The Angel of Elydria (The Dawn Mirror Chronicles Book 1) (28 page)

“It’s Valentine!” she hissed in a strangled voice. Penny silently thanked her stars that Hector happened to be so tall.

Valentine, a disgusted scowl staining her features, moved through the shop, her hips swaying with every heavy, high-heeled step. She peered around each corner, her venom-green eyes searching. Annette was too absorbed in her shopping to notice Valentine pressing down the aisle toward her. Though Hector remained still, Penny felt a great amount of magic being swept from her. Valentine’s voice cut through the silence of the dreary shop, causing the unsuspecting Annette to jump.

“Oh, goodness. Fancy seeing you here!” Valentine spouted, oozing mock friendliness. Annette’s eyes grew wide for a mere moment before her expression hardened into a perfect cross between misery and outrage.

“Though I shouldn’t be
too
surprised to see you in a place like this, I suppose…” Valentine plucked a frilly bow from the aisle nearby and looked it over with a curled lip as she pinched it between two ruby fingernails. “You always did have such tacky taste.”

Annette’s eyes narrowed. “What do you want?” she retorted, still looking away from Valentine. The shopkeeper had set her novel down and watched the confrontation with rapt attention.

Valentine clutched her chest, indignant. “Why, I was simply in the neighborhood and I saw you through the window! I thought I might come and say hello to my dear little Nettie. It’s been such a long time, hasn’t it sweetie?”

“I said, what do you
want?”
Annette repeated, now looking up at Valentine. Penny was shocked to see tears swimming in Annette’s eyes. A wave of ire seemed to pass over Valentine’s face, and she quashed it.

“Not too happy to see me, hmm?” Her voice lowered to a dangerous tremble. “Now that just breaks my heart. I only wanted to check up on you―to congratulate you, as well.” Valentine laughed again. “Yes, I was there last night. I must say―you were very good. You didn’t even make a complete ass out of yourself this time around. Bravo.”

“Shouldn’t you be busy drinking yourself into a stupor in some bar on the low end of the Harbor District right about now? It’s almost afternoon, you know.” Annette floated past Valentine, her shoulders straight and her head high as she made her way to the counter. She paid for her items as Valentine’s smiling countenance flickered in rage. Annette turned to leave.

“You’ll have to work on your manners if we happen to cross paths at the Jubilee Ball, or they might see you for what you really are—a spoiled brat, desperate for attention,” Valentine called after her, causing Annette to swivel around on her heel as if she were dancing.

“Oh no,
you
were actually invited to the ball? I didn’t think animals were allowed in the palace!” Annette smirked, her hands on her hips.

“I was rubbing elbows with royals before you could walk. Don’t you ever forget who I am, you snotty little insect,” Valentine snarled, turning tail and stomping past her to the door. She turned back before grabbing the doorknob. “I’ll see you and your extra forty pounds at the ball. Toodles!” She shot Annette one last wicked smile and exited.

Annette stood still for a minute, fuming as glassy tears slid down her cheeks. Penny couldn’t help but think she looked just like a fragile, porcelain doll. With a stifled sob, Annette covered her face with her hands and rushed out the door in a flurry of ruffles and bows. Penny, Hector, and Simon watched her run down the street and out of sight.

The shopkeeper was trembling with excitement. “She left her things,” she said, pointing to Annette’s discarded bag of items that lay like a popped balloon on the counter.

Hector perked up, rushed forward and scooped up the bag. “I’ll take it to her right away!” he told the shopkeeper and rocketed toward the door, Simon and Penny in tow. As he pushed his way out into the brilliant sunlight Penny stopped him.

“What are you doing?! She’s long gone!” she cried.

Hector flashed an exhilarated grin. “Get Humphrey, I’ve got a plan.”

