The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous

Author:Emma Rous [Rous, Emma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2021-01-12T00:00:00+00:00

Beth

December 1989

Caroline’s Christmas visit fell early in December, because she was much too busy to fit me in later in the month. I’d bought her a silk scarf from my allowance, and she gave me some sheet music for my violin that she told me she enjoyed playing herself. I almost asked her if it was a joint Christmas and early birthday present, since she’d missed my birthday entirely the previous February, but I knew that would be rude, and in fact, the music was perfect—a genuinely welcome gift from one violinist to another. But when I went to give her a grateful hug, she flinched away, as usual.

After fifteen minutes of stilted conversation in the drawing room, Markus suggested Caroline might like a little walk by the lake before she headed home. Caroline looked so relieved at the word home, she sprang up immediately, and Markus winked at the rest of us behind her back.

“Leonora might be best staying indoors, actually,” he said. “She’s brewing up a bit of a cold, I think.”

Leonora gave him a faint relieved smile, and we left her behind, although I didn’t really believe she was coming down with anything. Once we reached the lakeshore, Markus told Nina and me to go ahead and take the boat out, if we were brave enough.

“The lake’ll freeze soon, with a bit of luck,” he said, “and then there won’t be any rowing ’til it thaws.”

Relieved to have an excuse to escape Caroline’s strained attempts at friendliness, I followed Nina onto the dock, and we leaped down into the boat. Nina grinned at me as she took the oars, and I was reminded forcefully of the fun we’d had during my first summer at Raven Hall. I smiled back at her, and suddenly the day seemed a whole lot brighter.

Nina waited until we were past the island before she set the oars down.

“So, what’s going on between you and Jonas?”

“Nothing.” I knew I’d answered too quickly. “I mean, why do you even ask? You know Jonas and I are just—”

She tilted her head. “Friends?”

I nodded, frowning. “Friends. Exactly.”

“I wish . . .”

“What?”

“I just wish you’d be honest with me, Beth. I wish you’d tell me what you’re thinking. You go around all wrapped up in your own thoughts all the time. It’s like sometimes you think”—she hesitated, gazing at me earnestly—“that I’m your enemy. Like you don’t trust me. Or Mum and Dad either.”

“That’s not true.” I tried to laugh. “Of course I trust you.” But a series of memories pulsed in my mind: Leonora thrusting the blue checked dress into my hands; Markus’s wary expression when he came back from his diving trip a few weeks ago; the oily film at the bottom of Nina’s hot-chocolate mug. I blinked them away. “You know I’m very happy here.”

“Are you?” Nina said quietly. “Are you really?”

I shifted uncomfortably. “Ah, come on, can we stop this now? I just want us to be friends. All of us. Jonas too.”

She scrambled forward and indicated for me to switch places.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.