Page 31 of The Nightshade's Bride
"Enough words over this old woman," Gideon snarled, putting his hard fingers on my elbow and dragging me along behind him.
Once back inside, he insisted on me sitting next to the fire, and I was startled to feel him grasp my much tinier hands in his as he rubbed them vigorously. Ada was still at the table, a fragrant plume of steam rising from her cup, but he ignored her.
"Didn’t I make it clear you were not to talk to that man?”
“He’s amonk, Gideon. He’s celibate.”
His eyes were burning into mine, making my skin prickle.
“I don’t give a fuck. You’re carrying my child. You will obey me in this."
Up close, his heavy-lidded eyes seemed to spark with emotion, instead of his usual lazy contempt.
"I’m carrying your child and yet there’s a damn wet spot on my floor. There’s somethingwrongin that room. Sometimes I feel like it’s going to crumble around me! It scares me to be in there.”
“Take Ada’s,” Gideon said.
"What's this?" Ada asked coldly, her red lips leaving a mark so bright it looked like blood on the teacup. "There’s nothing wrong with that room. Or with any room in Grayspires. No building has ever had better bones. Grayspireswill not fall.”
Damn. I’d fallen into a really obvious trap.
I opened my mouth but Gideon’s face had already hardened.
“You will stay where you are.”
"I—" I began, but Ada brushed aside my objections. "I have checked the room myself recently. It is fine."
"I have not seen anything amiss with Grayspires," Gideon said. "I will look in the morning."
There was silence for a moment.
"Brother Bartholomew is a ridiculous man," Ada put in coolly. "Imagine coming all the way out here to sermonize over a servant."
Stung at her words, I said, "It is his Christian duty to helpall, no matter their age or status."
"Unless, of course," Ada said, "there is another reason he visits here so often."
Gideon instantly stiffened at his desk.
"What are you implying?" he asked harshly.
"I'm implying you should check the baby's hair color," Ada purred, running a hand down her elegant bodice. "Unless you don't mind raising a bastard."
"It is a lie!" I cried, feeling hot anger flood me.
Gideon regarded me steadily and I felt blood pounding in my ear as I shrank back into the sofa.
What if he believed her lies and killed me?
"Why would Ada say that if it wasn’t true?"
He rose and stalked swiftly toward me, those dark eyes boring down like metallic weights.
"I don't know! But it’s not true!”
Gideon’s hand clamped down on my leg.
"I think my little mouse would not dare to defy me. But all the same, I think you should go to bed early as punishment. I will have a plate sent up to you. Perhaps infuture you will remember not to shame me by paying another man attentions."
