Finally, the show is over. Dylan Sinclair appears on the screen and smiles into the camera. “Keep it here to join everyone’s favourite feisty fashion critic, Nigel Woods, and me as we do a post-show wrap-up.”
Arthur turns to us. “Perhaps we don’t watch that bit?”
“I think that would be for the best,” I say, my voice barely coming out as a squeak.
He shuts off the telly as soon as the end credits start to roll, putting us out of our misery.
The room is deadly silent for an uncomfortably long time, until finally Tessa says, “Well, I hate to be rude, but I should shower.” She slides off her Peloton and grunts out, “Lovely to meet you, Will.”
“Yes, I should go too,” my father says, standing and making a beeline for the door.
Gran gets up too. “Poker night. I better run.”
“Right,” I say, unable to move or think or do anything of any value whatsoever.
Arthur glances over his shoulder to make sure Tessa’s gone, then he walks over to Walter to feed him. “Well, I imagine you two… need to talk.”
He turns to us, finding us both still shell-shocked on the love seat. “Thanks for stopping by, Will. It’s been… interesting. Arabella, you’ll need to be in the large conference room at about half past seven for whatever emergency meeting the advisors call. I doubt I need to lecture you on the shitshow you’ve begun.”
“No, I’m pretty sure I get it,” I say with a nod, feeling tears prick the backs of my eyes.
* * *
As soon as the elevator doors close, we both let out a long sigh. We’re careful to avoid eye contact as we stand against the back wall. Bellford stands at the front of the elevator, and I love him for the fact that he’s trying to make himself as small as possible (which is not very small for someone of his stature).
“Listen, Belle, I’m so…”
“Oh, you don’t have to,” I say, shaking my head. “I feel every bit as bad as you must. Even worse, really. I was horribly unkind.”
“No. You were just scared and out of your element, but honestly, I’m not taking any of that personally.”
“Oh, thank goodness. And believe me, I’mabsolutelynot taking anything you said personally either. Not even the bit about me being a waste of oxygen. All in good fun, really.”
“Good, good,” Will says, nodding. “Oh, and when you were imitating me—hilarious. You were spot-on, really. Well done, you.”
We both glance at each other and nod, then turn back to the doors as they open. Bellford gets off and steps aside, turns, and keeps his eyes trained down the hall.
“I probably shouldn’t stay over, though,” Will says, glancing at Bellford as he gets off. “Not because I’m upset or anything. Because I’m definitelynot upset. But you have to get up really early and… and it’s probably best for us each to have a little bit of time to shake this off.”
“Absolutely,” I answer, nodding as I step off the elevator and head toward the Grande Hall. “If anything, I need some time to get over whatIsaid because I feel so guilty.”
“Same here,” Will says. “I really didn’t mean a word of that.”
“Oh, I know you didn’t.”
“Brilliant. Well, that’s settled. Maybe we could have dinner tomorrow night?”
“Yes, absolutely,” I say. “Let’s set something up for tomorrow evening.”
We walk in silence until we reach the front door, and a page, who must have been watching the show on his phone based on his inability to make eye contact with either of us, opens the door with a small bow.
“Thanks, mate,” Will says, his voice completely devoid of any of his usual charisma.
I step outside with him, only to have two more pages and several guards glance up at us, then stare at their shoes. Will leans in and gives me the lightest peck on the lips possible. “Sleep well.”
“You, too.”
He turns and jogs down the steps as though his feet can’t carry him away from here fast enough, but to be honest, I can’t blame him after what has just happened. We’ve both been caught behaving very badly,andthey’ve exposed it to the world which I must say is absolutely shitty. And he’s definitely dug himself a giant hole when it comes to my father and Arthur, and truth be told, once those two decide to hate someone, it takes an act of God to get them to change their minds.
