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“What?”
“I’d like it very much, Semantha, if you would participate wholeheartedly in your father’s and my wedding plans. I have a great deal to arrange—music, menu, flowers, dresses for the bridesmaids, the first of whom I hope you’ll be. I’d like your opinion about it all, so I’d like you to accompany me to the various venues. Starting today.”
“Today? What about your mother?” I asked.
“What about her?”
“Won’t she be participating?”
“My mother passed away nearly five years ago.”
“Oh.”
“And I have no sisters. So, you see, it’s just the two of us women now. I really do hope we can become close, and there’s no better opportunity for us to do so than planning my wedding, don’t you agree?” she asked with a wide, warm smile.
“Yes,” I said.
“Good.”
Mrs. Dobson came in with my breakfast tray.
“I could have gone down for breakfast,” I said, more for Mrs. Dobson than for Lucille.
“I told you we’re spoiling you a little. Let us do it,” Lucille said. “You agree, don’t you, Mrs. Dobson?”
“Miss Semantha’s not an easy young lady to spoil, ma’am. She’s always thinking of others,” she replied without looking at her. She set the tray on my bed table and moved it over to me.
“Yes, well, that’s the sort of person we want to spoil, then,” Lucille insisted. “Why don’t we plan on leaving in two hours?” she told me. “I have an appointment at my dressmaker’s to confirm my gown and review the gowns for the bridesmaids. There will be three others besides you. One of my best friends from college, in fact, is flying in from Monaco. Claire Dubonnet. She works for the prince.”
I saw how Mrs. Dobson was studying me for my reaction.
“Can I count on you, then?” Lucille pursued when I didn’t respond.
“Yes,” I said.
“Excellent. And as you can now see, it’s a beautiful day, a wonderful day for a new beginning for us both, Semantha. Once again, welcome home,” she said, and walked out.
“I made those scrambled eggs just like you like them, Miss Semantha, with the cheese.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Dobson. Did you know my father was intending to marry Mrs. Bennet?”
“The birds were chattering about it, yes,” she said.
“Were they happy or sad?”
She just looked at me and started out, pausing at the door. “Call me if you need anything else, Miss Semantha.”
I started on my breakfast.
“Why were you so nice to her?” Cassie asked.
“I have no choice. I don’t want to upset Daddy. Maybe . . . maybe she isn’t that bad. She sounded like she was really interested in me, and I liked what she said about rich people.”
“You always have been stupid when it comes to seeing people for who and what they are,” Cassie muttered. “Whether it was those idiots in public school or Ellie or Ethan. Don’t you see? She’s using Daddy’s happiness as her shield and her armor. As soon as they’re married, she’ll set out to destroy you.”
“No,” I said.
“Yes,” she insisted.
