For two days, the servants ignored her on Tyler’s orders, offering neither food nor care.
On the third day, exhaustion finally claimed her, and she fell into a deep sleep.
When she woke, Julia was kneeling by the bed. Her maid, who had accompanied her from home, had eyes swollen from tears. Julia had been locked away the day Melissa went into labor and had only just been freed. Emerging to find her young mistress—fresh from childbirth—abandoned to starve and freeze shattered Julia’s heart.
“Hush, Julia… don’t cry…”
Too weak to lift a hand, Melissa still tried to comfort her. For Melissa, Julia was more than a servant; she was family, a companion from childhood. Struggling, she attempted to sit up, to reassure Julia.
A noise at the door interrupted her.
Barbara entered, carrying a small bowl. “You’re awake, Sister. Cousin was worried, so he sent me with medicine.” She moved to feed Melissa.
Instinctively, Melissa recoiled. She remembered: this person was dangerous.
“What medicine?”
Barbara smiled. “Cousin sympathized with you, enduring the pain of childbirth. Drink this, and you’ll never suffer that way again.”
While Melissa didn’t understand, Julia’s eyes widened in horror. Immediately, she threw herself between Melissa and Barbara, an accusing finger pointed. “You’re lying! That’s a sterilizing draught! Such vileness could never come from the General!”
With a dismissive wave, Barbara signaled two stout maidservants, who stepped forward and seized Julia, dragging her out.
“Let me go! Unhand me!”
Julia fought against their hold, but it was useless. In despair, she watched her mistress tremble with fear.
As Julia was taken, Melissa’s fear ignited into protective fury. Weak though she was, she tried to rise. Barbara, however, grabbed her chin, forced it up, and poured the medicine down her throat.
“You fool. You’d only birth more fools. Cousin said your child is useless anyway. So why bother having any?”
The liquid scalded her mouth, bitter and foul. Powerless, she swallowed, the burning bitterness searing her throat.
“Cough… cough…”
As the medicine settled, its effects struck fast. Sweat beaded on Melissa’s brow; her body convulsed uncontrollably with pain.
“Save me, husband… save me…”
Breaking free at last, Julia cried, “I’ll tell the General! He’ll set this right!” She fled the room like a woman possessed, refusing to believe that the man who had once been kind to her mistress could condone such cruelty.
“Preposterous! How dare a mere maid slander a guest of the manor! Is this the behavior your mistress taught you?”
Upon hearing Julia’s frantic report, Tyler flew into a rage. He ordered Melissa brought before him at once.
Melissa had lost consciousness from the pain. Dragged back to awareness, she fluttered her eyes open to see Julia forced to kneel on the floor.
“Husband, save me… it hurts…” She reached a trembling hand toward him, but he coldly swatted it aside. Instead of comfort, she faced an icy interrogation.
“Barbara honors you as her elder sister. Is this how you allow your servant to defame her?”
His words hit her like a blow, stunning her. She had yearned for his rescue, but here she was, trembling in pain, while he chastised her for another’s sake.
In disappointment, her eyes fell. She withdrew her hand, clutching her stomach, hoping to dull the torment.
To Tyler, her silence was defiance. “Answer me. Why would you do this?”
Gritting her teeth, Melissa forced out the words. “I didn’t… Julia spoke the truth. Barbara… she forced the medicine on me…”
A flicker of doubt crossed Tyler’s face. Immediately, he called for a physician to examine Melissa.
