit me whenever you can and send me letters. I can bear to let you go, but I will not have you disappear into another household and forget your mother."

Elena immediately embraced her.

"I could never forget you."

Olivia closed her eyes as she held her daughter.

It was not an easy decision. Elena was the only family she had left, and the thought of her daughter leaving the Hawthorne estate filled her with worry. Still, she understood how much Lavinia meant to Elena and knew that refusing her would only make her unhappy.

Perhaps the new household would also bring opportunities for Elena. She might meet people who could help her improve her circumstances, and perhaps, in time, she might even meet a good man who would value her.

For now, however, Olivia only wanted her daughter to be happy.

"Thank you, Mother," Elena said, hugging her once more.

"Just remember your promise."

"I will."

The two of them spent the remainder of the day together, talking about the household and making arrangements for the Beaumont family's visit. Elena proved to be a great help to her mother. She organized supplies, arranged ingredients, checked trays, and assisted the other servants wherever she was needed.

Having Elena beside her made Olivia's work easier, and for the first time in several days, she did not feel as though she had to carry the entire burden of the preparations alone.

As the afternoon passed, the kitchen remained busy, filled with the sound of servants moving about and the clatter of dishes being arranged for the coming visit.

Yet beneath all the activity, Elena could not shake the feeling that something important was approaching.

Lavinia would soon leave.

And Elena, who had spent nearly her entire life beside her friend, would soon follow her into a new household.

Neither mother nor daughter knew what awaited them beyond the walls of the Hawthorne estate.

But Elena had already made up her mind.

Whatever happened, she would not allow Lavinia to face the beginning of her new life alone.