Page 88 of Tales of a Monstrous Heart
Croinn,
I’ve acquired some horses.
I’ll meet you at the stables at ten o’clock.
—Emrys.
‘Why is he calling you a witch?’ Alma asked nosily over my shoulder.
‘Never mind that.’ I shook my head, slipping the note onto the dressing table, ignoring her suspicious stare as I walked around the moth-eaten changing screen to put on my chemise. ‘How is William?’
‘Sulking, considering Emrys has forced him to rest for the day.’ I could hear the clatter of her re-tidying the vanity as I emerged from behind the screen.
‘I should have gone to see him.’
Alma waited with the corset, frowning as her gaze locked on my chest.
‘What is that?’ she asked. I looked down to see the wishing stone dangling free.
‘Emrys gave it to me.’ I tucked the chain back inside my chemise and turned before she could examine it any further as she fit the corset and went to work.
‘Howchivalrousof him.’ Her lacing motions were tighter than usual. ‘Was this before or after his horrid guest arrived?’
‘That wasn’t his fault.’ Montagor’s sick amusements were his own. The house had tried to warn me, and as always, I hadn’t listened.
‘Fine,’ she huffed, blowing an errant strand of dark hair from her face as she turned me around to offer me my shirt. ‘Was it before or after you accosted him while he was half undressed then?’
‘I didn’t !’ I protested, ignoring the burn of my cheeks. Remembering the hard planes of that chest and just how it had caught the morning’s light.
‘William said he barely had a shirt on,’ she continued, ruthless as ever, as she held the riding skirt for me to step into. ‘His trousers were unbuttoned too.’
‘They were not.’ I scowled as she laughed at the flush that had taken hold of my face. ‘William is a terrible gossip.’
I went to step into the skirt. Then I saw there were two leg holes.
‘Are they trousers?’ I asked, trying to pull the skirt apart to see, but she slapped my hands away, tugging it up my legs.
‘Secrettrousers, and you better not tell anyone,’ she half muttered, yanking at the fastenings with more force than necessary.
I moved my legs, feeling the fabric between them, but looking at my reflection, the garment looked like an ordinary travelling skirt.
‘I love them.’ Not knowing it was possible to have both comfort and propriety, but of course, Alma found a way.
‘Hopefully that means you’ll take care of them.’ She sighed, holding out the matching jacket for me to slip my arms into. Something in her teasing expression reminded me I had my own questions to ask.
‘What were you doing in Emrys’s room?’ I asked as she bullied me to sit before the misty, aged mirror, starting on my hair.
‘Looking for secrets.’ She shrugged as I watched her work in the reflection.
‘Did you find any?’
A mischievous glint came to her eyes. ‘No, but there is still time.’
Time. What Mr Thrombi had run out of quicker than the rest of us. Because of me. That truth was harder to swallow than the rest. I looked down at my hands.
‘Do you trust him?’ Alma’s voice was quiet, as if sensing the direction of my thoughts. Leaning down to rest her hands on my shoulders, her head next to my own as she watched me carefully in the mirror. That stone against my breastbone warmed in comfort.
‘Master Hale does.’
