Lenore doesn't expect Alaric to pull her into his arms, but his warmth and strength send her heart racing and a burst of heat to her cheeks, which must be red by now. He holds on for a moment too too long for her to dismiss the gesture, then lets her go.
Alaric leads her back into the manor, then returns to his study, promising to see her at dinner if she has nothing else to say to him at the moment. The truth is that she's not sure she could get the words out even if she had any to say. He's impossible to understand. One moment, he's distant and cold, but not unkind. In the next moment, he's warm and excited about the progress of her work.
To take her mind off of him, Lenore continues delivering her notes with their flowers to the staff of the estate who showed her more care than she's ever received in the past. At the same time, she realizes how little she knows about the servants of Barrowmere.
In Rowanhart, Mary was her dedicated servant, although she was more like a nanny during those first years. After that, her uncle didn't want to waste more manpower on her, and simply left her to Mary's care. As a result, the rest of the servants decided that they didn't need to bother with her either. She wasn't a loved child, and that meant that neglecting her wouldn't result in them being punished by her uncle.
Perhaps that's why the warmth of Barrowmere feels so foreign. Despite the unpredictable and gloomy weather, there's an undeniable light that fills the halls of the estate, because the people inside are wrapped in bright kindness that chases away the shadows that Lenore is used to.
The kitchen staff and the chef—a man who goes by the nickname Rem—are thrilled by her notes and flowers, as shocked as Alaric to learn that they were grown on the estate. They show her their progress on dinner and ask her to taste various sauces to test her preferences. Rem tells her about his children, saying that they were often sick as babies, and without getting a job at the Duke's estate, he would've never been able to afford the medicine that helped them through those rough winters.
"I would love to meet them," Lenore says. "Then, I can thank them for their tastes in porridge, which helped me get through that fever."
If Lenore wasn't the lady of the estate, she's certain that Rem would've hugged her at that moment, likely able to lift her clear off the ground, considering how he towers over her.
"Yes, Duchess," he says instead, his voice thick with something akin to pride. "They'll be glad to meet you."
Lenore leaves them to their work, heading to give Corwin his note and one that she asks him to pass onto the physician who helped her, uncertain as to where she might find him or if he still resides at the estate. After that, there's only her maids left. Mary and Eva received their notes and flowers early, having helped her arrange the gifts in the first place. However, she hasn't seen Lily and Viola yet, and her junior maids certainly proved themselves while she was ill.
The servants' quarters, it turns out, are quite far from where Lenore is used to walking in the manor. Mary leads Lenore there at her request, explaining that the quarters are placed in the most convenient location for the majority of the servants at the estate. She explains how the layout lets them stay near the main spots for their labor—places like the laundry room and kitchen—which is why their rooms are so far from locations like her bed chambers.
"Was it like that at Rowanhart?" Lenore asks.
Mary's smile becomes strained, then she stops trying to force it and looks slightly upset instead. "Yes, but you were too young to realize that your room in Rowanhart was once part of the servants' quarters. By the time you grew old enough to notice, you were too used to the arrangement to question it."
Her admission makes sense, and Lenore finds that she isn't surprised that her uncle would have her live in such a location. At the time, she never gave it much thought. Her uncle told her that she should be thankful that he took her in after her family threw her away. Now, of course, she knows that he lied to her while she was in his care. If only she knew the reason that he felt the need to separate her from her parents if he was going to treat her so poorly.
Lily and Viola share a simple room, and they're overjoyed to receive her notes and flowers. When Lenore says that she hopes they'll stay at Barrowmere for a long time, they can't stop themselves from hugging her. While it's a breach of etiquette, it's one she certainly doesn't mind.
By the time she arrives in the dining room to have dinner with Alaric, Lenore's heart feels light, filled with the kindness of the people around her. She wonders if this was how Alina always felt at Rowanhart. Loved. Like she belongs.
Alaric is already at the table, and he nods in greeting when she enters. "Have you enjoyed your day?"
Lenore sits down with a smile. "Yes. I met with many servants who helped me while I was sick. It was fascinating to hear about their lives and work."
Alaric seems to have expected her answer, and she realizes that he was likely told about her daily activities before even arriving to dinner. "There's something that I want to speak with you about."
"What is it?"
"When your family sent letters to you, they included one addressed to me." He pauses to take a drink of the red wine set by his plate. "Naturally, they want to see you in person. I suggested finding neutral ground, offering to take you to the capitol for the emperor's birthday banquet, if you wanted to. If not, there's no need to worry. Tell me comfortably what you'd like to do."
Lenore balls her hands into fists. She didn't think that her chance to see her family again would be so soon, but the idea alone is enough to bring tears to her eyes. "I want to go. I really want to see them again."
"Alright," Alaric says, not demanding anything more than her simple answer. "We'll start making preparations."
For the first time she can remember, the idea of traveling fills Lenore with excitement.