“Something about Graham Slater?”
“She told you aboutGraham Slater?” I can barely get the words out, I’m so angry.
“Yeah, and how you don’t take risks because you’re a scaredy-cat, her words not mine,” he says, waving his hand and bending down to start stuffing the waders back into the bag. “She said Graham must have been right but that you’re not to feel bad about it. Her mum agreed.”
“Wait. Hermumspoke to you? Lady Meade?”
“Yeah.” He puffs out his cheeks. “She’s scary, you know.”
“What did she say?”
“Who?”
“Lady Meade!”
“Not much, really,” he says, frowning in concentration. “She said swans were a nice touch, considering the family surname. But she didn’t think you had it in you. Don’t feel bad, though! She said you’d done well so far, considering. And…” He trails off, putting a hand over his mouth. “Never mind.”
“No, what were you about to say?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Jimmy,” I say, in my sternest voice. “What were you about to say?”
He bites his lip, looking worried. “I don’t want your feelings getting hurt, but there was some talk about whether Cordelia needed a bridesmaid.”
“Lady Meade said that? Or Cordelia?”
“Uh, Lady Meade. But, hey, that could be a good thing! Much more fun to enjoy the big day rather than have to trail around after the bride, right? Not that I’ve been to too many weddings recently, but I reckon that if there’s an open bar, you’d much rather be—”
“Give me the waders, Jimmy.”
He blinks. “Huh?”
“I said, give me the waders.” I take off my coat and throw it onto the ground with my bag. “I’m ready to go into the water.”
He pulls the waders out of the bag again and hands them over to me excitedly. “Great! I had a feeling they were wrong about you, Emily. I once knew a swan named Emily and she was as elegant as anything but could be very feisty if she got worked up. You pop those on and I’ll tighten the straps for you once you’re in.”
I yank the waders up, rage bubbling inside me. I cannotbelievethat Cordelia has managed to get into her mother’s head. That’s what she’s been doing all week, turning her family against me. My stomach tightens as I wonder what she might have said about me to Tom, let alone to her parents. She’s managed to get Lady Meade to doubt me! After I told them about scoring a meeting with Clio Vaughn! After all the support I gave to Cordelia over the weekend! Afterbreaking the lawfor her (not that they know that).
I hate her.
“There you go,” Jimmy says, tightening the thick straps on my shoulders. “You’re ready. Start heading in and I’ll instruct you. Don’t worry, the waders are made for this.”
Having never been fishing, I’m in a pair of waders for the first time ever, and I have to say, I’m not impressed. It’s like wearing a giant boot.
He points at the water. I look around to make sure there aren’t many people to witness this act of craziness. Then, taking a deep breath and steeling myself, as though I do this kind of thing all the time, I walk into the water. I can feel the cold hitting the waders, but I trust them to do their job. I head in deeper and deeper until the water is at my thighs.
“Should I stop here?”
“In a bit more,” Jimmy directs. “Up to your waist at least. Don’t be shy! You’ve got your waders on, remember?”
“This is fine, this is fine, this is fine,” I repeat to myself under my breath, wincing as I take more steps forward in the murky water and the cold creeps up my body. “I can do this. It’s not so bad. I’m in a lake and that’s fine.”
“Very good!” he calls.
Slowly, I turn to face him, not wanting to splash the water too much. “There are no eels or anything gross in here, right?”
“You’ll be fine! The only thing you might see is fish. Although we don’t want to disturb the pelicans. I once had a run-in with one and they’re not easy little blighters, let me tell you. Very large beaks. Could fit your whole head in there!”
