The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham

Author:Scarlett Peckham
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2020-04-27T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Seraphina Arden did not traffic in regrets.

Regrets were for people who lacked conviction in their actions. People with pulpy, overswollen hearts. Her heart was as sharp as Cornish shale.

So why couldn’t she sleep?

She rose from her bed to her looking glass and observed herself.

You should not have fucked a man like that, her eyes flashed at her, reproachful.

And why not? she retorted, pinning up her hair in a defiant swoop that made her even taller than she was. No calamity will come of it.

The calamity is that you hurt him, her eyes responded.

’Tis not my responsibility to protect his tender feelings, she rejoined, anchoring the swoop with pins in a way that made her scalp sting. He. Was. Warned.

The woman in the mirror was not impressed. Leave him alone.

“Of course I will leave him alone,” she said aloud. “He’ll want no more of me anyway.”

A knock sounded at her door. “Sera? Are you awake?”

It was Elinor.

She rose and opened the door. “I’m sorry, I was talking to my reflection, who is being pugnacious. Did I wake you?”

“No,” Elinor said in an unsteady voice. “I had a nightmare and I saw a light in your room.”

It was difficult to see her most redoubtable friend look so shaken. Sera reached out and drew Elinor to her breast. “Don’t fret. It will get better from here.”

Elinor looked unconvinced. “I thought I would make myself a cup of tea to soothe myself. Join me?”

Sera took her lamp and followed Elinor down the stairs to the kitchen.

“Tea will keep you up,” she said, rummaging in the cupboard. “Let’s have wine instead.”

“Darling, you cannot live on wine alone.”

“Nor can I live without it,” Sera rejoined, pouring two glasses.

Elinor accepted the wine, but with a frown. “I wish you would take care. You are looking dreadfully thin.”

The motherly concern in her tone made Sera’s throat ache. She would not accept such fuss from Thaïs or Cornelia, but Elinor brought out something softer in her.

Sera put her arms around her friend and rested her head on her shoulder. “I know. I will. It’s just that I’ve been so worried about you.”

Elinor kissed her cheek. “I’ll be all right, you know. Don’t cry.”

Sera had not realized she was crying. Oh, how childish. She wiped away the moisture from her eyes.

“We haven’t had much time to talk,” Sera said, pulling herself together. Now was not the proper time to burden her friend with her turbulent emotions. “Did you have any word from Bell at the asylum?”

“He came a week after he took me there. Offered to let me out if I promised to retract my essay and avow his claims about Jack as true. He was furious when I refused. I’ve heard nothing since.”

Seraphina considered this. “I suspect he and his cronies want Jack’s press shut down. Think it will silence the lot of us.”

“He does. But he also wants to punish me. The night we fought, before he took me, he said my loyalties are to Jack and

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.