“That’s … very sweet of you, Saba. It’s beautiful.” I stepped back from the dress. “But if Magnus sent you to give it to me, I already told him I don’t want it.”

She pursed her lips, her eyebrows quirked as if to say Are you serious? and, shaking her head one more time, she held the dress out to me again.

“Thank you.” Her eyes had dark circles and looked a little red. I had no doubt she’d been crying. I didn’t believe Magnus had nothing to do with this dress, but that didn’t matter when there was a clear possibility Saba could be punished if I didn’t take it.

Who cares what happens to her, Andi?

And, after all, it was just a dress. A dress I needed, if I was to attend dinner as he had ordered. It would be foolish not to accept.

I stabbed my knife into the wall behind the door where she couldn’t see and took the dress from her. My fingers brushed hers, and I felt a chill go through me. “Your hands are so cold. Do you want to warm up in my room a little? It’s warmer than the rest of the house.”

Her pleased expression dropped and she backed out of the doorway, giving me a polite bow before rushing back down the hall. I watched her go and then locked myself in my room again to examine the dress. Well made, the colors vibrant, the white perfect as milk. And it smelled like honey and almonds. It was Saba’s, but had it ever been worn?

I took off what I was wearing and put the dress on over my wool stockings, admiring it in the full-length mirror. Saba was taller than me by at least half a foot, but it fit perfectly, looser along the body, more fitted in the sleeves. It was a tad itchy in my warm room, which meant it was probably perfect for the cold air of the rest of the house.

But that didn’t mean I was going to leave this room any sooner than necessary.

CHAPTER 6

The aroma of rich meat and spices made me light-headed with hunger before I’d even reached the bottom of the stairs. I hadn’t had lunch, I realized. My body was so used to starving I hadn’t even noticed until now.

As I headed down the stairs, I heard Esjay and Peggy greeting each other, Peggy’s voice friendlier than I’d ever heard it. I wondered if she was faking it, or if she really was a cheerful person who just disliked poor people.