9. Sophie
The haze of sleep fogged my mind as I sat up in bed, trying to remember where I was. The cushions and mattress were so soft, they seemed to swallow me, and for once, I’d slept without being troubled by dreams. I blinked at the stream of light coming between the heavy curtains. It was past dawn.
More than past dawn—the light looked strong.
I glanced around the room for a clock, my heartbeat picking up when, to my horror, I saw it was past nine o’clock. Why hadn’t anyone woken me up? What would the general think?
I was the lady of the house, and now everyone would think I was lazy and not taking my responsibilities seriously. Father would be so disappointed in me. Darkness shifted inside, threatening to rear up and swallow me.
With a tremble of fear, I pulled off the bedcover and rang the servant’s bell, then turned the knob that caused the blue lanterns in their glass cases to flare to life. The ease and beauty of them impressed me even through my panic.
I glanced back at the wide bed, and my heart stilled for a moment. Why hadn’t my husband…? But no, I shouldn’t think about such things. It wasn’t ladylike.
I opened my wardrobe and chose one of my old favorites. A simple yet elegant dress that helped me feel confident while not being at all ostentatious.
There was a knock on the door and Lucy and Beatrice tumbled in with big smiles.
“Good morning, my lady,” they chorused. One of them was carrying towels that smelled of hot lemon. “Are you ready for your bath?”
I glanced at the clock. “I don’t know if there’s time. It’s terribly late, and there must be so much to do.”
Lucy grinned. “Nonsense, my lady. It isn’t late at all. The general said to allow you to rest today. The only thing planned is a tour of the house and introducing you to the staff. We can do that at any time.”
My hope rose. “Tour? Will the general be attending?”
They glanced at each other with the uncertain look I was getting used to.
Lucy shook her head. “I don’t think so, my lady.”
I looked away so they wouldn’t read my despair. Was he not attracted to me at all? What had Father done to force him to marry me?
But if that was the case, why send all the flowers?
Beatrice placed a stray corkscrew of hair behind her ear and wouldn’t meet my eyes. She seemed to sense my dismay, despite my best efforts to hide it. She pressed her lips together as if considering something, then gentled her tone. “There’s been an incident. One of the servants is missing. It’s quite urgent he deals with it, you see.”
I raised an eyebrow. “A servant is missing? What happened?” My guilt deepened; my husband was working hard, and here I was rising long after dawn. Not to mention that a member of my own household could be in danger. Lucy and Beatrice might think it fine for me to rise late, but so many people would be forming opinions of me today, and it was hard not to imagine the damage I’d done.
Lucy elbowed Beatrice sharply, and the taller lady blushed. “It’s nothing to worry about, my lady.”
I frowned and clenched my jaw in exasperation. “You’ve both been so kind and are clearly very talented, but this can’t go on. I can’t have maids who hide things from me. If I am to run this household, I must know everything that’s going on, especially with the servants.”
They glanced at each other. Beatrice took a step back and Lucy licked her lips, choosing her words carefully. “There are certain things we’re not permitted to talk about, my lady. Things we don’t much understand ourselves. Please forgive us.” She bobbed a curtsy.
Her words only stirred my curiosity further.
Beatrice clenched her hands together. “The general doesn’t want you to worry, that’s all. He has it in hand, and you have many other things to learn. A few of the servants were upset about what happened in the capital. The attempted assassination and the retaliation.”
An attempted assassination?
Lucy chewed her bottom lip. “Some of the staff here knew people who got hurt. Innocent people. It made them angry.”
“We think Robert ran back to Adenburg to…help.”
Lucy shot Beatrice a warning look. “But this is the general’s area. It’s his job to keep the peace. This isn’t simply managing the household.” Her words gained firmness as she tried to end the conversation.
Beatrice’s face brightened into a wide smile. “And he’s very good at keeping us safe, so as I said, nothing for you to worry about. Now, how about your bath?”
I reserved judgment on the events and let them lead me into the adjoining room. I was surprised to find the air was humid and scented and the bath was already full.
I’d never seen a bathroom like it. Instead of a metal tub filled with water, the bath was more like a pool sunk into the floor, decorated with mosaics of fish and reeds. The ceiling was half glass, letting sunlight dance in patterns over the hot water, while vines and creepers hung down from high pots, some with glorious flowers. It was like something in an ancient temple.
Lucy helped me out of my dressing gown, and I eased myself into the hot water with hundreds of questions bubbling in my mind.
“This room looks new.”
Lucy smiled as she placed a fluffy towel by the pool’s edge. “It was recently renovated for your arrival, my lady. All your rooms were. Do you like it? If there’s anything you wish to change, I’m sure we can do so quickly.”
