“We’re the only ones here,” Mrs. Henstridge said apologetically. “On such short notice, we didn’t have many other options.”
“It’s no problem,” I assured her, although I would have appreciated more security. “We’ll do our best not to be a bother.”
“Oh, no! Bother away. We’ve been here by ourselves for far too long,” she said. “Why don’t we get you settled into your rooms? You must be exhausted from your trip.”
She wasn’t wrong. Despite my naps in the carriage, I was exhausted, and all I wanted to do was curl up in a bed and get some real sleep.
Mrs. Henstridge pulled out a ring full of keys and we followed her up the right staircase. Our footsteps echoed through the massive house as we climbed, the man carrying our luggage behind us.
“This room is for you, my lady,” she said. She searched the ring for a key, and when she found it, she slid it into the lock. The door unlocked, and she pushed the door open.
The room was striking. It was split into two parts, the first, a sitting area. In here, the walls were papered a soft shade of blue with a cherry blossom painted on one of the walls. The chairs and couch here were situated around a mahogany table in front of a massive fireplace, in which a warm, roaring fire burned. Across the room was a stone archway. Through there was the bedroom, with a large, canopied mahogany bed with layers upon layers of white blankets and pillows. Off this room was the washroom, complete with a clawfoot bathtub and sparkling gold features.
“My,” I gasped. “This is lovely.”
“This is where we put up all the important guests,” Mrs. Henstridge said.
Conor brought in my luggage, setting it beside my bed.
“Thank you,” I said, to both of them.
“You should have everything you need. Soap and towels are in the loo. If you need anything, there’s a bell beside your bed. Please, feel to ring me whenever.”
“Thank you,” I repeated.
“Well, we’ll let you get settled.” She turned to the others. “All right, now, you’re next door,” she said to Annabelle. “We’ve got a crib set up for the little one and everything.”
Mrs. Henstridge shut the door behind them, leaving me alone in the massive room. I was about ready to lie down. It had already begun to get dark outside. I opened one of my trunks, rummaging around for a nightdress, when there was a knock on my door.
“Yes?” I called out.
“Ma’am?”
“Oh, Bridget, please, come in,” I said. She came to join me beside the bed and looked at the trunk I had been going through. She rolled her eyes.
“Come on,” she said, leading me into the bathroom. She ran a bath for me, the steam billowing up from the tub. I was thankful the castle had hot water despite its age.
“You relax in here,” she said, “and I’ll put your things away.”
I wanted to protest, but truly I was too tired. Bridget helped me undress, and I slipped into the hot water. My muscles began to relax, and the dirt and grime from travel washed off my skin.
When I got out of the tub, Bridget had gotten everything stored away into the wardrobe. She pulled back the blankets, and I climbed into bed without complaint. Bridget bade me goodnight.
Despite my fatigue, I had trouble drifting off. It wasn’t merely that I sleeping in a new place, it was that as soon as I closed my eyes, I saw Seth’s face. This place may have been meant to keep the likes of Seth out, but what good would that do without protection? I worked to steady my breathing, knowing that there was no way I was going to be able to fall asleep if I was anxious. After hours of tossing and turning, fatigue finally overtook me.
I slept hard, even through the nightmares. I didn’t wake up until the sun was high in the sky. My stomach rumbled, and I got dressed before heading downstairs. I stood at the bottom of the stairs for a minute, unsure where to go until Mrs. Henstridge saw me.
“Oh, come this way, dear. Let’s get you some food,” she said.
After lunch, I spent some time socializing with the girls in the sitting area of my room before retiring to read for a bit and take a brief nap. When I awoke, it was time for dinner.
This time, I knew where the dining room was, since Mrs. Henstridge had led me earlier. I reached the staircase and took the hallway at the bottom of the right set. I passed several closed doors before making it to the dining hall at the end.
This room, too, was lovely. Tall stone walls, stained glass windows, chandeliers lined up over the long table. Mrs. Henstridge led me to the head of the table, and I sat down gratefully.
