Chapter 17
-BEA-
Once again, Bea finds herself leaning against Dax’s door, holding her pounding chest.
“Wife?” She whispered it out loud to herself. Did that mean he was willing to give her a chance? Was her secret safe with him? Was he going to accept a slave as a partner? Could she?
She had so many questions going through her mind as she tried to add the finishing touches to the light blanket that she’d made from some of Savonnuh’s dresses. She wanted to show them to Dax, but was so unsure of herself. If she worked on it for a good part of the night, maybe in the morning, she’d wake up earlier and show them to Dax before breakfast.
It was a dark purple with unique strips swirling up the sides. She’d taken some frill from another dress and added it to the corners, while also embroidering lavender flowers along the border. She wasn’t the greatest at embroidery, but they’d turned out just how she wanted. All that was left was a bit of green for the flowers, and it would be complete.
When she finally made it back to the kitchen to make Dax dinner, she’d decided to try something more substantial and had baked him a single potato that was topped with aged cheese and cream, along with some of last fall’s seasonings. She looked down at the plate and her mouth watered. She’d made herself one too. I hope he doesn’t
mind.
She was standing outside his door with the tray in her hands. Wife. Her heart sped up as she nodded to the doormen, and they opened Dax’s doors.
She waited until she heard the doors shut before she said, “Hello, Master.” She walked up to his bed and set the tray on the side table by the bed. “I’ve made something a bit different tonight, and I want to see if you can eat it.
If it’s too hard, let me know.”
She looked over at him, and his beautiful blue eyes were watching her intently.
“Thank you, Bea.”
Wife. Oh!” The word slipped out as a croak. “You’re welcome. Uhm…” She tried to shove the word wife from her mind. “I made one for me too, I hope that’s okay.” She paused, spoon filled with creamy potato and cheese, halfway to his mouth.
“Of course it’s okay.” Then his brow furrowed, and he asked, “Have you not been eating?”
After feeding him the bite, she said, “Uhm, well. Yes. I’ve been eating, but normally I eat what you don’t. And if you eat it all, then normally I can find some eggs in the coops and make a quick meal for myself. But I plan on deplacing the eggs when I go to the market tomorrow. But, I mean… since you say it’s okay, maybe I was
overthinking and..”
“Bea.” He interrupted her.
“Uh. I’m sorry, I was rambling. I do that when I’m nervous. Rebecca used to get so mad that she…”
1/2
Chapter 17
“Bea.” He interrupted her again. Still in a calm, smooth tone.
“Hmm?” She began biting her bottom lip. Maybe then she would shut up.
“You said something on one of the first days you were here.” His voice broke a little, and he paused for a moment before continuing. “You said something about a fire. Would you tell me, please, what you meant?”
“Oh!” She’d forgotten that she’d mentioned that. She’d really put her foot in her mouth this time, hadn’t she? There was no getting out of it, she supposed, and besides, it felt good saying it out loud.
“Would you first tell me how you’re able to talk so well now?” She had to know. It was the most prominent question she had other than the “wife” comment, and it was the safer option of the two to talk about right now.
His mouth tightened, and he frowned, but still he said, “I’ve been practicing while you’re off wherever you go during the day.”
His words caused her to stop short. He sounded resentful. Did he want more of her presence? No. He couldn’t mean that. Yet, she could see how awful it must be to not be able to move or do much. She promised herself that after she went to the Market, moving forward, she’d be by his side.
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