#willow run

The cries could be heard all the way in the basement kitchens, where Claire was hungrily grabbing a bite to eat before the bell rang, before all hell broke loose. Scrambling out of her seat, she tied her apron and rushed up the innumerable steps to the third floor of the house, her breath catching as she clutched her chest racing down the final corridor. 

The screams were deafening now, and despite Claire’s insistence on doing the job she was hired to do, she was greatly hesitant to enter the room. Alexa was in a right state, obviously, and something had to be done. 

Bumping into a stunned Mrs. Davis at the door, Claire rushed to Lex’s bedside. The girl was red-faced, sweating, and immeasurably angry. Claire had never seen her like this, though it had only been three weeks since her arrival. 

“What in the world is going on?” She asked the room. Along with Mrs. Davis, Claire’s assistant Martha was there, too, standing useless and frozen, moving her head rapidly from Lex to Mrs. Davis, clearly questioning what it was she should be doing. 

“Lex, it’s me…Claire - remember me, darling?”

“I only wanted to give her a bath, ma'am! Mrs. Davis said it needed to be done this morning, so I had the warm water brought up and everything! I did what I was told, but-”  

Martha’s pleading had been cut off by a scream from Lex; Mrs. Davis shoved Martha’s shoulder and hissed through her teeth for Martha to be quiet. 

Lex pressed herself into her pillows as Claire attempted to get closer. 

“Go away! All of you! Get out! Get out of my room!” Lex spat, staring everyone down, daring them to ignore her demands. Claire looked back at Mrs. Davis, who was whispering something to Martha. 

“Has this ever happened before?” Claire demanded to know, her eyes going wide as the two other women left the room. She was on her own, then, Claire thought, and clueless as she was about Lex’s condition, Claire decided to wait and see what might happen if she just sat and observed. Lex was balled up in her pillows, shaking her head at Claire’s gaze. 

It wasn’t long before the door burst open again, Martha coming in, out of breath and wet from rain, with the red-headed carriage driver Claire had seen on her arrival walking swiftly behind her. His face was intent, and he glanced at Claire briefly, then went to Lex’s bedside, easing himself on the edge of the mattress. He had to duck to get under the heavy canopy, and he pulled his coat off, tossing it on a chair nearby.  

Claire heard him murmuring under his breath, Lex listening with great interest. It reminded Claire of how she’d heard him speak to the horses that rainy first night. She hadn’t seen him since, and wondered if he even lived on the grounds.  She watched in amazement as Alexa was returning to her normal color, her light blonde hair pushed away from her damp forehead by large, soft hands. Lex nodded to the man, sniffed a bit, then laid back down. The man patted one of her feet briefly before Mrs. Davis cut in, causing Claire to jerk with surprise. 

“All right, that’s it. All done, get out of here. And don’t be seen.” 

The man only nodded, glancing once at Lex, then at Claire. His face was unreadable; he shuffled out the door while Mrs. Davis urged him to be quick about it. Claire could only stand and watch, swallowing the questions forming on her lips. Mrs. Davis didn’t care for her questions at the best of times.