“
Oh. My. God. I’m a walking disaster,” I say to Emily.
She’s sitting on a stool, wearing a gorgeous yellow robe, and spins around to look at me.
A robe. Now why couldn’t I have had one of those?
“What is the matter?” She’s wearing little rag-curlers, like me, but on her they look cute and perky. The white cloth contrasts with her dark locks, like some kind of fashion statement. Somehow I doubt I look quite as charming.
I walk over to her bed and throw myself on it with a heavy sigh. “I just walked around wrapped up like this and ran into Alex. God, I’m lucky I didn’t see anyone else. I bet Victoria would have just loved seeing me like this.”
Emily giggles. “You do look quite silly.”
“Thanks,” I say, rolling over on the bed. “I can’t believe he saw me.”
Emily sips at a small glass on her vanity and then turns and stares right into my eyes. “I had believed you had no interest in my cousin.”
I snarl my lip at her in disgust. “Oh, I am so not interested in him. He is only interested in himself. I mean, really. Could he show some interest and compassion for the people around him? He’s totally self-centered. And on top of that, he thinks I should censor everything I say and be a docile little girl or something. I mean, really.”
Her grin widens. “There is no need to sway me. I believe you.”
“Oh.”
So then why is she grinning at me like that?
And more importantly, why doesn’t she hate him like I do? I mean, she might not know about the secret kid, but she knows he’s all for her marrying that Denworth guy because he’s done nothing to help her get out of it. Shouldn’t she resent him, even if he is her cousin?
“Now, let us talk of more important topics: our attire for tonight’s dance.”
And now I grin back at her and all thoughts of Alex disappear. This is going to be so fun.
”
”