I felt ashamed and equally aroused by the concept, a sensation that hadn’t been there when I’d explored the venture of pleasuring myself before.
I listened first to everything in the Palace. The party was still muted from where I sat. Then I inched toward the beam and even touched the top of its roundest part. I snatched my hand back into my lap.
“Ridiculous,”I spat.
“Easy, girl,”I heard Mr. Evergreen say. “Don’t rush.”
I wondered which horse had, in her disobedience, sworn herself my mortal enemy, subjecting me to Mr. Evergreen’s silken taunt. I threw myself back onto the bed.
“Oh, please,” I groaned, burrowing into the blanket. “Why must you torture me so, Mr. Evergreen?”
I rolled around a few times, dramatically and then I broke. Ihadto see him.
At the door, I heard nothing—no passing bodies, no servants nearby, but when I worked up the nerve to leave, instead of a dark hall, I found Ser Willoughby. He looked equally surprised as I as the door came open.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I, I,” I stuttered. “I thought-Is Ser Elías here?”
He shook his head. “No, he asked I remain instead.”
“I see.” I nodded. “Good. Good then. But I…Ahem. I was just thinking a walk would be nice.”
“A walk?” he asked.
“Yes.” I pointed down the hall. “I was just going to stretch my legs.”
We both heard Mr. Evergreen repeat an order from outside. He arched his brow.
“Or I don’t have to go,” I added.
Willoughby took his time. “It’s probably better I’m here, not Elías, eh?”
“Come again?”
“That was a terrible attempt to lie. Come, you can do better thanthat.I’ve seen it.”
“I’m certain I don’t know what you mean,” I said.
Willoughby laughed and not ambiguously. He leaned into the wall and folded his arms. “I think it is far too late for walks tonight. Even if I accompanied you.”
“Is it late?” I asked, although I knew and I knew he knew I knew. “How silly of me.”
“Indeed,” he said. “Blame it on the hour.”
“Well, then. I’ll just…I’ll go to sleep.”
“Wiser, really,” he replied. I went to close the door and he added, “By the way.”
“...Yes?”
He hung on his reply for a moment.“Absence makes the heart grow fonder, cousin.”
“What? What does that mean?” I asked.
“It means it’s too late for walks,” he explained. “A man like that should miss you.”
“I… Who could you possibly mean?”
