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Scarlett set aside her glass. “If you’ll excuse me,” she whispered to no one in particular, rising from the table before protests could be made. She hurried from the room. To her surprise, Carter followed her, stopping her in the hallway just a few steps from her bedroom door.
“Wait, Scarlett,” he said, taking hold of her arm and ending her flight. “You don’t have to leave because of Lydia.”
“It will make her more comfortable,” Scarlett said in a distant voice, keeping her eyes from his. “It’s her home, and I’m not even a guest.”
“Lydia enjoys drama.” Carter dismissed it with a wave of his hand. “If your presence wasn’t stirring her up, something else would be.”
Scarlett refused to meet his eyes, and tried to shrug his hand off her arm. “Please let go of me,” she said firmly. “I’ve lost my appetite.”
“Impossible.” Carter chuckled. “I’ve yet to see anything impair your...healthy appetite.”
“Being at the same table as the Braxton family is rather awkward, don’t you think?”
“Why are you acting this way?” he asked, forcing his features to remain slack.
“I’m not acting any way,” she answered. “I’m just tired, and I’m fed up with your sisters. I’d like to go to my room now.”
“I’d like for you to join us,” he said, releasing his grip on her arm. “Elias and the rest of the family have been very warm to you.”
Scarlett ignored the rest of his statement, choosing to focus on the beginning. “I really don’t care what you’d like,” she whispered. “If you recall, I agreed to be your collateral for six months. I didn’t agree to be at your beck and call.”
“Of course. How could I forget the terms of our bargain?” She watched as her turned to go back to the dining room, never once looking back.
Scarlett spent the remainder of the evening in her room. She found herself unable to sleep after the long afternoon nap, so she read a book until early in the morning, when her eyes finally started to close. She laid aside the novel and curled under the comforter, forcing herself not to think of Carter.
She’d been so hopeful, and she freely admitted that. Sometime in the past few weeks, she’d seen past Carter’s hard exterior, to the man beneath. She’d responded to him in a way that was new to her, and she’d started to love him.
When they were away, Scarlett was convinced he’d co
me to care for her too. She knew that people didn’t have to be in love to sleep together, and she hadn’t thought he loved her, but she’d hoped he cared for her at least. Carter was such a contradiction, at times gentle and considerate, other times cold and aloof. She’d thought he was learning to trust her, and that maybe he would love her in return someday.
Sighing, Scarlett punched up her pillow and turned over, brushing off the weak tears that trickled down her cheeks. She wasn’t going to waste any more time on Carter, trying to figure him out. Contrary to what she’d imagined, he was a cold, ruthless man, and he’d used her for his amusement. She’d given him the opportunity once, but she wouldn’t make that mistake again.
She was roused from a deep sleep by someone tapping on her bedroom door. Scarlett blinked her eyes, calling a groggy, “I’m coming,” as she slid from the comfortable bed. In bare feet, she padded to the door and opened it to find Ekaterini and Vanna on the other side.
“You aren’t dressed yet?” asked Vanna, clicking her tongue. “Well, hurry, Scarlett. The chopper leaves in thirty minutes.”
Wild hope and some intangible sadness stirred in her stomach. “Is Carter sending me home?” she asked, blinking.
Ekaterini giggled. “No, silly. We are shopping today. We’re flying into Athens to see the exquisite designs, and we will spend a ridiculous amount of money, then we will have lunch, and some girl talk.”
“No thanks,” said Scarlett, pushing the door closed until Vanna’s well manicured hand stopped her.
“You must come with us,” she insisted. “You have to tell us all about Carter’s horrid scheme, and fill us in on...” she paused, before finally say, “Er, what he’s been up to.”
“Why would you want me to go?” Scarlett demanded. “Don’t you know I’m a Terini?”
Ekaterini nodded. “Of course, but it doesn’t matter to us. Thea is coming along to look at a fresco in one of the museums, but Lydia is pouting in her room. You will not be harped at or insulted. Please come with us, Scarlett. We would like to get better acquainted with you.”
Scarlett gnawed on her lip, thinking it sounded tempting. She hadn’t had much female companionship lately, and she missed having her sisters around. A day of shopping and girl talk held appeal, even if she had no money to shop with. “All right. Let me get dressed, and I’ll meet you downstairs in twenty minutes.”
“Make it fifteen,” Vanna urged. “We have to be at the airstrip in twenty-five minutes or Leondris will leave without us.”
Scarlett hurried through her morning routine, dressing quickly in a lightweight shorts set, before hurrying downstairs, still braiding her hair. She arrived in the sitting room to find the children crowding around Darren, pulling on his arms, begging for, “Horsey rides.” He looked both put out and amused, and he grinned at Scarlett.
There was another woman whom Scarlett hadn’t met yet. She was introduced simply as Nanny and didn’t seem to mind not having a name of her own. “We will be back before dinner,” Ekaterini assured the children, giving Cat an extra squeeze.
After parting from their children, the women walked outside, where a town car was waiting to ferry them to the airstrip. Scarlett sat quietly as Vanna and Ekaterini conversed with Thea, who actually wore a smile and wasn’t shooting daggers at Scarlett with her eyes. Scarlet was relieved and hoped the day would go better than she initially though. Maybe Lydia really was just drama.
