Chapter 17

Sometime, while imagining my aunt’s life from her entries in her journal, I managed to relax my body enough to fall asleep.  Unfortunately, the horsehair stuffed tapestry didn’t provide the same comfort that modern day foam would have.  That, and the fact that I wasn’t in the most comfortable position, caused my body to inevitably suffer.  When Jasmine gently shook me awake to present me with a tray of tea and biscuits, my shoulders were so stiff that I could barely flex them, my hips refused to release my legs to mobility, and there was a nagging in my head that was rooted at the nape of my neck and circled around to my temples.

“You should have slept in your bed instead of me, mistress,” she scolded.  “I am accustomed to sleeping on a floor mat.  Now, look at you.  You will suffer the day for the inconvenience.”

“I have no qualms about sharing a bed with you,” I insisted.  &ldquo