Page 95 of Girl Anonymous

“What is she really doing here?” Maarja ground out.

“She told you. She got here, introduced herself, rolled up her sleeves, and went to work.”

“Work. Really.” All Maarja could remember was Béatrice taking advantage of Mrs. Arundel’s generosity. “Isn’t she afraid she’s going to break a nail?”

“Maarja!” Alex sounded shocked. “What’s wrong with you? She’s done a lot,andshe takes special care of me and Mom.”

“She’s a screamer.”

“Hasn’t screamed once,” Alex snapped.

“Fine. But—” Seeing Alex’s indignation at what she considered Maarja’s unreasonable prejudice, Maarja said, “Fine.” Which meant,Fine, but I’m going to keep my eye on her. Because Béatrice was on the list of possible villains, and Maarja didn’t believe she could have a personality transplant so soon after Mrs. Arundel’s death.

Dante arrived leading Octavia with her hand on his arm. Both were radiating satisfaction.

“Dante, the dear boy, listened to reason,” Octavia said triumphantly, “and the wedding party will be dressed in medieval garb and the bride and groom will be in a traditional suit and gown.”

Dante began, “Octavia, the dear girl—”

Octavia laughed.

“—has graciously agreed to allow Maarja to wear the antique white lace veil that came down from my mother’s family, with a wreath of fresh orange blossoms from the tree in the backyard.” He slid his arm around Octavia’s shoulder. “She’ll make the wreath herself.”

Maarja took her mother’s hand and kissed it. “Thank you, Mom.”

Octavia hugged her. “I’m so glad one of my girls is settling down with her true and loving mate! Of course, you two are so different, you’re going to need to delve deep within yourselves to work through the next seventy-five years together!”

“Yes, but we’re both so stubborn we won’t give up.” Dante met Maarja’s eyes. “Isn’t that correct, beloved?”

“I’m not stubborn,” she told him, “I’m just always right.”

“She means yes,” he told Octavia.

“I know what she means,” Octavia replied, eyes twinkling. She lifted her head and sniffed. “Someone’s making something with cinnamon. I’ll have to go check that out!”

“On the way, tell Mr. Nyugen to stop that kid from hanging on the chandelier in the dining room. That old ceiling could come down.” As if Alex’s words were magic, plaster began to rain down and the little girl jumped to the floor, crying, rolled, and came to her feet like the green belt she was, and pandemonium reigned.

Octavia clucked and hurried toward the commotion.

Dante, Maarja was surprised to see, smiled faintly as he watched what looked like mass confusion. When she lifted her eyebrows at him, he said, “When Mère and I visited her family in France, it was absolute chaos all the time. Just like this. It was so different from home. I loved it. I always said when I grew up and had a family, it would be loud, loose, and happy.”

Of course, his words touched her tender heart. “How long since you visited?”

“Not since the explosion that killed Benoit. After we’re married, I’ll take you and Mère—” He snapped his mouth closed.

Even more touched, Maarja realized he’d relaxed enough to forget he could no longer talk about his mother as if she still existed on this earth.

Even Alex felt for him, for she patted his arm. “Maarja, I put you in your old room. I’m sleeping downstairs with Mom because I still need help, so Dante, I put you in my bedroom. It’s a twin bed. You’re going to hang over the end, but I’m sure that’s good for your character.”

Maarja waited for Dante to object, to demand they share a bedroom, but he nodded. “I’m going to need somewhere fairly quiet to park myself with my computer and phone so I can get this wedding ball rolling.”

Alex gestured at the piles of paper, the pens, the cell phone,the computer, the tablet. “What do you think I’m doing here? Coloring with my crayons?”

Maarja waited, smirking.

In surprising diplomacy, Dante said, “You’re taking care of the thousand and one things that precede a wedding. I’ll take care of the big wedding prep stuff and I’ve got some business issues that need to be dealt with.” He nodded at Saint Rees when he appeared out of the crowd wearing white overalls.

Alex observed the byplay. “Ah. That explains why the Saint is here. I had wondered.” Leaning forward, she asked, “Are you going to keep Maarja safe?”

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