Page 11 of Once Bitten, Twice Mine

It was extravagant, but no one could tell her so because she was the one making it.

“What are you making?”

Caroline jumped for the second time that evening. She had never been so excitable, but her heart kept pounding as she looked up to see Valeria before her. The woman looked far less delicate than she did the first time she saw her that evening. Her cheeks were no longer gaunt, and the bags under her eyes were nearly gone.

“Lace for my veil.”

“I didn’t know you could make lace.”

“A few things have changed since we were sixteen.”

“A few things have, certainly,” Valeria smirked. “Though, I’m not surprised you’ve become such an accomplished woman.”

“Not really.” Caroline’s eyes returned to her work as a deep flush settled into her cheeks. “I’m rather particular, so it’s easier if I do it myself.”

“Spoken like a true accomplished person. If I didn’t find a veil I liked, I would have to go without.”

Lady Valeria sat on the spindly chair across from her that was a family heirloom she had pilfered from one of the rotting guest rooms. They were in Caroline’s private sitting room. It was attached to her bedroom, so it was the one place she had total control over, but it mainly served as a room for her various crafts.

Her embroidery bag was on the loveseat with her knitting basket on the floor beside it. An easel was folded up in the back next to her harp. She hadn’t had much time to play the harp these past few years, but it was still there in case she decided to restart her practice.

“Well, if you were interested in learning, I could teach you.”

“No,” Valeria snorted. “If I ever needed any lace, I would rather you make it for me.”

And Caroline would make her whatever she wanted if only she asked. Though she held her tongue because something about that admission felt rather pathetic since they hadn’t seen one another for so long.

“I’m glad to see that you’re feeling better.”

“How are you so sure I’m feeling better?”

“Well, for one, you are up and walking around.” Caroline looked at the woman across from her; she wore the dressing gown they left in there for guests. It was a little tight over her chest, but the arms were so long that she had to repeatedly push up the sleeves. “You also look better. Healthier.”

Radiant was the proper term, but that was too embarrassing to say out loud. Valeria looked amused before leaning back in her chair, the bottom of the dressing gown parted to reveal her crossed legs. The shift she wore was so transparent that Caroline could actually see her legs through the fabric.

“The food you had sent to me was quite helpful in healing me.”

“Good.” Caroline gave her a small smile. “Nelly is available for your use throughout your stay, so you can ring her whenever you need something.”

“Good, because I did find her to be rather sweet,” she said with a smile Caroline couldn’t quite read.

“Would you like me to fetch the doctor for you now?”

It seemed like a funny question to ask the woman before her who was a little slow and pale, but otherwise seemed to be fine, but Caroline couldn’t forget how quickly she had become sick the previous night. Or how sick she was when she visited her earlier. Frankly, it was miraculous she was up and about at all.

“No, my disease is peculiar enough I should wait for my own doctor. I appreciate your hospitality, but it shouldn’t be more than a few days.”

“As long as you’re sure. You seemed to be quite sick when I visited you earlier.”

“Then don’t visit me during the day.”

Caroline laughed, but when Valeria remained silent, her laughter tapered off, and she cleared her throat.

“I only wanted to make sure you were all right.”

“As you can see, I’m quite fine.”

She lifted her arms as if for her examination, but when Caroline didn’t move, she lowered her arms. One of the sleeves fell from her shoulder, exposing her perilously thin chemise. Somehow, her veil was more opaque than that shift. Only some collarbone and the upper portion of her chest had been exposed, but Caroline’s eyes still bounced away before anything too scandalous was revealed.