Violet Fire by Jo Goodman

Author:Jo Goodman [Goodman, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-64457-002-9
Publisher: ePublishing Works!

Chapter 9

“Why didn’t you simply deny it?” Brandon asked Shannon with more sharpness than he intended. His regret was immediate but not apparent.

Shannon flinched, stricken that he could be so lacking in feeling. Throughout the day her thoughts had drifted to the moment when she would have to relate her conversation with Michaeline to Brandon. She knew he would be upset, but she did not anticipate he would be curt with her or suggest she should have done other than what she did. “It did not occur to me to deny the truth,” she said. Shannon reached for her embroidery hoop and began jabbing the needle through the linen with no part of her mind on the task. “I was given to understand that Aurora did encourage Parker.”

Clara had long since been put to bed, and the Marchands had retired early after winning only one of three games of whist in their match with Brandon and Cody. In one corner of the drawing room Cody was still snapping down cards with irritating regularity as he cheated at solitaire. Brandon had been reading, one leg hooked over the arm of his chair and looking extremely relaxed, when Shannon first spoke of her discussion with Michaeline. Now the book was hooked over the chair’s arm and both of his feet were on the floor. There was nothing casual about his posture.

Brandon passed one hand across his brow, brushing back a lock of hair in irritation. “Of course Aurora encouraged him, but she would have denied it to her mother, just as you should have done. You merely roused her suspicions.”

“No,” Shannon said firmly. “I didn’t. I may have confirmed them, but I did not rouse them. Michaeline is more astute than you would have had me believe. She appears to know her daughter better than you think. Anyway, I told you, I neither denied nor assented. I felt I had no choice but to walk away. She informed me herself that Aurora avoided unpleasant situations.”

Cody chuckled and snapped another card to the table. “True, but she loved to create them. As long as she had the upper hand, they were a source of pleasure.”

Brandon scowled at his brother. “Would you stop doing that!” he ground out when Cody flicked another card.

“Do you want me to leave?”

Brandon and Shannon answered at the same time but with different reasons for wanting him gone. Cody gathered his cards and stood, casting a look of sympathy in Shannon’s direction. “I’m sorry, dear heart, but you’ll have to face the dragon alone.” He looked significantly at Brandon. “And you, brother, if you have a modicum of sense, will see that she handled the situation perfectly. In addition, you will make certain Shannon is not left alone with either of Aurora’s parents again. For God’s sake, Bran, Michaeline was speaking French to her! She deserves something more than your criticism for being able to handle that.”

There was a tense silence after the door clicked behind Cody. Shannon gave a little start as Brandon began to laugh.

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