Page 51 of Claiming the Tower
Hereswith considered. “Will you braid my hair for me, and then I can curl up in bed and save the food until we’ve found the limits of what I can talk about?”
“Sensible. Here, sit.” Hereswith did as she had been bidden, closing her eyes as Bess pulled the pins from her hair. Bess brushed it out, then braided it, tying it up with a bit of ribbon.
The conversation that followed was full of fits and starts, every bit as much an effort as the afternoon had been. But Bess sat beside her, and held her hand, and gave her the space to figure it out. Talking about the generalities of the Keep was fine, including what Hereswith was considering for her own office space. Some curious pieces of the library hit the oaths.
Hereswith didn’t even attempt to talk about the meeting, other than a general list of topics already known to be part of the Council’s remit. There were all those things that had been reported in the papers. “Though now I say that, there’s no limitation on bringing materials home. My own discretion, really.”
“Well, we can figure out where you put those things so no one will stumble across them. Perhaps the paper itself is charmed, or some such? Not my usual round of knowledge, but I know someone I could ask.”
That got them off into a comfortable discussion of experts either of them had a useful connection to. Bess began to make a list. Hereswith was starting to think that was a way she could go forward. She was not expert at many showy things. But she did know how to bring together people who know what they were about, and make a space where a conversation could happen.
Chapter 34
September 27th at Verdant Court
“Chocolate, sandwiches. Do they really not feed you there?” Bess took one look at Hereswith as she came up the stairs.
“The going out to supper after is an entire other layer of the dynamics. And I am not yet so honoured. Blanch mostly doesn’t.” Hereswith sighed. “Can you undo my buttons?”
“Of course.” Bess would always say yes to that. She had not wanted to press Hereswith about further steps in whatever it was they were doing. For one, Hereswith had plenty of other people making demands on her, day in and day out. For two, there had been plenty of change already. And third, this was also entirely pleasant. Bess had a comfortable room of her own. She had well-cooked food that took her preferences into consideration. She had plenty of time for her own interests. Including time in private with Hereswith. It didn’t matter that they weren’t doing all the things she at some point might like to do in that privacy.
Now, she helped undo the buttons and then eased the gown off, while Hereswith extracted herself from the other layers, several protective items, and the chalcedony brooch she’d taken to wearing for meetings. That one was a talisman for clear speech and finding the right words, a gift from her father when she first went into the Ministry.
She left Hereswith to finish up and went to set up the food in the sitting room. Bess had only eaten lightly at her own supper, so a little more would be just the thing. By the time Hereswith reappeared, her hair up in a sleeping cap, everything was out.
Hereswith rubbed her face, and Bess said, by way of some small improvement. “The evening paper suggested that the cholera epidemic in London is likely done.”
“For the moment. Though I suppose there are some new techniques there.” Hereswith shook her head. “I’m glad I’ve been able to avoid the city this month, honestly. I— Mama, well.”
“I am glad too. And that London seemed willing to try something new to deal with it.” The whole matter of removing pump handles had taken up quite a lot of space in the non-magical papers, and additional debate in Albion’s own. Trellech had far less of a concern, but they had magic to improve the quality of water and air.
Hereswith lowered herself onto the sofa. “Papa was already in bed when I came in?” It was a question, but an uncertain one. Bess nodded, but she wasn’t sure what to say to that. Hereswith closed her eyes for a moment, then said, “You’d tell me if I was wrong, wouldn’t you? But he’s fading, isn’t he?”
Put that way, Bess couldn’t lie. It wasn’t the kind thing. Or rather, it would be a temporary kindness, and not a lasting one. Hereswith deserved far better than the quick platitudes. And so did her father. “I think so. The Healer is coming out on Friday.”
“Right. I’ll be here. Still at one?”
Bess nodded. She’d confirmed it that morning. “I don’t think—” She swallowed. “May I venture what I see?”
“Always. Please. And if you think I should be home more, I could do that more easily now. At least sometimes.” Hereswith reached out a hand to one sandwich, then let it drop in her lap. “What do you see?”
“Your father is intensely proud of you, for one thing. He spends more time reading the papers, now, as soon as he gets them, any bit about the Council or your work, but also the larger news. But also, yes, he is fading. He has longer naps, he seems to be winding down some of his research. It’s hard to describe. I don’t believe he’s in any undue amount of pain or discomfort.”
“A good thing we moved his bedroom, then?” That had been another task of the last month or so, moving her father into a small bedroom across the hallway from the library. It made having a full bath awkward, but magic made most of that easier than it might be.
Bess nodded. “He appreciates it. But he does tire, earlier in the evening. If you could be home at times he could expect a little more. I’m certain he’d love it.” Bess hesitated, then added, more softly, “I’m glad you have the time with him.”
“Oh!” Hereswith brought her hand to her mouth. “Is it difficult for you, being here? With that?”
Bess shook her head, so fiercely that her hair started coming down from its bun. “No, not at all. A little wistful, sometimes. But lots of things make me wistful. I’m glad you’ve had as much time with him as you have, and that you both care for each other so much. That’s a rare thing, that care.” She swallowed hard. “But if you were going to make more time, I think better do it promptly than assume you can do so later.”
Hereswith went quiet for a moment, then she nodded once. “Not the done thing in our class to admit to that much fondness.” Now Hereswith reached for the sandwich again, which was also good. “Can we go through my diary tomorrow morning and see what I can move around?”
“Of course.” Bess found that sort of thing pleasant, honestly.
“Oh. There’s one other thing.” Hereswith had paused between bites, then took another and chewed and swallowed before she went on. “If you’d like, I mean, only if you’d like. It’s getting colder, but I have someone coming in to adapt the fireplace here, in my bedroom, your room, and Father’s new bedroom. So they don’t need tending first thing. Once a day, but it can be mid-morning or afternoon, or whatever makes sense in the household schedule.”
It took Bess a moment to put it together. “Oh. You mean.” She looked up and met Hereswith’s eyes. “Are you inviting me to your bed more often?”
