“Do you have any other siblings?”
“No.”
“Parents?”
“I didn’t crawl out of Hell, if that is what you are asking.”
“Are they alive?”
He hesitated a moment, his pen scratching to a halt. “Go see if you need anything else for tonight. I’ll contact Vivienne, if so.”
“Do you ever get tired of ordering everyone around?”
“No.”
I sighed and trooped upstairs.
~*~
I fit the last feather in place and slipped on my mask. Pivoting slowly in front of the mirror, I analyzed my appearance from all angles. Transformed into some exotic flower or bird from the head up and a loose woman from the neck down, I looked nothing like Marietta Winters.
I wasn’t sure the two styles went together, but it was the best I could do, and the effect was quite interesting all the same. It would allow me to be two different women if I so desired.
I walked to the kitchen. It amused me that Noble chose to work here instead of in the study off the drawing room, spare though it was like everything else in the house. The kitchen table was large, though, and he liked to spread things in every direction, so maybe it was simply because of the space.
He looked up at my entrance and his gaze ran down my figure. “Adequate. Are you ready to leave?”
I tapped my hand irritably against my leg. “Yes. Thank you for the brilliant compliment.”
His gaze met mine and his mouth opened, then closed, a peculiar look in his eyes. He pulled himself out of the chair and walked over to me. “Something’s missing.”
I crossed my arms. “And what is that?”
“A knowledge in your eyes.” His were narrow as they searched mine. “You can wear the clothes, but you have no idea how to carry off the effect.”
“I see.” I didnot.
“Have you ever been kissed, Marietta?”
The anger fled, replaced with confusion and nervousness. My gloved hands fell against my sides. “I don’t see how that is any of your concern.”
“You do realize that we will be playing a role—in the taverns especially.”
“No.” I wet my lips, anxiety pulsing through me.
He raised a brow. “I suppose I shouldn’t expect you to know what taverns are like, though you will after tonight.”
I couldn’t bring myself to ask what he meant. He didn’t seem to need the cue. He leaned down. “Have you ever seen two people kiss, Marietta?”
“Yes.”
“What did you think?”
His eyes were a darker green, warmer than usual—not with a warmth spawned from fondness, but from the excited heat of a predator.
“It looked…perfunctory.”
“Ah. No, I meant have you ever seen two peoplereallykiss?”
