Hers to Keep (Irresistibly Bound 3)

“Okay, Mistress.”

Lindsey finished off her lunch, then left the dining room, nearly barreling June over for the second time. She apologized again, then headed to the library. She didn’t know why she was in such a hurry. The events of the morning had filled her with nervous energy.

Lindsey knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Camilla said.

Lindsey entered the library. It was one of the smaller rooms in the house, consisting of little more than a desk and two armchairs. But every inch of the walls, from the floor to the high ceiling, was covered in shelves packed with books. A tall ladder on wheels leaned against one wall.

Camilla was seated in the armchair flicking through some papers. She looked up at Lindsey. “I hope you didn’t have trouble finding this place.”

“I’ve been in here before,” Lindsey said. “It’s pretty impressive.”

“This was my mother’s library. I like to come here to work when I feel like a change of scenery. You’re welcome to borrow any of the books. My mother’s collection is quite large and varied.”

“Okay. Thanks, Mistress.”

Camilla gestured toward the floor by her feet, where a thick velvet cushion lay. “Come sit with me.”

Lindsey walked over to her and sat down on the cushion, her legs out to the side. After a moment, she leaned her head against Camilla’s legs.

Camilla’s hand dropped down to stroke the top of Lindsey’s head. “You know, I’d love to see your art someday. That is, if you ever feel comfortable showing it to me.”

“Sure,” Lindsey said. “It might be a while until I have anything worth showing you, though. I’m out of practice.”

“That’s okay. Whenever you’re ready.”

They lapsed into silence. For a few minutes, the only sounds were the scratching of Camilla’s pen and the occasional murmur from Camilla.

Lindsey looked up at her. “Mistress? Can I ask you some questions?”

“You can ask me whatever you like,” Camilla said, her focus still on her work. “I might even answer you.”

“Well, when you told me about endometriosis, you said to look it up. And I did, but it was all medical stuff. I guess I was wondering what living with it is like for you?”

“Well, it isn’t the most glamorous of illnesses,” Camilla said. “It’s like having horrendous period cramps while constantly feeling exhausted and awful in general. Most of the time it’s manageable, but sometimes, it can floor me for days, or even weeks. You’ve seen how bad it can get for yourself. Mine is a relatively severe case though.”

“But, isn’t there anything you can do about it?” Lindsey asked. “Doctors? Medications? Treatments?”

“Trust me, I’ve seen the finest specialists in the country, and I’ve had every possible treatment. But the reality is that there’s a lot that medical science doesn’t know how to fix. Endometriosis is one of those things. There are little things that help, but nothing that is actually going to cure me.”

“That sucks.” Lindsey couldn’t think of anything to say that didn’t sound inadequate. “I know you said not to feel sorry for you, but it just seems so unfair.”

“It does make things hard.” Camilla paused to study something on the page in front of her. “But, as I said, I’ve been dealt a good hand otherwise. I have this house and a

job that allows me to have a lot of flexibility, with me being the boss and all. And I don’t even need to work. I could live off my inheritance if I wanted to. But I don’t want that. My family’s company means a lot to me, so I’d rather work, even if it means sacrificing other things.”

“Like… relationships?” Lindsey asked.

“I have a few close friends. They’re all I need.”

“But, don’t you want to find love?” Lindsey’s question sounded childish, even to her.

“It’s just not a priority for me,” Camilla said. “I don’t have the time or patience for dating anymore. Besides, I’ve worked hard to build this life for myself. Adding another person to it complicates things. And I don’t like change.”

Lindsey wasn’t surprised that Camilla considered a relationship a ‘complication.’ She knew how much her Mistress hated any disruptions to her carefully organized life.

“That’s not to say I’m not open to love. If the perfect woman turned up on my doorstep, I wouldn’t turn her away.” Camilla patted Lindsey’s head, then grabbed a pen from the table next to her and began to scribble on the document she was holding.