*Stephan*
I have just slid out of bed and am struggling to straighten to my full height when the door to my bedchamber is flung open. Mary bursts through like an avenging angel, her aunt and cousin following close behind.
Thank the Goddess I'm wearing trousers. Unfortunately, I'm shirtless, and I'm still hunched over like some creature that should be skittering about Hugo's Notre Dame. Fighting the pain, I force myself to stand tall, only to realize the folly in that when Miss Ivers gasps and takes a step back, while Miss Alicia pales. The sunlight streaming in through the window washes over my scars – all of them. The damned eyepatch rests on the table by the bed. I should've been reaching for it instead of striving to stand with some dignity.
"What the devil are you doing here?" I bar
