Page 53 of A Curse of Hope and Shadows: Part I
Dimitri groaned. “You’re not so silly over me.”
“That’s because I’ve met you.”
“I assure you, Alexei is just as I am.”
“Irritating?”
He scowled. “Aperson. Now, read me his letter.”
Adeline’s fingers trembled a little as she broke open the seal, reading the letter in a calm, orderly voice. There was little in it she understood; political notes, reports on various people she didn’t know, remarks about the weather and the things Alexei had been doing of late. Ordinary, human things.
“What’s wrong?” Dimitri asked, setting aside his tray. “You’re not being as animated as you usually are.”
Adeline swallowed. “I’m just a little awed. Or… aware how strange it is, that you’re related to royalty, and I…”
“Don’t finish that sentence, or that thought,” Dimitri instructed. “You’re worth ten of me, and at least three of Alexei.”
She tugged awkwardly at her cap.
“Would you pen one back on my behalf?” Dimitri asked, pointing over to the desk. “I’m feeling a little out of sorts for it today. Damned eyes...”
Adeline nodded. “If you’re sure my hand is suitable for such a task…”
“Your handwriting is as pretty as the rest of you, I’m sure.”
Pretty.It had been a long time since anyone had described her aspretty.Back when she was still at school, one of her classmates, a rather detestable boy called Guy Somersby, described her as “not bad to look at, but not one to brag about, either.”
Adeline was inclined to agree, but she also knew an insult when she heard one.
“A kind heart and a sensible head will get you much farther in life, Guy Somersby,” she’d responded tartly, shooting daggers at him across the school room, “but as you have neither, I rather suspect you’re going to struggle there.”
Several of his friends had ‘ooh’ed at the remark, and one, Jean, had laughed.
He came up to her that day after school.
“Hey,” he said.
Adeline blinked at him, wondering if this was some kind of joke, and why, if it was, he had forgotten she was perfectly capable of holding her own.
“I liked what you said to Guy earlier. It was warranted.”
“Then why are you friends with him?”
Jean shrugged. “Not many people in our class to be friends with, you know?” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “He’s wrong, by the way. You’re more than ‘not bad to look at.’ I’d definitely brag about you, if you were my sweetheart.”
It took Jean three months to make good on that promise, which was how long it took to convince Adeline he was earnest and worth taking a shot at. They’d courted for four months, but after Adeline’s mother died, there was a swift change in her that echoed into whatever it was between the two of them.
“We could get married,” Jean had offered, as if this would somehow magically solve all their problems. “I could help you support them. You could raise Edie with your own children.”
“That isn’t what I want,” she’d replied.
Jean’s form tightened. “Then whatdoyou want, Adeline?”
Mama back. Sleep. Freedom. Something more.“Jean,” she responded instead, “this isn’t what you want, either.”
At that, he could say nothing.
And they were done.
