Unhonored Read Free Page B

almost at once. Ellis thought it odd that the woman should be obsessed with getting her hair dry when her clothing was still so obviously soaked through.
    â€œLook, this party is being thrown by your husband as a celebration of your return to the house,” Alicia said quietly as she worked the towel about Ellis’s hair. “However, having been abroad for so long a time, perhaps her ladyship has become … unaccustomed to the rules of polite society.”
    â€œAnd, I trust”—Ellis spoke the words as lightly as she could manage—“you have been instructed to guide me in these matters?”
    â€œIt should be my privilege to do so, your ladyship,” Alicia continued, tossing the towel back toward the chair. She took up a long-toothed comb from the table and started the work of untangling Ellis’s hair. She moved the comb carefully through Ellis’s tangled locks, taking the time to gently unravel the snags. “Now that you are home, we would not want you to embarrass yourself or the house with inappropriate behavior.”
    â€œIndeed?” Ellis said, her voice quiet. “And what if I don’t want to behave appropriately?”
    The comb stopped in Alicia’s hands. Her voice was quavering as she spoke in almost a whisper. “No, Ellis, please! They’ll find out … he’ll find out.”
    Ellis, frustrated, looked about her. There were knobs to drawers on either side of the table. She snatched at one of them, pulling on it sharply.
    The table scraped against the hardwood floor with a terrible squeal.
    â€œIt’s fake,” Ellis said to Alicia under her breath. “Not even the drawers are real … they’re just painted on.”
    â€œI’ll ring for the handyman,” Alicia said with a slightly distracted tone. “He’ll have those fixed in no time.”
    â€œThat’s not the point!” Ellis snapped. “There’s a cheery fire in the fireplace in this room but it’s not giving off any heat! It’s as though we are living in a doll’s house.”
    â€œYou didn’t give him enough time,” Alicia said in a rush of whispered words. “This is a very old Book and he wasn’t prepared to change the Day. He’s never had to build anything this quickly before. It will take him time to get the details right.”
    â€œWho? For who to get the details right?” Ellis demanded.
    â€œThe lord of the m-manor,” Alicia stuttered slightly as she replied. “Your husband, of course.”
    â€œAnd just who is this ‘husband’ I’m supposed to have?” Ellis asked, both knowing and dreading the answer.
    â€œLord Merrick,” Alicia whined, drawing back as though Ellis might strike her.
    Ellis hissed her words through clenched teeth. “He set this up so that I am the lady of the house and he is the lord? How very convenient for him!”
    â€œHe’s just trying to please you,” Alicia burbled. “He’s just trying to please us all.”
    â€œPlease you?” Ellis was astonished at the statement. “Alicia, you more than anyone else know what is at stake. You’ve seen the madness of this place. You wanted to leave it as much as I. If you could only just—ouch!”
    Alicia had tugged sharply on a tangle in Ellis’s hair.
    â€œSorry,” Alicia said. “That was my fault.”
    â€œStop pretending, Alicia.” Ellis pushed on in earnest, turning to face the woman. “We can do this. Together, with your help, we can find our way to the Gate.”
    â€œNo, Ellis,” Alicia implored. “Don’t speak of it!”
    â€œYou were there,” Ellis continued. “I don’t remember much but I do remember you were there when I left. You saw what happened. We found the Gate together once and we can find it again. We can leave this place…”
    â€œNo!”
    â€œWhy not?”