H
ector, Penny, and Simon left Silk and Spools in a mad rush, chasing Annette Deveaux’s gold and ivory carriage through the Business District to a part of Iverton Penny had never been to. Situated at the northern-most point of Iverton, between the Business and Royal districts, was a tiny suburb that appeared to house the richest, most posh citizens of Iverton. The houses were tall and skinny, each towering around four stories high, with crystal windows and well-tended foliage creeping up the pale blue, blossom pink, creamy yellow, or daisy white homes. Each house was ringed by a lovely garden, some with tiny wishing wells, gazebos, and trellises. Trees lined the immaculate sidewalks at exactly ten foot intervals, each the same height and pruned to perfection.

They watched from a distance as Annette’s carriage pulled up alongside one of the largest houses and over to a circular stone patio. The actress dismounted, her long blonde locks hiding her expression. Greeted by a short, bonnet-wearing maid, Annette collapsed against the girl’s shoulder as she was led indoors.

The manor was like a masterfully crafted, overgrown dollhouse: picturesque and charming up to the very last roof shingle. The garden boasted several flowering trees, marble fountains that whispered and bubbled in the tranquil atmosphere, and a deep pond with floating lotus plants. Penny, Hector and Simon approached the door with hesitation, Hector refusing to tell them his plan until they were mere footsteps away.

“Now, take this.” Hector shoved the shopping bag holding Annette’s things into Penny’s hands. “You pretend you merely followed after her to return it. Once you’ve got her alone, try and warn her, yes?”

Penny opened her mouth to refuse, but Hector was already yanking the rope that rang the doorbell. He rushed off with Simon, leaving Penny standing alone on the doorstep, feeling frantic.

“Come back! I don’t know what to say! Hey! You guys―” Penny hissed, stopping as the sounds of somebody fumbling with the door latch became audible. The door eased open a crack and an unfamiliar person leaned into view, looking tepid and raising a sculpted eyebrow.

There was a second’s worth of studying the stranger while Penny tried to figure out if a man or a woman stood before her. The individual’s body was built strong with broad shoulders, a thin waist, and skinny, flat hips. He was very tall; Penny guessed about six-foot-two. His face was beautifully proportioned and done up with lipstick and delicate hints of makeup around his gray eyes, which were shaped like Annette’s. He wore his ashy brown hair long and silky, secured with a lacy bow as it ended in an elegant wisp near the middle of his back. A pair of silver earrings dangled and flashed in the bright sunlight. He looked graceful in a long silk jacket set with lacy cuffs, myriad opulent jewels on his white fingers, and a fancy skirt; the picture of radiant, if not overdressed, beauty.

“Can I….help you?” he asked, looking Penny up and down, towering over her measly five feet and two odd inches.

She swallowed, not knowing what to say. She held the small shopping bag up like a shield between her and the tall man. “Um, um―I…” murmured Penny, and the man sighed and rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know how you found this house, but she is
not
giving autographs right now. Run along, now. Shoo.” The man waved his polished fingers as if to sweep Penny away as he began to close the door. Mustering her courage at last, she stuck her foot in the way. The man shot a ruffled glance back.

“Erm, sorry but…is there a blonde girl who lives here? I think she dropped this. I saw her shopping and she got into some sort of fight with this other woman, and she left this at the shop. I’d―” Penny’s stammering was cut off by the sound of another voice.

“Who’s there, Gavin?”

Gavin looked over his shoulder as Annette approached the door like a mouse poking its head out of a hiding place. Penny noted with a pang of sorrow that her eyes were red and she looked exhausted. Gavin made an effort to shut the door again, but Penny kept her face in view of the actress.

“Oh, it’s no one! Just a girl who’s found something of yours, don’t worry yourself. You shouldn’t―” Gavin said in a coddling tone, but Annette wasn’t listening. She moved past Gavin and took hold of the door herself, her blue eyes curious as they looked Penny over. Annette spied the bag that Penny clenched like a crucifix and gasped, putting her hands to her porcelain face.