I shook my head. “It’s lovely. I’m surprised it was finished in time. Kasomere’s staff can’t have had more than a week’s notice of my coming.”
Beatrice grinned with a mischievous glint to her eyes. “The general had about three dozen people working on your rooms in shifts. He wanted them to be perfect.”
I frowned as I sank down into the luxurious heat until the water lapped at my neck, easing the muscles. I didn’t know what to make of that. He was a very efficient man. “Well, that’s very kind of him.”
He’d done a lot for me it seemed, and I had yet to do a single thing for him. This sort of situation had never arisen in my studies.
I wiggled my toes, wondering what the sweet-smelling creaminess was in the water. “How does it work? How is it filled with such hot water?”
The maids exchanged that increasingly familiar look that meant they were working out if they were allowed to say something, before Lucy pointed to a soft red glow under the water in one corner. “It’s an eastern device that uses kryalcomy, my lady. It heats the water and allows you to keep it at a certain temperature.”
I sat up. The carriage warmers were the only kryalcomy heaters I had come across and they were weak and short-lived. Heating such a large volume of water was unthinkable. “I’ve never heard of such a thing. Is it engineering as well as kryalcomy?”
Lucy bit her lip in a worried expression that I found very curious. “A little of both, I think. Maybe. Now, my lady, please choose which lotions you would like for your skin and hair.”
The maids were sweet and competent, but it was clear they had secrets they were unwilling to share, showing they had stronger loyalties elsewhere. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that information. The general would be the most obvious person telling them to hold their tongues. Did he not trust me? Then again, why would he?
Lucy started to massage my scalp, and I became lost in thought. Many things about this place were alien to me, but that only stoked my curiosity further. And I didn’t have Miss Claris to rein it back.
I satin front of the mirror bundled in soft towels as Beatrice combed and dried my hair. “I really must see the general today.” I glanced at Beatrice’s reflection. “Surely you can think of some way for me to see him? Does he not have a routine? Can I bump into him in passing?”
She frowned. “Well, I suppose, there’s always the chance we could pass him on the tour. Or anytime you walk around the castle.”
Lucy grinned as she selected some earrings to match my dress, a new one that Beatrice had made. “He can’t hide from you forever. Don’t worry, my lady. We’ll dress you up so beautifully, he won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
Beatrice giggled as she finished with my hair. “Every person who lays eyes on you will fall in love.”
Lucy nodded and pretended to swoon, a hand on her brow. “Knights will come from the capital to swear loyalty to the famous Lady Batton.”
Beatrice pretended to impale herself on my hairbrush. “And your name will be the last thing on their lips as they’re slain in battle!”
My mouth dropped open at their behavior. I struggled to understand what had made them so animated. “Good gracious! That’s rather dramatic, don’t you think?”
The two giggled, their cheeks now quite rosy. Beatrice covered her mouth. “Sorry, my lady. It’s just all rather exciting.”
“What is?”
“Having a lady of the house. Having you. There are so many things we can do now! Everything will be better.”
Lucy squealed again. “And you and the general!”
I blinked, trying to hide my confusion.
The two of them glanced at each other with tightly pursed lips and barely contained excitement before busying themselves with hair clips and ribbons and lace. I let them dress me but was in a state of half shock as I tried to find the meaning of their behavior. Did they think we were actually in love? That our previous relationship consisted of more than a few awkward sentences in the carriage?
I could see why somebody might infer that from all the flowers, but it was clear we weren’t talking or spending time together.
Slowly my appearance transformed in the mirror before me. My maids might be excitable and childish, but I had to admit, they were good at this, and the general had provided beautiful hair clips and necklaces. Yet another thing I had to thank him for.
I stood and turned as they finished, admiring the deep blue silk and sheer white chiffon that shimmered in my reflection. They had left the corset looser than I was used to, yet I didn’t feel self-conscious with the gorgeous cut of the material. “You don’t think this is too grand for a tour of the house when we don’t have guests? I was planning on wearing one of my old gowns.” I touched the large sapphire at my throat that highlighted the blue of my eyes.
The maids shook their heads, showering me with enthusiastic praise that made me smile. They really were kind and sweetly innocent. Their secretive looks and answers couldn’t change that.
But what was happening that I wasn’t meant to know about? There was the man in the carriage that the general didn’t mention again and the careful way people spoke around me. Something was going on.
They opened the door, and I was surprised to see Meena standing in the exact same place as yesterday. She bowed. “Good morning, my lady.”
I blinked. “Have you been out here long?”
She gave me a small smile. “Since dawn, my lady. My job is to guard you from dawn till an hour after dusk. Then Dame Tara, the night guard watches your room.”
