Page 57 of Wicked Games

Why does that sound familiar? Why does she look familiar?

I could hear the blood start to pound in my ears. It seemed to tap out a damning cadence.

This is not real.

This is not real.

This is not real.

It felt like I was trapped in a fog and just on the other side was something my mind was trying to tell me… something important.

I could feel Richard’s presence right before he placed a hand on the small of my back. “Is everything fine, my love? The tea seems to be taking you exceptionally long this evening.”

The fog closed about me again. Thick and dense, without even the barest shimmer of light.

“Yes. We just had a small spill,” I stammered as I begged Rose with my eyes not to say anything to agitate Richard.

“Rose, you may leave, her ladyship will finish pouring.”

For the barest of moments, I thought she was going to argue with him. I gave my head the tiniest of shakes as I implored her in my mind to please just leave.

Holding my breath, I waited.

“I will be back shortly… for the tray,” said Rose as she gave a small curtsy and turned to leave. Her tone implied it was more of a warning than a simple statement.

As she approached the door, Richard called out, “Rose.”

She turned.

“Please go find Harris in the stables and give him a message.”

“Yes, Your Grace?”

“Tell him, ‘you know what to do.’ He will know what that means.”

Rose’s brow furrowed and it looked like she was going to say something further but thought better of it. She turned and left.

I let out the breath I had been holding. Once more I returned to my task. As I lifted the tray and turned to offer cups to the gentlemen, I made sure to smile demurely and focused on keeping my back straight even as I bent to allow them to lift from the tray.

This is not real.

CHAPTER 21

ELIZABETH

Isat in a chair sipping my tea only half listening to them talk until I heard my name.

“I understand you had an infatuation for my Elizabeth at some point.”

I looked up.

Although he said it in a conversational tone, I recognized when Richard was baiting someone, toying with them. Why would he say such a thing? It implied I had been improper in some way. Perhaps that was why Lord Radfoot kept implying throughout dinner that we knew one another and shared some sort of intimacy.

Was this from the time before I entered the asylum? The time Richard said I confused with just fantasies and dreams?

My cheeks burned.

I had heard often enough that the hysteria of my heated mind caused me to behave like a harlot and it was only through Richard’s punishments… no… through his careful instruction that I kept hysteria at bay. I needed the firm guidance of a man’s hand and his help in releasing the sinful demons that plagued my thoughts and affected my body, especially between my legs.

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