Chapter 65

“Karin.”

I spin around to see Ansel, still pale and sickly-looking, treading slowly after me. It’s late morning and he was well enough to come down to breakfast - and ignore me through it - but I’m shocked to see him walking around outside in his condition.

“Suddenly, you can speak?” I cross my arms as he approaches me.

He narrows his eyes at me. “I don’t know why I’m bothering, frankly.”

“I don’t know why you are, either.” I shrug my shoulders and start to turn back around.

“Wait,” he says. “Fine.”

I purse my lips and stare at him in my best, ‘I’m waiting,’ expression.

“I’ve been informed that you’re - “ He stops to cough. “That you’re going into town today.”

“Is that okay, or am I a prisoner again?”

“You’re not a prisoner,” he says. “But I want Maggie to go with you.”

“I know all about your little arrangement with Maggie,” I say. “And Maggie’s a wonderful friend, but I already told her I want to go by myself.”

“Why?” He peers at me with a laser focus.

‘To spite you,’ I want to say. Hell, I’m just going to say it!

“Because I’m not interested in being your compliant little servant anymore.”

“Servant?” His jaw goes very tense.

“Isn’t that what I am? In your servitude to produce your heir? In fact, I have a doctor’s appointment late this afternoon for all of that, so I’d better be going.”

I begin to walk away, but he grabs hold of me. “What’s gotten into you,” he says.

“What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing. There’s ample reason to believe you may not be especially safe on your own. You’ve already been attacked once, threatened a couple nights ago, and you’re associated with me, which is enough in itself. I arranged for your security for a reason.”

“I’m not talking about that,” I say, pushing his arm off of me.

“I’m not getting into everything else right now,” he says. “The point is, regardless of what’s going on between us, don’t be reckless and put yourself at risk.’

“What is going on between us, Ansel? Are you ever going to tell me why you decided to hate me overnight?”

On top of the dream, thanks to Ada’s help, I’ve already figured out what got stirred up in both of us, but I need him to say it. Even if there’s no fixing it.

Ansel’s face contorts in anger. He drops his eyes, and then he looks back at me. “Go right ahead. Do whatever you want, but be back in time for that appointment, so you can do your part to fulfill your contract.”

It’s not lost on me that he doesn’t bother correcting the bit about ‘hating’ me.

“Is that all you want, then,” I say. My cheeks are hot and I feel ready to explode in anger.

“That’s all I want,” he says. “The water got muddied.”

I’m suddenly blinking back tears I don’t want him to see. “Cautionary tale of sex,” I say. “Why don’t you just jack off into a cup, instead, and then we’ll make the boundaries crystal clear?”

For a moment, he looks as though I’ve slapped him, but then his eyes go cold. “That can be arranged,” he says.

“Oh, fuck off, Ansel,” I say. I whip around before he can see me cry, and take off toward the car I’m borrowing for the trip.

I spend the rest of the morning wandering through the streets of the town, window shopping, and trying to put Ansel out of my mind. What he said about my safety bothers me a little, though, so I try to stay watchful. I don’t guess one of Prince Edwin’s men is just going to grab me and abduct me, but it makes me a little nervous, nonetheless.

“Lady Karin?” A woman approaches me as I’m leaving a small art shop. “I’m Nikki Rubank. We spoke at the ball.”

“Oh,” I say. “It’s nice to see you again.” It takes me a moment, but then I place her. “Are you still interested in a dance class for your little one,” I blurt out.

“Yeah.” Her face brightens. “Are you available?”

“Absolutely,” I say. “I’ve arranged to hold a small class tomorrow at 4.” I’m saying it all on the fly, almost believing my own tall-tale as I say it. “At the manor,” I add.

Her eyes widen. “On Sir Ansel’s estate?”

“Yes.” I’m now starting to experience feelings of panicked regret, but I keep a smile plastered on my face.

“We’ll be there,” she says. “And I have a few friends with children who would be interested, if…?”

“The more, the merrier!” My stomach lurches.

“Lovely,” Nikki says. “Looking forward to it!”

Shit.

I walk out of the shop and back towards the car.

Why did I say all of that? I’m ready to hit my head against a brick wall when Ada goes on high-alert.

I sniff the air. I don’t consciously register anything out of the ordinary.

What is it, Ada?

She floats me an image of Cherry. Quickly, I look around, but I don’t see her, thankfully.

I don’t understand.

But then, I do, as though I’m filled with Ada’s own knowingness. Someone connected to Cherry is out here today. Ada caught just enough of Cherry’s scent on the person and pieced it together.

She’s following you.

My heart goes full-throttle when Ada says it. I want to look back, but I’m too scared at the same time.

I’m just going to walk calmly to the car. Ada knows she’s well supported in wolfing-out if anything happens and I can feel from her that she’s ready.

I get into the car and quickly lock the doors. Despite my nervousness, I force myself to look back in the rearview mirror, but all I see are people walking down the sidewalk past the shops and restaurants.

I can’t shake the creeped-out feeling, though, even after I’ve left. The winding road back to the manor is an isolated one. I’d be easy to pick off.

Half-way there, another car appears slowly behind me and Ada goes tense. I’m caught in an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

Then, I shift to angry determination. I am not going to let Ansel’s overprotective paranoia get to me. Most importantly, I’m sure as hell not going to let Cherry have this power over me. I talk Ada down, quit white-knuckling it, and drive like a sane person back to the manor.

I immediately find Maggie and confess that I’ve just impulsively invited a bunch of strangers over to Ansel’s private home for my dance class (which I’ve barely planned and hardly know what to do with). I want to die with embarrassment as I say it.

“Oh, Karin,” she sighs.

“I need to make sure the gardener’s wife knows, too. I don’t suppose you could tell her?” I grit my teeth.

Maggie rubs her temple. “Um, I’ll see what I can figure out. This is going to be a security nightmare, to be honest. I’ll talk to Henry. And I can already tell you, Ansel isn’t going to like it.”

“Of course not,” I say, throwing my arms across my chest, annoyed just at the mention of his name.

“I’ll try,” she tells me. “It would be great if you could do a class. I’ll let you know!”

“Thanks.”

“Doc’s on his way to see you. I hope you don’t mind,” she adds in a hushed tone. “I asked him to come early in case you can get Ansel to see him, too. He seems better today, but I don’t want him to have a relapse.”

Not long after, I’m sitting in front of Doc as he looks over my blood work. I can’t help but think about my dreams of Jemma and wonder if I’ll actually be around for the future child Ansel and I may have together.

I wipe away a tear just as Doc looks up at me.

He smiles. “You’re ovulating.”