Page 31 of Her Cruel Dahlias
“Surprise me.” Cricket laughed. “Is your mother back yet?”
“She just came home today, and she’s been worrying nonstop over my being sick even though I’m feeling better. Overprotective as usual.” She paused. “I don’t think I got to tell you, but she’s been living with us for the past three weeks. I’d always hoped to get her out of our withering house.” A horrified expression crossed Anika’s face, and she hurried on, “But that’s not why I married Bram. I would never do that just for money or a house.”
“You most certainly would rather live on the streets than marry someone for money. I know you, just as you know me.” Cricket smiled at a memory of them as children, holding their pinkies together and vowing to never marry unless it was for true love. And if they’d never met their true love, they promised one another to meet for tea and continue their passions while growing wrinkled and gray.
Anika grasped her skirts as she stood and plopped down beside Cricket on the bed, taking her hand in hers. “I’m glad you’re here, even if it’s only for a little while. But please come and visit more.”
Before returning to Nobel, Cricket had attempted to pretend as if Anika and Bram didn’t exist, but it was only a temporary trial that she knew would never last. Anika was more than a friend—she was family. “Once the baby arrives, I’ll visit. I promise.” She squeezed Anika’s hand, tears streaming down her friend’s face. “What is it? Did I say something wrong?”
“No,” Anika hurried on, straightening her spine. “Not at all. I’ve been holding in this guilt, knowing it’s my fault you died. You walked me home after such a lovely time at the carnival, and then…” she trailed off. “It’s as if I’ve taken over what could’ve been your life.”
Cricket should’ve discussed this with Anika when she’d seen her last, but her friend had been too exhausted and weak from her nausea spells. “You didn’t,” Cricket started. “It’s not your fault. I’ve thought about this plenty, and I was never engaged to Bram. Even if he had offered, I don’t think I would’ve agreed. Deep down, I wanted to get away from here, to be on the stage. Sometimes being in Nobel felt as though I were trapped in a cage. I only wanted to travel, to perform, then come back here and visit as I’m doing now.” She tilted Anika’s chin up so she could see the truth in her gaze. “You love Bram. He loves you. And his eyes never lit up when he saw me, the way they do with you. If a love is true, then it shouldn’t fade as much and as easily as it has for me. Yes, I was hurt at first, but then I took it as a blessing. Both of you believed I was dead, and I’m relieved you had one another, fell in love, because it opened my eyes.”
A tear trailed down Anika’s cheek, and she swiped it away. “I have a secret I must confess, Cricket.”
A sinking feeling swam through her stomach, wondering what other kind of secret she would have. “You can tell me.”
Anika took another breath and tangled her fingers in her skirts. “I knew Bram since we were children, and at first, I’d believed him full of himself and stuffy, but he wasn’t any of those things. I then always wished I’d had someone like him. Not Bram specifically at the time, but his qualities—someone who was kind and smart, a true gentleman toward women, and didn’t care about anyone’s station when it came to calling them a friend. After our first unplanned kiss, I felt so guilty because you were gone. I pushed him away for weeks, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him.”
Cricket bit her lip and smiled. “He is all those things and the right one for you.”
Anika circled her arms around Cricket and held her tight. “With these murders, I’m worried about you. If you wanted to stay with us, at least until the carnival leaves, we wouldn’t mind at all.”
She knew it would be pleasant to stay at the manor, but she wanted to remain here. Besides that, Anika’s mother was living with them, and she feared the woman would worry that she would put a wedge between her daughter and Bram. “Let’s take it day by day. But how about I have tea with you this week?”
“Perhaps we can make it through without me losing my stomach.” Anika smiled as she pulled back. “I suppose I’ll go. Bram is most likely confused by the performances.”
“A good reason why we always went with each other.” Cricket laughed softly.
Anika stood and looked in the mirror, wiping away a few lingering tears. She glanced over her shoulder with a mischievous expression after she opened the door, her grin widening. “Not only is Bram impatient and waiting for me, but there’s someone here to see you. Seems we have even more to discuss over tea.”
Cricket’s brows drew together, and she padded to the door. Zephyr lingered there, his hands in his pockets, while Anika walked away with Bram, still smiling over her shoulder at her.
“I wanted to give you something before I wash up,” Zephyr said, taking his hands from his pockets.
“What is it?” She peered at his empty palms and wrinkled her nose. “You came here to show me your hands?”
“If you want to experience them closer, I’m also fine with that.” He grinned. “But I brought you my company.”
Cricket rolled her eyes and snorted. “Well, do come in and present me with the greatest gift I’ve ever been given.”
“I love the dramatics,” Zephyr purred and sauntered inside. He sank down on the floor in front of the bed. And when she sat beside him, he added, “I missed you performing with me tonight.”
“Did you really?” No matter who he performed with, it always looked as if he relished the act.
“Really.” His voice came out low, seductive.
Her heart fluttered, and she needed to talk about anything else. “Will you do something for me?” she finally asked as she studied the ceiling. “Will you tell me everything that happened in the past year while I was asleep? Even the little things that people believe no one cares about.”
Zephyr twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. “Listen closely, and let me tell you a tale,” he cooed, his voice full of intrigue. “We begin with the Sleeping Darling and all the magical and grotesque things she missed while unaware.”
Cricket didn’t interrupt as she listened to every single word that poured from his lips until her head grew heavy and her cheek rested against Zephyr’s shoulder. Though she wanted to remain listening to his melodic voice all night, she was unable to keep her eyes open any longer.
Chapter Fourteen
With a yawn, Cricket cracked open her eyes and drew the blankets to her chin. Dawn’s light spilled into the room through the slit in her curtains. She was about to close her eyes for a little longer when images from the night before came to her. Zephyr telling her about all the things she’d missed while being the Sleeping Darling. Besides the time that Juniper had told her about a man wanting to pleasure her awake, there’d been ones begging to court her, and another had even brought a ring and proposed. She’d never had that much attention from men while awake. She remembered falling asleep against Zephyr’s warm shoulder, his soothing voice continuing into her dreams.
Cricket ripped the blankets away and jolted forward, searching around the room, but Zephyr was no longer there. He must’ve placed her in bed, fully dressed, then covered her with the blankets.