"I am very pleased with you," he said.
My nipples tightened at the unexpected words.
I did not know how to respond, but the sight of my face turned toward him seemed to quicken his release, and he soon closed his eyes and grunted louder than usual as he released the sticky seed into me.
"I will send a servant to bring a tray and light the fire in here," he said abruptly. “You will need to get proper food and lots of rest.”
I did not care if he was happy with me or not. I only wanted to escape him.
To my surprise, servants shortly came in with a full bowl of mild, delicious soup and crusty bread, and did stoke the fire high enough to last all night. It was almost enough to smother the line of rot that slid through my room at Grayspires.
He must want to make sure his heir is healthy, I thought numbly to myself.
The next morning I felt a little better at not having to arise in such a chilled bedroom and went down to breakfast with what composure I could.
Gideon was sitting at a writing-table in the receiving-room, and when he saw me through the door he crossed the floor in haste, pulling out my chair and seating me neatly.
"Put on this shawl," he ordered. "The room is not yet warm enough for you."
Ada watched with astonishment, setting her teacup down with a jolt that shook the whole table.
"Whatis going on? There is no need to coddle her."
Gideon scoffed, the callouses on his hands brushing by my arms.
"Ada, Deliverance is carrying my child. She will certainly require a warm room," he said shortly. "You will be responsible for making sure the servants keep her rooms comfortable, and I will expect you personally to fetch and carry for mywifeif she needs anything."
He headed back to his writing desk and began to seal the letter he had written.
And suddenly, there was acrack.
I whirled around to where my husband’s mistress was sitting. Ada's face looked white, her cheeks drawn, the little lines harsh around her full lips.
She was still clutching the teacup in her hand, even though it had split right through the middle.
There was something unsettling in her expression, like cracks had begun to appear all along the fine beautiful planes of her face.
And Ada didn't even seem to notice the blood dripping between her fingers. . .
CHAPTER 13
Deliverance
At first, I did not realize that our lives at Grayspires Manor had shifted, that Grayspires was orbiting around a different axis now.
But the frown lines deepened in Ada’s face every time Gideon moved to increase my comfort, even cruel and careless as he still was.
Small actions like keeping a fire in my room, or buying me new clothing, made a chill go down my spine at the expression on her face.
And strange things began to happen, so innocent and usual that they could almost have been accidents. . .except that I did not trust Grayspires.
A window missing its sill. . .
A crumbling rock near the moor that almost pitched me forward into a ditch. . .
A staircase that had soap on it. . .
And then one day Mariam fell ill.