That seemed a little excessive. I didn’t want people being forced to stand around in silence all day on my behalf. “That’s very kind of you, but is it really necessary? Surely, I’m not in danger in my own home?”
She bowed again. “These are the general’s orders. You’d have to discuss any changes with him.”
I sighed, folding my arms with annoyance. “I would if I could find him.” The words were out before I could hold them back. The maids’ informal attitude was starting to loosen my tongue, and I needed to be careful before I said something I regretted.
Meena shared an awkward look with the maids—that was really starting to get on my nerves—and Lucy was quick to distract me by pointing out the paintings in the corridor and telling me their stories.
The women showed me room after room, introducing servants and soldiers, including the housekeeper, Mistress Rose, who was not as intimidating as I had feared. Everyone smiled and replied politely which calmed my nerves. This place was very different from Frederick’s house. Maybe things would change as they got to know me, but the goodwill of the household was palpable. They seemed to believe I would be the start of positive change. Nervous pressure built inside me.
Other things were different here; the kryalcomy lamps were brighter, some rooms cool, others hot. The kitchen had a pulley system, but nobody turned the wheel to make it move. It had to be kryalcomy, but why hadn’t I seen the same mechanism back home?
As we walked to the ground floor, I tried not to be too distracted by the windows into the garden. This far east, the warmer climate was bound to encourage interesting plants, and I felt them calling me, tugging me toward them. Hopefully, he would have a big herb garden. The castle and staff were big enough to assume that the kitchens would be self-sufficient from the grounds.
The atmosphere was so relaxed that I wondered if I would have the freedom to make my own small garden patch and grow what I wished. Out of the way of the main grounds, of course. I wouldn’t want to bother the gardeners or disrupt the general’s view.
Lucy had barely stopped talking, and I guiltily realized I’d lost track of what she was saying. I stepped closer to her and refocused on her ramble.
“…beautiful, don’t you think? And I would highly advise you to take lunch every day in this morning room. It gets the most sunlight and we can open the glass doors onto the gardens to get the breeze. The roses around the door smell lovely every summer, don’t they, Bea?”
Beatrice nodded. “Oh, yes. And we can change any of the decor to your tastes. Kasomere has plenty of talented craftsmen. If needed, we can even send for materials from Adenburg. Or Tyrazastan, Nibawae, or Cerith if you prefer.”
I frowned. “Wouldn’t the general mind?”
Lucy shook her head. “He doesn’t really use the ground floor. He just wants you to be comfortable and make it your own.”
I frowned, my curiosity peaking. “Which floor does he use?”
“Well, his office is on the third floor in the south wing. But nobody is allowed to disturb him there without an invitation,” Beatrice said, her voice dropping low as if she was telling me a secret.
Lucy nodded, copying her hushed tone. “Then there’s the men’s drinking room next to it. Only the general and Callum use that. They’ve completely destroyed the tables in there by stabbing them, so it wouldn’t be suitable for anyone else anyway.”
I blinked, sure I had misheard, but the casual way Lucy said it could only convince me that such behavior was accepted as normal here. Why would anyone stab a table?
Lucy continued without noticing my shock. “The east wing of the third floor is closed off due to unsafe flooring. The general hasn’t gotten around to the renovations yet. West wing, third floor consists of meeting rooms for the guards and Mistress Rose’s office. The fourth floor is smaller with no wings. That’s where General Batton’s private quarters are—his bedroom, dressing room, and private lounge—though he spends little time there. He’s mostly in his office below. The rooms you need are just on the first and second floors.”
Meena cleared her throat as if to warn the maids to use caution. Both girls resumed the tour without looking too guilty. In fact, they had a bright gleam in their eyes which made me think they were plotting.
I frowned. My rooms were on the second floor. Had Kasten chosen them so far from his on purpose? Maybe our marriage was purely contractual after all: Father had promised him something, and the general had no real interest in me on a personal level. Well, if that was the case, at least he was providing generously for me. He certainly wanted me to be comfortable.
Still, the thought of being completely ignored by my own husband made me feel transparent and weightless, like a ghost. Here but never fully here. The effect was disorientating.
I stopped walking and straightened my back. “I wish to go to the third floor, please. Isn’t that where his office is?”
The maids glanced at each other, uncertain, and Meena glared at them, folding her arms.
Lucy gave me a nervous, placating smile. “There’s nothing to show you there, my lady. We wanted to give you a tour of the parts of the castle you will be using.”
