Page 34 of The Last De Loughrey Dynasty (The Legacy of Aquila Hall #1)

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

DOROTHEE

Christmas Eve at the De Loughrey Manor was its own kind of hell. While it had been planned that the famous family dinner would be held at my aunt and uncle’s house, the change of plans brought the entire family to the dining room at our house. It was something about construction at their house not being done in time; the only thing I knew was that my aunt was terribly dramatic about it.

I sat in my room in front of the mirror while I put on some makeup, the way my mother liked. Wanting to be myself now that I was home was one thing, but actually being myself turned out to be harder than I thought. Now I was sitting here in a white short-sleeve button dress with gold details and my hair neatly pinned up with a pearl hair clip holding my long lengths in place. The dress was beautiful, and the hairstyle our stylist had helped me with as well, but it didn’t feel like me. Since I was a child, either my mum or one of the nannies had dressed me up like a doll. Always neat and perfect. I hadn’t even been allowed to buy my own clothes as I got older, and now I was fond of the freedom the academy was actually giving me. Yes, sure, most of the time I wore the school uniform that looked similar to the style my mother adored, but in my spare time I could wear things I actually liked. I could buy shirts that weren’t cut to prevent me from revealing too much skin. I could choose which colours I preferred and if I wanted comfortable trainers instead of ballerinas or Mary Janes that rubbed on my heel until it bled.

It’s privileged to think that way, but for me, choosing the clothes I wore on my own was freedom. And when my mother disapproved of them, it felt even better.

My phone vibrated on my dresser, and I looked down at the screen.

Archer

Did the ghost of Christmas past already come to visit?

I smiled, amused at his message, and picked up my phone, typing an answer.

Dorothee

I hope they steal me away before I have to join my cousins for dinner on the children’s table. How’s your Christmas going?

Archer

Just as miserable as yours, I assume.

I sighed. He was right. This night would drag itself until almost midnight, and I was so not in the mood to sit at that table like a prisoner.

Dorothee

I’m thinking about coming back earlier. On the twenty-seventh instead of the sixth of January.

We were given the opportunity to stay at school or return home for the holidays. A few teachers stayed too, and they’d celebrate in a little circle at school. My father would fly back to the United States after the celebrations too, not bothering to stay until New Year, so why should I?

I looked down at my phone, seeing the three dots that said that Archer was typing something, but they disappeared again, and he went offline. Alright. Why did I even feel the need to tell him? Or rather, what did I even expect as an answer?

I slipped my phone in the pocket of my dress and got up as the doorbell sounded.

The De Loughrey Manor was probably one of the most beautiful buildings, architecturally speaking, I had ever stepped foot in. Even the majestic stairs looked like art by themselves, with the golden details carved into the marble railing.

“Dorothee, love, you look gorgeous!” Aunt Liana greeted with a wide smile, embracing me. I hugged her back and closed my eyes, just taking in this moment. This was the first hug I’d received since I’d been back home, and I was glad it was my aunt. When I was a child, I had the cruel wish that she was my mother instead of my own. Even though she was very strict and religious, she still showed me some love.

Aunt Liana pulled back and cupped my cheeks. “Look at you, love. You’re glowing like a firefly, doesn’t she, Cordelia?”

My mother clenched her jaw and exhaled, “she’d better do, that school costs half a fortune.”

My aunt turned towards her sister. “Stop acting like our family isn’t drowning in money.”

“I never said that.” Mum walked past us, her high heels clicking on the floor, and the sound echoed from the walls.

“Bethany, wish your cousin a Merry Christmas,” Aunt Liana nudged her daughter, who was eyeing me judgmentally.

“Merry Christmas, Dorothee.”

“Merry Christmas, Bethany.”

She is around the same age as me and, instead of being close or even friends, in some way, we always saw each other as a competition, and I can’t say that I’m innocent. Bethany was beautiful like my mother and Aunt Liana, with long blonde hair and sharp, elegant features. She looked more like my mother than I ever did. Jealousy I had felt over the fact that my mother complimented her looks more often than mine as a child. My cousin was everything my mother wanted me to be. Loved, pretty, popular, talented… normal .

Dinner was served at five past seven, and my head was buzzing by the time we had all seated.

My father had three siblings, which equalled several cousins, bringing us to a count of nine underage at the table labelled for us children.

Bethany, Elijah and I were the oldest at seventeen. Fiona was the youngest at six.

I stabbed my veggie roasted beef and rubbed my temple, exhausted by the children yelling at one another as if they weren’t sitting across from each other.

“How is this new school, Dorothee?” Elijah asked, taking a sip from his ‘cranberry juice’ , which he had swapped with wine while his parents weren’t looking.

