“No.” A finality in his words. “I have full confidence that you can handle them.”
“So you’re abandoning me?”
“I am not abandoning you, this is an exercise,” he emphasized. “Play the game, play nice, so they give you the things you need—knowledge or material.”
I must have given him a pleading look, because he laughed after I looked his way.
“Go on, I know you’re smart. Apologize for raising your voice but not for what you said or believe to be true. I have full faith in you.”
He was right, I knew that. But it was an idea I hadn’t had much time to swallow. Would they see right through the act? At this point, they might become suspicious if I began to act civilly. The only way to know for certain was to test my skills in the field.
“How are you and Arkady?”
I looked up from my dinner at Félice’s question. My expression must have given her the answer she sought.
The women of my family were gathered in Cosette’s home tonight. The charity gala would be soon, which meant my mother was about to becomeinsufferable. It was a miracle if you could escape the gala season with anything less than five fittings. I was grateful my presence was only required for those, as Cosette helped mother with the rest of the planning. I was under the impression that she liked it, it gave her something to do. She took after our mother when it came to an excitement for design. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was a distraction from the sudden changes.
I suppose that is why we met at her place more often now, to help her nest and settle into what would be her new life, with a new family, new ambitions. Sometimes I wondered if that was what Cosette wanted ... or if it was whatMothertold her she wanted.
No matter, today was for happy thoughts. Cosette was like a thoroughbred, high-strung and easy to perturb, so none of those concerns would manifest today.
“Petre,” my mother’s voice piped up from the end of the table, “could you come help me place something in the nursery?”
I glanced at Félice and Cosette, both whispering among each other as if to pretend not to hear. I nodded and placed my napkin on the table to rise.
My mother and I left the dining room and went up the stairs, the sounds of chatter floating away as we removed ourselves from our company.
The nursery was the first room that greeted you upon arriving on the second floor. It was a ghastly mint color. It reminded me of an infection I got when I was an adolescent. I cut myself on the jagged wood of a ladder at the theater.
“How is your little issue?” My mother’s voice cut through the room. She smoothed her fine fingers over a blanket in the nursery chair before sitting down.
“There is no issue.”
“If there weren’t an issue, you wouldn’t have gone to your father.”
“It is handled.”
“Is your husband aware?”
“Extremely.”
She nodded in calm understanding as she picked at the woven fabric of the blanket, her gaze floating to the crib next to where I stood. It was like she couldn’t bear to look me in the eye, as if I’d greatly offended her personally, despite it having nothing to do with her.
“Why isn’t he handling it?” Her eyes finally met mine, but they were absent of any sign of lenience. “Surely that’s why you came to us.”
“He is handling as much as he can.”
“You should have listened to us. We suggested Mr. Carlisle for a reason.”
“I didn’t want that—”
“Want, want,want,” she mocked, shooting up from her seat to approach me, shoving an accusatory finger at me, her neck craning likea mantis. “You selfish brat! Everything we do is for our family; you owe everything to the sacrifices your father made—”
“You mean,Imade.” It was hard to hold back a sneer. “Félicemade.Cosettemade.”
My mother’s lip twitched, as did her eye when I stared long enough. I held her gaze, waiting for a hit. Her lip curled slightly. “Everyone must make sacrifices, my dear.”
“Your own daughters?” My voice was stern, but I didn’t dare go above her tone. “I suppose thatisa sacrifice. Veal for the wolves.”
