“All of them sensible young men.”
“Ido not want to be sensible.” Antonina had begun pacing around the room.
Valérie gritted her teeth. “I was your age once and know how tempting it is to throw caution to the wind, but I—”
“I doubt it. I doubt you were ever young at all. Why, you act as though you are older than my great-aunts Lise and Linette combined. You reproach me everything and allow nothing. Why must you be so… so mean?”
Valérie was not one prone to kindness, though she had, on occasion, been known to be fair. She was attempting to be fair with Antonina, who was, after all, her cousin by marriage. What was she receiving? Nothing but awful words and terrible manners.
Valérie had viewed Antonina as a piece jostled between Hector and herself, a speck of guilt moving her to speak. Now the guilt was washed away by pure anger.
If Antonina defied her, then she was her enemy.
“Ignore my counsel as you always do, then,” Valérie said. “I waste my breath on the likes of you. You’ll end an old maid.”
Antonina was contrite for a moment, but this was only a moment. Her eyes soon sparked again with that fire of hers. “He does intend to marry me. You shall see.”
“I await news of his proposal with bated breath.”
“You mock me,” Antonina said, sounding affronted.
“You mock yourself.”
Finally words failed the girl. She exited the room with a loud bang of the door, which made Valérie wince even if the theatrics were to be expected. She rubbed her temples again, wondering what the next day would bring and the day after that, Hector’s presence surely blotting each sunrise like ink spilled upon a page. And Antonina with her inane twittering, making it worse.
Chapter 14
ÉTIENNE DOZED FOR MOST OFthe train ride and Luc complained, a pattern that was reenacted once they boarded a carriage and set off for Oldhouse.
“I hope there is hunting here,” Luc said. “I will absolutely die if there isn’t even any hunting.”
“I’m sure there’s game enough,” Hector said. He had not been this far south, but he’d had plenty of opportunity to survey the countryside as the train cut its path through the land, his eyes falling upon brooks and dense patches of trees.
“But would they have proper horses?” Luc wondered, shaking his blond head. He was as handsome as he was spoiled, a prime example of the Beautiful Ones. “There’s nothing worse than a hunt with an old nag to ride. Why did you drag me here, again?”
“I did not drag you here,” Étienne replied. He had placed his hat upon his face to try to sleep. “Father sent you with me because you were chasing after a dancer.”
“As if you haven’t chased dancers of your own.”
“You were spending ridiculous amounts of money on her.Borrowedmoney, I may add.”
“A bracelet here and there. Besides, haven’t I been marvelous lately?And I’ve been thinking about that hotel I told you of, a resort by the sea, if only I could gather the proper funds for—”
“You might as well ask for the moon.”
“No, it makes perfect sense, Étienne, only you won’t listen, but I—”
“Take it up with Father,” Étienne said, crossing his arms.
Luc took out his cigarette case and shook his head. “I tell you, Hector, you had the right idea being an only child. Existing under the shadow of not one butfourolder brothers is exhausting. Especially when they won’t stand up for you in front of Father.”
Étienne let out a loud “hmfff” in a reply but did not bother to vocalize his thoughts any further. Hector for his part merely shrugged.
A little while later they arrived at Oldhouse and barely had enough time to rush to their rooms and change for supper. When they came down, they were ushered into a dining room that, despite its long table, hardly offered enough space for them.
Hector found himself a bit astonished by the number of people around him. He had grown used to solitude and silence, and this was a loud bunch. People were introduced to him, but he soon lost count of their names.
He was seated to the right of Camille, Nina’s mother, and across from Nina. A bit farther to Nina’s left sat Valérie, and they locked eyes a couple of times before she turned her head away. Étienne and Luc were seated apart, and Hector could not possibly speak to them.
