“I have but one pair of eyes,” I assured her with discomfort. Were we really going to dwell on this? Could she not take my word for it? And why was she looking at me that way?

“I cannot see what they see,” I continued. “Be assured your propriety has in no way been compromised.”

She blinked at me. I, in turn, looked away. As if I had a face that wasn’t already hidden.

“I understand your concern,” I said, speaking yet again when she let that horrible silence drag on. “Circumstances being what they are, I can, of course, only expect you to assume the worst of me. But, despite what you must think . . . What I mean to say is that I meant all that I said before. In the parlor, and the conservatory. Regarding my . . . I wished only to preserve your life. I’ll thank you now not to twist my actions and accuse me of indecency when I merely—”

“Oh my God,” she said, the words escaping her lips in an awestruck whisper that silenced me immediately.

I shut my mouth, ceasing the tirade that now struck me as rambling. Reluctantly, I shifted my gaze to her once more.

“You’re embarrassed,” she said.

I stiffened and kept silent, all too aware that any denial on my part would only prove her right. Yet it did mortify me to think she would assume I had behaved ungentlemanly toward her. Or was I mistaking her concern for repulsion over the fact that I had touched her at all?

“I must know if you intend to continue to try to kill yourself,” I snapped. “Or has that particular itch been sufficiently scratched?”

Her scowl returned in an instant, deepening toward rage. “I wasn’t trying to kill myself!”

“You wished merely to go for a subzero dip?”

“I was trying to get away!” she yelled, tossing off the quilt and launching to her feet. “From you!”

Behind her, Envy and Spite burst into titters. One of them even snorted.

“And you two,” she said, wheeling on them. “Don’t either of you have anything better to do than hiss like a pair of snakes in a basket?”

To my surprise, Envy and Spite went silent, neither seeming to have anything to say. An absolute first.

“They won’t answer,” I said. “I’ve ordered them not to speak to you.”

“They have to do what you say?” she asked, veering on me once more. “The others. Why do they listen to you but not Valor?”

Because none of them wanted what Valor wanted.

“Do sit,” I said. “You very nearly succeeded in drowning yourself, and you’re bound to catch cold if you do not now rest.”

Her eyes burned into me. “I told you. I was only trying to get out of here.”

“By way of the lake.” My words dripped incredulity.

“That was how you brought me here, wasn’t it?”

Ah. Now it made sense. Relative sense.

“That was a dream,” I explained.