When Ian told her to stay and take care of his manor as a favour. Nilana agreed, because she thought she was going to become his maid in order to repay him. But she didn't know he treated his maid like this! She wasn't even sure if she was his maid or not anymore.
By the time the sun had risen above the horizon, Nilana woke up to his knock. He went to the capital in the middle of the night and brought a seamstress to take her measures.
What in the heavens was going on with her life?
"Waist, 26," the seamstress told her assistant as the assistant wrote the measures down on a notebook.
Nilana stood straight, speechless. The seamstress lady was so strict, she couldn't even move an inch. It reminded her of her aunt Madeline back in home. She looked the same as this seamstress, with the same attitude.
"Lady Nilana, Sir Allister made a personal visit to my boutique, even at the late hour of 2 am, just as we were closing. And asked me to make the finest gowns for you to wear." The seamstress said while wrapping the measuring tape around her hips.
So, Mr Ian had a last name. It was Allister. Nilana wasn't so sure about the capital seamstress addressing a rower like him by 'Sir'.
The Seamstress continued, "None have ever witnessed his company with a mistress. Pray, Lady Nilana, reveal us your secret–how did you capture his stone heart?" Even the assistant looked at Nilana with the same curious eyes as the seamstress.
She frowned at both of them, her cheeks suddenly burning.
What was with these people? Assuming her as his mistress in the first glance.
Dismissing every unusual giddiness in her stomach, she realized. If she were them, she'd have assumed the same.
If a man was that much popular as a bachelor who had nothing to do with women. And he suddenly barges in at a boutique in the middle of the night, asking for the seamstress to make dresses for a woman. Nilana, herself, would also assume that woman to be his lover.
"I am his cousin." She uttered nonchalantly. There, she did it, ended all the rumours to be spread amongst them, with just one sentence.
The seamstress and her assistant gasped, their face traced with shock. "Oh." She covered her mouth with a hand and let out an awkward laugh. "My apologies, Lady Allister. I was unaware that Sir Ian Allister had a cousin sister."
Nilana laughed nervously. "Very well. I understand why you made the initial assumption. No harm done." and her nervous laughter died.
What in heavens did she just get herself into?
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.
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When it struck 9 o'clock, the seamstress finished taking the measurements and interviewing Nilana about the kind of vests, petticoats, bodices, cotehardie, and gowns she wanted and the fabrics she preferred. Lastly, before leaving, she handed a simple white colored cotehardie to Nilana.
"Sir Allister described your situation, and I brought this for you. He mentioned the theft of your clothes and your injuries on the journey here. I hope this attire is comfortable for you, Lady Allister. Wishing you a fine day."
Theft? She wondered. But despite her skepticism, she put on a smile to her face and thanked the seamstress for being so thoughtful and bid them farewell.
Standing at the entrance of the manor, she saw them leave the estate, closing the iron gates, her mind somewhere else.
Many things weren't making any sense to her, but she accepted that. Maybe she'll get the answers someway.
Theft? He told them her belongings were theft?
But why? Why did he lie?
Putting her every question aside. She decided to ask him one at a time rather than bombarding with thousands of questions. For now, she settled on making breakfast, not allowing herself to think furthermore.
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Ian awoke by the sizzling sound of cooking, and the fresh smell of omelettes. He had slept like a bear for the very first time in god knew how many years. His appetite had come back too, thanks to last night's meal.
It had been just one night and a day that Nilana came into his life. Yet she changed it on a whim. He didn't even know how.
Putting on a black doublet, he went downstairs, curious to see what was going on. His cat sat on the divan with a satisfied look on its face. Beside the divan, there was an empty bowl of milk on the ground.
A ghost of an amused smile danced on his face.
She even considered feeding this cat, which had such an intolerable attitude.
"Where did you get milk?" He asked as he spotted her stirring the soup in the kitchen. Her back faced him.
Nilana flinched at the sudden presence of the owner of the house. She swore he walked quieter than a cat.
"Uh- yes, I found some in your larder. So gave the hungry cat some." She muttered out a reply. Then she remembered. "Hope that's alright. Sir Allister."
Ian's eyes widened at the mention of his last name and her addressing him as a sir.
Nilana turned back and looked at him and forced a small smile. "The seamstress addressed you by that name."
"I am a merchant." He spoke without any emotions. "I am from the neighbouring kingdom of Amadeus. Here at the capital, I sell rare wood goods."
So he was speaking now, she thought.
"And you row boats at night in different districts of the kingdom?"
"No, and yes. I do not do that often, and not to help people get to the other side of the shore." He stated flatly. "But to explore new possibilities of rare wood in my free time."
"Everyone has free time at night. But they tend to be asleep."
"My free time indeed covers most of the time most people tend to be asleep, Miss Nilana. But the difference is they can sleep, and I cannot." His eyes set on hers. "But I think you can and will definitely sleep at night. So after breakfast, I can allocate some time for you to explore the nearby town if you, fortunately, have some free time in hand."