Page 18 of Stars May Burn

Yet my thoughts relentlessly returned to Sophie.

I drained my whiskey glass. Well, it sounded like her first impressions of her new home had been a success, but what did I know of these things? Mistress Rose had told me to be thoughtful, but what things did I need to think about? The list of things she might want or require felt endless.

I would have to hope the maids would alert me about anything important.

I rubbed my forehead and concentrated on the latest reports from the border, comparing my scouts’ accounts with the king’s report. Yet again, they differed extensively. Yet again, I saw a future bathed in blood.

SOPHIE

The haze of sleep fogged my mind as I sat up in bed, trying to remember where I was. The cushions and mattress were so soft, they seemed to swallow me, and for once, I’d slept without being troubled by dreams. I blinked at the stream of light coming between the heavy curtains. It was past dawn.

More than past dawn—the light looked strong.

I glanced around the room for a clock, my heartbeat picking up when, to my horror, I saw it was past nine o’clock. Why hadn’t anyone woken me up? What would the general think?

I was the lady of the house, and now everyone would think I was lazy and not taking my responsibilities seriously. Father would be so disappointed in me. Darkness shifted inside, threatening to rear up and swallow me.

With a tremble of fear, I pulled off the bedcover and rang the servant’s bell, then turned the knob that caused the blue lanterns in their glass cases to flare to life. The ease and beauty of them impressed me even through my panic.

I glanced back at the wide bed, and my heart stilled for a moment. Why hadn’t my husband…? But no, I shouldn’t think about such things. It wasn’t ladylike.

I opened my wardrobe and chose one of my old favorites. A simple yet elegant dress that helped me feel confident while not being at all ostentatious.

There was a knock on the door and Lucy and Beatrice tumbled in with big smiles.

“Good morning, my lady,” they chorused. One of them was carrying towels that smelled of hot lemon. “Are you ready for your bath?”

I glanced at the clock. “I don’t know if there’s time. It’s terribly late, and there must be so much to do.”

Lucy grinned. “Nonsense, my lady. It isn’t late at all. The general said to allow you to rest today. The only thing planned is a tour of the house and introducing you to the staff. We can do that at any time.”

My hope rose. “Tour? Will the general be attending?”

They glanced at each other with the uncertain look I was getting used to.

Lucy shook her head. “I don’t think so, my lady.”

I looked away so they wouldn’t read my despair. Was he not attracted to me at all? What had Father done to force him to marry me?

But if that was the case, why send all the flowers?

Beatrice placed a stray corkscrew of hair behind her ear and wouldn’t meet my eyes. She seemed to sense my dismay, despite my best efforts to hide it. She pressed her lips together as if considering something, then gentled her tone. “There’s been an incident. One of the servants is missing. It’s quite urgent he deals with it, you see.”

I raised an eyebrow. “A servant is missing? What happened?” My guilt deepened; my husband was working hard, and here I was rising long after dawn. Not to mention that a member of my own household could be in danger. Lucy and Beatrice might think it fine for me to rise late, but so many people would be forming opinions of me today, and it was hard not to imagine the damage I’d done.

Lucy elbowed Beatrice sharply, and the taller lady blushed. “It’s nothing to worry about, my lady.”

I frowned and clenched my jaw in exasperation. “You’ve both been so kind and are clearly very talented, but this can’t go on. I can’t have maids who hide things from me. If I am to run this household, I must know everything that’s going on, especially with the servants.”

They glanced at each other. Beatrice took a step back and Lucy licked her lips, choosing her words carefully. “There are certain things we’re not permitted to talk about, my lady. Things we don’t much understand ourselves. Please forgive us.” She bobbed a curtsy.

Her words only stirred my curiosity further.

Beatrice clenched her hands together. “The general doesn’t want you to worry, that’s all. He has it in hand, and you have many other things to learn. A few of the servants were upset about what happened in the capital. The attempted assassination and the retaliation.”

An attempted assassination?

Lucy chewed her bottom lip. “Some of the staff here knew people who got hurt. Innocent people. It made them angry.”

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