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She’s unsure of herself, obviously, and it makes me want to lay her down and worship her. Cassie is the kind of woman that men start wars over. She is Helen of Troy, commanding the undivided attention of the king and his followers. I can’t imagine she might want an older man, someone who isn’t even close to her age, but it doesn’t really seem to matter even the smallest amount.
My mind is stuck firmly on her.
“Cassie,” I say, waving a hand. “Did you need something? Come in and eat with us. I insist. Alice, please fix our Cassandra here a plate.”
My mother gives me a warning glance but I wave her off.
“You know, I’m going to be inspecting some property tomorrow and I find myself needing someone to go along with me,” I tell her.
I can feel my mother’s hard gaze on the side of my face, burning into me, but I ignore it.
“You’re going somewhere?” Cassie asks me, sitting down on my other side hesitantly. She smiles and our maid, Alice, smiles back as she fixes Cassie a plate.
“Yes, this is the first I’ve heard of this, Magnus,” my mother says with her thin mouth pinched.
I take a long drink of my rich, red wine, enjoying the slightly tart taste on my tongue.
I wonder how Cassandra might taste in my mouth and I relish the thought of it.
“Well, I need to inspect the old estate, don’t I?” I ask my mother in a faux-cheery voice. “What better way to decide if it’s worth keeping in the family after all these years.”
“And you— I’m sorry, but you want me to come along with you?” Cassie questions, wrapping her thin fingers around her wine glass. She takes a sip, making a face.
At least I know she’s old enough to drink. That has to count for something, doesn’t it?
“You’re my assistant now,” I tell her, spearing an asparagus stalk with my fork. “Of course, I want you with me.”
I want her at my side at every moment of the day, but I won’t say that much out loud. Not yet.
“My dear Alice,” my mother says, calling the maid over. “Won’t you ask Renner to come?”
I look at my mother quickly. By the look on her face, she’s enjoying herself.
“My dad?” Cassie asks her. “You want him to come to dinner?”
“Oh yes,” my mother says, nodding. “Unless my son has some issue with his presence.”
She looks between me and Cassie. I know what game she’s playing and I won’t be baited.
“There’s no problem and besides, it gives me a chance to discuss my weekend plans with him,” I tell my mother, who just smiles like a mischievous fox who’s got the chickens' insight.
She must think that I’m going to sell the old house either way and she’s trying to make sure she has some sort of leverage over me if worst comes to worst. My mother is a crafty woman, I’ll give her that much. I know that she won’t give up so easily.
“Renner,” my mother says once Alice brings him into the dining room. “Won’t you sit with us?”
I look back and forth between Renner and Cassie, accessing them both. Renner just nods at his daughter and then at my mother. My mother gets up and sits by Cassie so Renner can sit on my right.
“Magnus,” Renner says automatically. “I was looking over the documents—”
My mother raises a hand. “Renner, please. No work at dinner. Let’s talk about your daughter.”
I look sharply at my mother, narrowing my eyes.
“Me?” Cassie says, looking up quickly. She nearly chokes on her chicken. “W-Why me?”
“Our dear Renner has kept you so secluded from us,” my mother says, resting her chin on her hands. “Tell us, do you have a boyfriend?”
Cassie blushes, tucking her hair behind her ear. I feel myself soften as I watch her, but then I register my mother's words and I feel an anger I've never felt before rise inside me at the mention of a man in Cassie's life.
“Oh no,” Renner tells her, shaking his head. “Not after the last one, right Cassie?”
Cassie blushes and my jealousy for the unknown man flares like a burst of flame.
“What happened with the last one?” My mother asks, ever the curious cat.
“Oh, it was nothing,” Cassie says, looking uncomfortable. “He just wasn’t a great guy.”
“Yeah,” Renner comments in a growling voice. “That’s an understatement.”
My mother seems to have some semblance of sympathy for the girl because she doesn’t ask any more questions. Though I can tell she is determined to have something over me, I can tell that she genuinely does like Cassie. She wouldn’t have hired her if she didn’t like her as a person, Renner or no Renner. She’s a good judge of character.
“Men can be insufferable,” she tells Cassie, reaching over to pat her hand gently.
