“I’m ready, Mother,” I say, holding the sand timer so tightly there’ll be a groove in my palm of the ornate edges.
She places her cup on the marble side table as she shoos Lennox away with her other hand. He doesn’t look at me as he walks out. Helene opens the drawer of the side table to takeout her tools. Relief slowly replaces the tension in my shoulders when she carefully pulls the ivory handled brush through my shoulder-length hair.
“You’re a good dolly,” she coos, sweeping the bristles through the ends of my hair. “I’ll look after you.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Such a pretty dolly,” she whispers, passing me a matching handheld mirror. The ivory has been carved to look like hands are holding the reflective glass in place, the bottom of the handle a coiled snake.
She knows the loss of not having her children, her husband, and being trapped. Everything she does is for my benefit, so we’re lucky we have each other. She cares about me. That care is shown as she parts my hair in the middle, brushes one part over my shoulder, then begins to section the other into four to braid it.
“I’m the only one who’s here for you, sweet girl.” She crosses the first section over the second.
“I know, Mother. Thank you.”
The glass of the sand timer shifts from how tightly I’m holding it, but she doesn’t rip it out of my hand as she continues braiding my hair. “I’ve looked after you over the years, have I not? Even as Kane abandoned you?”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Will you be a good dolly to earn your stay from now?” She pulls my hair to tighten the braid. Instead of moving to the next section, she grips it even harder so my neck is strained, forcing me to look up at the ceiling.
“Yes, Mother.” My voice is weaker from the tension she’s adding to my throat as she pulls harder. “I’ll do what you say. No one else has looked after me.”
“Good dolly,” she coos, loosening her hold on my hair. “Do you remember everything I’ve given you?”
I nod as my fingers tighten around the small sand timer in fear of it being taken away.
“Tell me,” she demands.
“You allowed me to hold her,” I whisper.
She strokes my hair. “For the first and last time.”
Emotion burns my throat at the reminder of my baby girl—mine and Kane’s. She was small but perfect. I made her wrong, but I’ll be good instead of angering Helene, so she won’t tell Kane when he comes back. I’ll explain it to him. The memory of our baby won’t be dictated by Helene then.
She reaches around me, prying my fingers off the small sand timer, taking another thing from me. “If you’re good, I’ll allow you to visit her. Would you like that, sweet girl?”
I quickly nod, uncaring about the braids in my hair.
“Sweet girl,” she says so softly I can feel the warmth in her voice brush my nape. “You will be collected shortly to perform, like you did for your parents’ parties.”
“Th-then I’ll have her back?”
“That’s right. You’ll earn her back as long as you’re a good girl for me.”
I nod again. I can do it though. It will be the same as the other times I’ve left. I’ll have to play the piano for the masked guests while Rowan has one of his parties. If I keep playing, I might be able to earn Kane back too. I have to listen, no fighting or arguing. No trying to leave.
Just listen to what Helene tells me to do. Then life is easier.
She finishes braiding my hair before sending me to get ready. Sitting on the floor has turned my ass numb and I have to limp out of the room, but I remind myself I’ll get my baby back as soon as I’ve done what she wants. The sooner I leave, the sooner I’ll be back with her.
I have to grip the railing to help me climb the spiral staircase, one foot in front of the other, getting further away from my baby.Helene is right about him being angry with me, which is why he hasn’t come back.
I keep walking until I get to my room. Then away from everyone else, my body gives out. My knees crumble under the weight of the sand timer being taken away from me but I don’t hit the floor as a gloved hand reaches out, taking hold of my forearm.
Lennox keeps me standing as I wrap my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. “She took my baby,” I cry in the last safe place I have.
“It’s okay,” he whispers. “You’ll get her back.”
