Page 31 of The Pureblood Daughter
Rose laughs humorlessly. “Your mother will most certainly find out. The maids are incurable gossips.”
Adelina tips her head back, resting it against the tub. “She’ll never let me out of her sight. And Papa has been even worse.” Her gaze shifts to Rose, who appears soft in the candlelight. Her hair hangs in a loose braid, and her eyelids look heavy with drowsiness. “He’s preventing me from attending any social activities; the maids even turned the viscount away.”
“Perhaps he has good reason.” Rose presses a bit too hard on Adelina’s arm, and she pulls away suddenly, splashing water from the tub.
“Goodness, Rose. I’m not clay in need of molding.” She looks down at her arm, and her skin is red.
“My apologies, miss. I’m a touch tired is all.”
“Of course.” After all, Adelina did disturb her after dismissing her for the night. “You may go. I’ll finish up here shortly. Please have a glass of wine sent up for me; I feel I may need help sleeping tonight.”
“Are you sure? I’d be happy to—”
Adelina holds up a hand. “Truly, Rose, I’m fine. Get some rest.”
“If you insist...” Rose stands hesitantly. “Your towel is here, miss. I’ll let the kitchen staff know to send up some wine. Are you hungry?”
“Starving.” She almost forgot about the hunger gnawing at her belly, but Rose’s reminder brings the uncomfortable sensation to the forefront of her mind. “I’d love some honey cake, or perhaps some chocolate tart.” The mere thought of the decadent dessert, which makes Mrs. Colborne the most sought-after cook in Everborough, makes her mouth water.
Rose smiles and dips her head. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you. Good night.”
“Good night, miss.”
Rose leaves the room quietly, and once the door clicks closed, Adelina is left alone with her thoughts.
Thoughts of Viscount Rosetti. Of his hands on her waist, his breath in her ear, his—
The image flashes through her head again: lips pulled back, teeth sharp and glistening.
Despite the warm water, Adelina shivers. She can see no logical explanation for it. One moment he appeared normal, and the next he was almost... inhuman.
You don’t have to be afraid.
The voice comes suddenly and unbidden, and Adelina grips the sides of the tub. Her pulse thrums beneath her breast and in each wrist, and her breathing accelerates.
I’d never hurt you.
“Stay out of my head!” she snaps. The water sloshes as she stands abruptly in the tub. “Stay out of my head,” she says again, quietly this time, as if to herself.
Adelina turns and catches her reflection in the full-length mirror across the room. Her body is willowy, thin in such a way as to appear wasting. No matter how much she eats, it seems the weight just slips off her.
She traces the curvature of her breasts, the way the water slides slowly down her stomach to her navel and then drips lower. For a moment, she wonders what the viscount’s tongue would feel like if it were to do the same, but then that image flashes once more, sending her scrambling from the tub and reaching for a towel to wrap around her trembling body.
I’m not crazy, she tells herself as she wrings water from her hair and pulls a comb gently through the damp strands.The viscount is... unnatural. Something else entirely.
Perhaps this affliction of his is what has prevented him from marrying; despite being rich and handsome, he’s unwed. Have other young women come to see his true self, as she did this evening?
No, certainly not. They’d tell someone, and we’d all know about it. Wouldn’t we?
She lowers the comb to the vanity and looks herself in the eye. If she has no intention of telling anyone, perhaps that means other ladies have withheld the information as well. Though it shouldn’t, the thought of any other lady being close enough to the viscount’s mouth to catch a glimpse of his teeth makes her blood simmer.
Behind her, there’s a soft knock at the door.
“Come in.” Adelina turns from the vanity mirror as a young maid enters the room with a silver tray.
“I’ve brought your wine and sweets, miss.”
