Page 55 of Crown of Tides and Fury

I gasped, knowing just what job she was referring to. “Is that from Pride and Prejudice?”

“It is.” She giggled until Persi pointed out that the line was about thecharacternamed Wickham. Ivy’s eyes widened. “Well, we can’t have that. Out of tune or not, he’s mine.” Persi caught her eye and Ivy studied her for a minute. “I suppose I shouldn’t be offering Kitch up on a platter to someone else if you’ve finally staked your claim.”

“She has,” I said, at the same time Persi said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Persi’s jaw dropped open. She was either hurt or offended.

I fought not to laugh. “What? It’s no secret, is it?”

Everly and Ivy shook their heads.

“Besides, when we were on the road, stalking lighthouses…” I wondered if I had drunk too much, if I shouldn’t be saying things out loud.

Persi frowned. “What?”

“We shared a room half the time, remember?”

“And?”

“And you came to bed hours after I did. Hours after we’dallgone to bed. Don’t tell me you were out star-gazing. Once I saw Kitch’s door open and close with no one there. And when I walked past, I heard him snoring. Explain that one!” I winced when I realized how loud I’d been talking. Anyone listening at the door would have heard me clearly. I put my finger to my lips and whispered, “Sorry.”

“She does it here, too,” Everly said. “I hear footsteps in the night, coming from the boys wing. No one there.”

“It’s sweet, really,” Ivy said. “On the ranch, they avoided each other like the plague, but they always seemed to know where the other one was. Hyper-sensitive.”

“Nothing’s changed.” Everly tossed mini-marshmallows at poor Persi until she disappeared. Even then, the fluffy white dots bounced off her. Once Everly’s hand was empty, she laughed. “Come on, Persi. I’m sorry. But it’s time we put you out of your own misery. We’re not judging you, you know.”

It took a minute, but Persi finally allowed us to see her again. “If I didn’t know any better,” she grumbled, “I’d think Ivy’s been here for days, setting this up.”

Ivy sighed. “I wish. But if I’d have planned this, I certainly wouldn’t have drenched my Fritos with chocolate. Now, let’s get back to the subject—Dominic Kitchens…and his late night visitor.”

“It’s not what you think.”

“Too bad.”

Persi rolled her eyes. “He reads. Out loud. I sneak in and listen.”

We all scoffed, then booed, then bombarded her with marshmallows in earnest. I suggested she try again.

“No, really. He reads for an hour or two most nights. Thrillers, mysteries, even poetry. And I like…the sound of his voice. It helps me relax, that’s all.”

“All right, then.” Everly tucked a pillow under her arm and spread out on the bed, moving close to watch Persi’s face. “When do you sneak in his room? It’s not like you can open the door and walk inside, if he’s already in there.”

“I get there first, obviously.”

Ivy took a shot. “So you get in before he undresses.”

Persi blushed, started to fade, but came back. “Obviously.”

“So you watch.”

The poor woman closed her eyes and swayed a little, but she answered with a whisper. “Sometimes.”

Everly nudged her. “And?”

“And none of your business.”

There was a noise outside the door. A shuffle of feet, and whispers too low to belong to Meral or Reem.

---