Pearl in the Mist (Landry 2)

"Too bad," she said. "Now you're getting into

trouble." She gave me an oily smile of glee before

spinning around in her chair to return to her room. I

continued downstairs quickly and entered the sitting room. Daphne was seated on the sofa, but Bruce was standing beside her, his hands clasped before him. He was scowling, which was a face he wore more for her

sake than for mine.

"Get in here," Daphne said when I paused just

inside the doorway. I approached her, my heart

pounding. "I thought I told you not to go to Jean. I

thought I told you not to tell him anything," she said

quickly.

"Daddy would have wanted him to know," I

replied. "And besides, if I hadn't told him, he would

have been waiting for Daddy and wondering why he

never came."

She smirked. "I'm sure he doesn't wonder about

anything." Her eyes became thin slits and her lips

tightened for a moment. "Who took you? Beau?" I

didn't respond, and she nodded with that cold smile.

"His parents are not going to be happy to hear that he

was party to this disobedience. Since you've been at

Greenwood, he hasn't been in any trouble, but as soon

as you return . . ."

"Please don't get him into trouble. He wasn't

party to anything. He was just nice enough to drive

me up there."

She shook her head and gazed at Bruce, who

mirrored her disdain.

"Anyway," I continued, gathering my courage,

"now I know the real reason why you didn't want me

to go to see him." I spoke so sharply that Bruce's