“Oh, but I was not expecting anything,” Sophia said, her curiosity piquing immediately as she took the package from the maid’s hands.
Sophia brought the box inside her room and quickly grabbed the note attached to it.
My dear Sophia,
I hope you are doing well. I have been thinking of you constantly — not a moment goes by when I do not think about you. In your absence, I have discovered some soothing herbs. I believe they can help with your nightmares as they are meant to soothe.
You should brew them into a tea and drink it a few times a day. It will surely bring about some positive changes.Yours sincerely,
Aunt Rose
P.S: Do not be concerned about how different my handwriting appears. It seems that old age has finally caught up to me, and I can no longer write my own letter due to my bad eyesight. The new maid, Martha, has helped me dictate this to you.
Sophia was filled with joy as she read and re-read the letter over and over.
“Oh, how thoughtful,” Sophia muttered to herself as she opened the package. It contained a bag full of loose-leaf tea. She brought it to her nostrils, and the smell was strong. Almost pungent.
“Oh my gosh.” Sophia quickly removed it away from her face. “It is definitely not faint.”
Sophia did not want to wait to brew it. She summoned her lady’s maid immediately.
“Clara, you must help me make this special tea that Aunt Rose has sent for me,” Sophia told her excitedly, handing her the bag of loose-leaf tea.
“Your Grace?” Clara’s tone was surprised. “That is strange. In all my years with her, I have not known her to be much of a tea drinker.”
Sophia shook her head.“It is clear that she is seeking new hobbies now that I am no longer there with her. Besides, she has claimed that it will help…” Sophia paused, “get me a more restful sleep.”
Clara’s expression changed as she realized what Sophia was talking about. The two of them had never discussed her nightmares in detail, but they were not a secret. Everyone in her old house knew that she got them as she would wake up screaming when she was younger.
“Do you really believe so?” It was Clara’s turn to take a whiff of the tea, and she had a similar reaction to Sophia. “My dear, it has quite the scent.”
“It might be an indication that it is a strong tea and therefore better for what it is supposed to do,” Sophia said optimistically.
If something as simple as drinking tea was going to cure her from her nightmares, then Sophia was surely going to try it. The nightmares had plagued her for many years now, and perhaps it was finally time that a solution was found — especially now that she lived in a different place entirely.
“Shall I brew a cup for you?” Clara asked.
“Yes,” Sophia agreed. “I would share with you as well, but I am not sure if it is such a good idea. It is clearly a specialized herb, and I do not have too much of it.”
“Oh, there is nothing to worry about,” Clara assured her. “You should think of it as your medicine and drink it yourself. You should not be thinking of sharing it.”
“Good,” Sophia decided, “then you must make the tea in secret and deliver it to me straight to my room. If anyone else sees it, they might ask questions, and I am not ready to talk about it just yet.”
“Yes, Madam, I will be very discreet.”
“Perfect.”
As Sophia waited for Clara to return, she found herself getting giddy. Why had Aunt Rose not found a solution like this before? It would have saved her many restless nights.
When Clara finally returned, Sophia carefully took the cup of tea from her hands.
“Go on, then,” Clara encouraged her, keeping a watchful eye on her at all times. “Take a sip.”
Sophia sipped the fragrant brew and immediately felt enveloped in a strong sense of comfort.
“Oh, this is indeed very nice,” she commented. “The taste is very strong, but the effect is very…”
“Relaxing?” Clara asked.