“Oh, my goodness! I was so upset that I forgot this!” She removed the bag from Penny’s hands, gratitude in her eyes. Gavin looked down on the scene in vague concern. “You brought it back to me―how kind. What’s your name?”

“Um, it’s Penny Fairfax,” she answered, feeling entirely out of her element. Annette smiled, and Penny could not think of what else to say, so she burst out with the next thing that popped into her mind. “Wh-what’s yours?”

Gavin strangled back an incredulous laugh which he attempted to transform into an unconvincing cough.

Annette looked shocked, then smiled. “Just call me Annette,” she said with satisfaction.

Penny already regretted her words; there would be no hope of warning her now. The actress shared a meaningful look with Gavin before turning her attention back to Penny. “You’ve gone through so much trouble to bring me this, I must thank you! Please, would you like to come in and have some tea?”

“Nettie!” Gavin exclaimed, sounding scandalized. “You’ve got to get yourself cleaned up and start practicing for your show tomor―”

“Hush, Gavin!” she snapped. Gavin fell silent. Annette gave Penny an apologetic look. “Please excuse my cousin, he’s just a bit of a worrywart. Come in, come in!” She yanked Penny inside by the wrist and shut the door behind her. “Gavin, ask Auntie to make us some tea and snacks. Millie can bring it to us in the Sun Garden.”

“Nettie―is this really the best ide―”

“It’s my day off!” she said, her smile firm. He sighed and shuffled off down the hall.

Penny looked around, taking in the huge staircase that wound up three floors to a dizzying height. Rich wood, silk wall panels and original oil paintings decorated the halls. Expensive furniture dotted the room and the smell of jasmine hung on the air.

“You live here?” Penny asked Annette, breathless. “It’s beautiful!”

“I’m glad you like it,” Annette replied. She led Penny into the cavernous house, stopping only to hand off the shopping bag to Millie, the cheerful maid Penny had spotted outside earlier.

Annette led Penny through a few sitting rooms and down a long corridor lined with frosted lamps to a hexagonal greenhouse, with a roof and walls made of glass panels and crowded with a veritable forest of house plants. The room was warm and so filled with flora it felt alive, almost as if it were growing and breathing around them.

Annette led Penny over to a garden table and chairs. The sense of being inside a very large dollhouse grew more intense as Penny sat down across from Annette at the table. Delicate white lilies grew nearby and the noise of running water splashed, creating a tranquil ambience. Penny tried to peer out of the windows and see if Hector and Simon were watching her.

“This is the Sun Garden,” Annette explained with pride. “It’s a product of my own design…I hope you find it to your liking.”

Penny grasped at a conversation topic, feeling more than a little awkward. “Is this your aunt’s house?”

Annette looked shocked for the second time and giggled, the sound tinkling like silver. “No, no! This is
my
house, Gavin and his mother live here to keep me company, that’s all―it wouldn’t do at all to live here all alone. My parents and sisters are out traveling as usual, so it can get a bit lonely.”

“You bought this house all on your own? That’s amazing!”

Annette leaned on her thin white wrist, studying Penny. The silence stretched on for a little longer than Penny liked and she averted her gaze, embarrassed.

“You’ve really never heard of me, have you?” Annette prodded in a contemplative, yet pleased tone. It struck Penny as odd that the actress seemed happy about being unknown, but she could only shake her head.

Millie bustled in, pushing a cart laden with a collection of treats and a dainty tea set. She set the steaming tea pot between them, adding two splendid teacups and saucers, followed by sugar, cream, and a silver spoon each. Penny’s mouth watered when Millie set up a tiered arrangement of delectable-looking food: tiny tea sandwiches of every variety, crumbly scones, miniature tarts overflowing with sun-ripe berries that sparkled in a sugary glaze, tiny cakes frosted in springtime colors with spun-sugar flowers decorating the tops, and powdered cookies, glistening with jam. Annette clapped her hands together.