Bound by Secrets

Chapter four

The air in the Blackburn mansion was quite heavy this morning.

There was something that hovered in the air, and no, it wasn't the pin-dropping silence.

It was heavier than silence.

Something mysterious and watchful.

I walked through the hallway carefully, balancing the stack of sheets in my hand while trying to hide my limp.

My foot had almost healed.

But every step I took reminded me of that incident.

Of the broken vase.

Of the sharp pain I felt when that broken shard made its way into my foot.

And of him, the young master.

It had been almost two weeks since the incident happened, but I could still feel the firm grip of his hand wrap the cloth around my foot.

He didn't say much that day, yet somehow his silence carried more relevance than most people's words would.

Why had he helped me?

That question clawed at the back of my mind every single day.

After all, I was just a mere maid, and he was the young master of the house.

He had no obligation to help me, yet he still did, and I wondered why.

“You should change the sheets in all the rooms in the east wing.”

Adams had told me earlier this morning.

Warning bells rang in my head and big knots formed in my stomach.

That was where the young master’s room was.

Not all servants were allowed in that part of the mansion, so I wondered why Adams had asked me to go there.

Refusal was not an option here, so I had no choice but to do it.

As I ascended the flight of stairs carefully, I couldn't help but marvel at the ambience of this place. It was totally different from the other parts of the mansion; the grand staircase curved upward like a marble ribbon, and its golden railings shone with great luster. Soft light spilled from the black curtains that draped from the tall windows.

At the top of the staircase, the corridor of the East Wing stretched ahead of me. The floors were layered with thick, luxurious carpets that silenced my footsteps.

I walked slowly, each step filled with uncertainty as this was the young master's territory.

I stopped in front of a massive door I presumed to be the young master's bedroom.

I took a deep sigh and knocked on the door lightly.

“Who is it?” A deep voice rang from the other end.

“Master Aiden, I was sent to change the bedsheets.”

“Come in.” He responded.

I pushed the door open slowly and made my way in.

My mouth hung open at the shocking sight that befell me.

Master Aiden was in a bathrobe that hung loosely over his tall frame. His hair was wet with tiny beads of water dripping down his open chest.

A faint scent of sandalwood soap lingered around him. He gently massaged his hair with the small towel he held in his hand.

His brown eyes gazed at me lazily, and I gulped and averted my gaze quickly.

“Are you going to change the sheets, or do you plan to just stand there and gawk at me?” He said in a flat tone.

“I'm so sorry, Master Aiden. I didn't know you were, um… busy. I could come back to change the sheets later.” I said quickly while rushing towards the door.

“Stop”

I paused.

My hands hovered over the silver doorknob.

My heart drummed in my ears, and I wondered if I had always heard my heartbeat so loud or if it was because of the quietness in the room.

I turned slowly.

He looked at me in an unwavering gaze, and my cheeks burned in embarrassment.

“You were sent here for something, no?”

“Yes, Master Aiden,” I said in a small voice.

“Then do what you came here to do.”

He had a small grin on his face as though he found my current predicament amusing.

“I can change the sheets later.”

“No,” he said firmly.

“Do it now.”

I gulped down the huge ball in my throat and made my way to his bed.

I dropped the basket on the soft carpet carefully and began removing the used linen from the bed.

I gathered them in a small pile and put them on the floor before bringing out the fresh sheet from the basket.

I cautiously spread it over the mattress, gently tucking the fabric under the mattress.

Next, I laid the thick duvet on top, making sure both sides were even.

Once I was done, I fluffed the pillows and placed them against the headboard.

All the while, I could feel the burning gaze of Master Aiden on me, and cold sweat dripped down my spine.

“I'm done changing the sheets, Master Aiden, so I'll be leaving now,” I said while bowing my head.

“Okay, you may go now.”

I picked up the pile of used linen and made my way to the door, but my body froze in place when I heard that deep voice again.

“Wait.”

I turned slowly, and to my surprise, he was already in front of me.

“Does it still hurt?”

That was… unexpected.

“Uhmm, do you mean my foot master?”

I was still a bit flustered by what happened earlier.

“Of course. What else would I be referring to?”

I swallowed.

“It hurts a little,” I said in a small voice.

His gaze dropped to my foot.

“You walk as though it still hurts.”

His tone was flat, but I could tell that he actually cared.

“I will be more cautious next time, master.”

He remained silent for a while.

“You can take your leave, unless you plan to watch me get dressed,” he said finally.

I bowed my head one more time before walking out the door in hurried steps.

Once I closed the door and walked into the corridor, I let out a deep sigh.

But even as I walked away, my heart still pounded in my rib cage. And an unsettling feeling crawled into my chest.

The young master had not only noticed me, but he still remembered me, down to the tiniest details.

I silently hoped that I was wrong because being under the watchful gaze of the young master was not part of the plans I wished to execute here.