“Don't you know?”

She looked at him blankly, and then after several moments shook her head.

“I was almost married.” Blake tried to sound flippant, but any fool could hear the sorrow in his voice.

What happened? she mouthed.

“She died.”

Caroline swallowed and then placed her hand on his in a gesture of sympathy. I'm sorry.

He shook her away and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them, they were devoid of emotion. “No, you're not,” he said.

She put her hand back into her lap and waited for him to speak. Somehow it didn't seem right to intrude upon his grief. He didn't say anything, though.

Feeling awkward in the silence, Caroline got up and walked to the window. Rain pelted the glass, and she wondered how much water she'd been able to collect in her little receptacle. Probably not much, and she certainly didn't need the water after all the tea he'd fed her today, but she was still eager to see how well her plan had worked. She'd learned long ago how to entertain herself in the simplest of ways. A little project here and there, charting the way the night sky changed from month to month. Perhaps if he kept her here for a while she could do weekly measurements of rainfall. At the very least, it would help to keep her mind occupied.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

She made no reply, verbal or otherwise, and grabbed the bottom of the window with her fingers.

“I asked you what you are doing.” His footsteps accompanied his voice, and Caroline knew he was drawing near. Still she didn't turn around. The window eased up, and the drizzle blew into the room, dampening the front of her dress.

“You little fool,” he said, clamping his hands over hers.

She whirled around in surprise. She hadn't expected him to touch her.

“You're going to be soaked through.” With a slight shove, he pushed the window back down. “And then you'll truly be sick.”

She shook her head and pointed to her little container on the ledge.

“Surely you can't be thirsty.”

Just curious, she mouthed.

“What? I didn't catch that.”

Jjuusstt ccuurriioouuss. She drew it out this time, hoping he'd be able to read her lips.

“If you spoke out loud,” he drawled, “I might understand what you're saying.”

Caroline stamped her foot in frustration, but when it landed, it landed on something considerably less flat than the floor.

“Owww!” he yelled.

Oh! His foot! Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry, she mouthed. I didn't mean it.

“If you think I can understand that,” he growled, “you're crazier than I'd originally thought.”

She chewed on her lower lip remorsefully, then placed her hand over her heart.

“I suppose you're trying to convince me that was an accident?”

She nodded earnestly.

“I don't believe you.”

She frowned and sighed with impatience. This muteness was getting to be annoying, but she didn't see how else to proceed. Exasperated, she pointed her foot forward.