“Besides, Mr. Thomas was dressed every bit as nicely as Evan, and that takes money.”
Nica summoned up a smile from somewhere and nodded, unable to actually say she agreed with Bree. There were any number of ways for a man to obtain fine clothing without paying for them, and she was sure Bree knew that as well as she did. But, having just decided to keep her opinions to herself for the sake of Bree’s happiness, she couldn’t bring herself to say so.
“Um, Nica?”
“Yes?”
“Would you mind if we made another stop before we go home?”
“Of course not,” Nica replied. “Where do you want to go?”
“I thought maybe we could stop at a salon,” Bree said. “Maybe try out some of your suggestions?”
Excellent idea,” Nica said with a genuine smile. “I could use a trim myself.”
Chapter 5
Ian stood at the window in his study, gazing out at his mother’s garden and sipping his brandy. He wasn’t looking forward to the coming evening at all. In fact, every time he thought about it, something inside of him did a funny little leap. Then an image of Nica Vinia would appear in his mind and he’d have to spend a minute or two concentrating on Flora to make it go away. That annoyed him greatly and though he knew it was irrational, he blamed Nica for it.
The clock over the mantel struck seven and he downed the remainder of his brandy in a gulp and set the empty glass down before picking up his dress jacket. He put it on and left the study, buttoning it as he walked up the hall. When he reached the foyer he was surprised to find that Nica was already there. That she was alone was not surprising though. Bree was always late.
He focused his eyes on the stairs, careful not to look directly at his sister’s guest. Looking at her caused all sorts of troublesome thoughts and feelings that he couldn’t afford to have. Thoughts that had intensified after his encounter with Flora in the park. Feelings that he could not afford to entertain.
He bit back an impatient sigh as the silence stretched out, creating an uncomfortable tension. He checked the time and decided to give Bree two more minutes before going up after her. Since he couldn’t spend two whole minutes staring at an empty staircase with his back to a guest without crossing the line from rude to abominably rude, he forced himself to turn around and face Nica. He opened his mouth to make some generically polite comment about her dress or her hair, then stared speechlessly.
Nica wore a gown of shimmering blue silk that exactly matched the color of her eyes. The full length skirt and sleeveless bodice were hand embroidered with a delicate pattern of vines and flowers in blue silk thread that matched the fabric, a subtle and elegant embellishment that suited Nica perfectly. Except for a few long curls that were left to brush against her neck and bare shoulders, her shining brown hair was swept up in an elaborate concoction of braids and curls, held in place with a scattering of diamond pins that sparkled and shone in the overhead light. Most surprising of all were the jewels she wore at her neck, ears and left wrist.
Ian had taken Bree shopping enough times over the years to know that Nica’s dress was designer made, likely one of a kind, and very expensive even by his standards. The jewels, which he knew had to be fake, were so finely made that he would have believed them real if he didn’t know better.
Anger and disappointment formed a hot ball in his stomach. If he’d suspected for a moment that she would take such blatant advantage of his offer to buy her ball gown for the evening, he would not have made the offer. That Bree had gone along with it only made it worse.
“Is there a problem, Mr. Fadden?” Nica asked, watching Ian with wary eyes.
Ian opened his mouth to tell her exactly what he thought of her, but before he could say a word, Bree joined them. He closed his mouth, shocked by his sister’s appearance. Her hair had been darkened to a rich, gleaming auburn and styled much like Nica’s. She wore a silvery gray gown that matched her eyes and brought out the best in her tall, leggy figure, making her look statuesque instead of skinny, and graceful instead of gawky. The dress had to have been every bit as expensive as Nica’s, but he didn’t care. He’d never seen Bree look so beautiful.
“Oh Nica,” Bree breathed, “You look stunning! And those star diamonds are amazing on you.”
Star diamonds? Ian thought, his eyes nearly bulging from his head in shock. Had they beggared him completely? But no, they couldn’t have. The Fadden accounts were not as fat as they’d once been, but they were healthy enough. Even so, he doubted he had enough money to purchase even one star diamond, and Nica was wearing twenty of them just in her necklace. They had to be fake. Expensive fakes. His temper rose again.
“I don’t know why you don’t wear them more often,” Bree added, and every thought in Ian’s head stilled. He looked at Nica, waiting to see what she would say.
