“Well,” she said, “I’m glad you were able to find a silver lining in the incident.”
The Count smiled faintly. “Come now, you must be exhausted. I will have Sofia take you to your chamber so you may rest.”
Fatigue weighed heavily in her limbs, and with the dull ache still pulsing through her head, sleep sounded like a mercy. Mina stood, wished Jonathan goodnight, and followed the Count out of the study and into the hall beyond.
He took her hand in his and met her gaze. “Goodnight, my wife.” He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her skin.
Mina swallowed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and . . . something else. Something she could not quite name. “Goodnight,” she said.
Sofia led her down the stone passageway, a candle in hand to light their path. They walked in silence, the echo of their footsteps following them as they climbed a short flight of stairs and continued along another long corridor. With each closed door they passed, Mina felt her curiosity grow. What lay behind them? Had these rooms always stood empty, or had theyonce been filled with people—guests, servants, members of the Count’s family?
They turned down another hallway, and Mina caught sight of an open door ahead, soft light spilling out of the room.
“This chamber is yours, mistress,” Sofia said, gesturing toward it.
As Mina stepped inside, she was struck by its size. The ceiling rose high above her, formed of the same stone as the walls and floor—even the arched windows had been carved from it, their details intricate. Beside the windows stood a large four-poster bed piled high with duvets, blankets, and pillows. To the left sat a small settee before the hearth, where a fierce fire crackled warmly. On the far wall, a doorway appeared to lead to a private bathing chamber.
“I’ve prepared some tea,” Sofia said, indicating a small table between the settee and the hearth. “Would you care for some, mistress?”
“I’m fine, thank you,” Mina said.
Sofia nodded once. “It will be there if you change your mind. I’ve placed a heated brick beneath the blankets—the bed should be warm.” Her gaze swept the room before returning to Mina. “Is there anything you need before I leave you, mistress?”
“No,” Mina said. “That is more than enough. Thank you, Sofia.”
The woman gave a slight curtsy, just as she had upon their first meeting earlier that evening. “I shall be back in the morning,” Sofia said, one hand resting on the iron latch of the door.
Before she left, however, she stilled.
Mina thought she must have done something wrong, but Sofia was looking over her shoulder, out into the darkened corridor beyond. Silence settled between them like a heavy blanket, broken only by the pop and hiss of the fire.
“Is everything alright?” Mina asked, a chill sliding over her skin. She crossed her arms and moved closer to the hearth.
Sofia turned her gaze back to Mina, a stiff smile on her face, as though it wasn’t an expression she made often. “Of course, mistress. Goodnight.”
She dipped her head and closed the door, leaving Mina alone.
The wind howled against the windowpanes. The fire crackled in the hearth, warming her where she stood.
She moved to the windows and peered down into the courtyard far below. Beyond it stretched snow-capped mountains and dense forests, dark and unbroken. Her heart clenched at the sight. How far would she have to go to find any sign of civilization beyond those trees?
The thought left her with a prickle of shame, and she pushed it aside.
Fatigue crept in as Mina crossed the room and found the armoire stocked with her own clothing—Sofia must haveunpacked while they were occupied with the ceremony. She freed herself from the confines of her day dress and slipped into a soft nightgown before climbing into the four-poster bed. She drew the covers up around her, the fabric still warm from the heated brick nestled beneath the blankets at the foot of the bed.
As she took in the room once more, the fire crackling softly in the hearth, her thoughts drifted to the Count—her husband. Had her wifely duties truly been fulfilled for the night, or would he summon her?
The thought lingered only briefly before exhaustion claimed her.
***
Sleep came fitfully. The howling of wolves pierced her dreams, the sound the same as she’d heard at the inn, yet louder now as it echoed through the mountains.
And then there was something much closer. In that half-sleep, she could not be sure whether she was still dreaming, but there, on the other side of the chamber door, was a sound. A whisper. Then another.
Wilhelmina, it seemed to call, the voice like a wraith luring her into the darkness. But as Mina slowly returned to herself, blinking into the dark with confusion spilling through her, a soft laugh sounded from the hall.
She froze, listening.
