“Ah,” Maddox said.I could glean no judgement from him, which I was grateful for.
“My relationship with her is complicated.Sometimes I don’t think she likes me very much.”My throat tightened, but I willed the feeling away and forced a laugh.
“I’m sorry.”
I shrugged uncomfortably.“Don’t be.Like I said, everyone has at least one awful family member.”
Maddox paused, then nodded slowly, as if finally understanding something.“You’re allowed to be upset about that.”
I should’ve said those words to him the other day, but here he was saying them to me.Back home, I’d learned to hide my emotions; I hadn’t known what to do when Maddox had shown his.
Fighting past my discomfort, I said, “Listen, I’m sorry I insulted you that day; that was rude of me.I didn’t really mean it.I was...caught up in my own problems.”
Maddox dipped his head.“I know.”
There was a moment of tentative awkwardness between us.“How is your book going?You never told me what it’s about,” I said, hoping this was an adequate olive branch.
He shrugged.“I’m not ready to talk about it yet.”
His response stung more than it should have.Was he not ready to talk about it, or just unwilling to talk about it with me?Maybe I had ruined our easy friendship permanently.
Before I could come up with a response, Edmund stepped out from the shed, straightening his waistcoat.He shot me a dazzling smile.“I’m ready to go.”
22
Ma stood at the thresholdwith her arms crossed, staring at me, Edmund, and Maddox with a slight curl to her lip.The light from the house silhouetted her figure, throwing her shadow on the ground so that it engulfed my feet.
I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry.Admittedly, I had not thought much about what to say on the way here, hoping the perfect explanation would find me once we made it to the house.
How utterly wrong I was.
“Mrs.Phula,” Edmund said, stepping from behind me and bowing.The gesture had an impressively gentlemanly effect even in his rumpled waistcoat and unwashed hair.“I am Edmund de Clare, emissary sent by the crown prince.I am very grateful for your hospitality.”
Ma pinched her lips in confusion.“Emissary?Hospitality?”
Edmund blinked, looking to me.The poor man had assumed that Ma was aware of our situation.I gave him a helpless glance back, embarrassed and utterly ashamed that I’d chosen tonotprepare for this beforehand.
