Shadows of Foxworth by V.C. Andrews

Author:V.C. Andrews [Andrews, V.C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 2020-06-29T00:00:00+00:00

8

For the moment, at least, Aunt Effie had gotten what she had wanted from her sister.

Aunt Pauline was quite subdued and obedient at dinner. She kept her eyes on her food and didn’t speak unless Aunt Effie said something to her like “Take your elbows off the table, Pauline” or “Don’t chew with your mouth open, Pauline.”

“I’m sorry,” she said reflexively. I imagined that was something she had said thousands of times, especially to Aunt Effie.

“Pretty soon, Marlena will help you do things properly, Pauline. And I won’t be the only one nagging you.”

“She will?” Aunt Pauline looked at me with a smile slowly forming. Then she looked down quickly, as if a smile was forbidden at the dinner table.

“She will be learning herself, and she can share what she learns with you. That,” Aunt Effie said, looking at me, “will help reduce my burden. Won’t you be happy to share your new social graces and knowledge with Pauline, Marlena?” she asked, her voice syrupy sweet.

Aunt Pauline looked up at me expectantly.

“Yes,” I said. “Of course. I’d be happy to help in any way I can.”

Yvon’s eyes brightened. It was as if my friendly response had opened the floodgates. He immediately began to talk about the business and asked questions. I saw from her reaction that Aunt Effie liked that. I felt oddly forgotten while they talked. It was as if she was shifting Aunt Pauline and me off to the side.

And Yvon didn’t look at me once the entire time. He didn’t hide how fascinated he was with Aunt Effie’s elaboration on his questions. He dropped in unveiled compliments. It was plainly obvious how hard he was trying to please and impress her, and although I knew what he was doing, I couldn’t help being annoyed and disappointed. Back in France, Yvon was never one to try to be liked. If you didn’t like him as he was, it was too bad. I admired him for his self-confidence and tried to be just like him.

After dinner, he and I were alone in the sitting room. Aunt Effie had gone to see Ella Cornfield, and the twins had brought Aunt Pauline up to her room to prepare for sleep.

“You sounded like you really like her now, Yvon,” I said, flopping into the accent chair. He had a commercial real estate brochure in his hand and sat on the settee. He acted like he had not heard me and opened the cover of the brochure.

“I’m surprised at how pleasant you were to her at dinner,” I said. “She wasn’t particularly nicer to you than she was to me coming here. You can’t possibly like her this quickly.”

He looked up as if he had just realized I was with him. He shrugged.

“Whether I like her or not doesn’t matter. She wants us to be family, Marlena. We’ll let her believe whatever she wants, and if you do help her with Pauline now, she’ll be more obligated to us. It’s all just… just good business,” he said.

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