Brilliant Disguise

Chapter Seventeen

Fortunately, the session with Bifur went without a hitch, and Sophie felt more than a hint of satisfaction at how proud he was at his progress. Words came more easily to him now, and because of this, his level of frustration remained somewhat low, which meant he progressed at a much faster rate.

When they finished, she checked up on Heather, who was playing with Gimli under Miss Oakmane's watchful eye, went to her chambers to grab her cloak, and then hurried back up to the main gate.

"Where are you off to today, Mrs. Asharm?"

She smiled up at Dolram. "I have a few errands to run. But, worry not, I will be back long before sundown."

"Very well. Be careful, though. I've heard there have been several orc sightings these last few days."

"Orcs? Wonderful."

"I think they were coming from up north, and not across the plains, but take care just the same."

"I will. Thank you."

He nodded and as the gates opened and she stepped out into the pale sunlight of midafternoon, Sophie tried to ignore the hint of warning in her belly. She didn't truly wish to go into Dale, but at the same time, she had to know who Heather saw.

And if it was Sten, how?

That was her biggest question. How was he there?

You know.

She ignored the niggling little voice as she made her way across the plains, up the sloping road into Dale. No, she would not acknowledge that little voice because to do so would be to give it power and to give it power meant that she had somehow fouled up the one thing she'd set out to do.

And if she had...

Dale bustled with activity, shops flourished now and despite the chill in the air, people were out and about, ducking into and out of the shops, gathering at the pubs and taverns, and all the while, work went on around them. At the far end of Stone Street, she squinted out over the water of the Long Lake, and saw—or so she thought—work going on there as well. Life had resumed after the battle, after Smaug, and not only had it resumed, it thrived.

Despite her unease, and despite her growing sense of urgency at getting to the bottom of who Heather had seen, Sophie took comfort in seeing how life went on, in seeing how no matter how terrible things might have been, people found a way not only to survive but to thrive no matter what life might have thrown their way.

It was something that didn't always come so easily to her. In the darkest of her days, when she would sit with an infant Heather in her arms and promise to protect her, Sophie would try to convince herself that one day, she would be free of Sten's wrath, of his lies, his anger.

His fists.

Although she'd told Thorin that Sten was not above using violence, she couldn't quite bring herself to tell him the entire truth. She felt so stupid, so blind, for falling for Sten to begin with. She should have left the very first time he'd swung at her. But then, he'd immediately acted horrified, cried and begged her forgiveness, all the while promising he would never do something like that again.

She'd forgiven him. It was a lapse, only. He would keep his promise.

But he'd always had some justification for losing his temper with her—she was a sorry housekeeper, his supper was late getting on the table, he'd had a long day, he'd had too much to drink.

And each time, he'd beg for forgiveness.

And each time, he'd promise to never raise a hand to her again.