Chapter 13 #2
Judging from the way she eyed her, that something else wasn’t something good.
“Can I interest you in some truffle-dusted croquettes? The truffles are organic and locally sourced, you know.”
“I’ll try one, thanks.” Hey, if Francine was about to drop a bomb on her, then she might as well make the most of it. And while she wasn’t the world’s biggest fan of truffles, she might as well try something that wasn’t part of her usual culinary repertoire.
Francine snapped her fingers, and a server appeared, so Ellie collected a napkin and a croquette and tasted it. Hmm. It was okay, but nothing to write home about.
“Delicious, aren’t they?” Francine said.
“Very nice, thank you. So, I don’t want to keep you, especially with all your guests.
May I ask about the lights and what you were thinking you wanted?
I have to say that what you already have here seems adequate for this kind of garden.
Would you like me to take some photos? That way Nicola will know a little bit more about what to expect. ”
“Oh, certainly you can take photos. I’m sure you’ll find things very interesting.”
Good to see someone with so much confidence. “Okay, then. Well, I’ll let you get back to your guests and do that.”
“Oh, before you do, I believe we have a mutual acquaintance.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“I understand that you were in the Blue Mountains recently.”
“Yes.” How would Francine know this? Had Nicola said something?
“At the murder mystery weekend?”
“That’s right.”
“I believe you got to know Ethan Ferris.”
Her chest tightened. So this was why Francine had insisted Ellie come tonight. Oh, she hoped that Francine wasn’t going to spring an awful surprise on her. “You must forgive me. How do you know this?”
“Oh, my husband told me.”
“Pardon my ignorance, but how do you know Ethan?”
Francine laughed. “Oh, I’ve known Ethan all my life.”
The wheels in Ellie’s mind turned more quickly. Francine. Her husband. Was his name Wayne? He must’ve said something. Was that why Ethan had behaved like that with Ellie one minute, and then the next gotten himself engaged to his longtime girlfriend?
The croquette sat heavy in her stomach. “Is he here?” Because if he was, she was about to not be.
“Who, my husband or my brother?”
“Francine,” she said deliberately—she wasn’t about to play this woman’s games and kowtow to her anymore—”I’m sorry, but I have another appointment, so I really need to take those photos and get going.”
Francine gestured for someone else to join them. Someone who wore the same eye brooms as in that photo she’d seen on Facebook. Who wore the large rock on her hand as in that photo she’d seen on Facebook.
“Elinor, this is Lucinda Steele.”
Her heart froze. This was why Francine had invited her. She was like a sadistic child, watching Ellie’s reaction.
Well, she wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. Ellie straightened. “Hello.”
“Oh! I thought you were one of the waitstaff.” Lucinda smiled, her teeth blinding white, her eyes cold. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Yeah, that didn’t seem exactly true.
“Elinor met Ethan a couple of weeks ago at the murder mystery weekend,” Francine murmured, draining her drink then watching from behind her empty champagne flute.
“Really?” Lucinda’s gaze could snap glass.
Lord, please help me keep it together. Ellie had to alleviate the concern she could see both women had.
So she shrugged and played pretend again.
“It was a fun weekend. I went with my sister, and we enjoyed meeting so many people.” See, ladies?
I’m not encroaching on your territory. You’ve got nothing to worry about.
Lucinda eyed Ellie’s hair before flicking one of her own plump curls that looked fresh from the hairdresser. “You don’t seem to be the usual sort of person a Ferris would consort with.”
“There certainly wasn’t any consorting,” she assured, before a vision of their near kiss strode guilty steps across her mind. “It was good to know he wants to be a youth pastor,” she added desperately.
“A what?”
Oops. This wasn’t getting any better.
“I think you must be mistaken, dear.” Oh, could any word hold more derision than a “dear” from someone like Francine? “My brother intends to practice law. Anything he might’ve said otherwise is just a phase.”
“Interesting.” And obviously something he must’ve expressed before, seeing his sister seemed confident in his ambition, which suggested the question had surfaced before.
“Yes, it certainly is,” Francine continued. “You are aware that Ethan and Lucinda are engaged.”
Lucinda crossed her arms, her diamond twinkling on the finger that just so happened to be tapping on her upper arm.
“Congratulations.”
“Ethan and I have known each other all our lives,” Lucinda finally said.
And implied in that statement was that Ellie had known him all of two minutes.
Which was fair. She pretty much had. And she’d been taken in by his so-called genuine act and his comments about not being interested in money, status, or looks.
With her carefully coiffed hair, perfect makeup, perfect skin, and designer dress that fit her like a glove, Lucinda couldn’t be more different than Ellie if she’d tried.
Clearly what Ethan had said to her didn’t line up with his actions, and this youth pastor wannabe didn’t practice what he preached.
Oh, she hoped Ethan wouldn’t suddenly appear! “Anyway, I should get to work.” Because clearly, she didn’t belong with these snooty types. And clearly, they didn’t want her here. “Nice to meet you, Lucinda.”
“Mm.”
That sounded like her cue to leave. “I’ll just be a few minutes, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Don’t let us keep you.” Francine’s smile looked as fake as Ellie’s felt.
“Enjoy the evening.”
She turned, narrowly dodging the silver-haired man who frowned at her. “Excuse me,” she muttered. She couldn’t wait to get away.