Read Online 1416934715(FY) by Cameron Dokey - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cameron Dokey
Ads: Link
I said hotly.
“Don’t be absurd,” Anastasia replied. She gave a sniff, as if to emphasize her words. “I can practically smell the stables from here. Girls like you can be dismissed for your kind of behavior, you know.”
Abruptly, I felt my temper reach its boiling point.
“I
am
sorry,” I said sweetly, and caught the satisfaction that flashed across Anastasia’s face. “But then I’m just a plain country girl, unaccustomed to the ways of fine ladies. Explain to me how hanging out sheets that didn’t need washing in the first place is cause to have me dismissed.”
Two bright spots of color flared in my stepsister’s cheeks. “How dare you?” she cried. “How dare you speak to me in such a way? I can have you dismissed for anything, any time I want to. And don’t think I didn’t see the way you touched each other, because I did. I saw it all.”
“Then you are blind as well as ill-tempered and spoiled. Raoul and I have known each other since we were two weeks old. He put spiders in my hair, and I put garter snakes in both his boots. We are hardly likely to be flirting over a clothesline.”
“If you think for one moment that I care what the two of you do together—,” Anastasia began.
“I don’t,” I said, ruthlessly cutting her off. “The simple truth is, Raoul and I both try not to think about you at all.”
A terrible silence filled the room. Anastasia’s cheeks were pale as milk now. And I saw, to my absolute horror, that her eyes were filled with tears.
“Oh, Cendrillon,” Amelie’s voice slipped quietly into the room. “How fortunate. I was hoping you might help me with something, and here you are.”
Anastasia turned away, moved to the window seat, and sat down upon it with such force that the cushions beneath her sighed.
Oh, Cendrillon,
I thought to myself.
What have you just done?
“Of course I will help you,” I said, as I turned to Amelie. “If you will just give me a moment to collect your sister’s mending.”
“Actually,” Anastasia said in a brittle voice. “I findthat I have changed my mind. Instead of mending just these few dresses, I think it will be necessary to attend to my entire wardrobe.”
She turned away from the window to face me again, and, though her eyes were still too bright, I could see that they were dry. I felt my stomach give a funny little twist.
“I’m not going to be stuck out here in the country forever, you know,” Anastasia went on. “And neither is Amelie. Etienne de Brabant is an important man at court, and daughters of marriageable age are an asset, whether he wants them or not. I intend to be ready when he sends for us.” She tilted her head, and her eyes as they met mine were cold as snow. In them, I read dislike and a challenge.
“You understand what I require?”
“I do,” I acknowledged. And it was nothing less than looking over every single item in her entire wardrobe. Every seam of every dress. Every stitch which fastened on a ribbon or a seed pearl. Every hem and button. Everything must be in perfect order. I had no doubt it was a task she could make stretch on for weeks.
“I am pleased to hear it,” Anastasia replied in a sweet voice. “Naturally, I will need to supervise you closely, to make certain the job is done right.” She tilted her head in the other direction. “A pity you will have no more time to flirt with stable boys.”
She turned her back on me then, her gesture a clear sign of dismissal.
“Please help my sister with whatever she needs,then do me the pleasure of staying out of my sight for the rest of the day,” she went on. “I’m sure you and I will both appreciate having one less thing to think about.”
“As you wish.” I said. And, to my surprise, Anastasia’s head whipped back around.
“It shall be as I wish,” she said fiercely, and now her eyes were hot and bright. “Do you hear me? I say it shall. Now get out of my room. I’m tired of looking at you. I’m tired of every
“Don’t be absurd,” Anastasia replied. She gave a sniff, as if to emphasize her words. “I can practically smell the stables from here. Girls like you can be dismissed for your kind of behavior, you know.”
Abruptly, I felt my temper reach its boiling point.
“I
am
sorry,” I said sweetly, and caught the satisfaction that flashed across Anastasia’s face. “But then I’m just a plain country girl, unaccustomed to the ways of fine ladies. Explain to me how hanging out sheets that didn’t need washing in the first place is cause to have me dismissed.”
Two bright spots of color flared in my stepsister’s cheeks. “How dare you?” she cried. “How dare you speak to me in such a way? I can have you dismissed for anything, any time I want to. And don’t think I didn’t see the way you touched each other, because I did. I saw it all.”
“Then you are blind as well as ill-tempered and spoiled. Raoul and I have known each other since we were two weeks old. He put spiders in my hair, and I put garter snakes in both his boots. We are hardly likely to be flirting over a clothesline.”
“If you think for one moment that I care what the two of you do together—,” Anastasia began.
“I don’t,” I said, ruthlessly cutting her off. “The simple truth is, Raoul and I both try not to think about you at all.”
A terrible silence filled the room. Anastasia’s cheeks were pale as milk now. And I saw, to my absolute horror, that her eyes were filled with tears.
“Oh, Cendrillon,” Amelie’s voice slipped quietly into the room. “How fortunate. I was hoping you might help me with something, and here you are.”
Anastasia turned away, moved to the window seat, and sat down upon it with such force that the cushions beneath her sighed.
Oh, Cendrillon,
I thought to myself.
What have you just done?
“Of course I will help you,” I said, as I turned to Amelie. “If you will just give me a moment to collect your sister’s mending.”
“Actually,” Anastasia said in a brittle voice. “I findthat I have changed my mind. Instead of mending just these few dresses, I think it will be necessary to attend to my entire wardrobe.”
She turned away from the window to face me again, and, though her eyes were still too bright, I could see that they were dry. I felt my stomach give a funny little twist.
“I’m not going to be stuck out here in the country forever, you know,” Anastasia went on. “And neither is Amelie. Etienne de Brabant is an important man at court, and daughters of marriageable age are an asset, whether he wants them or not. I intend to be ready when he sends for us.” She tilted her head, and her eyes as they met mine were cold as snow. In them, I read dislike and a challenge.
“You understand what I require?”
“I do,” I acknowledged. And it was nothing less than looking over every single item in her entire wardrobe. Every seam of every dress. Every stitch which fastened on a ribbon or a seed pearl. Every hem and button. Everything must be in perfect order. I had no doubt it was a task she could make stretch on for weeks.
“I am pleased to hear it,” Anastasia replied in a sweet voice. “Naturally, I will need to supervise you closely, to make certain the job is done right.” She tilted her head in the other direction. “A pity you will have no more time to flirt with stable boys.”
She turned her back on me then, her gesture a clear sign of dismissal.
“Please help my sister with whatever she needs,then do me the pleasure of staying out of my sight for the rest of the day,” she went on. “I’m sure you and I will both appreciate having one less thing to think about.”
“As you wish.” I said. And, to my surprise, Anastasia’s head whipped back around.
“It shall be as I wish,” she said fiercely, and now her eyes were hot and bright. “Do you hear me? I say it shall. Now get out of my room. I’m tired of looking at you. I’m tired of every
Similar Books
