Landry 2 - Pearl in the Mist by V.C. Andrews

Author:V.C. Andrews
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 0-671-75937-X
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 1994-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

11

The Gloves Are Off

I told Beau to pull up to the walk a block before my house.

"I feel like Gisselle, sneaking around like this," I said, "but I'd rather Daphne didn't see you dropping me off."

He laughed. "That's all right. Sometimes Gisselle's scheming comes in handy. Too bad she can't learn from you as well." He leaned over to give me a quick kiss on the lips before I stepped out of the car.

"I'll be here tonight," he called after me. I waved and ran up the walk to sneak back in through the side entrance.

The house was very still when I entered. I went around quietly and started up the stairs, which seemed to creak extra loudly just because I was trying to be discreet. I was nearly to the top when Daphne called up to me. I turned and glared down at her. Bruce Bristow was at her side.

"Where were you?" she demanded, her hands on her hips. She wore one of her business suits, rouge, lipstick, and eyeliner, but she had her hair unpinned.

"I went to see Uncle Jean," I confessed. I had made up my mind that I wouldn't lie if she caught me, and anyway, I wanted to question why she had cut back on the funds for Jean at the institution and had him transferred.

"You did what? Get down here this instant," she demanded, stabbing her right forefinger toward the floor. She spun around and marched into the sitting room behind her. Bruce gazed up at me, that somewhat impish smile couched comfortably in the corners of his mouth. Then he turned to follow Daphne. I was nearly halfway down when Gisselle called from the top of the stairway, where she had wheeled herself to watch my confrontation with our stepmother.

"I would have covered for you," she said, "but you didn't even tell me where you were going." She turned her head. "I couldn't even make anything up when she came around looking for you."

"That's all right. I'm not happy about lying and sneaking around anyway."

"Too bad," she said. "Now you're getting into trouble." She gave me an oily smile of glee before spinning around in her chair to return to her room. I continued downstairs quickly and entered the sitting room. Daphne was seated on the sofa, but Bruce was standing beside her, his hands clasped before him. He was scowling, which was a face he wore more for her sake than for mine.

"Get in here," Daphne said when I paused just inside the doorway. I approached her, my heart pounding. "I thought I told you not to go to Jean. I thought I told you not to tell him anything," she said quickly.

"Daddy would have wanted him to know," I replied. "And besides, if I hadn't told him, he would have been waiting for Daddy and wondering why he never came."

She smirked. "I'm sure he doesn't wonder about anything." Her eyes became thin slits and her lips tightened for a moment. "Who took you? Beau?" I didn't respond, and she nodded with that cold smile.

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