Page 47 of The Wild Moon
“So, I thought about it. At least if I come here, I can livemylife in a place I’m familiar with and at least be happy to the extent I’m not looking over my shoulder all the time. If I need to pretend that I like you when we’re in public, then so be it.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but I slashed a hand between us.
“But that is inpublic. Not private. Are you understanding that yet? Is it getting through your brain?”
I swore I could hear his teeth grinding from across the room.
“Yes,” he said tightly. “But I’ll find a way to make things up between us.”
“Bring my parents back,” I said, naming the only thing that might make me hate him less.
He stared at me. “How the hell am I supposed to do that?”
“Exactly,” I said. “But you may as well get started now. So get out, and I’ll see you for dinner.”
I pointed at the door, and he took it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
An hour passed before I was interrupted again, a gentle knocking at the door interrupting my solitary brooding.
I glanced at the clock on the intricate carved wooden nightstand and shrugged. I honestly hadn’t expected the Aldridges to go that long without bothering me. Rolling off the bed, I strode toward the door, wondering if it was Johnathan this time or his father.
Yanking on the door, I paused, caught completely off guard. It was neither.
“Lady Aldridge,” I stammered, mentally preparing myself for a fight. But she stayed at the door.
“Miss Wetter,” she said primly.
“Please, let me apologize for what happened the last time I was here,” I said, feeling myself start to sweat profusely. Why was she at my door? Why didn’t she seem angry? “I didn’t know it was you, and–”
“It’s fine, child,” Marianna said, though her face didn’t match her words.
“Right. Okay. Well, I’m still sorry. Um. What can I do for you?”
She lifted her hands. That was when I noticed the blue box in her hand. It wasn’t very thick, but it was as long as my forearm.
“This should fit you,” she said, looking me up and down. “It’s a bit big on me, but those gazelle legs of yours will make up for that, I think.”
I stared. “What will fit me?” I asked a bit more suspiciously, eyeing the box. What was going on here?
“Take it.” This was a command, and I found myself reaching for the box before I’d even thought it over.
“Um. Okay?” I took the box, holding it in my arms. “Now what?”
“Perhaps, darling, you shouldopen it,” Lady Aldridge said, speaking to me as she would to a dim-witted child. The “darling” was very much not a term of endearment. In fact, it was quite the opposite. This woman hated me like I hated the rest of her family, except she was doing a much better job of expressing it while managing to hide it at the same time.
I could learn some lessons, I’m sure.
“Right,” I said, feeling silly. I held the box balanced on my left arm and pulled off the top.
As I’d begun to suspect, there was clothing inside.
“It’s a dress.”
I looked up as Lars sauntered down the hallway, looking entirely too proud of himself. Immediately, my stomach lurched, winding itself into a ball of stress. Something was going on. Something not good.
“I’m not wearing this,” I said, glancing down at the burgundy outfit lying amid the white tissue.
