Chapter 52 - The mystery man

"Did you find her?" Madam Ayles griped Odette's hand tightly.

"No, I didn't find her anywhere. I even went ahead and searched the back room. The conservatory hall has been closed and they have cleared of out everything! Madam... mis sis missing. Should we send out a search party?"

Madam Ayles anxiously bit her lips. It was late at night and her daughter had not appeared. When she reached home the room was empty and Eloise was nowhere to be seen. Thinking that she was at the party, she rested well.

But it got late and Eloise was still not home.

The party had already ended and the guests had retired back to their rooms!!

"No… search for her at the deck. Maybe we can find her.

"Madam, it's getting late. We have to find her.

"But if we start our search right now they will find out that my young daughter is still out there alone at night. What about her virtue? No sane man would want to marry her!" Madam Ayles pranced anxiously clutching her kerchief. "Maybe... maybe we can ask the prince to search for her incognito. With his help, we can make it less noticeable."

"Yes Madam, let's do that. I'm relay worried." Odette started to cry softly.

Madam Ayles also felt tears pooling in her eyes. "it's not the time to whine and cry. We have to find her as soon as possible.' they both rushed out to find the young prince's suit.

But no one seemed to know where the prince was staying at. It was a huge ship but everyone knew where everyone was. Still the prince's location was a mystery.

Madam Ayles's heart grew anxious with every passing minute. "The duke. We can ask the duke!" she whispered to her.

"The duke will help us!" Odette said comforting her and led her to the duke's study.

But to their demise, the study was closed. He was not in his room as well. Even his trusted friend doctor Fred was nowhere to be seen.

They had just disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Mandan Ayles started to sob silently.

"Madam lets return to our room. Maybe our miss might have returned while we were out here," Odette try to convince her as the night was getting cold. soft snow started to drift down onto the Madam's shoulders, piling up.

Madam Ayles trembled slightly as she walked. "What if something unspeakable had happened to her., what if she…"

"its not possible Madam. Our young miss is strong! She can face anything that comes her way."

Madam Ayles silently cried as she entered the room. They both sat on the cushion waiting for the young miss to return.

The night passed and bright sunlight streamed into the bright tea room.

Both Madam Ayles and Odette were sleepless and hopeless they had hoped that their miss would have returned by then. But no.

Eloise Ayles was missing.

Officially.

Tearfully Madam held Odette's hand. "please make an official complaint with the officer. Oh my poor Eloise… my dear dear Eloise. Where are you, dear?"

****

Eloise woke up with a start as a drop of cold water dripped on her face. Her wide eyes gazed at the bright blue sky right over her head. 'eh? Ehhhhhh why am I…'

She sat up gazing at the linoleum flooring and the railing close by.

The beautiful sea was slightly turbulent splashing water onto the balcony now and then.

'I… Did I sleep on the balcony? Ahhhh I'm so fucked!' she massaged her aching forehead.

Last night's events were a blur. 'Who knew ancient brandy was so strong? Fuck, I feel like someone pounded my head with a hammer.' Groaning, she just sat there to steady herself a bit.

The door to the balcony was fully open and she had actually slept right behind the open door.

Crawling out, she adjusted her skirt and wiped her face as much as she could to face the crowd. But to her surprise the hall was empty. 'Did everyone just leave me lying on the balcony... so mean…'

Sighing, she walked back to her room.

On the way, she saw a distraught Odette running somewhere.

"Odette!" she called out to her.

The young maid froze in her steps. "m-miss... miss!" she ran to her and held her hand whilst crying silently.

"What is it? what happened? is mum sick?" is something wrong with her? Tell me right now!"

Odette slightly swooned. "Miss… thank the lord…"

Eloise immediately got a hold of her slender shoulders and steadied her. It was then she noticed that the young maid's eyes were riddled with black circles. her well-maintained maid had never looked so untidy before.

'Something bad has happened!' she pulled her close and with a swift move lifted Odette onto her back.

"Miss!"

"Shh lay there silently." She rushed back to their suit and threw open the door. "Mum! Mum, are you okay!" she ran in.

Odette jumped off her back and locked the door behind them.

"Oh my god, Eloise." Madam Ayles jumped from the soft cushions and hugged her tightly in her warm embrace. "How worried I was for you dear…, are you unharmed?" she gently cupped her face.

Eloise smiled. "Yep... just a little hungover."

"Hung?! Who hung you? Who did it? tell mum I will deal with them right now and then!" she roared in fury.

Eloise blinked. "no one hung me…. It's just hangover is a term you use if you feel dizzy after drinking a lot." She held her mother trembling shoulders. "Why do you have to be so dramatic? No one hurt your daughter. Actually, no one can hurt me. I'm a very powerful person, don't you know that?"

Madam Ayles sighed and visibly her body went limp on her hold. "Thank god…"

After the calm came the storm.

"ELOISE AYLES! You! Where were you? Were you drinking alone late at night? Ohhh your mouth stinks!! You stinky sticky girls. Don't you know you can't go around without a chaperone!" she slapped her butt.

"Mum!" Eloise ran from her.

But her mum insistently ran after her hitting her soft butt.

"You have to learn your lesson not to misbehave. Do you know how worried we were? Odette ran around all night searching for you! Where were you!"

"At the hall…" Eloise gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry..."

Odette shook her head. "Miss but I searched the entire hall. I couldn't find you anywhere."

"I was in the balance."

"I even threw open every door in search of you. I never found you." Odette said sternly.

Eloise closed her eyes in embarrassment. "Actually, I was rolled up asleep right behind that balcony door. I probably guess no one can see me in that spot. No wonder they emptied the hall without helping me out." She trembled slightly. she pulled eh coat over her shoulder snuggly.

Right then, Madam noticed something. "Whose coat is this?" she pulled it off her daughter's shoulders and investigated it.

The coat was well made and actually had a silk inner layer.

"Eloise Ayles, you better be telling the truth. Did you spend a night with any man?"

Eloise raised a brow. "Not that I know of."

"That you know of? What do you not know of?" the Madam threateningly walked closer.

Eloise backed away sheepishly. "I... I kind of forgot what happen… I remember drinking with dom."

"Oh, dear lord! What then! I saw the prince near the buffet. He said you were in the balcony! Who were you with?!!!"

Eloise shrugged. "Don't know. Can we just sweep this topic under the rug?" she smiled softly.

"Oh my god, this girl! Odette what am I to do with her? She doesn't even know which man she spent the night with!" she swooned slightly and sat on the sofa.

Eloise ran to her. "Odette, bring some water." she helped wipe her mum's sweaty forehead. "You have to rest mum."

"I will not rest until I find out who you spend the night with.

Eloise stood up straight. "Look at my dress. do I look like I spend the night with someone else? And if I slept with someone I would definitely know."

She did not have any of that tell-tale pain or soreness down there. So it was likely that she just got drunk after Dom left and slept on the balcony.

But something was fishy about it.

She did not wake up on the same balcony.

In fact, she woke up on the huge balcony close by to it.

So partially her mum was right. She potentially could have spent the night with a man. but it wouldn't have been pg13 or anything. It would have been an innocent drink buddy.

In the ancient era, it was considered taboo for a man and a woman to meet alone like that so it was understandable why her mum was pissed.

"I am still a virgin and I am unharmed. Can we all calm down? Even if... even if I did spend a night with someone I will make sure to silence him."

"You have to marry him!"