Page 182 of Insolence
“Trust me, I’m aware,” I whisper, hurriedly snatching back pen and paper. “We’ll figure it out. Then we’re freeing the rest of the girls and burning this infernal place to rubble.”
She nods, brows bunched low over eyes glimmering with determination.
“I’ll send someone to make contact in the next few days.”
The sound of Colin nearing the compost heap has us scrambling to our feet.
“You girls done doing… whatever it is you’re doing over there?” His tenor comes from the other side of the shed.
Lydia’s gaze is darting between her ink-stained hands. “Mmm!”
Gesturing for her to stay put, I pop out from behind the shed. Run face-first into Colin. “Hey, bud! Can we get a few more moments? We’re not quite ready for you.” I brace my hand against the shed, making myself an obstacle. Lay my most amiable grin on him as my heart tries to kick its way out of my chest.
“But you said fifteen minutes! It’s been fifteen min…utes…” He trails off when my grin flattens to something sterner. He swallows, his throat bobbing. “Uh, your holiness.”
“I’m helping her fix something. Then she’ll be ready.” I clap my hands on his shoulders and walk him backward several steps. “Wait right here, will you? I’ll get her for you.”
“But your holiness, I just saw her, right—”
“Two seconds, Colin. Stay there.” I return to Lydia. “For fuck’s sake,” I hiss. “Relentless as a fucking cadaver dog.”
I’ve already got the second bottle of brandy out. Pop the stopper. “Hold out your hands. Alcohol is a solvent. It’ll dissolve the ink.”
We’re standing close together, facing the corner where the mountain meets the shed. Out of eyeshot, Colin’s standing nearly on top of the vegetables and looking dejected.
I dribble the clear liquor over Lydia’s hands. She sighs through her nose when the ink stains blur on her skin. Rubbing her hands together, she gets as much of it off as she can.
I pass her my handkerchief and mutter, “Again, not ideal, but it’ll have to do till you can get to a washbasin.”
She casts a grateful glance at me before jamming the stained handkerchief into my hands again.
“Yeah, you’re welcome. And it’s been good seeing you too.”
She steps around me, her sticky hands nestled within the folds of her black skirt. Colin glances up. Tips his bottle at me when he sees her.
“Remember. Keep this between us, and I’ll bring you another tomorrow.” I raise what’s left of mine in turn. We both drink.
He gives a quick nod before following Lydia to the front of the building. As for me, I lurch backward until the mountain stops me. Let out a jagged breath, my heart wrung out.
The hard work hasn’t even begun, and this circus is already trying to fucking kill me.
Chapter 52
Itissa
I’m tending the potatoes when Kiera rushes toward me. Crossing the courtyard in brisk strides, her deep brown eyes are fixed on me.
“Come on, Tiss, we have to go.” She grabs my gloved hand, tugging me along.
“What’s happening? I need to finish my—”
She stops and turns so abruptly that I nearly knock her over. Rising to her tiptoes, she hisses in my ear: “No, you don’t. Youneedto come with me, rightnow, to the bathhouse. If you still want thatfavoryou asked for yesterday.”
“Is something wrong?” I look around, confirming we’re alone other than the racket issuing from the smithy. “I thought that wasn’t until tomorrow morning.”
“They moved it up. I guess she got into something stinky. They came to fetch Brigit from dinner prep, and I barely convinced her to trade me duties without Ghisele involving the whole kitchen in finding out why.”
My throat momentarily closes. “What… what did you say?”
