Page 31 of Fragile Wicked Things
The reaction from the twins and the old woman, who had played the part so well up to that point, made me reconsider. Maybe she could see into the future. Her audacity unnerved me, but when I looked at her costumed turban and outrageous makeup, I realized she meant to put on a show. She could no more tell the future than I could.
"My destiny is not predetermined," I told her. "Ready."
She took my hand into both of hers, thumbing the lines of my palm. "You suffered a great loss as a child. A parent, no parents. Not much love in your life. Loneliness. You learned to suppress any passion that you had. But that's your past, which may or may not be repeated. There will be a change in your employment. I can see you have a quick mind that will take you on new adventures. I suppose you'd want to know about your love line. All the young ladies want to know. You're in love."
My face flushed.
"It must be me," Rochester quipped.
"I assure you, Mr. Rochester, you are not the object of my affection," I teased.
"Ah, but she is right. You are in love. With whom?" said Rochester with no lightness in his voice.
"Shhh," the old woman said.
Rochester raised his eyebrows at me, feigning an injury at being reprimanded.
"This man you love...you cannot unlove."
"He must be my soulmate then if I can't unlove him."
The fortune teller then yanked my hand closer to her, squeezed tighter and spoke, her speech guttural. "There is darkness."
"You speak in riddles. Tell me. Is there darkness in my future?"
"Yes. And here. Death follows you."
I tried pulling my hand away to stop her from seeing more, but she held on fast.
"Leave this place," she said.
"That's enough!" Rochester grabbed her and pushed her off me.
I breathed hard, frightened by the fortune, my face hot. Then the fortune teller turned to Rochester, her eyes squinted, her lips twisted.
"You're cold. I can't see you. Why can't I read your future?"
* * *
"Slow down,"Rochester said.
I gulped down the scotch he had given me but ignored him. The liquid steadied my nerves. "She knew things." The words blurted out.
"She knew nothing. She has the ability to read body language and will say things to make you believe she knows more than she does. It is a sham to entertain us," he said.
"Her words unnerved me, especially after Auntie told me to leave this place."
Rochester turned to me, jaw clenched. "When?"
"Last night."
"Tell me everything she told you," he said in haste.
"Auntie said it wasn't safe for me here. She's worried that I've been spending too much time with her grandson and that the tension in New Orleans lately is not conducive to a…friendship like ours."
"She's right. Should Thomas be at the wrong place with you, Jane, I won't be able to protect him. People here don't see the world the way we do."
"No, they don't." I liked that he said "we."
