Page 75 of The Shadow of Breninsol
Eleanor squinted at the now dark doorway, she didn’t know however late it was, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard the bell toll. Eleanor had been pleasantly out of it, enough to not hear the floorboard creak.
Julia’s small frame was lit by the hallway sconces, but the candle in her hand illuminated the scowl on the girl’s face.
She hadn’t drunk enough.
“Something happened at that fancy party.”
Eleanor drew a hand over her face. She was not in the mood for whatever the girl wanted.
“Leave, Julia,” Eleanor mumbled.
She could feel her lips, so shedefinitelyhadn’t drunk enough yet.
“Julia,” Lucy said in a serious voice that was unsurprisingly motherly. “Veronica’s been looking for you. You’re late.”
“But I was checking on Eleanor. She doesn’t look so ill,” Julia protested.
Eleanor waved a hand. “Go on Julia, you don’t want to be late for yourlessons.” The word tasted more bitter on her tongue than the lingering cheap wine.
“Go on. Kitchens. Now,” Lucy ordered the girl.
“Fine,” Julia replied in a petulant tone, as she stomped off to the kitchens to face Veronica’s ire for her tardiness. That hadprobably earned the girl a few lines to remind her howimproperlateness was.
“I know what you need,” Lucy said, halting Eleanor’s hand from reaching aimlessly for a bottle she knew was nearby. She had forgotten about Lucy’s presence by the door.
“More drink,” Eleanor muttered.
She hoped she didn’t run out of bottles in her advancement to getting well and truly sloshed. She didn’t fancy leaving the room in search of anything.
“A good dicking.”
Eleanor raised her brow and bit back the retort. She hadn’t drunk enough to let those instincts lapse. This time, she gave Lucy her full attention. Was Lucy offering her a cock? Was that what she’d said?She had a cock?Perhaps she had finally drunk enough.
Lucy entered her room, as if she had been invited, and took out a sizable drawstring bag from her pocket. “You can borrow ours if you want. It’s clean.”
Eleanor narrowed her eyes at the woman.
From the drawstring bag Lucy pulled out a…Eleanor blinked, making sure she was really seeing this. Lucy was holding a cock. It was made of polished wood. It was shiny, long, and wide. Eleanor was unsure whether her groin cinching was a reaction to potential pain or pleasure from the idea ofthatbeing anywhere near her.
“It’sthis,” Lucy waved the wooden cock around to emphasise whatthisreferred to, as if Eleanor was under any misapprehension, “or I’ll go see if Milk or Cookie are free. They might help. They’re professional like that.”
Eleanor was wrapping her mind around what Lucy was offering her.
“The First, Lucy, what are you doing waving that around?” Iris’s reprimanding voice got louder as the woman came into her room.
Since when were people allowed to walk in? Eleanor started considering that it was about time to barricade the door.
“What?” Lucy asked, failing at sounding innocent, especially with a wooden cock in her hand. “Eleanor needs some dick to cheer her up.”
Eleanor groaned as she rubbed a hand down her face. She really needed some more to drink.
“Ahh, flower. Somethingdidhappen at the marquis’s party.”
Stars, this woman.
She knew none of them would leave her alone without an answer. “Nothing happened.”
“So why are you drinking…so much?” Iris continued in a disapproving voice. Eleanor didn’t need to look to know Iris had her arms folded.
