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She dips her chin, her grey hair pulled into a tight bun that doesn’t budge. “Of course. I’ll send the girls right up.”
Her stiff grey skirts swish around her flat shoes as she passes by us, giving me a sideways glance. Darcy pulls me along too quickly for me to get stuck on the odd exchange.
It’s all forgotten once we step into the bedchamber.
Bright tapestries of meadows in full bloom cover nearly every inch of the dusty grey walls, and a tall, double-paneled window facing the sea lets plenty of sunshine in.
Darcy cracks it open, and the breeze stirs the gauzy, cloud-colored canopy hanging above a huge bed adorned with pillows and silky blue blankets.
My mouth forms an O of astonishment in the looking glass to my right. It’s fixed to a white dresser embellished with pearl handles and delicate seashell paintings. Pale blue ribbons and jars of creams are strewn about its surface.
I pick up a brush and run my fingers over the soft bristles. “Everything in here is so beautiful.”
This moment might be overwhelming, but there’s still so much for me to touch and smell and see.
And I’ll have my love beside me.
I look into her eyes again and know everything will be alright as she smiles. “My cousin, Minnie, has exquisite taste. She left some of her things behind when she left to pursue her studies last year. You’re a little taller than her, but her dresses should work for now.”
A knock sounds on the door, and she turns to the two young women standing in the hall. “Could you two please fill the tub for my friend and help her prepare for dinner with my family this evening?”
“Yes, Your Grace.” They both dip into deep curtsies before scurrying off.
“I’ll let you get some rest.” Darcy bends at the waist, bowing politely. “They’ll be back shortly. ”
“Aren’t you staying?” Panic grips me as she turns on her heel. She’s leaving me with strangers in this unfamiliar setting.
She catches the doorframe and drums her fingers on the molding. “I have a council meeting today, and I figured you’d want some time to yourself before dinner. My aunt and uncle are going to have so many questions about our encounter with the serpent.”
Questions need to be avoided at all costs. Questions are dangerous.
“Why would they want to question me?” I ask.
“Because our family has been defending the Heartbreak Isles from sea creatures and other monsters for centuries,” she says, quicksilver pride flashing in her eyes as she casts a look over her shoulder. “That’s how we inherited our title–through hard work and sacrifice. My great-great-grandfather was the man who wiped out the Order of the Undine.” The floor seems to slant sideways, the whole world tilting. “It’s our duty to continue our hunting legacy.”
She bids me farewell, with plans to see me this evening. I’m sure I return the sentiment, but I can’t hear myself speaking.
“Breathe, Cordelia,” Zephyr murmurs in my ear as the door closes behind Darcy. “Just breathe. Get through this.”
I suck a lungful of air in, count to three, and release it before rushing over to the dresser to store my valuables inside a drawer, hiding them beneath lacy undergarments.
Breathe and think. That’s all I do for the next few hours while the maids bring me to an attached chamber and fill a tub with buckets of hot water. They scrub me down with soap that smells faintly like Darcy.
Lavender. That’s the mystery note that always lingers on her skin. The scent brings up too many sweet memories as they detangle my hair.
Darcy has always been kind and gentle to me. I can’t imagine her going off in a balinger to hunt sea creatures with her aunt and uncle.
She’s different from her family. She has to be.
They could still be a threat, though. I’ll have to be wary of every little thing I say or do at dinner.
I practice my backstory over and over again while the maids pat me dry with fluffy towels and hand me a cream chemise. They bicker for a few minutes over which gown will look best on me before settling on a dark blue one with frills at the ends of its long sleeves.
They lace my corset tightly as I brace my hands on the edge of the table and stare at myself in the mirror. My eyes don’t glimmer with a magical allure anymore, but they’re set with determination to win my love’s heart and pull her away from the pressures of her family.
I’ll start by making a good impression. Once we’re in love again, I’ll convince her to sail far away with me like she always wanted.
6
