I opened my eyes to a beaming morning light, tangled in Tommy's bedsheets. Panic swarmed me, in disbelief that I had let myself sleep so deep. Unprotected and unaware.
I nearly gave myself a head ache, sitting up entirely too fast. The room was still and quiet beside the fire, slowing down to small crackling embers. The sheet that Tommy tossed to the corner was gone, along with he, himself.
I could only imagine the despair Niccolo will feel, the loss and devastation that he finally succumbed to defeat. Though, I should know better than think we have won. Niccolo clearly has his ways and he is not through yet.
The double doors to the room clicked open and a graceful Julia closed them behind her. She was neatly dressed herself in a cream colored lace gown with tiny buttons running down the front, though she carried an abundance of cloth in her arms.
ओह! यह छवि हमारे सामग्री दिशानिर्देशों का पालन नहीं करती है। प्रकाशन जारी रखने के लिए, कृपया इसे हटा दें या कोई भिन्न छवि अपलोड करें।
"The lord requested your accompaniment on his afternoon ride," By ride, I assume she meant horses. Tommy spoke of his time on horseback through his highlands, leaving room for it in his schedule almost every day. Twice now, he'd mentioned he'd like me to join him. I assume that today was the day. "Thomas has left ye his tartan to keep the chill away and I brought ye a gown to change into,"
"Me?" I assumed that last night would have most certainly changed his mine, put a bad taste in his mouth with my rejection. I was quite shocked that he'd like to have anything to do with me.
"Well, yes, ye are his wife, are ye not?" Julia furrowed her brow, giving me a questionable look. I answered with a half smile of my own. Despite the ill circumstances, I was for sure thankful to belong somewhere safe.
"I suppose," I whispered. I stood from the bed as she dropped the material beside me. Black and white fabric laid next to the tartan color of Tommy's pack. I was honored that he'd let me wear it, even touch it, something so sacred.
"He was hoping you wouldn't decline his invitation," I carefully removed my shift from the night prior, revealing the discolored skin beneath. She only hesitated for a moment after seeing me, continuing to fumble about the laces of the corset on the bed. "Here, a fresh one for ye," She handed me a clean, sparkling white shift to pull on and I did so, anxiously thinking of something to break the silence.
"Tommy didn't do that," I whispered, regarding the marbling. After our supposed night together, this is not the way I wanted Julia to see me. "I don't want you to have the wrong impression,"
"I ken, lass," She continued on, wrapping the corset panels around my body, before starting to tighten the laces. I gasped again, still not used to someone assisting me with my dressing, still not used to having such fine and expensive things that were not worn down with age or abuse. "If ye ever want to talk about it, about your former Lord, I am a good listener,"
