Another innocent shrug. “All I did was add a love scene, a battle to the death, and a happy ending.”
“Of course you did.”
Cassie puts her free arm on her hip, her other leaning on her cane. “She also called me a spinster.”
“Well, fuck her then,” William says flatly. “Might as well quit your job over it.”
“That’s exactly what I said!” Cassie grins, enjoying William’s suffering.
I can’t stop the laugh that escapes my lips, which in turn catches Cassie’s attention.
Her eyes widen, as does her smile. She extends her free hand. “Oh, I’m so rude. You must be Edwina and Daphne.”
I shake her hand, surprised by her firm grip despite her slender build. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine,” she says, then leans down to shake Daphne’s paw. “Though I’m sure you can’t say the same about having to spend so much time with my annoying brother. Does he fuss over you all the time?”
I glance from Cassie to William. His façade has fully cracked, showing yet another side of him I haven’t seen before. He watches his sister with a mix of tenderness and apprehension, his hand braced behind her back without touching her, as if he’s ready to intervene should she lose her balance. There must be a reason she walks with a cane. And now I think I understand a few more things about him that I never considered before.
“While I can’t say he’s fussed over me, as you put it,” I say, returning my attention to Cassie, “he has tried to protect me a time or two. The first was to protect my honor from a lecherous male.”
“You didn’t exactly need my protection the second time,” he says, and I’m graced with a return of that sweet smile I glimpsed earlier. “Though the performers in the north wing probably appreciated my intervention to save them from you.”
“Don’t keep secrets,” Cassie says, swatting her brother’s arm with her free hand. “Explain.”
“It was an orgy,” Daphne says.
Cassie’s eyes brighten. “How delightfully scandalous!”
“Daph,” William says in a scolding tone, “don’t tell her that. How do you even know about it?”
Daphne shrugs her furry shoulders. “Monty told me.”
“How does Monty know?”
“I make it my business to know everything.” The man in question strolls up to us, a dimpled grin on his face as he extends a hand. “You must be the infamous Cassie Haywood.”
“Infamous. Now that has a ring to it.” She squeezes his palm in greeting.
“Are our rooms situated correctly this time?” William asks.
“Perfectly. Though I didn’t realize we’d have an extra guest with us.”
Cassie waves a dismissive hand. “I’m not staying here. I’ll attend the gala, but I’m staying with friends.”
William whips his face to his sister. “You have friends?”
She scoffs. Twice for good measure. “Yes, my dear cynical asshole brother, I have friends.”
He rolls his eyes. “I meant friends in town.”
“Lola and Rosie are visiting their aunt before college—don’t bring up the scholarship.” She cuts a glare at William, whose expression falls. “I’m not going to cry about it, so don’t you dare brood about it either.”
William’s eyes flick to mine, and guilt sinks my heart. He shifts closer to Cassie and lowers his voice. “Is that the real reason you came?”
“I had to make sure you weren’t moping about,” she mutters. Then louder she says, “Well, I better be off.”
“Do you have your?—”
