Her corset! It tied in the back.
A fluttery breath escaped between her lips.
She had never undressed herself—she’d never needed to—but that didn’t mean she couldn’t do it now, did it?
Optimistic at first, she reached around to her back to unfasten her gown. It was a fumbling, frustrating, and unsuccessful attempt as the hooks eluded her grasping fingers. The muscles in her arms burned from one failed attempt after another, and she felt panic rising in her throat.
This wasn’t working. Perhaps…
Gathering her skirts and reaching up underneath them, Amelia tried to get at the strings of her corset instead, feeling foolish. The puffy sleeves were unwieldy, and the stays obstructed her movement far too much, keeping her spine unhelpfully rigid.
She could not do this. There was no possible way.
All the while, the woman’s parting words taunted her…
“Unless you have need of anything else…”
But the inn keeper—or barmaid or whatever she was—was long gone.
The hour was late. Amelia was locked in a room alone. And in the end, her arms simply gave out. She had no choice but to sleep in this stupid gown, squeezed into her stupid corset, in this stupidly beautiful chamber!
Even worse, the food on the table mocked her. Because, if she ate, or even drank, the corset would be only more uncomfortable.
It was the final straw.
Defeated and broken, she threw herself face down onto the comfortable mattress. She then buried her face in the coverlet and sobbed.
THE TIES THAT BIND
Leopold rose earlier than the roosters, and by the time Fitz walked their guest down the stairs to where the carriage was waiting, he was anxious to take to the road.
The lovely Lady Amelia had pitched quite the fit the night before. Leopold couldn’t help but grin at the memory of the curses he’d overheard from the yard.
Rolling his shoulders, which were stiff from a mattress normally employed by stable boys, he mentally patted himself on the back. Normally he’d have slept upstairs, but because he wasn’t the heartless bastard many believed him to be, he’d sacrificed his personal chamber so their guest could be comfortable.
Or prisoner, rather.
But as she came into focus, he frowned. What reasons did she have for looking so frail? Dark circles shadowed her lovely eyes, and she’d left her hair in the same coiffure from the day before—but with a few more straggling strands.
And her gown, which had been pretty before she’d rolled around in the mud, was in even worse shape than her hair.
Of course, she was still beautiful, but…
Any normal woman would have tidied up with a damp cloth and some lavender water he knew had been provided. If not her person, at least that horrific gown. But as she arrived to stand right before him, one sniff proved she hadn’t bothered to do either.
Was this some sort of protest on her part? Or was she really so reliant upon servants that she was too lazy to tend to her own ablutions?
Keeping her head down, she silently walked past him and climbed into the coach unassisted.
But before moving to join her, Leopold circled his fist over his sternum. She’d slept in the finest room the inn had to offer and been served hot and savory meals. He had no reason to feel guilty today. If she’d lost some of her fight, in fact, Leopold might have less difficulty getting her to talk. The hints of information she’d revealed about her father and Crossings’ business dealings had him believing she knew more than she was letting on. The sooner he uncovered that, the sooner he could get on with his regular business.
He was honest enough with himself to admit, however, to having been amused, watching such a proper lady fidget and bluster over the course of the drive.
And he wouldn’t even pretend that he didn’t appreciate her looks. Even in her present state, no one could deny she was a beauty.
With a glance in Fitz’s direction, who appeared equally taken aback by Lady Amelia’s appearance, Leopold shrugged, and with no words needed, alighted into the carriage before closing the door behind him.
He sat down beside her on the same bench, but she only pressed herself stiffly into the corner, her face drawn and pale.
