After being tested by Alaric in the morning, Lenore searches for distractions. She starts by heading outside to the garden with Mary and Dame Brina in tow. Soon, she's not sure that she'll have much to do here herself.
Corwin—at Alaric's request—has hired gardeners to help her with the physical burden of actually tending to the plants, especially when it comes to tasks like pulling weeds and pruning plants. Of course, she appreciates the help. She just wishes that she was allowed to more actively participate in gardening instead of being put into the role of watching and managing due to her status as a duchess.
Well, it's not so bad. She spends her time kneeling by plants, whispering stories that don't have a clear beginning or end to them. Rambling is what Mary calls it, but she read that some gardeners believe that talking to plants can help them grow, and it's a simple gesture that she's able to do no matter how many gardeners are hired. After all, there's nothing laborious about speaking.
She stays outside until her knees ache from crouching on the dirt, needing a hand from Brina to stand up and brush off her skirts. It has to be getting close to midday, which means the kitchen servants will be looking for her soon. "I want to wash up."
Mary rushes ahead of her to get the bath ready and prepare a new set of clothes, and Lenore takes her time walking back into the manor with Dame Brina's comforting presence at her side.
"The air outside feels a bit different today, doesn't it?" Lenore asks. It's been on her mind since she entered the gardens.
Usually, the air around the estate has a somber weight to it, like the land itself is in mourning under the effects of the curse. And maybe it is, Lenore thinks. Land is filled with living things, and perhaps those creatures and plants can collectively mourn the loss of Barrowmere's former vitality in their own way. To an extent, it feels like the idea fits the Temple's lessons on the natural spirits of the earth, those that seek harmony and show resilience in the face of hardship. She loved reading those tomes at her uncle's manor, immersing herself in the teachings of the Temple's scholars and how they viewed magic and divinity as two sides of the same core power. Perhaps she can speak with a priest or mage about the nature of Barrowmere's curse. There must be a way to break it.
But it's been in effect for so long, Alaric must have searched for ways to heal his territory. It would be strange if he hadn't. In that case, maybe the curse is too complex to break.
Dame Brina thinks before she answers. "It could be that you feel refreshed coming outside again after you had a fever, my lady. Additionally, the flowers are thriving now more than ever, thanks to your care and the gardeners' efforts. Wouldn't that make the air feel different?"
Lenore glances back at the garden, taking a look at how many more colors fill the area compared to when she arrived in Barrowmere. "Yes, I suppose that would make it feel different."
The problem is that she's not sure how to explain the shift in the air. However, it's possible that she's simply overthinking it since the garden has become her one responsibility as the duchess. Could it just be a matter of pride now that she sees results from her efforts?
Dame Brina parts ways with Lenore once they're inside the manor, and Lenore makes her way back to her bedchamber alone. By now, it's a familiar path, but her knees ache from being in the garden, and there's some pain in her arm and side, which she suspects is from when she fainted during the night. She doesn't remember that part, but it seems that her body does.
The bath is joined to her bedchamber by a door on the opposite wall of her bed. She smells fragrant oils filling her room when she enters from the hallway, and the scent alone is almost enough to soothe away her aches.
With the help of Viola, Mary has the bath ready shortly after Lenore's arrival.
Warmth washes over her, and she asks for her midday meal to be served in her room. She's tired and sore, so the thought of trekking to the dining room instead of enjoying this peace a little longer is rather upsetting.
Besides, Alaric rarely joins her at this time. She's more likely to see him at dinner than at any other meal.
Mary washes her hair with practiced fingers, untangling every knot she finds, while Viola heads to the kitchen.
A while later, when the water is growing lukewarm, Lenore finally leaves it to dry off and get dressed in a plain, yet warm and comfortable dress. It's one of her favorite dresses and one of the few she brought with her that belonged to her instead of Alina. Her meal is waiting for her, and there's a letter on the tray as well, still sealed.
"The head butler said you received a letter, so he gave it to me to bring with your meal," Viola explains.
The writing on it brings a smile to Lenore's face. "It's from my father."
Its contents aren't as sentimental as the previous letters, but Lenore can tell that each word is chosen carefully. She understands that he might not know how to talk to her anymore. She doesn't know how to talk to them, either. Time has left a gap between her and her family, and it's not easy to figure out how to build a bridge across it. But they're trying, and she's trying. For now, that's enough.
Her father starts with a simple greeting and brief update on how her mother and siblings are doing, as well as himself. Then, he asks about her life in Barrowmere. Is she eating well? Is she warm at night? None of the questions try to probe too deeply into her life.
It's the next section that catches her attention. True to what Alaric told her, her father mentions the emperor's birthday banquet and his intentions to attend for the purpose of meeting her again—and meeting her husband for the first time. She reads the last line over and over, letting it fill her heart with a mix of excitement and warmth.
"We can't wait to see you again."