The Chosen by K. J. Nessly Read Free Book Online Page A

this to her had taken great care not to make the abuse obvious so that no one would give Kathryn anything more than a passing glance. Superstitious villagers wouldn’t care about something like that. “Who did this to you?” she asked quietly.
    The child didn’t respond, didn’t even raise her eyes from the floor, but Jasmine had instinctively known the answer even as she had asked the question. She vowed to make them pay dearly for their actions.
    “It was Lord and Lady Blackwood, wasn’t it?”
    Kathryn didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to lie but neither did she want to tell the truth. Finally she nodded. For a long time Jasmine didn’t say anything. The silence unnerved Kathryn more so than one of Lady Blackwood’s silences, but she did not make eye contact.
    The silence was broken when Arianna returned, announcing that the bath was ready.
    “Kathryn, look at me,” Jasmine ordered gently and waited for the little girl to look at her. “I’m going to put the bird right here,” she moved to one of the chairs situated next to the bed and gently nestled the little bird into the pillow. Kathryn followed her like a shadow, and Jasmine continued, “I want you to take your bath and get ready for bed.” Her tone was gentle, but it brooked no argument.
    Kathryn nodded and Arianna led her out the door and into the bathroom, glancing back only once towards the chair where the little bird lay. Arianna helped Kathryn out of the nightgown and draped it over a rod next to a fluffy towel. There was a long moment of silence when Arianna saw Kathryn’s bare back. Afterwards her hands trembled as she gently removed the golden chain from around the little girl’s neck and helped her into the bath, her eyes shining with tears. The emotional response puzzled Kathryn, no one had ever cried after seeing her scars before, but the hot water felt so good that she soon banished all other thoughts from her mind.
    Never before in her life had Kathryn been assisted in bathing or dressing, but tonight Arianna wouldn’t let Kathryn do anything herself. From washing and combing her hair to tucking her into bed the gentle servant was always there.
    A meal arrived while Arianna was still struggling to comb out the tangles in Kathryn’s hair. The servant allowed Kathryn to eat while she continued to doggedly finish the task she had started. Her belly warm from the hot soup and bread, Kathryn began to feel the first signs of weariness. The cook had even sent up a meal of kitchen scraps for the bird, which Arianna helped Kathryn feed.
    The little bird had a ravenous appetite for something so small and it eagerly gobbled up every morsel Kathryn offered it. As she removed the empty serving tray Arianna quipped, “Well one thing is certain. Your bird is not a picky eater and has an appetite that would put a woodsman to shame.” 
    For the first time, Kathryn looked into Arianna eyes and then nodded in agreement.
    Kathryn was tiring quickly. She had had a long day and she hadn’t slept in the carriage ride to the palace. Arianna noticed the little girl’s exhaustion and as soon as the bird was fed put Kathryn to bed, tucking her in gently and softly humming a tune Kathryn didn’t recognize. Within minutes she was fast asleep.
     
     
    She woke to someone gently calling her name. Panic seized her as she realized she’d slept late. Lady Blackwood would be furious. Shocked upright, Kathryn came awake prepared to leap out of bed but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
      “Calm down, little one.” The calming voice was neither Lady Blackwood nor Claude. Slowly the events of the last night came back to Kathryn and she realized Arianna was the one waking her and not one of the other servants in the manor. Sunlight was streaming in through the windows, dazzling her vision.
    “Would you like some breakfast Kathryn?” Arianna asked as she pulled the blankets back and helped Kathryn sit up.
    Rubbing her eyes to clear her vision and