Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I placed the feather down and waved off my maid as I rose. “They do not know what they are speaking of.”
“Of course not, but you fuel their fire by entertaining his company.” She followed after me. “It is he who wishes to court you, but because of his past actions, the gossips think you seem desperate for his attention.”
“Are you worried for me?” I put on my pearls. “Would you not rather I am mocked than praised?”
“I am not cruel.” She sighed. “I simply do not wish to always be in your shadow. That does not mean I want you to be mocked. You are the eldest, so if you are the subject of ridicule, so am I.”
“So this lecture is partially out of concern for your fate?” I asked as the maid handed me earrings.
“Yes, partially,” she admitted and then came to stand in front of me. “But the other part is true. I do not wish to see you so utterly disappointed again. Mama says the best type of gentleman is a reliable man like Papa, who will always be there when you need him.”
“Mama is fond of Evander.”
Her shoulders dropped. “Oh dear, you have returned to calling him by his name.”
I rolled my eyes. “Hathor, please. It’s not so remarkable to call a childhood friend by their Christian name.”
“Mama might be biased in his favor,” she said sternly. “But everyone in the family is against him.”
“I hardly think you can speak for everyone else. Besides, Papa seems uninterested.”
“Papa is always interested. He likes to see the full play unfold before adding commentary. You know that.”
“That is true. Do you remember when we went to see—”
“No, you shall not derail me!” She held her hands up as though she were Mother, and so I smacked them down.
“If you wish to be a duchess, you should remember your manners.”
“Sorry,” she said, realizing her actions. “But promise me you will not let yourself be swept away.”
“Hathor, I am fine. I have not been swept anywhere. Now, are you ready?”
“Ready for what?”
“The ball. I am finished. We may go.”
“Odite, we cannot possibly go down now.”
“Why not?”
“There are not enough people. It will spoil my entrance.” She paused and looked me over. “On second thought, if you wish to go, you may, as then they will have all drunk their fill of you by the time I make my arrival.”
“The way in which your mind works is unmatched.” I rolled my eyes and lifted the edge of my dress as I turned to leave, but she did not follow behind me. “Do you seek to wait in my room?”
“Yours has the best view of the entrance, so I shall be able to see who has arrived.”
“Hathor, no! Out!”
“Oh, please! I swear I will not do anything else. The only other rooms with this view are Mama and Papa’s and Damon’s. I cannot wait in a married person’s room.”
“Fine,” I said. “But if you touch—”
“I shall sit here and take my leave only to come down to the ball.”
She was, as always, ridiculous.
* * *
As I entered the hall, I heard music playing and the soft chatter of the voices from below.
“You look pretty.” A harsh whisper came from above me.
When I looked, I saw the faces of Hector, Devana, and Abena peering at me through the gaps in the railing, their maid and governess behind them to keep watch. I was sure that was as far as they would be allowed to come down.
“Are you sure?” I whispered up to them and spun so they could see my full dress. “Does it look nice?”
Each of them nodded, and Hector even gave a wink.
I smiled. “If it is boring, I shall sneak up and spend time with you.”
“Can you not bring us down?” Abena questioned. “We would surely make it unboring.”
“Mama said if she saw you that you would sleep with the dogs,” Hector told her.
“But we do not have dogs,” she argued.
“We had a dog, and he died. He is buried in the yard,” he lied to her, and her eyes widened.
“We had a dog?”
Not wishing to spoil Hector’s fun, I nodded. “And it seems Mama wishes to bury you with it if you come down.”
“That is unreasonable,” she said.
“Papa says Mama is not reasonable,” Devana replied gently, and I truly wished to laugh at the three of them.
“Aphrodite, do not linger!”
At the sound of our mother’s voice, they all ran back up the stairs quickly. I descended, and when I reached her level, she stepped back to appraise me. She adjusted bits of the gown’s neckline, pushed my shoulders back, and then nodded to herself.
“Where is your sister?” she questioned.
“Waiting to make a grand entrance.”
“The girl can be sharp.” My mother grinned. “Why are you not waiting with her?”
“Because my presence is so grand that whether I entered first or last, I would gain attention,” I said in jest.