Beatrice stepped closer. “There’re actually quite a few rooms which are closed off and not in use. We don’t get many guests. Whole corridors are locked away. Perhaps…”
I held up my hand. “The third floor, please. This is my home now and the location of my husband’s office is most certainly my business.”
Lucy looked pale, but she plastered a smile onto her face. “Of course!” She forced the words out a little too brightly.
A trickle of unease wormed through my insides. They were scared of the general. I wondered if that was because of his general disposition, or something more serious. He certainly had a brutal reputation on the battlefield. Was he violent at home as well?
The maids took me to a curving pink marble staircase that had a banister engraved with tigers. This place was so beautiful, it was a shame it rarely had guests to enjoy it. I felt a peace about here that was hard to describe.
I paused at the top of the third floor corridor to straighten my skirts and smooth my hair. Just in case. The lighting was dimmer here, and the floor eerily quiet.
I had barely taken two steps when a man rushed from around the corner with his head down, clutching a leather satchel to his chest. I almost walked straight into him and swerved just in time, Meena’s hand steadying my shoulder. My presence caught him by surprise, his bag slipped forward, and a strange metal object tipped out. The clonk as it hit the carpet made us all take a step back.
I hurried to apologize and, as the man lifted his face, I recognized him. He was the man who had hidden in our carriage. The one on the run. Only now he was clean, shaved and dressed in well-made clothes. He seemed alarmed to see me and froze in place.
I bent down and picked up the metal object to hand it back to him. It was an intricate pyramid made of joining engraved plates of metal and had a soft violet glow from the center. I’d never seen anything like it. I noticed a tiny hare engraved on one side like an emblem. As I held it out to the man, it made a strange whizzing noise and started to move. The man’s gaze dropped down to it, and his eyes widened further before returning to stare at me.
“I’m sorry,” I repeated.
When the man took the device, the noise stopped and the light faded. He put it back in his satchel and looked back over his shoulder toward the end of the corridor.
Heavy footsteps echoed.
“What is going on here?” My husband’s voice. My heartbeat picked up.
I stepped away from the strange man and saw General Kasten’s large form striding toward us. His coat was neat, but the top of his shirt ties were undone, and his black hair was tousled instead of neatly oiled. The less formal look made my heart stutter, and I wasn’t sure whether it was from nerves or unfamiliarity. Again, I was struck by the harsh set of his eyes and the sharp lines of his face that made him seem untouchable.
The man dressed as a servant hunched slightly and licked his lips but didn’t get a chance to reply.
“I told you to stay away from her, Jacob! Go now and tell your people my answer is and always will be ‘no’!”
The man bowed and scurried off down the stairs. What had that been about? And what had that device been? I’d never seen anything like it. It had to be kryalcomy. Nothing else was remotely like it. But the colors, the shape…it was so foreign. Was it something that was banned? Something dangerous? And was that why the general was angry?
I straightened and attempted a smile, relieved and terrified to finally have my husband standing before me. He didn’t return my smile, and when he didn’t greet me, I fought for something to say.
I gave him a small nod. “Good morning, my lord.”
His posture was rigid again, as if he were on parade. “Good morning.” His displeasure continued to radiate from beneath his neutral expression. I hoped it was at the man and not at me.
We stood in awkward silence until he shifted. “How are you…eh…finding the castle?” His words sounded forced. Falsely calm.
I smiled to hide my nerves. “It’s very beautiful. And thank you for the flowers, the jewelry, and the dresses. They were all very considerate of you.”
He grunted.
I licked my lips, feeling my way blindly across unfamiliar territory. If I didn’t ask him now, I wasn’t sure when I would next manage to see him. “May I make a request?”
“Of course.”
My chest tightened, hoping I wasn’t asking for this too soon. “I was wondering if I could have a small section of the garden to cultivate as I wished? Maybe a section that hasn’t seen much use?”
His face remained expressionless. His shadowed eyes were guarded, and I struggled with my inability to read him. Frederick’s thoughts had always been plainly written on his face, and he had been just as quick to voice them.
He inclined his head slightly. “You may do whatever you wish with any part of the property. You don’t need my permission.”
I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. He couldn’t really mean that, could he? This place had been his home for many years, and he seemed to care deeply about it. If the court and his family were always against him, it had to be his sanctuary.
“Thank you.” I nodded again but he was already striding away.
A flicker of excitement awoke inside me. I knew I should be more concerned by his continued lack of interest in me, but he had said yes to my request. I could have my own patch of garden. Frederick had always told me no, not wanting me to spend too long in the sun and dirt. Miss Claris had agreed it was not very ladylike and recommended I ask him again once I had a few children. But now there was nothing to stop me.
I turned to Lucy, Beatrice, and Meena. “May we go to the gardens now?”