Despite Mr. and Mrs. Henstridge being the only ones in the house, there was more than enough food for all of us. We piled our plates high with turkey and bread and potatoes. All except for Annabelle, who seemed to be picking at her food.
“Annabelle, are you all right?” I asked as she fed a bite of potatoes to Daniel. “You’ve hardly touched your food, and it’s quite good.”
“I’m not terribly hungry,” she said. “My stomach is knotted.”
I saw Adam and Conor exchange a look and knew something was going on. “Annabelle?”
She tried and failed to suppress a smile. “All right,” she said. “I had planned to save it for another time, because everything has been so stressful, but...I’m pregnant!”
My jaw dropped and Hazel squealed. I leapt from my chair, wrapping her in a hug while Daniel clapped.
“Oh, my dear, that’s wonderful!” I exclaimed.
Annabelle’s face had flushed red. “It was a little sooner than we expected. I mean, we weren’t being particularly careful or anything, but I didn’t think it would happen quite this quickly since we weren’t making a conscious effort to try either.”
“Oh, I’m so delighted for you,” I said.
“When are you due?” Hazel asked.
Annabelle glanced at Conor.
“I think we’ve determined that it will most likely be August, is that right?” she asked.
“That would be my estimation, yes,” Conor said. “I just began to hear the heartbeat a few days ago, so I wouldn’t guess you’re any more than two months. I would estimate probably less.”
“Oh my goodness, another baby!” I said. “Our little ones will be only six months apart! If it’s a girl, they could get married!”
Annabelle chuckled. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,” she said. Then she giggled. “No, if it’s a girl, they’re definitely getting married. We’ll make them.”
I felt a thumping in my stomach and laughed. “For what it’s worth, Lowell is either delighted or repulsed by the idea. I’m not sure which.”
I ate the rest of my dinner, trying hard to keep the smile off my face. I was grinning so broadly that it hurt. Daniel, for his part, seemed to have no idea that he was going to be a big brother as he slammed his hand in the mashed potatoes. Annabelle sighed as she reached for a napkin.
“You’re going to have double trouble soon,” I commented.
“Oh God, tell me about it. He’ll have just turned two. Is that too early to get him out of diapers, do you think?”
None of us had children, so none of us had a good answer.
Hazel hadn’t spoken for several minutes. I glanced over at her. She appeared deep in thought, her brows furrowed as she ate.
“Hazel?” I asked her.
She jumped, looking at me. “Oh, yes?”
“Are you all right, dear?”
“Oh, yes.”
She resumed eating. I tapped her on the shoulder. “Hazel? What’s going on? You aren’t pregnant too, are you?”
Her face flushed a deep red, as did Adam’s.
“Oh, heavens no! Not before the wedding!”
“Yes, you don’t want to have to get a new dress,” Annabelle mused.
“No, it’s that... I had something I wanted to say, but I’m going to wait until later,” Hazel explained.
“That seems silly, why’s that?”
Hazel shifted in her seat. “I didn’t
want to overshadow Annabelle’s news, that’s all.”
“Please, overshadow me,” Annabelle begged. “Let’s talk about something other than me.”
Hazel hesitated, but I motioned for her to tell us what was on her mind.
“Oh, all right,” she said. She took a deep breath. “As you know, my wedding is coming up this spring, and thank you, Christine, for allowing us to host the reception at Wolf’s Peak.”
“It’s not a problem,” I reassured her. “I’m more than happy to host. Although I suspect most of the planning duties will be usurped by Annabelle.”
“Definitely,” confirmed Annabelle.
“We’re in the process of planning everything. I’ve already told you a lot, but I haven’t told you the most important thing of all.”
“It seems like you’re stalling, Hazel,” I told her.
She shook her head. “Sorry, I’m nervous. Because it’s not something that I have to tell you, it’s something that I have to ask you.”
Annabelle and I looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
“Will you be my bridesmaids?” she blurted out.
