I felt it before I saw it, Lady Corliss was somehow right behind me.
“My child, you simply have to choose someone and all of this will be over.” Her hand landed on my shoulder and she lowered her face to my cheek.
“Please . . . please. Make it stop,” I whispered.
“I know. I understand. But all of them are here because of you,” she said softly, her words promised warmth and kindness if only I would do what she wished.
“I want to go back to my room.”
“Are you not well?” She scrutinized my face.
“I . . . Yes.”
She made a sign to Sally, who was already approaching. Both of them helped me get up and escorted me out of the room.
“I need to see her!” Lord Adger’s furious voice reached me from behind the door.
“She is indisposed.” Lady Corliss was firm in not letting him in.
“Do you not understand what is at stake here?”
“I know as well as you do,” she stated calmly.
“We are almost out of time! If you want to keep your position, you better fix it.”
“I know what I am doing.”
“I can send you back to your village, Salomea.”
“Are you threatening me?”
He responded with something I could not distinguish, then everything quieted down. I dreaded Corliss coming back, but it was unavoidable. She quietly closed the carved, wooden door behind her, and stepped onto the plush, light blue rug.
“Alina. My child. You just need to pick someone who can protect you. Even if the union is a necessary evil, that does not mean that it will be loveless. Many women and men are united through arranged marriages, but in your case, you have been given the luxury of choosing your future husband.” She sat on the edge of the bed.
My eyes traced the golden stitching of the sky blue quilt. Everything I felt, all that I could focus on were the confusing echoes of half-formed thoughts coming from somewhere deep in the back of my mind.
“Can you look at me?” Lady Corliss spoke softly.
I made an effort and met her light gray eyes that looked at me with sincere concern.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened out there,” I managed to mumble.
“That’s alright. We will get through it together. I will be with you every step of the way, supporting you.” She smiled and reached out to clasp my hand in hers.
“Thank you,” I whispered, struggling to hold back my tears. I was so deeply grateful that, in this unbearable environment, there was someone who cared for me, who looked after me, and kept me from falling apart.
“Get some rest. We will talk it over tomorrow.” She leaned closer and kissed my forehead.
“Sally, please help Lady Alina with her dress.” With those words, she stood up and moved to the door, but when her small, elegant hand reached for the handle, she turned to look at me. “Everything will be alright, I promise.”
Sally helped me with my gown and at last I was lying in bed, too tired to keep my eyes open. A deep, dreamless slumber claimed me almost right away.
CHAPTER TWO
ALINA
The next two days passed quietly in a never ending blur. Lady Corliss kept her promise and no one approached me about choosing a suitor. I only rested and tried to push some food into me. It was not easy, I felt drowsy and weak most of the time. Even thinking about food was difficult. Sally brought me some bone broth and crackers and I slowly chewed on them without any interest.
