Visions (The Daevas #2)

13 | Shiver

The two youths, one blonde and one redhead give me a wink. I stare hard at them and my eyes suddenly heat up, turning into a dark green. The boys stare at me and they begin to scurry off like whipped school boys. I continue walking and finally reach my door.

I push the key into the latch and enter my room. The place is small and looks very uncomfortable. I shudder as I see the bed, its coverlet looking old, ripped, and full of fleas and God knows what else. But I do not complain. This is where I am staying for the time being, and I will leave in the morrow. I walk to the dirty window and see that the view is full of trees and fences and a bonfire at the center, where people are warming themselves and singing to country music. My light green eyes roam at the dancing bodies swishing from side to side as they follow the beat to the happy tune being played by local musicians. The tree on my left side, very near in my spot of the place, just down below my room, os a couple who are frantically kissing each other. It is a bit dark, but I can see clearly. The man is quickly trying to raise the woman's dirty old skirts.

I shut my eyes in pain, remembering what my husband and my sister were doing in my very presence. A tear slides down my cheek and I pull down the curtain, turning around and heading to my bed. I bend down and take the coverlet off the mattress, smelling the stench of it. I wrinkle my nose and toss it to the far corner of the room. There is one candle lit, and I put that near my bed, placing it on the sidetable. I sit on the bed, staring at the wall in the center.

There is a knock on the door. I go up and unlock it. I see the very same girl whom I saw a while ago standing in front of me, her pretty face looking so tired.

"Molly at your service, m'lady," she squeaks in a small voice.

I touch her shoulders and usher her inside the room. There are two men holding a tub on each side. I notice now that Molly is holding three towels in her hands along with soap. I gesture to the men to put down the tub to one side and order them to take the horrid coverlet away from my room. They pick it up and leave without a word.

"Are you ready for your bath, miss?" Molly asks.

I look at her. We have the same height. I brush away a tear in her eye, feeling sympathy for this girl. "Just help me with my clothes, and I shall do the bathing myself. Clear?" I ask benignly. She nods. "Then I shall let you sleep here with me so that those two addle-pated men or any man, for that matter, will leave you alone. I will not allow someone doing this"-I look at her from head to toe and breathe heavily-"to you."

She hugs me, to my surprise, and sobs. "Thank ye, thank ye, m'lady!" she cries, burying her head on my chest.

I touch her hair and move it away from her face, then I smile. "'Tis all right, Molly. I shan't let anything happen to you."

She helps me take my dress away, and promises me that it will be clean and nice by tomorrow. For now, she calls a maidservant and tells her to fetch a new dress and a nightgown for me. I smile at her thoughtfulness, then she begins to put water in the tub. I get inside and she helps me bathe.

"I thought I told you to sleep," I scold her.

She gives me a little smile. "But I want to help you, m'lady," she insists.

I sigh, giving up. After that, she helps me in my starched nightgown and combs my hair lovingly.

"Such lovely hair!" she breathes. My eyes twinkle and I feel such fondness for this girl. She sees my delight, and idly places a handful of straight copper hair on her palm, seeing it gleam in the candlelight. "Ye look eerily familiar in some way. Ye ain't just some country miss who be in need of a place to stay, aye?"

I shake my head. "No, I am not."

She shrugs. "'Tis obvious, really. With your fine gown and elegant way of talking, 'tis no doubt that you be a gentlewoman. But may I ask something?"