I couldn’t assist it, I checked out Salvador once more, and Bella adopted my gaze, her personal eyes narrowing. “Who’s he? Your guardian angel?”

“You would possibly say so. Come as much as my room while you’re prepared to speak.” With out one other phrase, I turned and stroll away, figuring out, simply figuring out, the fury with which she watched me.

Chapter Twenty-One

She didn’t come to my room, and I didn’t go away it. All of them had luncheon on the terrace by the pool, however I remained in my room, consuming there, ready for her, ready for Ian, ready for one thing as I paced the ground. I couldn’t think about what Bella thought she’d achieve by displaying up right here, however since she didn’t look like in a confiding temper, I used to be left to guess, and none of it was good.

Once I lastly couldn’t stand my self-imposed exile any longer, I went downstairs, solely to seek out that Marcus and Bella had gone out, whereas Mary Alice was crushing Valerie in some card recreation so arcane I suspected Mary Alice had made up the foundations merely to trounce her youthful sister. Valerie went alongside meekly sufficient, sparing a smile for me once I reclaimed the disputed lounge, whereas Mary Alice shot daggers at me.

“I by no means would have thought Marcus would see something in Podge,” she mentioned casually. “Aren’t you two engaged? If I had been you, I wouldn’t like anybody stealing my thunder, significantly Podge.”

That was one factor unlikely to occur, I believed. “Marcus and I weren’t really engaged—we agreed to it for Granda’s sake. He needed to see his dynasty proceed.” I sat down in one of many overstuffed chairs, tucking my legs beneath me. I might have most popular a quick exit, however I couldn’t consider an excuse.

“How did he assume that might occur when he left all his cash to Podge? Belief Marcus to know which aspect the bread is buttered on. I suppose Granda’s so-called dynasty might proceed simply as properly with him and Podge. Although I can’t actually see the 2 of them collectively—he’s at all times been drawn to type and flash. Podge grew up simply I anticipated her to—fats and plain and boring.”

I thought-about throwing one thing at her however there was nothing shut at hand, so I reached for one of many shiny vogue magazines that littered the tile-topped espresso desk. I used to be mortally uninterested in anorexic child-women posing in impractical garments, however in the meanwhile, I used to be nonetheless Bella, and I might play the half until the top.

An countless hour handed, adopted by a second one, and I used to be able to climb the partitions when Maldonado made his look with the tea tray, fortunately equipped with espresso. “Mister Marcus has referred to as, and regrets that he and Miss Whitehead shall be consuming dinner out.”

“Did Ian name?” I requested a little bit too eagerly, then might have bitten my tongue. The very last thing I needed to be was apparent. The place the hell had he gone, and did the true Bella’s sudden look have something to do with it? Most probably, however I simply wished I knew what was occurring.

“No, Miss Bella.”

“That’s wonderful,” Mary Alice mentioned in her greatest grande dame method. “We’ll have dinner early, then, Maldonado. With the funeral and reception, we’ll have an extended day tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” I echoed with horror. “Why so quickly?”

“Ian organized it. I don’t know why he’s performing like he’s in cost—he’s out on his ass like the remainder of us.”

“I nonetheless don’t see why we don’t have the reception right here,” Valerie was daring sufficient to volunteer in her gentle voice.

“We do what Ian says was,” her sister mentioned, disgruntled. “Apparently, he doesn’t need a whole bunch of strangers crawling all over and disrupting his treasured farm. Not his for for much longer except Podge does one thing about it.”

“We will’t have it tomorrow—it’s too quickly,” I mentioned. “I’m not prepared.” Not able to say goodbye to the tough previous man I’d beloved with all my coronary heart.

“Properly, prepare,” Malice snapped. “In the event you didn’t spend all of your time primping in your room, you’d be extra up to the mark. I actually hope you’ve one thing black to put on.”

“I’m afraid the closest I can come is darkish blue,” I admitted.

Mary Alice sniffed. “It should do. I need the household to current a united entrance, dignified in our grief. And we should make sure nobody has any concept of the contents of the need till it’s settled.”

“Nobody could be impolite sufficient to ask, Mary Alice,” Valerie mentioned softly.

“I might,” her sister mentioned.

Sure, you’d, I believed unkindly. “And what has Kitty mentioned in regards to the will?” I requested as an alternative. “She’s going to interrupt it, isn’t she?”

There was an uncomfortable second of silence. “In fact she is going to,” Mary Alice mentioned lastly. “She’s already alluded to it.”

Alluded to it? I knew Bella higher than anybody else, higher now than ever. Why wouldn’t she come proper out and say she was giving up the cash that wasn’t even hers within the first place? It was the one method she was going to finish up with something from Granda, and he or she ought to have been the primary to contest it.

Except she had another plan. Paranoia swept over me and I shook off the sudden flash of worry. Bella had some plan, all proper, however I couldn’t consider it might contain hurting anybody. I had that a lot religion in her. She might at all times expose me as an imposter, however there was no purpose that might invalidate the need, and I couldn’t even start to think about what was occurring together with her.

Would Marcus acknowledge her beneath her disguise? I doubted it—he hadn’t been in a position to inform the distinction between me and the girl he’d spent his life dedicated to. I’d by no means been idiot sufficient to assume Marcus was a person of nice depth, and he should merely depend on appearances. Although one thing should have drawn him to Bella beneath her frumpy disguise.

I wanted Bella again right here, to speak to me, to inform me what was occurring in her Byzantine thoughts. I wanted Ian again, to take me in his arms, to inform me every little thing was going to be all proper. As an alternative, I used to be caught with the cousins and their interminable card recreation and no trace of what was occurring.

“You’re awfully quiet right this moment.” Mary Alice fastened her chilly blue gaze on me over her prescribed early dinner. “Is one thing improper?”

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