The Debutante (Season Series #2)

Chapter 4: Evening Encounters

"I'd ask you how you secured a spot at the most coveted table of the evening," Annabelle said, sneaking up behind me to link arms with me as we followed the tide of debutantes back up the stairs to our rooms, "But I believe I may already know."

I shushed her, only for her to throw her head back in a laugh.

"Emily was right!" she whispered gleefully. I shook my head, wishing she'd leave me alone. I felt coiled as tight as a spring, desperate to get to the little library.

"Please, Annabelle," I whispered back, "It's already been a long enough day."

"And here I was thinking I'd never have to lay eyes on you again."

The voice halted both Annabelle and me in our tracks, halfway up the entrance hall stairs. Standing on the landing, hands planted firmly on her hips, was Ashley Mayfair.

"I'd quite hoped the same of you," I replied wearily, too exhausted to deal with her. Her exquisite face had twisted into a sneer.

"A pair of traitors, the both of you," Ashley spat. I felt Annabelle bristle next to me and I thanked my lucky stars when she unhooked her arm from mine and marched up the stairs.

"I'd be mindful of the insults you sling, Lady Mayfair," Annabelle said icily, advancing until she was on the stair just below Ashley, "One in particular comes to mind when I think of you,"

"Do you think I care what some little girl in a fancy dress thinks of me?" Ashley demanded, quirking an eyebrow, "At least your sister knew her proper place."

Annabelle let out a dramatic sigh, gathering her skirts and nearly bumping into Ashley as she climbed the last step onto the landing.

"And one day you'll know yours as well," Annabelle said, finally at eye-level with Ashley, "Now if you'll excuse us, we have some traitorous plotting to get to."

I groaned inwardly as Ashley's eyes narrowed, darting to me as I climbed the last few steps behind Annabelle.

"Watch your step, Elizabeth," she said menacingly, "It's quite a long way to fall once you've climbed so high."

"Clumsy as I am, I think I may have mastered the art of climbing stairs," I replied, brushing past her.

"If only that was what I meant," Ashely spat at my back, "I warned you once not to get in my way and you'd do well to remember it, unless of course you care to see exactly what I'm capable of."

"If I cared a whit about your dramatics, I'm sure that would be quite terrifying," I said, a yawn escaping my lips without any acting required on my part, "As it is, I'm growing bored of your empty threats."

I continued down the hallway, no patience for such drama when I had places to be. Annabelle hissed some last jibe to Ashley before she hurried to catch up with me.

"How could Ella ever have put up with a wretch like her?" she demanded, shaking her head in frustration, "Are they all so awful?"

"Not all of them," I replied, casting a surreptitious look around. The hallway was too filled with debutantes for me to risk ducking into a service corridor in plain sight. If I returned to my room now, I'd be forced to change into my nightclothes and retire before Brenna and Elspeth would leave me for the night. On top of all that, I still hadn't discovered whether my service door was locked as Ella's had been before I'd jammed the latch with a torn piece of fabric. My heart thundered in my chest as I weighed my choices - risk being spotted by one of the many debutantes in the hallway or risk missing the little library altogether.

"Georgina seemed nice," Annabelle prattled on, pausing outside the door to her suite.

"She is," I said, too caught up in my own thoughts to continue chatting with my cousin, "Have a good night."