Page 74 of A War Apart

Lady Yelena picked up the papers and rifled through them. “I do hope I’m not ill on Prophet’s Day.” She glanced up at me with a wry smile. “I haven’t been able to keep any food down this week. It seems capital food doesn’t agree with me.”

I nodded sympathetically. “I know what you mean. The food here is quite rich.”

She held out a page. “This one would be perfect.”

It was a simple sarafan, wide-skirted, with a sleeveless dushegreya vest lined in fur. I’d made similar styles for myself dozens of times; it would take next to no time to make. “I’ll just need to take your measurements, and then you can choose your fabrics.”

She stood, and her maidservant, who had been hovering unobtrusively in the shadows, stepped forward to help her up onto a stool. I took out my measuring line and looked up as the baroness blanched.

“My lady!” The maidservant caught her arm before she fell.

“Are you alright?” I asked, taking her other arm and helping her to the divan.

“I’m fine. Just a tad dizzy. As I said, I haven’t been eating well lately.”

“Let me get you a drink.” On a shelf across the room was a crystal bottle filled with amber liquid—medovukha, I assumed—with matching glasses next to it. I picked it up.

“Oh, no, not that!” Lady Yelena exclaimed. “That’s my lord’s. He never allows me to drink from it. There’s a pitcher of water to your left.”

“I apologize, my lady.” I poured her a glass of water and handed it to her.

She took a sip. “Thank you. Truly, I haven’t felt myself this week. There must be something in the air.” She smiled weakly, setting down her glass.

Dizziness, nausea, an inability to eat…I’d had similar symptoms during the first weeks of my pregnancy. A wave of grief hit me hard, and I blinked away the stinging sensation in my eyes. Was it possible the baroness was pregnant? It seemed unlikely that she hadn’t already made that assumption, but shewas young, no older than twenty, and from what I understood, she’d been orphaned as a child. Maybe she hadn’t received the proper education about childbearing.

“My lady,” I began, then cut myself off. It wasn’t my place to educate a noblewoman.

“Yes?”

“Nevermind.” I caught the maid’s eye and saw a similar understanding in her face. “I spoke out of turn.”

The baroness looked between me and her maid, frowning. “If there’s something you’ve noticed, speak plainly.”

I hesitated. “Is it possible that it’s not the capital air causing your illness?”

“What do you mean?”

“I hadn’t said anything because I thought you knew,” the maid said. “My lady, it’s been almost eight weeks since you last bled.”

A look of comprehension dawned on the noblewoman’s brown and white face. “You think I’m…with child?”

Her maid nodded. “I’m sure of it.”

“Oh, thank Otets!” she gasped. “Thank Otets.”

“I offer my congratulations,” I said. “What a blessing.” Even if the child belonged to Kazimir Vladimirovich.

“Yes, my lord will be pleased.” She placed a hand over her stomach and mumbled absently, “Thank Otets.”

***

“A second sunrise in one day,” Alexey said as I opened the door. “Truly, this day is blessed.” His expression was serious, but his dark eyes twinkled mischievously.

“Good evening, Alexey.” I rolled my eyes but smiled in spite of myself.

He stepped back from the doorway, arm swept out toward the exit. “Are you ready?”

I took my coat from the peg next to the door. “I am now.”

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