I clear my throat."I'm not jealous.What have I got to be jealous of?"
"Nothing," he assures me."But learning about how you feel certainly puts your reaction to meeting Camille into perspective."
I clear my throat and turn away so he can't see the blush spreading over my cheeks."I don't know what you're talking about."
"Of course not.But we should put the truffles into a box so they can chill overnight," Nate says."As much as I'd love to be able to spend the whole night with you baking, I imagine that both of us have got to get some sleep."
I nod, though my mind has gone down a path that it never has before.What would it be like to not have to say goodnight to Nate?To wake up in the middle of the night and see that he's there beside me?It's a question I've never asked myself before, and one that I've never really thought about being interested in, but there's no doubt that it's playing on my mind right now.
"Evie?"he asks.
I clear my throat."Right, yes."I start picking up truffles and putting them in the box he's put on the table, while sneaking glances at him as I do.
I have no idea what fully accepting my feelings has brought out in me, but it's making me consider things that I never have before, and there's no doubt it's complicating a lot of things, including me not knowing how to deal with certain situations.But when I look at Nate, I know it's the right thing, and I'm sure I'll figure it out.
Chapter10
I make my way into the family dining room to find Mama already sitting at the head of the table, with Veronica and Solana also in their seats.I pause in the doorway and dip into a curtsy in front of Mama.I don't technically have to do it when there are only family members in the room, but sometimes it's hard tonotdo things like that, especially when Mama is frustrated with me.
One of the servants pulls out my chair and I flash him a grateful smile as I rearrange the skirt of my dress in the hopes that it's not going to annoy me.I've worked with the seamstresses to come up with a good style that doesn't frustrate me constantly, but that doesn't mean that I can't get annoyed by it.
"Is that what you're wearing today, Evelyn?"Mama asks.
I look down at my dress."It's what I'm wearing, yes."
Veronica smothers a laugh from her seat beside me.
"It's hardly the latest fashions," Mama says.
"You said that I was to wear the Gaullessian fashion when I'm entertaining the Gaullessian delegation.I don't think they're joining us for lunch, unless the table has been set wrong."I look around just in case I've missed something.
Mama sighs."We need to have a discussion about your wardrobe, especially with you entertaining suitors from next week."
"If suitors are going to be put off by me wearing a dress I find comfortable, then I don't think they are a good match for me."
"She's not wrong, Mama," Veronica says.
Mama turns her attention to my younger sister and gives her a look that would make me shrink back.I feel like I should say something to take the attention away from Veronica, but I don't want to be under Mama's scrutiny again myself.
Luckily, the door opens and Artie strides in, still wearing a riding jacket and muddy boots.
"Did you go riding this morning?"I ask my brother as he takes a seat next to Solana.
"No, I was at the inn in the village.One of the horses stabled there is having some issues."He thanks the servant for pouring him a drink."It's why I didn't have time to change before coming to eat, I only just got back."
"Arthur!"Mama scolds, and while I feel for my brother, I'm also glad that her annoyance isn't trained on me.It's a nice change."You should always make sure you're back in time to change.What if we had guests for lunch?"
"We don't have guests," I point out.
"I am aware of that, Evelyn," Mama responds."But what if we had?"
"I came back as soon as I could," Artie says."Treatment took longer than I expected."
"Is everything all right now?"Solana asks in her lightly-accented Falhavien as she leans over and puts a hand on Artie's sleeve.It's such casual affection, and even I can't deny that it looks like the way I've been touching Nate ever since he came for the visit as the chef for my cousins a few months ago.
"I think so," Artie says."But I'll need to go back tomorrow..."
"You'll do no such thing," Mama puts in.
