Page 13 of A Curse of Hope and Shadows: Part I
“Shall we make another rule?” He suggested.
“That depends on what it is.”
“A question every time we move.”
“Why?”
“It occurs to me you must know plenty about me, and I so little about you.”
Adeline wasn’t sure that was true, and she also wasn’t sure she wanted anyone to know more about her. It was one of the things she quite liked about being here. No one pried too much, no one looked at her with pity.
But it did not seem fair to refuse, and she liked talking. It meant less time for thinking and worrying. She’d liked the break for the first few days, but now she was starting to miss her family and the noise and the chaos along with it. She wanted not to think, just for a little while.
“All right,” she said. “You may ask. I may not answer.”
“Fair enough. I may not answer either.” He gestured to the board. “Begin.”
Adeline did, clicking a pawn forward. “Favourite subject?” she asked. He must have had a thorough education before the curse, perhaps even after.
“History,” he said, mirroring her move. “You?”
“Literature. I like stories.” Another pawn shuffled forward. “Favourite food?”
“I find I have a fondness for Mrs Harper’s peach pie…” He studied the board, and made his move. “You?”
“Strawberries. Are you just going to repeat every question I ask?” She clicked a piece forward.
“Unless you ask something actually interesting. Childhood friend?”
“A girl named Marie. We’re still friends but she married last year and had a baby. We don’t have much time any more.” It was as close to the full truth as she was willing to go. She thought of repeating that question for him, but she wasn’t sure he had much in the way of friends. “Your cousin Prince Alexei visited once, and secretly too. Are you close?”
“We keep in correspondence. I wrote to him last week.”
“Any state secrets you’d care to divulge?”
He hesitated. “That’s two questions.”
“I apologise.”
“Are you a spy?”
“Is that a genuine question?”
“Possibly. You’re a bit odd, for a maid.”
“Ithinkthat’s a compliment.”
“It might be.”
She held out her hands in front of him. “Look how rough my hands are. A spy’s skin would doubtless be smoother, right?”
He glanced downwards at her open palms. “You have a scar on your finger.”
She looked down bashfully. “First time I cut an umbilical cord. Very embarrassing. I would have made a terrible midwife.”
“I’m sure that isn’t true.”
“Now thatwasa compliment.”
