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The meeting goes almost entirely as expected. I’d dressed carefully for it—a black pencil skirt and heels with a modest red chiffon blouse that ties at the throat, my hair pinned back at the sides, and delicate diamond jewelry. I can see the approval in the other women’s faces, their thinly veiled excitement at having me there, an indication that David is happy with how things are going. I sit and listen to them talk about donations to various education efforts, a fundraising drive for the library, and plans for the next gala, nodding and agreeing where it seems appropriate. I listen for anything that I think David might want to know—there’s nothing that stands out to me—but the part I’m here for is what comes after.
I’m here to see what they say to me when the meeting is done, and we have time for idle chatter.
It doesn’t take long. I’ve barely gotten up to get a cup of water after the meeting is finished before a pretty woman who appears to be in her mid-thirties comes up to me—I think I recognize her from the party. “Caroline, right?” I ask, biting my lip as if I’m embarrassed that I can’t entirely remember her name. “I’m so sorry, that party was a whirlwind. So many new people to meet! And I’ve never been very good with names. I’m better with faces.” I laugh self-deprecatingly, and she smiles, waving a hand.
“I understand, I’m the same. But you got it right! It is Caroline. And honestly, I can’t blame you for forgetting if you did.” She lowers her voice, glancing back at the other women. “We all can’t believe what Marie did, bringing up what happened to Bria like that. And on a night when everyone was so excited to meet David’s new wife! It was so insensitive of her. But of course, I’m sure she just assumed you already knew all of it.”
There’s a keen look in Caroline’s eyes that tells me she’s trying to determine how much Idoknow. I take a sip of my water, letting out a small sigh. “David doesn’t like to talk about it. It made me feel foolish, really—barely knowing anything about my own husband’s history. But I understand it’s a bit of a sore spot.”
I’m counting on a penchant for gossip to encourage Caroline to tell me more. But instead, she flinches, looking suddenly concerned, as if she’s said too much.
“Well—” She glances back again, but this time as if she’s hoping someone will come to her rescue. “I’m sure he has his reasons for keeping it quiet for now. You’ve just gotten married, after all.”
I can already feel her backing away from me. The other women are starting to pay attention to our conversation, and one of the older ladies walks over, looking curiously at me.
“Everything alright?” She glances at Caroline, who nods.
“I was just mentioning what Marie said at the party. But Mrs. Carra—Amalie said her husband hasn’t told her much about—”
The reticence to talk about it makes me feel tense, my suspicions pricking at me harder than ever. “I think he’s hesitant to talk about it. But I’m curious about his family, and that old house—”
“Well, it really is good of him to be putting so much work into it. But that’s all for his brother, of course. They were close, once.”
“Once?” I frown, and the other woman tenses, similarly to how Caroline pulled away.
“He really hasn’t told you anything, has he, dear? Well, that’s for him to say, I’m sure. He must have his reasons for keeping quiet about it.”
It’s almost the same thing Caroline said, word for word. I take a slow breath before I say something that I might regret—or that might get me in trouble with David, if anyone repeats it. “I’m really just curious—”
“You should ask him.” The tension in the room thickens, and I know at that moment that I have to let it go. I can feel the mood of the room uniting against me, and I have the feeling that I won’t be coming to any more of these meetings, if I’m not careful. David wouldn’t be pleased with that.
“I understand. Thank you for having me.” I force a pleasant smile, making the rounds to say goodbye before I leave, and retreat back to my waiting car. The presence of David’s security feels oppressive on the ride home, and I have to force myself to stay calm. More and more, it feels as if going back to the mansion is returning to my jail cell.
As much as I’m nervous about the latter part of my pregnancy, I almost can’t wait for the baby to be here—if only so I have something todo. I’m bored and restless, and it comes out in the way I act around the house, all of the creaks and noises making me jumpy and skittish. David notices at dinner, and I can tell it irritates him.
“Is something wrong?” he asks finally, setting down his fork. Dinner is, as usual, takeout from the nicest restaurants in Newport. A china plate with filet, grilled shrimp, rice pilaf, and roasted vegetables is in front of David, a glass of wine next to his hand. I’ve picked at my own dinner, a roasted duck breast with cherry glaze and sliced potatoes and vegetables. I’ve seen David’s gaze flicking towards me more than once as we’ve sat here in silence. “You’re barely eating again. Amalie—”
“I feel uncomfortable here. This house—I feel like there’s always someone looking over my shoulder.” I blurt it out without meaning to, but I can feel that crawling sensation sliding down my spine again. I know I shouldn’t say anything—I can already see the long-suffering sigh that David lets out, but I still feel on edge from the meeting today, and more restless than ever. “We could visit your parents again in Boston soon. I think I’d rather find a doctor there than—”
“There’s a perfectly good doctor in Providence that you can see. She knows the family already. She—” David breaks off, and I see his jaw tense. I can already imagine what he was going to say, and my mood makes me speak before I can think better of it.
“She was Bria’s doctor? Maybe Marcus’? Is that what you were about to say?” As soon as the words spill out, I know it’s a mistake. David looks down at his food, almost regretfully—as if he knows he won’t be finishing his dinner—and looks at me.
“Go upstairs, Amalie. I don’t want to see you right now.”
I feel a flush of hot anger wash over me. “You can’t order me to do whatever you like. I—”
“Can’t I?” His dark gaze turns on me, full of a look that I know all too well, and I feel a different kind of heat flicker in the pit of my stomach. “I could tell you to do anything I want, Amalie, and you would do it.”
“That’s not true.” Just saying that will only provoke him, and I wish I could take it back the moment the words come out of my mouth. I try to change tactics, quickly. “You’re more defensive about this house than you are about me. Just because it makes me nervous—”
“You’re being childish and overimaginative.” There’s a finality to David’s voice, as if what he says is the absolute truth, without question. “But maybe I can put your imagination to better use. What do you think I’m going to tell you to do next, Amalie?”
I can think of any number of things, and I don’t want to suggest any of them to him. I feel a shiver of fear follow that heat that I felt a moment ago, and I remember that I need to becareful. David has a way of provoking me, of making me forget every self-preservation instinct I have.Was it this way for Bria?I think, the heat in my stomach turning to ice.Did he make her forget, too? Until it was too late?
“Go upstairs,” he says quietly, his voice suddenly velvet-soft. “Now, Amalie, before I think of a more interesting way for you to help me finish my dinner.”
I see the way his body has tensed, the way he shifts in his chair. I’ve become attuned to what he wants, to the signs of his desire, and I can see it in him now.
