To The Traitor in My Bed - Chapter 21
Chapter 11. Survival Skills of the Rochepolie People
Deirdre nearly crawled her way to Edelweiss Heights.
The moment she saw the horses the military police had ridden from a distance, she asked the coachman to let her down. She then instructed him to go full speed to the Count’s residence and bring more guards.
“I’m fine with Rex there. Hurry!”
After pushing the reluctant coachman off, she headed toward Perpetua’s house. The snow was piled up to her knees, and the heavy coat hem, now weighed down by the snow, kept wrapping around her legs, slowing her down considerably.
The skate blades the coachman had given her for safety kept hitting her legs with each step.
She wore a white mink fur cloak, hoping that anyone looking out from afar wouldn’t spot her as she approached the building slowly.
Outside, four horses were tethered. They were strong, hardy animals from the Luska breed, known for their resilience to the cold, but their speed was just slightly better than a donkey’s. Because of their slower pace, the military police typically used these horses for patrols, which meant they hadn’t come here to chase anyone.
Before knocking on the door, she wanted to get a better sense of the situation inside. If the military police had come to seek shelter from the snow, there was no need for her to confront them.
‘Is there a way to peek inside…?’
Deirdre quietly moved around to the north side of the building, unaware that the butler had spotted her through the hall window.
All the windows on the north side were small and covered with thick curtains. Though disappointed, she stood on tiptoe and peeked through the window. Just as the wind momentarily calmed and the snowstorm that had been blocking her view began to thin, she saw the back door cracked open just a little.
Leaving the back door open in this weather?
She approached the door, puzzled. It was a common servant’s entrance for such estates, designed to be locked from either inside or outside. She leaned in to see if someone had opened the door.
Suddenly, a hand shot out from behind her.
Not from inside the house, but from behind her.
She tried to scream, but the hand was already firmly covering her mouth. It was the thick hand of a man, so massive it felt like a lid from a pot. The madman hadn’t even bothered to wear gloves in this weather.
In a panic, Deirdre bit down hard on the hand. It loosened for a moment, but the grip didn’t weaken. Another hand wrapped around her waist, dragging her away from the building.
“Damn it…! Lady Rochepolie, just stay still.”
The strong Froiden accent. It was the same man who had disrupted the peace of her home. Deirdre froze in fear.
The man spoke again. Despite his accent, he was definitely speaking in Antwerp.
“I’m not trying to harm you, Madam. Just please, stay still…!”
Stay still? Where did he plan on taking her? Inside, there were military police, so they couldn’t go to Edelweiss Heights. The closest place was the Count’s residence, 2 miles away, but he certainly wouldn’t take her there. She pretended to listen to him, easing the tension in her body.
“Good. I’ll let go of your hands now…”
As soon as his grip loosened, Deirdre struck his arm hard with the edge of the skate blade hanging at her waist. The man stifled a scream. That meant he knew the military police were nearby.
Before the man could catch her again, she quickly broke free and ran down the hill without looking back. The snowstorm had intensified, so she couldn’t even tell if he was chasing her. However, the steep slope made her path clear, and she tumbled down the hill.
Reaching the riverbank, she hurriedly strapped on the skate blades.
‘Once I reach the Count’s residence, he won’t be able to chase me any further.’
Skating alone on a night like this was dangerous, but the presence of the military police and the Froiden spy made the situation even more dangerous.
At least there was some comfort in knowing that the soldier wouldn’t harm Lady Perpetua. Even if they came to accuse her of something ridiculous, they wouldn’t be able to do anything to her that night.
Because of the wrongful accusation against Marquis Havisham five years ago, which had led to his death, King Christian had been forced to take action, even if only for appearances. Now, military police couldn’t arrest nobility without a warrant.
After making sure her skate blades were securely fastened, she stood up, her legs still trembling. By then, there were no signs of anyone chasing her, whether it was the man or the military police.
‘Just head toward the mansion at 5 o’clock.’
She glanced back one more time at Edelweiss Heights, the faint light from the distant hill resembling a lighthouse. Hoping to cross paths with the guards the coachman had summoned, Deirdre started skating across the ice.
Even in Aspen, the lakes froze during winter. It was Daymond who had taught her how to skate.
Daymond had always been a considerate older brother to her.
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