Chapter 38 - Bath and sleep

Eloise returned to her room and plopped back on her bed. Her muscled were sore and aching. This delicate body can't even handle a small fist fight. How pathetic. I might have to start training my karate again,' she thought to herself whist closing her eyes.

"miss.. get up..." Odette shook her softly. "Take a bath..."

"Ye—yes... yes bath.."

Eloise did not send Odette away; rather she accepted her help in removing her clothes.

She sleepily got into the bathtub. The warm water and the orange scent made her even more sleepy. "Agh this is heaven...."

"Let me scrub you, miss," Odette took out the washcloth and continued scrubbing her back. Her soft hands combined with her slow therapeutic massage made her sleepy as heck.

Her eyes closed involuntarily. 

"w—wake me up..... When the water..... cold...." she mumbled and fell asleep.

The next thing she heard was sea gulls screaming by the window. She woke up and glanced around. She was surprisingly on the bed rather than the cold bath tub. 'Did Odette move me? Darn, that girl saw me, Nakey....' she combed though her hair.

Her finger glided through her hair without difficulty. This was the first time that has happened. She glanced at her head in surprise.

Usually her hair got so tangled that it looked like a bird's nest in the morning. Poor Odette would cry every time she combed the tangles out.

'Odette must have detangled my hair while I was sleeping...'

Eloise then glanced at the soft white nightgown she was wearing. 'And changed my clothes.'

'Goodness, I really need to give that girl a raise.'

As she was thinking about what to compensate her with, the door to her room opened. Odette slowly walked in on her tippy toes. "Miss? are you up?"

"Yes, thank you so much for yesterday, Odette." She smiled at her.

Odette dazzlingly giggled. "I had assistance of ten maids to get you ready for bed."

Elise's eyebrows twitched. 'Gosh, she is indirectly saying that I'm fat! It's okay, I think it's high time I take up intermittent fasting.' she jiggled her chub in her arms.

"Odette, how's mother? did she wake up yet?" she got up and started to stretch her sore muscles.

"Madam is doing well. She did wake up late at night worried for your safety, I consoled her and she slept soundly. Her fever has broken. She just needs good food and rest," she whispered whist folding the bedding.

Eloise glanced back at her, unblinking. "Did YOU sleep?"

"Yes, miss, I did," Odette smiled at her.

But Eloise knew that it was a white lie. She could clearly see the dark circles under the girl's eyes.

"Go sleep, Odette, I'll take care of things here."

Odette glanced at her in surprise. "But I had ample amount of sleep, miss. I don't….."

"Don't fight me again regarding this. I don't want you falling sick as well. Not because you are my maid, but Cuz, you are a precious friend of mine," Eloise hugged her tight. She gently patted her back. "I need you to live a healthy life. I might be your miss but you have to prioritise your life as well."

Odette giggled softly. "I prioritise myself all the time miss,"

"Really?" Eloise glanced at her sceptically. "When was the last time you did something for yourself?"

"I brought a ribbon that matches the dress you gave me last summer." Odette smiled softly.

Eloise did not have any words to say anymore. She gently pulled her over to the bed and made her lay down. She unfurled the rolled up sheets and covered her with it. "Sleep,"

"misss.... but..."

"It's my order, sleep." Eloise gently placed a hand over her eyes. She could she feel the small fluttering motion of her eyelashes. "Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?"

"Really... I wasn't to hear miss sing..."

Eloise chuckled and laid next to her. "Good cat, bad catttt... there was a good cat and there was a baddd cat... the gods saw the bad cat and gave him a taskkkk.... he tried him to befriend the good cattttt..."

"Miss, I'm sleepy," Odette whispered, instantly smiling at her.

"You didn't like it, did you?"

"No! It was awesome!!"

"Then that's good. Sleep now," Eloise hugged her softly, and they both slept off.

"Miss make sure to never sing in front of a man." The maid softly whispered before she closed her eyes.

A little later, there was a soft knock on their room door. Madam Millen was the only person awake. She vigilantly opened the door. "Who is it?"

"madam.... I—I ummmm I came to check on miss Eloise..." Raymond awkwardly whispered.

"Oh young duke. Come in, come in," she enthusiastically welcomed him in their parlour room. She personally served him some tea.

"Wait, madam, let me." Raymond got up and helped her with the heavy tea pot. "How is your health?"

"I am doing spectacular. Here, have these." she handed him a small plate of biscuits.

Raymond gladly took them and sat down. "Is Miss Eloise still asleep?"

"Yes, she might have been too scared than I had realised. She shut herself in her room refusing to come out," she whispered, plopping a small sugar cube in her cup.

Raymond paused. "How was the situation in the room? Did you get scared madam?"

"I was asleep and Eloise was in her room. We were completely safe thanks to duke's interference." she whispered with a kind smile.

Right then the door next to the parlour opened and Eloise walked out, yawning. "mum... you up..?"

Her shoulder length hair was all shaggy and ruffled. Her white night gown was slipping down her shoulders a bit, exposing her milky white collar bone.

Raymond stood up suddenly and held out his coat to her. "Miss, I think I came at an inappropriate time. I shall take my leave." he ran out the room as if his ass was on fire.