Angelique hugs her bear and shakes her head. “She doesn’t like to be alone.”
“All right then,” she says and straightens. I catch her eye, see a hint of worry.
We make our way downstairs, Angelique taking each step slowly with her little legs as she holds my hand and the banister. Her bear’s paw is crushed between our palms.
I wonder if Leontine’s appointment has to do with her hair growing back and the comments she’d made earlier but don’t mention anything. We make our way toward the living room which is an expansive, bright room that overlooks the garden and pool through three sets of double French doors.
“This house is beautiful,” I can’t help but say.
“Thank you,” Leontine says. “It’s been in the family for generations. It was built by Draca St. James over four hundred years ago,” she says, turning to glance at me as she opens the French doors leading to the patio. “Our combined history goes back that far, but you probably already know that.”
I wonder if I hear something in her tone or if I imagine it. Her smile is as gentle as it’s been.
“I don’t, actually. I only just learned that I’m half-Bishop a few years ago.”
She mutters a hm but doesn’t comment and now I’m more anxious than ever to talk to Julia.
“Oh, goodness, the heat today,” she says, turning away and walking ahead of us before I can get a read on her.
It’s the last day of August and it’s a hot one. September will bring with it slightly cooler temperatures. I feel a cloud descend at the thought of September. School starts in just a few weeks. But Carlton told me he had unenrolled me. He’d done it sometime during the summer break but hadn’t bothered to mention it, so I only learned about it when I called to check about books and classes. He’d explained that it was no longer necessary. That he was going to find me a match and I’d be married soon. So because this is apparently the middle ages, I wouldn’t need a career. I shake my head at the memory of our conversation but when Carlton has an idea, there’s no talking him out of it.
It was the point of the masquerade ball. Me in that ridiculous feather dress. It was him showing off the goods to potential buyers. I wonder how close he’d come before Jericho St. James upended his plans.
Either way, it does me no good. I have a feeling that for as much as my devil hates Carlton, they’d be aligned in this. It only makes my life a little more miserable and isn’t that what he wants? Isn’t that part of this strange punishment I’m on the receiving end of, even though I don’t know what I’ve done?
A man comes to the door then and clears his throat. “The car is ready, Ma’am.”
“Just a minute,” Leontine tells him and turns to us. “You’re sure you don’t mind watching her, Isabelle?”
“I’d really love it, actually.”
“Good. Catherine is inside if you need anything. There are guards all around.” I’m not sure if that part is said as a warning or to make me feel safe. Although why do they need all this protection?
“Okay,” I say.
“I will be back in a few hours.” She turns to Angelique and crouches down. “You help Isabelle find her way out there and remember, you’re not allowed in the woods, all right?”
“Okay, Nana.” She hugs her grandmother.
I see how tightly Leontine hugs her, almost like she’s not sure she’ll see her again. It’s strange. But then she straightens, says goodbye to me and is gone.
Angelique and I spend the next few hours exploring the garden, picking roses, and reading. We have lunch together inside and I assume she’ll nap afterwards. I’m not sure at what age children stop napping but she doesn’t. Instead, we’re back outside in the heat.
“Shall we explore?” I ask her. “It’ll be cooler under the trees.”
She eyes the cropping of trees warily and turns back to me. “I’m not allowed in the woods. My daddy doesn’t want me to go there without him.”
“Oh.” I remember Leontine’s reminder about the woods then. “Even with me? I’m a grown up.”
She shakes her head.
“That’s okay. Um…” I look back at the sparkling turquoise pool. “How about a swim. Do you like to swim?”
She eyes the pool too and her smile grows huge but quickly dims. “I can’t swim,” she says.
“I can’t remember if I knew how to swim when I was five. But I’m an excellent swimmer and I can teach you if you like?”
“Really?”