Page 14

“Ouch!” She had pricked herself, again.

Elizabeth was about to comment on her clumsiness. Diana was never clumsy, especially with her needles. Her astute sister-in-law was ready to make that observation when Stephen was right there, and that was the last thing Diana needed. She didn’t want him to worry even more than he usually did.

Yet, in a stroke of luck—or calamity—the door flew open, and Selina entered in a light green dress, a bundle of books in her arms and a smile on her face. A very wide, very contented smile.

“What a glorious, sunny day!” she gushed.

Three pairs of eyes landed on her in disbelief at her carefree manner. In a pure Selina way, her audacity momentarily stunned everyone. And to add salt to injury, Herbert followed, walked past her, and flopped down on an armchair, grabbing a biscuit as he did.

If the two siblings felt the room temperature drop despite the sunlight pouring in, they did not show it. But judging by the way Selina occupied herself with untangling her hat from her hair and the way Herbert munched on his biscuits, Diana was inclined to believe that they were blissfully oblivious.

“Selina!” Stephen would, of course, be the first to snap out of it. “What on earth do you think you are doing?”

Selina turned and smiled. “I was under the impression I was visiting family.”

Stephen was ready to stand up and erupt, but Diana beat him to it.

“I was under the same impression, dear sister,” she bit out. “That we were family, I mean.”

“Are we not?”

“We might need to reevaluate the meaning of the word. Because I find that our definitions of whatfamilyis vastly differ. You see, I was raised with the notion that family supports each other.”

“You are angry,” Selina noted.

“Always so perceptive, dear sister. And for the less insightful”—Diana turned to Herbert—“that feeling extends to you, too.”

Selina rushed to her side and sat down, ready to take her hands in her own.

“Do not tempt me, Selina. I am armed with needles, and I am not afraid to use them.”

Selina must have sensed the seriousness of the threat, since she quickly drew her hands away from her sister’s embroidery.

“But why are you mad at me?” she asked. “At us?”

Diana blinked. She turned to Stephen and Elizabeth to make sure that she was hearing her correctly. The couple seemed equally appalled.

“Why am I mad? Because you auctioned me off like cattle!”

“I doubt the best cow would fetch the amount you did,” Herbert muttered and reached for another biscuit.

His hand paused mid-air, for it seemed that he finally caught on and was fully aware of the icicles dripping from the occupants of the parlor, except for Selina.

“I know how you feel, Diana.”

“I assure you, you have no idea how I feel right now because, then, you wouldn’t have sat so close to me while there is boiling tea in the vicinity.”

Selina nodded a few times somberly. “What I have done was?—”

“Unforgivable? Stupid? Appalling? Humiliating? Deplorable?”

“Necessary,” Selina offered.

“Lizzy, leave the room!” Stephen was on his feet instantly and started rolling up his sleeves. “I have never spanked any of you, but there is always time to remedy things.”

Elizabeth didn’t move, her whole attention focused on the muscular arms her husband revealed. She seemed lost in a haze of thoughts Diana didn’t want her to have in front of the rest of her siblings.

“Elizabeth!” Diana hissed, snapping her sister-in-law out of wherever she was. “I think it’s best you took Stephen somewhere else.”