Alice 19th Fan Fiction ❯ Healing the Heart ❯ Chapter 2

The girl opened her eyes slowly. She was in a huge room. Someone had changed her into a silk nightgown. The curtains had been opened allowing light to shine on the nightstand next to the bed.

 

“Whoa. This room is even bigger than my parents.” she said to herself.

 

“Good morning. Are you feeling better?” a voice said from behind her. She turned around to see Chris, sitting in a chair by her bed, holding a book.

 

“Much better.” She smiled. “Thank you.”

 

“My name is Christopher Roland XIII, but you may call me Chris.”

 

“And my name is Alicia. Alicia Maxwell.”

 

That name sounded familiar to Chris for some reason, but he ignored it for the moment. There were more important things to worry about.

 

“Alicia, I need to ask you. Why were you bleeding last night and why didn't you want me to take you home.”

 

Alicia bowed her head. He had asked the to questions she did not want to answer. “I was bleeding because I hurt myself and I didn't want to go home because I hate it there.”

 

“Do you have a place to stay?”

 

She laughed bitterly. “If I have a place to stay than I wouldn't be here.”

 

“Fine, then you shall stay here.” Chris pressed a button on a wall. “Stewart, inform my father that our guest will e staying for some time.”

 

Alicia stared at Chris. Confusion was plain in her sapphire blue eyes. “Why are you doing this for me?”

 

“I have a feeling that there is a lot more to this situation than you are letting on.” He replied seriously. “And there is something about you. It tells me that you would be happy here.

 

This stumped Alicia. No one had ever cared about her happiness before. She was about to say something when the maid walked in.

 

“Miss,” she said. “I shall show you your quarters. Would you like to come Sir?”

 

“No thank you.” Chris stood up. “There are things I must do in town today. I trust you will take care of Miss Alicia?”

 

The maid curtsied. “Yes Sir. Miss, please follow me.” She led Alicia through a maze of hallways until there arrived in a small hallway with a single door at the end.

 

“This is your room.” The door opened and Alicia entered into a room twice the size of the one she had been sleeping in. A canopy bed with light blue covers sat against the wall next to an elegant desk. On top of it was a laptop with a printer sitting to one side. A windowed alcove provided the perfect place to read one of many books on the shelf next to it. A closet full of the best clothes money could buy took up an entire side of the room!

 

“Wow!” Alicia race to a window. She could see a garden with a small fountain and benches situated close to the back of the house.

 

A tap on the shoulder got Alicia's attention. “Miss, through this door is your bathroom.” The bathroom had a large tub with gold handles. Various soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and bubble baths lined a cabinet above an ivory sink.

 

Alicia turned to stare at the maid. “This is all mine?!”

 

“Yes. Should you need anything, press the intercom on the wall and ask for Mary. I will be there as soon as I can.”

 

“Mary. I got it.” Mary turned to leave. “Wait.”

 

“Yes?” Mary asked with a curious look.

 

“Please call me Alicia.”

 

She smiled. “Okay, Miss Alicia.”

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Alicia skipped down the hall. She had taken a nice, warm shower and gotten dressed in one of her new outfits: long black pants, a pink tank top, and black high heels. Her long brown hair was tied in a ponytail reaching her mid back.

 

She had already found the kitchen, the music room, and the sitting room. However, she was looking for Chris.

 

When she turned the next corner, she bumped into something quite solid. “Ow! I'm sorry I was looking for I was going and-“

 

The person chuckled. “It is quite all right Miss Alicia.” He held out his hand. “I am Chris' father.”

 

Alicia allowed him to help her up. “ Thank you for allowing me to stay here, sir.”

 

“You are welcome. It's nice that Chris has made a friend.”

 

Her face turned serious. “Why do you allow a complete stranger to stay in your house.”

 

“You are hiding something.” he said seriously. “There is something about your home that you don't want us to know about.” He went into a room that looked like a study.

 

Alicia continued down the hallway. As she passed by a door, she heard a bird chirping. She opened the door slightly and peeked inside. Chris was standing by a window. Perched on her hand was a swallow.

 

“Chris?” she said uncertainly.

 

He turned to face her. “Are you okay?”

 

“Are you sure this is all okay?”

 

“Yes.” He smiled warmly. “Let me show you around our property.”

 

Chris led Alicia around the house, which included a huge library that Alicia loved. Then he showed her the gardens, the forest, and the pool. Afterward, he let her wander to her heart's content.