Page 89 of Of Love and Treason
“That’s not what I was told.” Valentine sent a pointed look in Iris’s direction.
Her eyes narrowed, but this time she couldn’t hold back the grin. “Good morning, Beatrix. Did you get all your things moved in?”
“Allbeing the important word.” Valentine gave an exaggerated eye roll. “The childhood memorabilia could have been left behind.”
“Youlovedthat stuffed ostrich.” Beatrix lifted her chin.
Valentine’s neck went red and splotchy. “I wasfour!”
“Fourteen.” Beatrix did not quite keep her voice under her breath.
Iris giggled. At Beatrix’s direction, Valentine moved an empty pot next to the boiling one and Beatrix ladled the diapers into it one by one.
“There’s fresh water for rinsing there, Iris,” Beatrix said over her shoulder. “Just pour it in over the top of them. That’s it.”
Beatrix swirled the diapers in the rinse water and set the paddle aside before crossing the room and tucking a stack of towels under her arm.
“We’re just finishing with the baths.” Beatrix paused in the doorway. “You two hang those diapers and bring the calda to the triclinium.”
“How are the children?” Iris asked when his aunt had gone.
Valentine shook his head and pulled a dripping diaper from the water. “Terrified.” He twisted the water from it. Iris followed suit. “Asking about their mothers and fathers.”
Iris’s heart ached for them. “I can’t imagine losing my pater like that.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Poor things.”
Valentine flung the diaper over a line stretched across the room. “Your pater is a good man.”
Iris wrenched water from another diaper and handed it to Valentine. “He feels terrible he could do nothing for their parents.”
“I know. He said as much last night when he came. He’s worried about you too.”
She shrugged. “All will be well soon. Marius agreed to smuggle us out on his next ship.”
Valentine nodded and their eyes tangled. “Where will you go?”
“As far as we can, I suppose.”
They finished the laundry in silence and Iris returned to the culina as Valentine emptied the laundry cauldrons into the alley by the bucketful.
She added more water to a nearly dry pot on the brickwork stove and searched the shelves to locate a tray and cups. Beatrix poked her head inside again, looked around, then swung the door open fully, stepping inside when she saw Iris alone.
“Where’s Valens?” Her shoulders jerked downward with something like disappointment or irritation. “I thought you were working together.”
Iris pointed to the laundry. “He’s emptying the wash kettle. Is everything all right?”
“Oh, fine, dear. Just fine. Will you bring the chamomile?” Beatrix swept into the laundry and Iris heard a reproachful “Why aren’t you with her?”
The overt matchmaking attempt might have been amusing had Valentine’s muffled reply not sounded so defensive and annoyed. Iris felt her cheeks go hot. She tried to ignore the tiny flicker of hurt and busied herself searching for clean cups and trying to leave everything else exactly as she found it.
Beatrix swept out of the laundry room, sweet smile aimed at Iris as she left the culina, closing the door behind her. Valentine emerged from the laundry room after the door shut.
Iris looked up. “Is everything all right?”
With a weary sigh, Valentine braced a hip on the worktable across from Iris and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair, making the top swath stand on end. He lifted his hands in surrender and looked at the plaster behind her as he spoke. “I don’t know what you heard.”
She was about to say she’d heard nothing, but he rushed on, refusing to look at her.
“Bea has been trying to marry me off as long as—well, it feels like forever.”
