I was finally allowed back to my cell, and I didn’t waste any time falling into bed. My head felt like it had been cracked open like a melon, and everything I’d been through had drained me.
My mind wandered to the baby growing inside me, and to Giorgio’s cruel rejection. The cruel man had taken everything I had left to give. My heart was a twisted mess. I could barely wrap my head around it all.
I didn’t sleep long. A cold wind blew in from the window that morning, and it woke me up. It was even colder than last time, so I pulled the blanket tight around me. I could see my breath in front of my face now.
I couldn’t get warm, no matter how tight I hugged the blanket.
A moment later, the door to my cell creaked open. I looked over to see a young man standing in the doorway, holding a large tray in his arms.
The servant was handsome and slender. He had a kind face, but his eyes were hesitant. They flitted from side to side as though he was waiting for an attack.
“Who are you?” I asked, curious and a little concerned.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I-I’m here to bring you breakfast. I’ll be your personal servant from now on.”
“Oh,” I said, a little disappointed. “Thank you.” I sat up, wrapping my blanket around me like a cloak. He brought the tray over, and I was amazed to see that it was stacked high with food.
There were eggs, and pancakes, and sausages, and even what looked like fresh fruit. There was a thick slab of bacon as well as a cup of steaming coffee.
The servant set the tray down at the edge of the bed, and then retreated back into the corner, his head down, his hands clasped in front of him.
I stared at the food greedily for a moment, and then dug in. I didn’t take my time; I wolfed everything down as fast as I could. The servant watched me curiously, but said nothing.
When I was done, I pushed the tray away and sat back. “That was incredible, thank you so much.”
The man looked at me hesitantly, as though he wasn’t sure if it was safe to speak. “There’s... uh... a bath waiting for you in the next room, miss.”
“Oh?” I looked at him curiously. “A bath?”
“Yes, miss. A warm bath.”
I sat up straight and smiled. “Really?”
“Yes,” he said, bowing. “Please, follow me.”
He turned and walked from the room. I jumped from bed and followed after him. We went down the hall a few feet until we reached the bathroom I had used before.
It looked a little different now. A large claw-foot tub dominated the center of the room, and it was filled to the brim with steaming hot water. There were rose petals floating on top, and a large bottle of body wash sat next to it.
The servant gestured to the tub. “Is there anything you need, miss?”
I stared at him curiously, unsure of how to react.
He sighed softly. “I’m new here, miss,” he said softly. “The man you’re replacing... I don’t think she got a bath like this. If there’s anything else, you just let me know.”
He quickly left the room and shut the door behind him. I stood there for a second, staring after him, wondering about this new change.
Why was I suddenly getting treated so much better? Had my pregnancy changed things?
I quickly forgot all about the mystery and stripped off my clothes. I stepped into the tub and groaned with pleasure as the hot water surrounded my body.
It had never felt so good before. I soaked in it for a long time, taking deep breaths and letting the warm water work on my muscles.
When I finally climbed out and toweled off, I felt like a new woman. I dressed in a simple shift and then left the bathroom.
My servant was standing in the hall, staring down at his shoes. I smiled to myself as I passed him, and he fell into step behind me.
We made our way back to the cell, but he gestured for me to keep going.
I looked at him curiously as we continued down the hall. “Where are we going?” I asked.
“The Master has requested your presence.”
I froze. “Master?”
“Yes,” he said quickly. “He needs you in his study.”
I bit my lip and hesitated, but there wasn’t much choice. I nodded, and we continued on.
As we walked, I couldn’t help but wonder what Giorgio wanted with me. It had been a few days since our last meeting, and I was still reeling from that night.
I had never hated anyone before in my life, not like I hated him right then.
We reached the door to his office and my servant gestured for me to go inside. I took a deep breath, steeled myself, and pushed it open.
Inside, Giorgio was sitting at his desk, looking handsome as always. He glanced up as I entered.
“Ah, Allie,” he said. “Good. You look well.”
I shut the door and crossed my arms. “What do you want?”
He raised an eyebrow. “We’re not going to be civil?”
“I don’t have to be.”
“I’m aware of that. But still, we can try.”
I said nothing. I stared at him with pure fury in my eyes, willing him to feel the rage I had in my heart.
He cleared his throat. “Yes, well, perhaps we should skip that.” He stood and walked over to a small side table, where a decanter of liquor sat.