“Alice wants a coffee made the way she likes it,” I say in an apologetic voice. “I can prepare it if you tell me—”
“That’s fine,” she says, dismissing the offer with a wave of her hand and setting about the task. Her worried eyes skirt over Sophia. “Did she say what she wants?”
“Apparently someone told her about the”—I mouth the word abduction over Sophia’s shoulder, and Nora nods—“and she wanted to check if it was true.”
“Would you like a cookie to snack on?” Nora asks Sophia, pulling a tin from the cupboard. The girl lets me put her down in order to grab the treat, immediately walking to the corner of the bench to stand in the sun. I can understand, just a minute in Alice’s company has my blood running cold, too.
The rest of the biscuits are laid on a plate, then Nora waits for the coffee machine to finish. As it gurgles to a stop, Yuri appears in the room, a scowl on his face.
“Baxter sent him to check on you,” Alice calls out to me from the connecting door, an amused tone in her voice. “You must be extremely fragile if he thinks you’ll fall apart on the walk from the south lobby to here.”
Yuri’s face twists but he remains silent. I take my lead from him and do the same.
Finding no encouragement from either of us, Alice approaches her daughter instead. “Hey, sweetie,” she says, patting her on the head. “How’ve you been?”
“Good,” Sophia responds, sounding breathless. She sucks on the remaining half of her biscuit, using both hands and twisting from side to side when Alice attempts to get closer.
“I heard you went on a wee adventure.”
Sophia’s eyes grow round as she stares up at Alice and slowly nods.
“Your coffee’s ready,” Nora says in a stiff voice. “Do you want it here or another room?”
“Take it into the paisley suite, thank you,” Alice says, holding the door for Nora to carry the tray through.
I don’t even know which room she means.
Sophia finishes her snack and Yuri gestures for her to join him on the far side of the room. “I’ll take you back to the nursery.”
Despite the surety of his words, he glances to Alice. He moves before she gives any sign in response to his words, but it shows me who used to be boss, for long enough to imprint on his muscle memory if nowhere else.
I expect her to follow them out the door, but she lets it swing shut, leaving us alone.
“Your coffee will get—” I break off as she strides towards me, stopping a foot distant.
“How does it feel?”
“What?” I blurt, folding my arms over my chest.
Her smile is as hard as the diamonds strung around my neck. “I should be flattered. I’ve been gone three, maybe four years and all that time Baxter remained single. Then I heard on the grapevine that he’s hooked up with someone new. Someone… inappropriate.”
She turns and walks away, putting her hands on her hips as she spins back to face me.
“I thought I’d come here and congratulate him on finally moving on.” Her gaze again scours me from head to toe. “But it’s now obvious he hasn’t done that, either. How does it feel to be a substitute?”
It’s been a long time since I felt the niggle of competition warming up my belly, but I welcome it like an old friend. I’ve spent too long burying myself in worthless pursuits when I should have been pivoting to a new fight.
Better late than never.
“Funny,” I say in a low drawl. “That’s not how I would phrase it. I think improvement is the word you’re searching for.”
Her right eyebrow hikes up, her lips twitching. “You know, it’s all very amusing to see that’s he’s dressing you and gifting jewellery but if you want a word of advice, get out now.”
“Yeah, that’s three words. Another three words would be move on.”
“That’s only two words.”
“Mm. The bitch was silent.” The flash in her eyes galvanises me and I cross the distance between us, tromping all over her personal space. “You’re not part of this family. Not any longer.”