“Hazel!” I cried, “of course!” I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. “I would be honored.”
“I would too,” added Annabelle.
Perhaps we weren’t home at Wolf’s Peak, and perhaps I wasn’t happy that I had been sent here, but I spent the rest of the night with a broad smile on my face.
Chapter Seventeen
After dinner, we all made our way into the drawing room. Like the rest of the castle, the drawing room was jaw–dropping. The room was paneled in a dark wood, and a trio of chandeliers were hanging from the gold–leafed ceiling. A thick red and gold rug covered the floors, and the furniture was crowded around the large fireplace, meant to seem cozy despite the elaborately tall ceiling. Mr. Henstridge had started a roaring fire in the fireplace, and we all huddled around it to keep warm. Mrs. Henstridge handed me a heavy wool blanket, and I used it to cover myself as I sat in one of the high–backed, gold–leafed chairs.
Despite my protests, everyone else wanted to play charades. I volunteered to step back and simply watch—that way the teams would be even at two apiece—but instead Conor invited Bridget to join us. I considered protesting, since I didn’t want to participate, but that would make me seem rude, so I kept my mouth shut. I warned Annabelle and Conor that I was terrible at charades, citing the past times I had played, but they told me not to worry. Our team, predictably, lost.
Once my charades mortification was over, the men moved over to a table to play a game of bridge while we girls sat near the fire to talk. I was nice and cozy in my chair as I watched the snow fall outside, while Annabelle did her best to keep Daniel away from the fire. Hazel was lying on the loveseat, staring up at the gilded ceiling, while Bridget sat a few feet away reading a book, ready to assist when called.
“I already have an idea what sort of dresses I’ll have you wear,” Hazel said.
“And what sort is that?” I asked, suppressing a yawn. It seemed the longer this baby resided in me, the more tired I became.
“I think I want them to be soft and flowy, with full sleeves. They’ll have a ribbon under the bust to accent the waist. I figure that will be the easiest since you’ll have just had a baby and Annabelle will still be expecting.”
“I’ll be three months postpartum,” I said. “I don’t necessarily have to be in something flowy.”
“Aren’t you the optimistic one?” Annabelle asked as she scooped Daniel up from the floor. He snuggled into her shoulder, rubbing his eyes.
“Are you getting tired, darling?” Annabelle asked as she rocked him. He yawned.
I reached over and rubbed at the soft tuft of brown hair on the top of his head. “Are you ready for a little brother or sister?” I asked him. “Hopefully a sister.”
He batted my hand away.
“Seems he disagrees,” Annabelle laughed. “What about you? Are you ready for your little boy?”
I shrugged. “Some days I think I am, and then others I know I’m not.”
“I’d like to say it gets easier once the baby is here, but it doesn’t. You’re constantly doubting yourself and you’re at the whims of a toddler.”
“Well, that’s rubbish. Who would put themselves through that on purpose?” I asked.
As Daniel continued to rub at his eyes, he started to drift off, and we decided it was time for all of us to head upstairs. We said goodnight to the men and walked up to our rooms, Annabelle moving slowly so as not to wake Daniel. I bade Annabelle and Hazel goodnight, and Bridget followed me into my room.
Bridget prodded the fire, igniting it from warm embers into full flames. I reached my hands out, letting the fire warm them. The temperature outside was freezing, and despite the luxury of this castle, cold air had a habit of seeping through the spaces between the stones.
To help me regain some warmth and soothe away my pregnancy aches, Bridget ran me a bath and I soaked for a long time. I was tired, but I didn’t have the energy to get out, and the water was so relaxing. Finally, I toweled off and climbed into my warmest nightgown. Bridget helped me into bed and I curled up under the covers, trying to preserve as much warmth as possible. It didn’t seem fair that my belly was the only warm spot on my body, but I curled up around it to warm my extremities. Bridget turned out my lamp and said goodnight.
