Chapter Fifty-one

The bedroom was empty when Evie came in to rouse Eleanor the next morning. Everyone took a break from working because of the ball that day, so Eleanor could not have left for the hospital.

Agitated, she left to scour every nook and cranny of the palace for mistress-her heart thudding rapidly in fear that something had gone wrong. It reminded her of that one time the girl had gone missing and she had almost lost her mind thinking Eleanor ran away. Evie would not claim Eleanor was incapable of running away now, but she did fret at her young miss' disappearance.

Much to her dismay, she found Eleanor hiding behind a mounted sculpture somewhere in the palace. The bags under her eyes were heavy and the skin on her lips looked pale.

"Do you realize what time it is?" Evie crouched down to her eye level on the floor. "It is quite early for a game of hide and seek."

"I could not sleep,” Eleanor quickly let out, not willing to tell the girl her unanticipated findings from last night.

Evie beamed