AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Turning away from her, I clench my fists at my sides. She deserves to fall asleep and drown in her own filth for speaking about Char in such a manner.
I deliver the message to my friend, sparing her the horrid name calling. As Char prepares the lady’s plate of boiled cod and potato stew, I go through the motions of tidying the kitchen, nothing more than a shadow slinking around. There’s some leftover stew in the hearth, and I dip my fingers in, sneaking the few remaining scraps.
When Char finally limps back into the kitchen, my heart tugs at her gait. She’s moving slower than usual, a hint at her level of exhaustion. It’s clear the estate demands are growing more grueling for her.
“I can finish here. Please rest, Char.” I nod toward a wooden stool.
“Nonsense. These responsibilities belong to me as much as they do you.”
“You’re already worn out.”
“Such a kind heart. You will be free of these invisible chains one day, my Alessia. I promise you.”
I avoid eye contact. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
Char obeys me for once, lowering herself onto the stool with a heavy sigh. “I fully intend to keep my promises to you, dear.”
I don’t reply as I stare at the grimy stack of cooking pans on the counter. As I begin lathering the washrag with soap, the foyer door creaks open, shutting with a slam that reverberates down the corridor. I tense at the sound, counting three heavy footsteps before the entrant belches and grumbles a string of foul words.
Good gods.
The lord is back—drunk. Of course.
Part of me is relieved he’ll be too incoherent to inspect my cleaning. The other part of me is downright dreading the vomit I’ll likely be scrubbing out of his sheets later.
Neither situation is ideal.
Char exhales with resignation, rising from the stool and shuffling to my side at the sink. Her dark eyes narrow at me, full of fire.
“The vermin drank too much again. You stay as far away from that son-of-a-wretch as you can tonight, you hear?” She blows a salt-and-pepper colored tendril off her forehead, tapping her temple with two fingers. “He can only get in here if you let him.”
Grabbing a plate from beside me, she drips water onto the stone.
I sigh, staring down at the darkened spots. “Maybe he’s so drunk he’s forgotten about us entirely.”
The stale stench of cigar smoke wafts through the estate.
“Wassit en here, Dolly,” Lord Edvin slurs as he stumbles into the kitchen, his face blotchy and wind-burnt. Dark purple bruises form beneath his eyes, as if he hasn’t slept the entire week. His coat is worn crookedly, buttons misaligned with the holes, and his short silver hair sticks up in wispy angles. He’s more depleted than normal.
At the sound of his nickname for me, Char’s eyes narrow with disgust.
“Hello Lord Edvin, it appears you require assistance to your chambers, if I may,” she says, gesturing toward the corridor.
“Nah. Dolly ah eye have bish ness.” With a hiccup, he lurches toward me.
Char pulls me behind her back as the stocky man fumbles with his belt. Fear swirls in my gut.
“Ten lasheeths,” he slurs.
“For what!? I did nothing wrong!” I should keep my mouth shut and take his punishment, but I can’t help the exclamation from slipping free.
He yanks Char’s elbow, pulling her out of the way. It sends her tumbling to the ground.
“Char!” I move to help her, but the lord swings his belt at me. It whistles through the air and I jump backward, the leather barely missing my thigh.
“Now for talkun back.”
Cruelty without reason. That’s what this is. To someone as powerful and conceited as the lord, this is merely a game. I’m nothing more than a little mouse—a dolly—for him to play with. He had a bad day—a bad week—and he’s ready to release his aggression on me, as the lady would say.