“It’s nice, very… educational.”

Bethany scoffed beside me. “As if. That place is an asylum for the rich.”

I took a deep breath before taking a sip of my own drink, knowing if I bit back, she’d never stop.

Bethany fed on verbal fighting. It gave her some kind of kick, and I wasn’t going to give her that.

“Mama said it’s far away, and you’re needed there, that’s why you’re always away. Is it like Narnia?” Stephanie asked me with curiosity crossing her eyes.

“Some might say it resembles Narnia like a mirror world,” I fed my seven-year-old cousin’s fantasy with a big grin. “The school is surrounded by woods, and a water nymph named Gwyneth lives in a lake that glows with the light of the lost princess.”

Stephanie’s eyes grew big, and she dropped her fork. “Really?”

“Of course not, Dorothee is mentally deficient,” Bethany shot at my little cousin, and I wondered who had pissed in her cereal this morning to cause such a terrible mood.

Elijah covered his mouth with one hand before he talked to Bethany during pauses of chewing, “calm down, Beth, she’s just entertaining my sister.”

“Well, Aunt Cordelia says we should stop our dear cousin from spreading mad lies about ghosts and whatever her sick mind makes her see. I’m simply doing what I was told.” She folded her hands on the table and looked Elijah dead in the eyes, who swallowed his chewy steak.

“If you haven’t noticed, Aunt Cordelia is a total and complete bitch.”

Bethany gasped, “Elijah!”

Fredrick chuckled with his mouth full, “you said the forbidden B word.”

My eldest cousin leaned back and ruffled our younger one through his hair, “only adults are allowed to say it, so don’t you dare speak the forbidden word, or Dorothee will let a dragon eat you.”

“Very funny, Elijah, what would your mother say if she heard her son insulting the family?” Bethany asked, clenching her jaw so tightly it looked like it hurt.

He shrugged, “Family? Luckily, I’m not blood-related to that beast of a woman, and to your question, my mother despises her just as much as the rest of the family. Everyone knows Uncle Aaron only married her for the glory that comes with the name De Loughrey.” He turned to me. “No offence, Dory. You’re the best thing that came from this marriage.”

I replied with a tight smile, “None taken.”

Bethany shook her head, disbelieving. “You can’t be serious. It’s sickening how protective you are over such a mad girl.”

I let my fork fall onto my plate. “Why do you always have to put me down in order to make yourself feel better than me?”

Very aware that my devilish cousin would use tonight as a perfect opportunity to make a shitshow out of me, I accepted the fact. All her words tonight were aimed at me, and I was getting tired of her stomping all over me.

“Because I am better than you! And I’m disgusted that everyone is babying you tonight.”

“If you’re so much better than me, then why didn’t you get accepted at an elite school to follow our family’s business, Bethany? Not even money could buy your daft arse into one.”

She opened her mouth in shock and squeezed her eyebrows together in anger. Alright, maybe it was an arsehole move to bring her failing education into this, but what am I supposed to do? Let her kick me until I’m lying bleeding on the ground?

No, I was done with that. I was going to be her mirror, whether she liked it or not.

Bethany pushed herself off the table and threw her napkin on her plate in anger. “I have better things to do than listen to your nonsense, you are nothing but a mental bitch.”

She stormed off, and if I wasn’t mistaken, I saw tears forming in her eyes.

I knew it was wrong to feel some kind of satisfaction that she felt for once how I used to feel almost every time she came over to visit, but I did.

“I don’t think you’re mental, Dory,” Emma nudged my arm, and I smiled at my twelve-year-old cousin. “Thank you, Emma.”

The children started laughing and talking again, the boys joking about how red Bethany had looked when she stormed out of the room. I continued to eat, even though my appetite had retired after my cousin had opened her mouth.

When I felt a vibration against my leg, I grabbed my phone from the lower pocket of my dress and looked at it under the table.

Archer

I talked to my mother, we both think it’s best for me to return to school a little earlier, since Christmas is always so stressful for me. I’ll see you on the twenty-seventh, fallen star.

My heart started to beat a little faster in excitement. I knew that Maisie and Nathaniel were in Italy until the fifth of January, Naomi was visiting her grandparents in Japan and Jesse was forced to spend the holidays with his siblings at their father’s home in Spain.

All of my friends were travelling, and while I enjoyed being anywhere but here, knowing that I’d be completely alone at the academy for ten days sounded a little scary to me.

Dorothee

What a sudden turn of events…

Archer

Yeah, shocking, isn’t it? Such a coincidence.

Dorothee

Sure.

See you on the twenty-seventh, arsehole :)