“They’re a bit fancy for everyday wear, Bree,” she said wryly, then she smiled, her eyes sparkling with pure joy as she looked Bree up and down. “You look absolutely beautiful, Bree. I knew that dress would work for you.”
“Yes, you did,” Bree said happily. “I’ll never doubt your opinion on clothes again. Thank you so much, Nica. I’d never spend so much on a dress for myself.”
“You’re very welcome, Bree,” Nica replied. “I was glad to have some small way to thank you for inviting me here for the summer.”
Ian frowned as he listened to the women talk. Was he hearing this right? He cleared his throat, gaining the attention of both Bree and Nica. “Excuse me, but did I hear correctly? You purchased Bree’s dress Miss Vinia?”
“Yes, I did,” Nica replied warily. “It’s a gift, Mr. Fadden. I hope you don’t object.”
“No, Miss Vinia, of course not,” Ian said, then let his eyes drift to the glittering jewels around her neck. “Are those really star diamonds?”
“They are,” Nica replied, one hand going up to brush the diamonds with the brilliant stars at their centers with her fingertips.
“I’ve never actually seen a star diamond before, Miss Vinia. They’re quite beautiful. Might I ask where you purchased them?”
“I didn’t,” Nica said, her tone cool, her smile gone. “This jewelry was made for me some years ago.”
“Please forgive my curiosity, Miss Vinia. I was under the impression that you had no luggage when you arrived, so I assumed that you purchased them here, on Apedra.”
“I’d already sent my things ahead to Jasan when I got Bree’s invitation and changed my plans, Mr. Fadden,” Nica replied. “I had the star diamonds with me because I carry them wherever I go.”
“I see,” Ian said. “Bree, what room is Miss Vinia in?”
“The blue guest room.”
“That room doesn’t have a wall safe,” Ian said. “In the morning, I’ll ask Nance to move you to a room that has a safe, Miss Vinia. You’ll be able to set the combination to your own preference.”
Nica blinked in surprise. A moment earlier Ian Fadden had looked ready to blow his top. Now he was looking at her as though he wasn’t quite sure what to make of her. At least he wasn’t glaring at her now, and his tone was unquestionably polite. “Thank you, Mr. Fadden,” she said. “I appreciate that.”
Ian looked at Bree, then back to Nica, smiling at both women. “If I may say so, you are both exquisitely beautiful tonight. I love your hair, Bree. The deeper color brings out the peach in your complexion.”
“Thank you, Ian,” Bree said, blushing. “It was Nica’s idea.”
Ian nodded to Nica. “It is my honor to escort the two of you to the ball.”
Bree blushed, but Nica looked confused and Ian understood why. A minute earlier he’d been furious with her, and she’d been fully aware of it. The next minute he was praising her. How could she be anything but confused? Unfortunately, she was going to have to remain confused because there was no way he was going to admit that he’d made up ridiculously superficial reasons to dislike her just because he liked her too much. He was too damn grateful that Bree ha
d shown up in time to prevent him from letting both women see just exactly how big of an ass he was. He shuddered slightly at the thought.
“Shall we go, ladies?” he asked, gesturing to Joseph. A moment later two maids came forward, one with the ladies wraps, and another with Ian’s hat.
“Are we going to pick up Flora or meet her there?” Bree asked as she adjusted her shawl.
“Neither,” Ian replied shortly. He sighed the moment the word left his mouth, knowing he’d just piqued Bree’s curiosity. He should have been more careful but there was something about Nica Vinia that caused his brain to stop working correctly whenever she was near. “Flora decided that she’d prefer not to attend the ball tonight,” he said, choosing his words more carefully.
“But it’s the first ball of the season,” Bree said, shocked. “Everyone lucky enough to get invited attends no matter what.”
“Yes, they do,” Ian agreed, stepping between Nica and Bree and offering an arm to each. Joseph opened the door, bowing as they walked through and down the steps. A footman opened the carriage door, but Ian chose to help Nica, and then Bree inside himself, then climbed in after them. The door closed and the driver spoke to the horses who immediately set off.
“If Flora doesn’t show up at the ball tonight, Mrs. Cartwell will never invite her again,” Bree said, clearly unable to let the subject go. “Unless she’s on her death bed. She’s not ill, is she?”
“No, Flora is not ill,” Ian said. “She didn’t receive an invitation in the first place, so she’s in no danger of offending the Cartwells.”
