Page 36 of A Sight to Behold
Pippa gaped.Violet,handing her a cup of tea?
Violet.
She peered into the cup expecting something there—as usual—to surprise her. But there was no frog swimming in the tea, nor did the saucer appear to have a spring that would shoot something out at Pippa. Moreover, the tea was the correct color; it wasn’t black with ink, prepared just so to stain her teeth for the next few months. It didn’t even have pepper flakes floating on its surface—and she could tell, because she was wearing her new glasses.
It was just a cup of tea, elegantly served to her with her requested two sugar cubes, by Violet, who appeared less elegant than usual. In fact…
“What’s the matter with you?” Bea asked, following Violet’s movements as she sat and placed her cup and saucer on her lap. Pippa squinted, more out of habit than with a need to focus because her eyes were not fooling her. The back of Violet’s dress wasindeedtucked into her stocking.
“Violet, ahem…” Pippa nodded in the direction of her friend’s leg.
Violet followed her gaze with surprise and then reddened. “Oh my!” She pulled the hem of her dress out of the stocking, shaking out the wrinkles before lifting her own cup to sip at her tea. “Ouch! Hot!” With urgency, like a nervous almost-debutante back at their finishing school—which had never been Violet’s role—she set the cup and saucer back on the table with a click.
“Have we arrived at an inopportune time?” Bea asked with the finesse of the ever-knowing social butterfly now fluttering about like a clumsy moth. Pippa didn’t blame her cousin. She too was bewildered but she knew could trust her eyes—especially now—Violet was not as she remembered her.
“Last we saw you, you were a bride. How have you fared as the new Countess of Langley?” Of course, her status as Beauty of the Ball meant Bea took the lead in the conversation.
“Ahem.” Violet swallowed and surveyed the room as if trying to unsee what had happened here.
“I heard your husband was confined to bed for a few days. Is he unwell?” Pippa had heard the rumors of various surgeries and treatments that the earl had had done before his wedding to Violet. Father had mentioned something about rejuvenating himself and turning back the hands of time to please his young wife. She’d mostly disregarded her father’s comments since whenever he spoke, his accounts were laced with nonsense about healing stones, broths of flowers, and putrid powders.
Violet inhaled slowly and closed her eyes for a moment. “He’s fine.” She spoke with a tremor, but not one caused by tears. Instead, it was as if she tried to suppress a giggle. “Very fine indeed.” Her usual porcelain complexion resembled that of a well-cooked lobster.
“Violet Mae Sheffield,” Bea said sternly. “What has gotten into you? Are you drinking at three in the afternoon?”
“No.” Violet sputtered and then finally burst into those giggles. They didn’t stop until she bit her bottom lip. “Much more wicked than that.” She beamed but averted her gaze and brushed her collapsing coiffe out of her face. Then she reached to twirl a strand of escaped hair around her finger and looked at the writing desk near the window. “We… I mean,he…he’swonderful,” she started. Then she plopped back in the settee and melted comfortably into the faded cushions with a sigh.
The old Violet, the mean girl Pippa knew so well, had disappeared. No superciliary frowns, no sly remarks came out of this new, disheveled one. She looked blissful.Tamed.
What could have changed her? Was it possible that she was…perhaps… “Are you in love?” Pippa spoke before she could stop the words.
Bea’s head jerked. “I beg your pardon?” She couldn’t hide her shock.
“I’m just wondering—”
“Perhaps I am, Pippa,” Violet peered up to the ceiling and tapped her lips with her index finger. “Or I am falling.”
“With your husband, I hope,” Bea interjected. With all her social graces, one aspect of human nature eluded Bea, for she’d never been loved. Admired, adored, desired, envied—yes—but never loved. And in this moment, Pippa realized that she’d rather be loved by one person than have all the empty admiration of many because all of them together didn’t amount to as much as she’d started to feel when she was near Nick. Even at just the thought of his kiss and his hard muscles pressed against her had Pippa fanning herself.
“Is he good to you?” Bea asked.
Pippa kicked her sideways and shook her head.
“What? I’m asking to make sure she’s well.” Bea shrugged.
“Oh, he’s more than good to me,” Violet sighed dreamily. Then, her eyes darkened. “He’s so good, soverygood.” She practically purred like cat stretching out for a back rub.
“What do you mean?” Bea asked, still with an unbelieving skepticism. Pippa suppressed a smile. “I thought he was in bed recovering from surgery performed soon after your wedding?”
“Oh, he was in bed, yes. He had a little surgery. And then I joined him,” Violet said with a sparkle in her eyes that warmed Pippa’s heart. Bea, however, looked taken aback as their newly married friend clarified, “I joined himin bed.”
“After the surgery?” Bea squinted.
“Darling, in bed, yes. The surgery went well; it was a small thing. A lens replacement and the doctor was very, very good. In fact, it was he who gave me the idea.”
“To bed your husband?” Pippa jested.
Violet paused for a moment. “In a way, yes.”
