Ada hadn't yet come to collect the breakfast dishes as per her usual so Arabella concluded she was busy and therefore shouldn't wait for her.
However, right as her foot crossed the threshold of the door out the room, Ada stood in front of her.
"Ah! Miss! I am glad to see you're still here," the maid chirped, "Master Silas is awaiting your arrival at the entrance. I've come to fetch you per his request,"
Arabella's brows furrowed momentarily, wondering about the reasons Silas had to summon her, but quickly put those questions aside and decided it was best not to make him wait, "Well, let us go right away then,"
"Miss!" Ada called for her attention, "He's asked me to let you know that you will be needing the family crest,"
The need for the pin of the family crest meant that there were plans for them to leave the property. Arabella rummaged for a purpose to their trip as she went back into the room to pick up the brooch and settled for their previous conversation about the underground tunnels connecting Lustris and Umbraria.
"How are you feeling, Miss?" Ada's voice got her, once again, out of her contemplation.
The maid had little sparkles in her eyes, following Arabella's every move, a curious smile on her.
"Yes, I am feeling alright. Thank you," Arabella dragged her words in a weary manner, smiling back and squinting her eyes a tad skeptical.
As though snapping out of a trance, Ada cleared her throat and fidgeted between picking the dishes and placing them back on the table as Arabella had already gathered them together to further ease her task.
"What is it?" Arabella wouldn't take her eyes off the jittery maid which caused Ada's cheeks to flush even harder.
"No! No! Nothing, Miss! I simply meant… Well," Ada stumbled over her words, "I was told you've spent the day with the Master yesterday, and he has never asked any of the household staff to travel with him outside of the mansion before and…," speaking so hastily at first only for the energy to abandon her around the end of her explanation.
"Oh… Ada," Arabella's face fell a little upon realizing the reason behind Ada's excitement.
The young woman had been about to ask but then remembered that Katherine had said the same thing the day before about waiting for them at the door when informed that Silas and Arabella had been seen together.
News and gossip truly did spread fast around the manor… There was no keeping secrets there.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to overstep, I-"
Ada had rushed to apologize and explain herself, but Arabella cut her off promptly, "No, please don't worry," she sighed, "It's just that, everything and everyone is in their rightful place here, including myself and I'd never dream for things to be different. Master Silas requesting to see me has nothing personal to it. It is strictly business," she offered her a meek smile while holding Ada's hands.
"I understand," Ada nodded, looking down.
Leaving Ada to her work, Arabella descended the stairs to the ground floor and made her way towards the entrance and out of the manor where a resplendent carriage sat, door hanging open, awaiting.
Very similar to the car she and Katherine had taken to KasselMoon the other night, only the one in front of her soaked morning light in to glisten and reflect its blinding rays.
"This way, please, Miss Arabella," a masculine voice by the door ripped her attention away.
The man bowed slightly, one hand behind his back while the other ushered at the carriage.
Arabella obliged and followed him to the little stairs leading up the vehicle.
She then, with grace, took the hand he offered in order to help her climb inside.
A pair of lustrous diamonds were the first thing to greet Arabella upon settling on the cushy seat.
"It is a lovely day today," she attempted to break the pending silence, avoiding his gaze for the most part.
"It is," he replied curtly.
With that, the ride promised to be uncomfortable. Clutching at her own hands on her lap, she threw her eyes out the window for them to land on a group of chattery maids, carrying covered baskets and heading back to the manor.
All of the young women with no exception stared back at the carriage and whispered among themselves.
In moments such as those, Arabella wished for her hearing to be as developed as that of a vampire.
Then again, was it worth it? She thought. Their words might cut deep should they ever reach her ears.
Among them stood a familiar face; one with twisted features and a glare that caused Arabella's heart to race in its cage, urging her to swiftly break eye contact with Edna.
"Once we exit the forest surrounding the property, I'd like you to lead us down the road you followed to reach the manor," Silas's voice cut through the bustling in her mind, "Utter your directives out loud and the coachman will hear them,"
"Understood," Arabella nodded.
The intentions of Silas became clearer to Arabella as the day prior he'd requested to be led back to the tunnel she'd used to cross through into Umbraria.
What had been less clear however, was the fact that the coachman couldn't have been a vampire and therefore wouldn't have been able to hear as well as one from a distance and through the cloppering of four horses no less.
The carriage finally shook after a masculine voice arose to announce the beginning of their trip. Cue the rhythmic stomping of hooves and wincing of wheels.
With those soothing sounds, the locket around her neck was the only other thing that offered her some much needed comfort, gripping it tightly and sliding it from left to right along the chain it hanged from as her mind drifted back to the haunting night she'd made a run for it.