Ines nodded. She walked into the bathing room, the scent of hot, lavender-scented steam enveloping her. She closed the door. She heard the soft sound of Edith's footsteps retreating from her bedroom.
She leaned her entire, trembling body against the solid wood of the door, as if she could physically hold the rest of the world out. Her heart was a wild drum, beating a rhythm so hard against her ribs that it hurt. Emotional stress. Oh, the doctor had no idea.
The room was warm, the air thick with steam from the bath Edith had drawn. Ines looked at the large copper tub, at the hot, lavender-scented water. It looked like a haven. A place to relax. A place to... to wash.
She reached for the ribbons of her simple linen nightgown, the one she had woken up in. Her fingers were clumsy. She fumbled for a moment, then, with a small, frustrated groan, she yanked the garment over her head, her hair catching in the process. She threw the gown onto the floor.
