Hers to Keep (Irresistibly Bound 3)

Against her better judgment, Lindsey pushed the door open even more, just enough so that she could see inside. The large room was dark, lit by a single lamp next to Camilla’s bed at the far side of the room. Lindsey could only just make out Camilla’s figure on the bed, curled up in a ball, the sheets twisted around her. Her hair clung to her forehead, and her cheeks were pale.

“Come on, Camilla.” June was seated in an armchair by the bed, her arms crossed. A covered silver serving tray sat on the nightstand next to her. “You’ve been running yourself into the ground lately. You can’t afford to not look after yourself. You know that just makes things worse.”

Camilla uttered a curse which Lindsey was shocked to hear come out of her mouth. “Fine. If it’ll get you off my case.”

“Good.” June picked up the tray from the nightstand. “And will you be getting out of bed, Ma’am?”

“I’ll sit at the table,” Camilla said through gritted teeth. “I hope you’re happy.”

“In a few days, you’ll be happy that you got out of bed. The last thing either of us needs is you stomping around the house, angry that you let yourself lie around doing nothing.”

“I hate that you’re right,” Camilla grumbled.

“I’d be pretty bad at my job if I hadn’t figured out what you’re like after all these years.” June got up and turned toward the table at the other side of the room.

The table that was right between the bed and the door.

Shit. Before Lindsey could act, June spotted her and froze.

Camilla turned toward where June was looking. “What-” Her eyes locked onto Lindsey’s, and her face clouded over.

Lindsey’s every instinct told her to shut the door and get out of there as quickly as possible. But Camilla’s eyes held her there. And even from this distance, Lindsey could see every emotion boiling within them. Surprise. Disappointment. Anger. Betrayal.

Lindsey’s heart sank. She had messed up. She had seen something Camilla didn’t want her to see. But Lindsey’s concern outweighed her guilt. Camilla could yell and scream at her all she wanted. She just needed to know that Camilla was okay.

But Lindsey didn’t get the chance to ask. Her eyes still on Lindsey’s, Camilla spoke, her cold voice cutting through the air.

“Close the door, June.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” The housekeeper walked over to the door and shut it in Lindsey’s face.

Chapter Ten

“Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?” Lindsey asked.

June began clearing dinner from the table, stacking the dishes on the dining cart next to her. “We’ve been through this. All you need to know is that she’s okay.”

It had been two days since Lindsey had witnessed the scene in Camilla’s room. Two days, and she still hadn’t seen Camilla. Lindsey had asked June about her a dozen times, but the housekeeper remained tight-lipped. Even more infuriatingly, June continued to act like nothing had happened at all.

“She didn’t look okay.” Lindsey’s mind went back to that night. She’d gone over it again and again in her head. From what Lindsey had overheard, it sounded like it was something that happened a lot. Was Camilla sick? Was there something seriously wrong with her? Was she dying? Naturally, her mind went to the worst possible explanations. “If she’s okay, why is she still locked up in her rooms?”

“She’s not locked up,” June said. “She has everything she needs.”

“Can’t you just tell me what’s wrong with her?” Lindsey’s voice shook. “Please, June.”

June stopped what she was doing. “Look, it’s not my place to say. Camilla doesn’t like to talk about it.”

“Camilla can speak for herself.”

Lindsey and June turned to the doorway where Camilla stood. She was dressed in a pale pink satin robe, her brown hair hanging loose. She looked a lot better than the other night, but she seemed drained, and her lips were pressed in a thin line.

“Good evening, Ma’am,” June said, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “Would you like some dinner?”

“Later,” Camilla replied. “I need to have a word with Lindsey.”

Oh. Lindsey had been so worried about Camilla that she hadn’t given much thought to the fact that she’d gone into Camilla’s rooms when Camilla had expressly forbidden it.

And Camilla looked furious.