Page 150 of Powerhouse: Boxed Set
“Yes, ma’am.”
A tremor whispered over her lips but I couldn’t tell if it was a smile or something meaner. “Please, do not call me ‘ma’am.’ I’m hardly ancient enough to warrant such a term, am I?”
Immediately, I shook my head. “No, not at all.”
A whisper of a smile crossed her face, slightly reptilian, like Tiernan’s when he was faking niceties.
“Elias tells me you are staying with the McTiernans.”
“Yes, they were kind enough to take in my brother and me after our mother died,” I explained, dashing at a cold bead of sweat as it rolled down my temple. Elias held my other hand, his thumb grazing my wrist as if to soothe me. It surprised me that it worked.
“You have an accent,” she said, but it was a question without a mark.
“Texan,” I explained, happy it wasn’t stronger because Caroline’s own voice was crisp and clean, a true blue blood American.
“Hey, this healed nicely,” Elias interrupted to note, his thumb touching the edge of my dove tattoo. “Looks good on you.”
Caroline followed his gaze, her nostrils flaring. I worried she didn’t like her nephew hanging around a poor backwoods orphan, but when she looked up at me again, there was a small smile on her face.
“An orphan, poor thing. We must have you over for tea sometime soon. Perhaps I can help you acclimatize to your new surroundings,” she offered magnanimously.
Elias started, brows furrowing as he stared at his aunt, but I beamed back at her. The idea of spending time with her was somehow like getting to spend time with my father. I wanted to learn to be as graceful and elegant as Caroline, a woman my father respected and loved. She had the class and refinery, the keen intelligence that Aida lacked and I was eager to soak it up in any way I could.
“I would love that,” I said honestly.
Elias stepped closer. “Bianca, I—”
“I’ll check my calendar. Elias, why don’t you get back in the car? We’ll be late to dinner if we linger any longer and we have so much to discuss.”
He grimaced, but didn’t move from my side as Caroline took her phone from her Chanel purse.
“I thought you didn’t mix with Caroline and her kids,” I murmured under my breath.
“Not by choice,” he agreed, squeezing my hand in his. “But Caroline feels everyone in the family has to answer to her and I’ve done some things she doesn’t…agree with.”
“Like hanging out with poor orphans?”
His laugh was sharp and hollow. “That’s the least of it, trust me. Don’t worry about me. Worry about why she’s interested inyou.”
“Elias, the car,” Caroline interrupted with a perfectly arched brow.
She stared at him without blinking until he reluctantly let go of my hand after giving it another squeeze. When he had truculently slammed the car door behind him, Caroline stepped closer as she reached into her quilted purse and produced a business card. It was typed up on thick, expensive card stock I bet cost more than Aida, Brando, and I had spent on groceries in a month.
“I have an event next week that will keep me rather busy,” she explained as she handed me the card and closed the clasp on her bag with apop. “After next weekend, my schedule opens up. I would be happy to take you to tea, talk about your plans for the future.”
“Wow,” I said, before I could curb the impulse, blushing badly at my gaucheness. “This is incredibly kind of you.”
Her smile was thin but beautiful. “Yes, well, anything for a…friend of the family.”
Without another word, she stepped away and moved around to the other side of the car. The driver got out to open the door for her, then shot me an apologetic look.
“Sorry about hitting you,” he muttered.
“Sorry about hitting your car,” I quipped, sliding off the hood, then giving it a little pat. “This thing is definitely worth more than I am.”
He made a funny face at me. “If Caroline Constantine just paid you the time of day, I wouldn’t underestimate your worth. At least to her.”
Before I could question his odd statement, he ducked back into the driver’s seat and took off, pulling the car through the gates and up the winding hill to the palatial oceanside mansion beyond.