I was tired, but I was still struggling to sleep. It was so quiet here, the only sounds the crackling of the fire or the whistling of the wind. I stared out the window at the stars for a long time, my body slowly stretching out as I grew warmer under the blankets. Of course, the baby chose that moment to start kicking; he always seemed most active as I was ready to fall asleep. Eventually, as the kicking subsided and my eyelids grew impossibly heavy, I fell asleep.
I’m not sure how long I was asleep, but I woke up to what almost sounded like a scream. I fought off sleep as I tried to pull myself from my tired haze. I sat up, rubbed my eyes, and waited, scarcely breathing. I was terrified that I might hear it again, but things were only silent. Had I been dreaming? I had been having a lot of nightmares lately, but those stuck in my mind; I didn’t forget them. No, I was almost sure this had been real. Something or someone had made that noise.
I summoned up the willpower to pull myself out of bed. It wasn’t easy; I was toasty warm under the covers, and the air outside was icy. Still, a mixture of curiosity and worry overtook me, so I forced my feet to the floor. The rug pricked my feet as I struggled to find my slippers. Once my feet were covered, I lit my lamp, then pulled my warmest dressing gown over my shoulders, tying it around my waist. I hesitated for the briefest of moments. I had no idea what I was going to find. It may have been as simple as someone being startled, or someone could be injured. It might have been an animal outside, or that Seth had found us and was trying to kill us. Instinct told me that either way I should probably stay in my room, but if I wanted any hope of sleeping for the rest of the night, I needed to know. I picked up the lamp and left my room, shutting the door behind me.
In the hallway, there was very little light. A few sconces on the wall were still lit periodically, but otherwise the only light came from my lantern. As a result, all the shadows were long and distorted, giving the hallway a foreboding aura.
I was making my way to the stairs when I heard another door in the hallway shut. It was soft, but it still made me jump. I whipped around to see who it was, only to discover Bridget creeping toward me from farther down the hall. That wasn’t right; her bedroom was right next to mine.
“Hello, Christine,” she whispered to me nervously.
“What are you doing?” I asked her.
“Going to bed?”
“And where did you come from?”
She sighed. “Conor’s room.”
I raised an eyebrow at her.
“We were only talking!” she protested, her voice still low. I continued giving her a skeptical look until he
r shoulders fell. “All right, that’s a lie.”
I shook my head at her. “Bridget, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Excuse me, ma’am?”
“I don’t think you should be sneaking around so you can fool around with Conor.”
She smirked. “If you’re worried about my purity or my reputation, those left the building a long, long time ago.”
I paused. I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I was afraid that a relationship between Conor and Bridget would only end in pain for my friend, but at the same time I had no way to communicate that to her.
“I only want you to be careful,” I explained. “He’s lead a very different life than you, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Bridget scoffed. “A different life? What, like you and Jasper led different lives? I can’t believe you, Christine, I never pegged you for a hypocrite.”
“It’s not that,” I protested. Clearly, I wasn’t expressing myself properly, and I needed to backtrack. “I just don’t think—”
“You don’t think I’m good enough for him? Is that it? Remember Christine, you were a street girl who married a duke. I’m an ex–prostitute and he’s a lord. We’re only a step down from where you and Jasper were when you got married, so I don’t want to hear from you that I’m not good enough for him. I thought you were a much better person than that. I can’t believe you. You never seemed to be the type of person that cared what someone’s class or station was, even after you became a duchess.”
“That’s not—”
“Furthermore, understand that you’re my employer, not my mother. I’m allowed to do whatever I want, with whomever I want.”
“Bridget, I’m your friend,” I begged her. “I don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all.”
Her face softened. “I appreciate that, but—”
I heard another noise, a loud thump from down below. I clamped my hand over Bridget’s mouth.
“Did you hear that?” I whispered, and with wide eyes, she nodded.
“Come on,” I said, grabbing her arm and pulling her down the hallway toward the stairs.
The Wolf's Bait (The Wolf's Peak Saga Book 2) Page 13