Page 98 of Austen Persuaded

I was about to reply that there was no ladies’ room in the park—and that I didn’t need to powder my nose—when Caroline stood up. “I actually need to pee. I’ll take you to the bathroom, Jacqueline.”

My eyes widened as I watched my mother smile graciously at Caroline, who linked arms with her. If I ever uttered a word like “pee” in my mother’s presence, I’d have been blasted with her disdain. Apparently Caroline could get away with it though, since Jacqueline was trying to impress her rich father.

I don’t care anyway.

And this is good—it means I don’t have to be alone with her.

And then it dawned on me. I was alone with Ricardo instead.

“Anastasia, I hope you’ve been enjoying the concert,” came his deep, grainy voice, far too close to my ear. I realized he was mere inches from me, leaning as far as he could over the arm of his chair.

“Uh, it’s Annie,” I said, my voice shaking.

And I knew immediately that my words were a mistake.

“Annie,” he said, his smile growing as his eyes swept over my chest. “Yes. I’d be happy to be more, uh, familiar with each other.”

When I felt his fingertips brush my knee lightly, I squeezed my eyes shut.

This day couldn’t get any worse, could it?

“Actually, I do need to powder my nose after all,” I said, rising abruptly from the chair and nearly tripping. I didn’t bother to turn back and see his expression but merely strode in the direction I’d seen Caroline and Jacqueline heading earlier.

On the way there, I encountered them. “Mom, I need to talk to you,” I said firmly, placing a hand on her arm.

My mother’s eyes widened. “Darling, I’m sure it can wait. This is terribly rude to Caroline, who was just telling me about Ascott’s plans for their move here—”

“That can wait,” I said, trying to pull her aside.

Caroline looked between the two of us and smiled politely. “Jacqueline, I’d love to catch up a bit later. We have all weekend, right? I don’t want to monopolize it.”

When she’d walked away, Jacqueline wrestled her arm out of my grip and hissed, “See? She takes care not to monopolize every situation. You could learn from Caroline, you know.”

I glared at her. I didn’t know whether to scream or sob, but I needed to say what I came to say. “I’m going to get straight to the point, Mother. Ricardo hit on me. Your boyfriend. I left right away, of course.”

Jacqueline stilled, staring into my eyes with an unreadable expression.

When she didn’t speak, I added, “I just, uh, thought you should know.”

Her lips were thin and her voice cold when she finally spoke. “I shouldn’t blame myself for how you’ve turned out. But I can’t help but feel at least a little bit responsible for the failure you’ve become, Anastasia. I know that I have been an outstanding mother, though, beyond reproach. If I’ve erred with you, I’ve probably been too soft, too indulgent, and you have taken advantage of it. Now this is how you’ve turned out.” She straightened and started to walk away.

“What?” I shrieked. “That’s it?”

“Lower your voice, child,” Jacqueline hissed before composing her features into a fake smile. “What have I told you about being so melodramatic? It doesn’t suit a York woman, darling.”

She spun on her heel, leaving me with my jaw hanging open so long that my mouth became dry.

I blinked, once, twice, and licked my lips.

I have to get out of here.

Before I could analyze what just happened, my feet were already in action, my vision blurred, my mind unseeing, not knowing where I was going as long as it was in a different direction thanthat womanhad gone.

My arms were crossed over my head, my eyes on the dark floor as I mumbled, “I thought you’d have to teach this morning.”

“No classes because of the holiday weekend,” Rafael said quietly, coming to sit cross-legged beside me on the floor of my walk-in closet.

And there we sat, without speaking, without moving. Eventually, Rafael gently clasped my hand and scooted a little closer.

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