It was hours later that she got the kitchen straight, had listened to another of her father’s lectures about her eating, and was finally able to get to Terel’s room.
“I got Anna to undo my laces,” Terel said bitterly, sitting in her robe and gown before her mirror and brushing her hair.
Nellie began to pick up Terel’s clothes. She was very tired and longed to take a bath and go to bed.
“Wasn’t he divine?” Terel said.
“Who?”
“Mr. Montgomery, of course. Oh, Nellie, aren’t you ever aware of anything that goes on?”
“He was very nice, yes.”
“Nice? He was much more than nice. I’ve never seen a better-looking man in my life, except maybe Dr. Westfield, but he’s taken. Father says he thinks there’s money in his background.”
“I think Dr. Westfield is quite comfortable,” Nellie said tiredly.
“Not Dr. Westfield! Nellie, why don’t you listen sometimes? Father thinks Mr. Montgomery has money. I can’t imagine why he’d consider a job with Father if he has money unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Well…I hate to say it myself, but did you see the way he looked at me during dinner?”
Nellie, behind the wardrobe door, was glad Terel couldn’t see her face. “No, I’m afraid I didn’t see, but Terel, dear, you must be used to men looking at you.”
“Yes,” she said softly, looking at herself in the mirror. Mr. Montgomery had indeed looked at her, but not in the way men often looked at her. In fact, there was something almost chilling about the way he’d looked at her with those almost-black eyes of his.
She put her hand to her throat. He would be a challenge to win, she thought.
“I wonder what his name is,” Terel murmured.
“Jace,” Nellie said before she thought.
Terel looked at her sister in the mirror. Nellie was standing so that just her face was visible above the little screen by the washstand. In the candlelight Nellie was beautiful. Her skin was flawless, her lashes long, her lips full. Glancing back at her own reflection, Terel knew she wasn’t half as pretty as Nellie. Next to Nellie, Terel’s face was too long, her nose too sharp, and her skin wasn’t nearly as smooth.
/> Terel opened a drawer to her dresser and withdrew a little bag of caramels, then went to Nellie and put her arm around her. “I’m sorry Father was such a beast at dinner. He didn’t have to tell Mr. Montgomery about how you’d eaten all the cake. You weren’t looking, but you should have seen the look on that man’s face.”
Nellie moved away from Terel’s embrace.
“Nellie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I thought you’d be able to see the humor in the situation. It is amusing that a woman could eat an entire cake by herself.”
“It is not amusing to me,” Nellie said stiffly.
“All right, I’ll stop laughing if you can’t. Really, Nellie, if you’d just learn to laugh sometimes you’d have a much easier time in life. Where are you going?”
“To take a bath and go to bed.”
“You’re angry.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are, I can tell. You’re angry at me because of what Father said. That isn’t fair at all. I’d never tell a guest I had a sister who could eat a whole cake.”
Nellie could feel herself begin to grow hungry.
“I have a present for you,” Terel said, holding out the bag of caramels.
Nellie didn’t want the candy, but every time she thought of that handsome Mr. Montgomery knowing the truth about her she felt a hunger pang. “Thank you,” Nellie murmured, taking the bag, leaving the room, and eating half the candy before she got to the bathroom.