nt, save for the scrape

had always claimed was his favorite. It made her look docil

Lady Lloyd, was inspecting a strip of

Imogene, her eyes narrowing. "You're late, Imogene. A proper mistress o

gized. She would have stammered about

she d

ovements were fluid, deliberate. She didn't

," she said. Her tone

He didn't even lower it. "Jam," he com

never done a day of hard labor in his life. The urge to grab the heavy jar of str

breath. Inh

r and placed it gent

at her, his gaze critical. "You look pale. Put on some rouge

knife. She sliced into a sausage. The serrated edge

Kenney added, spreading jam

er merchant father, had been sold by Kenney months ago to cover gambling debts, replaced with glass. Her

he said. "What

st, chewing thoughtfully.

lance, "that King Alaric might make an a

s testing her. He wanted to see if she would swoon

ng her meat. S

voice bored. "Why would a man like

nd when a King gets bored, he looks for... entertainment. If we could just

," she

ed, pointing a crust of bread at her. "Lace th

ussing her like she was a prize heifer at a county f

nd covered her hand with his. His

"You are my most precious treasure. You know that, don't you

physical lurch, a wave of nausea t

zed his hand, her grip surprisingly firm. She let her nails press just enough to l

said, locking eyes wit

ss of her nails, but he didn't pull a

a curtsy. "Mr. Lloyd, the dress h

"Go try it on, Imogene. It's the late

?" Lady Lloyd sni

" Kenney corr

y, a scent hit her. It was faint, clin

't her

helsea. She hadn't known about her until years later i

the dining room, h

, rich velvet, the color of a bruised plum. The neckline w

Madam," Sophie

es pitch,"

d picked up a pair of shears. The cold

s she approached the dre

provements

a child throwing a tantrum. She

der, making it cleaner, more severe. She remembered the portrait she had seen once in the Royal

d make sure she fetched the highest pr

he mirror, holding the alt

e steady. "Pack the sewing k