“I imagine,” the Captain intoned quietly from her place by the hearth, “that this…measuring must be nearly finished.” Mine eyes darted in panic toward her fair, commanding face, but she had turned away a little, and her smooth pale cheeks and sensuous lips were lost in shadow. I could not read her expression. Her auburn hair cascaded beautifully about her, glowing and rich.
“Y-yes, yes, of course,” stuttered Beryl hastily. She licked her lips and turned to smile placatingly at my mistress. “Just a little more to be done. But this last—” She shrugged helplessly. “’Twill need to be done just right.”
“Very well,” the Captain murmured.
“Now, dearie,” said Beryl to me, “thou must put thy feet farther apart.”
I looked nervously at the Captain, but she was motionless as a statue. Biting my li
