AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I took a steady breath. “As I’ll ever be.”
24
SCARLETT
Dinner was fancier than any meal I had ever had in my life.
Following Toby through to the dining room, a long table stretched out in the middle of the room. Several lit candelabras sectioned off the table, situated between vases of flowers and one rather ornate duck. It caught my eye immediately, unsure why something so fancy would be at the dinner table when it was also grotesque in its own way. Beady eyes glared out from the porcelain as I made my way to the high-back chair Toby indicated to.
“Are you hungry?” he asked, pulling the chair out for me. “I realize now that I probably should have asked if you have any dietary needs.”
“Hungry and I guess, nervous,” I chuckled, my mind still dwelling slightly on the letters. “But no, I have no requirements.”
Before Toby could reply, a young girl came running into the room with her jet-black hair streaming behind her.
“Daddy!”
She launched herself toward Toby, and he caught her just in time, giving her a tight cuddle. Her red polka dot dress reminded me of Minnie Mouse, and I smiled to myself when Toby stepped back and held a hand out to her.
“Andrea, this is your Auntie Scarlett.”
Large eyes turned to me, eyes that were identical to Toby’s and she smiled brightly, pushing her glasses up my nose.
“The gold digger?” Andrea asked innocently.
Warmth immediately flushed my cheeks and my throat tightened but before anyone else could speak, a third voice cut through the air.
“Children do say the darndest things. So observant, wouldn’t you agree?” Camille Ashbluff walked through the door. Her black hair sat straight down her left side, and her figure-hugging red dress clung like a second skin as she approached.
“But you said—,” Andrea began, swiftly silenced by a glance from Camille. As she approached, my heart resumed its violent hammering. Somehow, Toby’s apology and attempts to right things hadn’t reached his wife, or so it seemed. I stood as Camille stopped beside me and held out one elegant, thin hand.
“I’m Camille.”
“Scarlett.” Her hand was cold to the touch, and I shook it briefly, but as I tried to break the grip, Camille held on with surprising strength.
“What a quaint little dress!” She pursed my lips, eyes wide. “I didn’t know you handmade your clothes. How adorable.”
“I—.” I was stunned. Somehow, as sweet as the words sounded, their poison was clear. A polite insult for polite company; that was how the rich worked, after all. My attempts to correct Camille were ignored as she glided past and kissed Toby on the cheek while he seated their daughter.
“Let’s eat!”
Fifteen minutes later, I wasn’t faring much better. The silver platter in front of me served more as a placemat than anything else, and when the first course arrived, a soup of some kind, Camille didn’t hide her light scoff when I chose which spoon to pick up.
“Not that one, dear,” Camille said sweetly, her face impassive. “That’s a salad spoon.”
“Who eats salad with a spoon?” I frowned.
“Savages, perhaps,” Camille laughed, although her smile didn’t meet her eyes. “Surely you know the difference?
My cheeks warmed once more. No, I didn’t. And Camille knew I didn’t.
“Lay off, Camille,” Toby said, seated at the head of the table. “No one really cares what utensil you use.”
Camille’s eyes snapped to Toby, thinly veiled surprise drifting over her features before she nodded. I was just as surprised and shot Toby a grateful smile. Toby finished his spoonful of soup and then pointed at me with his spoon.
“So, Sebastian tells me you have a talent for Graphic Design?”
My brows darted up. Sebastian had spoken to Toby about me? Too caught up in balancing the soup, the spoon, Camille, and now the question, I decided to brush that thought aside and refocus. I nodded.
