Page 16 of Beholden
“Take it by the grip,” I instructed.
Gingerly she touched the ivory but then pulled away, biting her lip.
“Are you sure you must do this?” I asked.
She hesitated, then wrapped her fingers around the knife’s grip. She held it awkwardly, and as I positioned her hand, I realized her training would be slow. Especially since her first and only lesson for today would consist of becoming comfortable touching the weapon.
If nothing else, my lessons would teach her self-defense. With a sharp rock, she might be able to protect herself if she were attacked again by rats.
Her knuckles were almost as white as the ivory handle.
“Loosen your hold a little.”
For several minutes, she practiced moving the knife from hand to hand and getting her fingers into the correct hold.
“Good,” I said as she gripped it tighter. At the crunch of footsteps nearing our passageway, I maneuvered her against the nearest wall and pressed into her, forcing her hand down to her side where the knife would be hidden.
She started to struggle, pushing against my chest.
“Take heed,” I whispered. “Someone is coming.” I nuzzled my nose into her hair and tried to act casual and yet ardent at the same time.
She sucked in a breath and held herself immobile.
I brushed my cheek against hers and was suddenly conscious of the softness and warmth of her skin as well as the silk of her hair.
As the footsteps entered our deserted passageway, she tensed even more. I dropped one of my hands to the knife and slipped it from her grip. I would be able to hide it up my sleeve until I had the chance to return it to my sole.
At a clearing throat behind us, I pretended to startle.
“My lady,” Benedict said with a hint of anxiety in his voice. “Are you in trouble?”
“No trouble, Benedict.” Her voice squeaked.
I quickly backed away, hiding the knife at the same time.
“We were just talking.” She smoothed her hands over her stained skirt, even as a flush climbed up her cheeks. “Were we not?”
“Yes. And now we must return to work.”
As I passed Benedict, I could sense the disapproval in his gaze following me until I was gone. But strangely, all I could think about as I returned to my digging was the brief contact I’d had with Gabriella and the sweetness of holding her, if only for a few seconds.
Chapter
6
Gabriella
“Is she anybetter this morn?” Molly knelt across from me in the infirmary.
I let my song, one of the psalms, fade to silence before I pressed the cold cloth to Alice’s forehead, willing her my strength and health. But to no avail. Nothing I’d done had helped my dear old servant.
“She still languishes with fever.” I kissed Alice’s cheek, the flesh hanging loose and lifeless.
“I’m sorry, Gabi.” Molly hugged her shawl tightly, covering the stump still bandaged but beginning to heal.
At the rapid rise and fall of Alice’s chest, I sat back on my heels, tears stinging my eyes at the helplessness of my situation. Back at Rockland, I would have had access to the apothecary for fever-reducing remedies. But here... in this godforsaken place?
If only we knew what caused the fevers. Some believed the superstitions, blaming wraiths for breathing upon some and not others. I suspected the noxious fumes that existed in parts of the mine had something to do with people falling ill. Regardless, I needed to find a way to bring Alice’s fever down.
