Page 38 of The Girl Who Fell Through Time
It’s a jolly fine afternoon, all in all. Selene is disappointed when Elizabeth voices her intention to depart. It’s the easiest she’s felt in… well, she isn’t sure. She can’t remember the last time she felt easy.
“Do please come again,” Selene says, though she knows Elizabeth is the sort to come whenever she fancies.
“I shall indeed, my girl, and feel free to call on me too. These ones never seem to visit.”
“That’s because we’rebusy,Mama!” Ariella hisses.
“Doing what? This place is filthy.”
Ariella’s face goes scarlet.
Selene walks Elizabeth to the door. Soren is waiting on the steps to escort her back to her house. Marta passes her her hat and coat. Selene leans in to wish her goodbye.
“You’re wrong, you know,” she says, when she’s sure no one can overhear her. “Doriandoeshave many fine qualities.”
His aunt snorts. It’s very unladylike, but Selene is certain she’s not bothered by that fact. “Iknow that,” Elizabeth says. “Anyone who’s spent more than a few days with him knows that. I just wanted to see if you did.”
Selene finds her cheeks prickling, but she isn’t sure why. She bids Elizabeth farewell, and the door closes softly behind her.
She heads back to the parlour. Dorian has collapsed on one of the chairs. “Is she gone?” he asks through the hands covering his face.
“You like her and you know it,” Selene tells him.
“You can like someone and be infinitely aware of how much of a menace they are,” Dorian responds, still not moving. He opens his eyes, just a fraction. “How did you find her?”
“I rather enjoyed her company, I must admit.” She takes a seat not far from him. “Who was it that you had a crush on in school?”
Dorian groans.
“Was it Esther? I bet it was Esther—”
The Honourable Esther Rochester is as bright and bookish as they come. Selene hasn’t heard from her in years. She imagines that’s just how Esther likes it.
Dorian removes his face from his hands and stares at her. “You… don’t know?”
“Should I?”
Dorian sits up and marches towards the door, avoiding all eye contact.
“Wait—Dorian!” Selene calls out, surprising herself with her boldness. “Was itme?”
“It was a long time ago, Selene.”
“And your taste has much improved since then?”
Dorian pauses. Selene wonders if the jest was a step too far, if she’s offended him in some way. “It was a school boy crush, Selene,” he says eventually, “and you were very beautiful. Most of the boys had crushes on you at some point. Let it go. I do not wish to be teased.”
He disappears without another word.
Selene stares at the spot he’s vacated, trying not to read too far into his words and failing. She doesn’t want to fixate on how he said shewasbeautiful, and finds herself both annoyed by the fact he hasn’t complimented her appearance, and annoyed by the fact that’s all anyone seems to like about her.
She wants to be more than beautiful, or at least be seen as something more than decorative, but she does not know how tobemore. She’s not sure she even really knows how to beher.
The next morning, Dorian finds her at breakfast, and promptly announces he’s going away for a few days. Selene tries to contain her disappointment. They are not doing well at making time for each other so far.
“How long will you be away?” she asks him.
“Three or four days, a week at most, hopefully less.”
