Maisie:So what should we do now?
Mina:We have one lead – Danny and Patrick’s connection to Sanctus Estate. Arabella’s on the case.
Arabella:Unfortunately, new information has come to light that means I am unable to be your spy.
Isis:You promised!
Arabella:Sorry, you’ll have to find some other way to pump Gideon Blake for information. Because I will not be pumping anything from that man. Ever.
The Nevermore Murder Club and Smutty Book Coven Group Side Chat (without Arabella)
Winnie:Ladies, I’ve made this little side chat without Arabella because there’s something we should discuss.
Maisie:What is it? I’m about to head into an important meeting with my boss. The Argleton Gazette is in trouble.
Komal:And bloody Augustin Durant doesn’t want to devote any more village funds because he overspent on those ugly retractable sunshades around the village green. I swear, that man!
Winnie:Before we devolve into sunshade-bashing, I’ll keep this quick. I know why Arabella doesn’t want to be our undercover agent at Sanctus anymore.
Komal:Because she’s worried about getting her Louboutins dirty?
Maisie:Because she’s too busy ironing her giant pile of money?
Winnie:I was with Arabella at the market yesterday evening, and we ran into Gideon. Did you realise that all this time we’ve been hanging out with Gideon, the two of them havenever been in the same room together? It turns out they know each other.
Isis:So?
Winnie:Know as in… the biblical sense. Gideon broke Arabella’s heart when he was human, and then he got turned into a vampire, so neither of them knew the other was still alive until yesterday. That’s why she doesn’t want to do the job. I think she’s still in love with him, and Gideon is DEFINITELY still in love with her. They just don’t realise it. Arabella was SO ANGRY with him, and in their entire conversation Gideon didn’t make a single flirty comment about her arse.
Maisie:That IS unusual…
Isis:Was the vein above her right eye throbbing? That’s how you can tell if she’s truly irked. I know from experience.
Winnie:There was definitely a little vein thing happening, but I’m telling you, this is the beginning of an enemies-to-lovers tale, and we have a chance to make it happen. I say we encourage the two of them together. One of two things will happen. a) They will fall madly in love, and I might get to see Arabella smile once in my mortal life.
Isis:Or b) She’ll behead him with her nails.
Maisie:How will she do that?
Isis:Slowly, with lots of screaming.
Winnie:I don’t think we need to worry about Arabella’s safety. Alaric says Gideon can’t be the husker, or he wouldn’t have been able to resist drinking Isis’s blood the night of the ball.
Maisie:But there’s definitely something fishy about Sanctus Estate. I think it’s worth investigating.
Mina:I agree. So are we going to play matchmaker and get Gideon and Arabella together?
Komal:Hell yes!
Celeste:I want to see Arabella happy.
Dora:Me, too.
Isis:Count me in! I have love spells we can use!
Maisie:And we can try good old-fashioned arm twisting!
Mina:And bribery!
