Untouched.

Louisa bit her lip because she did not regret any of her actions with him. She only hoped her mother did not have to become so boring all of a sudden. 

''Why have you suddenly become so strict?'' She asked her mother who simply stayed her eyes longer on her at first.

''Do you really want to know why I became like this? I began to feel very upset once I walked in on you both looking so washed out from the night's excitement.'' 

''How could you tell?''

''What mother cannot?''

''But you should have known that—''

''Yes, my love.'' Letita cut in. ''You're right. I should have known better to consider the odds and the possibility of him being unable to control his urge. I should have thought about all of these before letting you off to him.''

''Mother.'' Louisa pouted like she was going to cry. ''Why do you have to make me feel so guilty?''

''No, my sunshine. That is honestly not my intent.''

''But you are doing it still and if you don't stop, I really might break.''

Louisa was observedly sniffing back the sobs now. Her mother instantly got up and reached her in time to cuddle her softly into a warming embrace.

''I am sorry if I sounded harsh just now.'' She stated apologetically, ''I can see that you really like that man. I saw it even back there in his room.''

Louisa quickly pulled out of the embrace to look her mother straight in the eyes. She asked. ''You did?''

''Of course, my priceless.'' She smoothed her scattered hair to say, ''I did.'' 

Those words caused Louisa to become so incredibly happy that even her mother could tell. She no longer looked like she was near to breaking into tears. Instead, she smiled so brightly that the gloom of the morning which had stayed because of how the rains had poured overnight, instantly vanished. As Letita peered her eyes outside the open door, she studied the blazing sun setting higher up the skies. A smile broke forth on her own lips as well and Louisa blushed even prettily.

''Mother.''

''Yes, daughter.''

''There is something I did not expect you to say back there that you did.''

''Really?'' Her faint eyebrows wrinkled together as one. ''Is there truly such a havoc that I committed in that place?''

Louisa giggled at how serious she got her face to be and then said. ''It is not a major havoc but it was how you mentioned father in your talk.''

''Oh, that. Is there anything wrong in that?''

''Uhm...'' She stalled for a bit. ''I should say: Yes and No.''

''Nonsense, Lou. Your father is yet to return from his useless trip to that cousin of his who chose to accommodate him longer in Aegremonth.''

''True. True, mother. But let us assume that father should return today and this handsome beau of mine becomes a gentleman and walks in here to make things official with him, what then?''

''Hahahaha.'' Her mother broke into an awkward laugh. ''Now, how is that supposed to be a problem?''

''Ah, do you not know? It would have been because father could have spilled the beans of my actual name being Louisa and not Hazel.''

''And I am saying that I could very well have handled such a situation. Come, let me get you something for your mood. You two must have done a lot at night to become truly famished right now.''

Louisa smiled wittily at her mother's mentions. She loved how well she'd just struggled with her indirect way of referring to the subject matter. As Louisa smiled even broadly now, she truly pitied her mother for considering her totally untouched up until her encounter with this man.

They both started on their way toward the kitchen after having locked the entrance door, a sudden thought crawled inside her mother's head and she stopped walking and turned to face her instead.

''Louisa..''

''Yes, mother.. What is it?''

''You just now talked about that Merchant's likelihood to visit in the past tense. Does that mean you're not sure that he would come?''

Her mother's words cut her more sharply than a needle's prick to the heart. Of course, this suspicion had long eaten deep into her mind but now that her mum had brought up the talk, she was going to have to come clean about all of it.

She exhaled deeply first, before she apportioned her lips to speak.