Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
I straightened and took a step back. “Three days. If I don’t hear anything by the time I leave the spring ball, I will ask my father to contact Duke Alansia. With haste.”
“I’ll tell the master, don’t worry.”
“Oh, and you should also let him know this.” I pulled up my hood and paused at the entry to the passage. “If he’s going to keep me waiting until the last minute, he should be aware that I only expect to be at the ball for an hour.”
Jinx sighed wearily. “Yes, my lady.”
I smiled. “Good day, Mister Jinx. I look forward to hearing from your master.”
Chapter Six
Don’t Play the Player
The screeching noise emanating from my stepmother as I walked through the door was something that wouldn’t be out of place in an alleyway full of cats.
“Madam, please calm down.” Caldwell’s voice somehow echoed through the hall. “The young miss isn’t here.”
“Where is she, Caldwell? Find her! She cannot treat my daughter that way!”
“Bella, fetch Father,” I said to her, giving her a gentle shove in the direction of his office. “Go quickly and tell him it’s extremely urgent.”
She bowed her head and darted off in the direction of his office.
“Goodness,” I said, approaching the sitting room. “Mother, whatever is the matter?”
My stepmother snapped her dark gaze onto me. She was Sophia’s double—or she would be if my sister had any real sex appeal to speak of. My stepmother was the kind of woman who could wrap a man around her finger in less than five minutes with little more than a look, and even around women, her presence was overwhelming.
Whether it was a good overwhelming or a bad overwhelming was up for debate, depending on your preference.
“How dare you!” My stepmother approached me with her closed fan pointed in my direction. “How dare you humiliate Sophia like that! Look at her!”
I peered around her to where Sophia was sobbing dramatically on the sofa. Good effort, sis. “I have no idea what you’re referring to.”
“The tea party. You deliberately took her place there!”
“Took her place?” I hardened my tone and raised my eyebrows in question. “How could I take her place when the invitation was addressed to me? Although I suppose you’d both know all about taking someone else’s place at a tea party, wouldn’t you?”
Her face distorted with rage, and she raised her hand. “You little—”
“Annalise!” Father’s voice thundered through the air as he stepped in front of me, blocking me from what was sure to be the slap of my life. “What are you doing?”
I glanced back at Bella and gave her a discreet thumbs up.
Right.
Time to ham it up.
“Oh, Father!” I clutched his arm. “I just returned from town and heard Mother shouting at Caldwell, then she started shouting at me about a tea party and raised her hand! I don’t know what I’ve done!”
He rested his hand on top of mine on his forearm. “Annalise, explain what’s happening and why Sophia is making such a show of herself. And Sophia, for Khimos’ sake, do stop that awful racket.”
Sophia’s eyes widened at his admonishment, and I imagine it’s the kind of expression one would make if they’d just been randomly stabbed.
What a drama queen.
My stepmother pressed her fingers to her temple, lowering her fan. “Sophia was invited to Lady Georgina’s tea party today, but she tells me that when she arrived, Alicia was in her seat and there was no place for her.”
I blinked innocently. “But Mother, that can’t be. The invitation was addressed to me.”
Father looked between us. “Alicia did inform me yesterday that she would be visiting the Alansia estate for the tea party. Was there a mix up with the invitations?”
“She must have taken Sophia’s!” My stepmother clenched her jaw.
“Why would I do that?” I asked. “Besides, Lady Georgina was expecting me, but she seemed to have no idea that Sophia was attending. Still, we made space for her so she could join us even though she wasn’t supposed to be there.”
My father sighed. “Alicia…”
“I didn’t take her invitation! I have plenty of my own. Just ask the messenger boys how many I replied to a few days ago! Why would I need to steal Sophia’s?” I gazed up at him pleadingly.
“I suppose nobody has the invitation still to prove it either way.” Father removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you—”
“My lord,” Bella squeaked out. “I—I have the invitation.”
We all jerked around to look at her, and she flinched.
“You do?” Father said, gently extricating my hands from his arm. “Is it on your person?”
“Y—yes, my lord.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “I was cleaning in here two days ago and saw some letters addressed to Lady Alicia, so I took them with me. I wasn’t sure of the entry protocols for today, so I made sure to take the invitation with me. I apologise if I overstepped.”