Page 21 of Tangwystle
“Let me fetch a doctor,” he said.
He’d already said this to me six times, and I was afraid he’d ask me six more. But it turns out Gretel wasn’t in as deep a slumber as we thought.
“No.” The words came so mumbled for a second that I didn’t think it was coherent. But she tossed her head, her face spasming at the movement. She slept on the hard table because she’d cried out the last time we’d tried to move her.
Baz inhaled a breath when he realized what she said.
“You can’t be surprised to find that not all men are as kind as you,” I told him.
He gave me a look, like he wasn’t sure if I was teasing or not. But I smoothed Gretel’s hair, wiping sweat off her forehead.
“You are remarkably calm,” he said. When I didn’t reply, he asked, “This has happened before?”
My hand ran over her hair again. We took turns trying to comfort her, placing a cool towel on her brow and combing her hair. “I do not know the specifics,” I said quietly.
“It is not right for a gentleman to treat his—” He stopped speaking at whatever dry look I shot him. He went back to pacing. “She can’t go back to him.”
I agreed, but, “She signed a contract with him. Clinemell will go to the Council.”
“If he finds her.”
I paused my ministrations. “You risk your own reputation?”
He frowned. “The plan is no one risks anything. No one knows the wiser if she is here.”
“You know she could wake up and decide to go back on her own?” I knew this for a fact because it was exactly what had happened last time.
“I beg to differ.” His strides grew quicker, shorter as he thought. “At the very least she stays right here until she is strong enough to move.”
“On that we agree.” I ran my hands through her hair again. A tiny whimper came from her.
“I can’t possibly let Clinemell get away with it.”
I played devil’s advocate, urging caution, but the truth is that I wanted nothing more than Rufus Clinemell to get his comeuppance.
I think Baz knew that, so he pressed me, hoping I would tip him over a dangerous edge. But one of us had to be realistic.
“It is well known, Clinemell and Gretel. . .” She made a noise, and I broke off. After a moment, I said, “You think if she goes to the Council, they’ll believe that she didn’t ask for it?”
“Who could ask for this!”
I motioned for him to quiet down. “Clinemell is recently married. He won’t put up with what he’ll perceive as you, so lately to town, embarrassing him in front of his new wife.”
Who I guessed didn’t enjoy finding someone as beautiful as Gretel in her husband’s home.
I’d heard whispers the past few weeks, during my trips to the market. I’d blatantly walked away, putting myself out of hearing distance. I didn’t want to listen to anything regarding Gretel. Now I wish I’d paid more attention. It had been weeks since I’d seen her pop in, asking for sugar.
Until Gretel woke up, we couldn’t be sure of the exact details. But I had an inkling that he’d taken things too far. Or maybe his wife had requested he discipline Gretel. For now, we just needed to focus on ensuring she healed.
“Will you go and get her some actual sleep tonic?” I didn’t like how she kept twitching, her muscles jerking at the slightest change in the air.
Baz closed his eyes, steeling himself up. He nodded and came so close to me that I finally remembered that just that morning his hands had touched my bare ass. He pressed a kiss to my forehead and touched his finger and thumb to my chin, holding my gaze.
“Keep her safe for us, fairy,” he requested.
I sat in that kitchen, my fingers running through Gretel's hair for a long time after Baz left us. Things needed doing, but there I sat, combing Gretel’s hair.
She moaned in her sleep, her neck moving slightly, eyes fluttering open.