“I don’t understand, Ian. Why did she decide not to go?”
“All right Bree,” he said with a resigned sigh, understanding that she wouldn’t let it go until she had answers. “I spoke with Flora today and told her that the two of you would be joining us tonight. She…objected.”
“Objected?” Bree asked. “Objected to what?”
“Apparently she wanted me all to herself,” Ian said blandly. There was no way he was going to tell Bree exactly what Flora had said.
“We could have taken a second carriage,” Bree said, suddenly feeling guilty for ruining Ian’s plans for the night. “I’m sorry Ian. We didn’t mean to interfere with your evening.”
“No Bree,” Ian said, shaking his head firmly. “This has nothing to do with you and is not your fault.”
Bree smiled sadly. “Ian, I know full well that Flora despises me.” Nica’s eyes widened in surprise but she didn’t interrupt the siblings. “You’re probably the only person in Cidade who doesn’t know that. If you’re going to continue seeing her, you need to accept it.”
“No, I don’t,” Ian said. “You’re the only family I have left, Bree. If Flora doesn’t like you, then she best learn to hide it because I will not tolerate her treating you with anything less than complete respect.” He smiled, leaned forward, took Bree’s hands in his and looked her in the eye. “Bree, tonight is the first time you’ve been invited to the first ball of the season, you have your best friend with you, and you look absolutely stunning. Forget about Flora. She’s my problem. Let’s just focus on having a good time tonight, all right?”
“All right, Ian,” Bree said, blinking rapidly so the tears stinging her eyes didn’t fall and ruin her makeup. “Thank you.”
Ian leaned back, glad to see a real smile light up Bree’s face as the carriage pulled up to the front of the Cartwells’ home, a huge white mansion decorated with tiny twinkling lights, making it look like something out of a fairy tale. A footman opened their door and Ian got out, then helped the ladies out himself. He waited for them to brush the wrinkles out of their gowns and adjust their wraps, then offered each an arm before guiding them up the steps and inside.
Ian presented their invitations to the man at the door, then escorted Nica and Bree to the greeting line. Nica watched carefully as those ahead of them greeted their hosts, an older couple who were gracious to each guest in turn. She noted that the guests’ manners weren’t different from what she was used to except that people didn’t bow here like they did on Jasan. Nor did they shake hands. They used nods of the head to a greater or lesser degree instead.
When their turn came Ian stepped forward, greeted the Cartwells politely, and then presented Bree who the older couple obviously knew. Mrs. Cartwell was pleased with Bree’s personal thank you for the invitation, but she was openly curious about Nica. When Bree introduced her, Nica bowed her head precisely as Bree had, and thanked them for the invitation as well.
As they spoke, Nica didn’t fail to notice that her dress, her shoes, her jewelry, even her hair pins were noted, catalogued and appraised by Mrs. Cartwell in about five seconds. She had no doubt that the woman had come within a few credits of getting it all right, but she did it in a manner that wasn’t the least bit offensive.
“Those are star diamonds,” Mrs. Cartwell said, showing only mild surprise though Nica sensed her shock, and understood it. There were only two planets in the Thousand Worlds known to have star diamonds. One of those two planets was Jasan, which had three mines. The other planet had two mines, was uninhabited, difficult to mine, and had lesser quality stones than any of the mines on Jasan.
“Yes, Mrs. Cartwell, they are indeed star diamonds,” Nica said, deciding to roll out the charm for Bree’s sake. She’d grown up around strong, intelligent women who were down to earth at heart, but knew how to play social games to perfection when necessary. They’d taught her a great deal, and she’d paid attention. “I felt an occasion such as this warranted the best. After all, it’s my first ball, as well as the first ball of Cidade’s season.”
“How thoughtful of you, Miss Vinia,” Mrs. Cartwell said, flattered, but not overly so. “Where is it that you’re from again?”
Nica smiled. Her home world hadn’t been mentioned, but she didn’t mind telling them. “I was born on Teira, but raised on Jasan, Mrs. Cartwell.”
“Is that so?” Mrs. Cartwell said. “Our granddaughter attends New Oxford and told us that the Dracon Princesses share a dorm room right across the hall from her. What a small universe it is. But I don’t suppose you know them.”
“On the contrary,” Nica said. “I was raised with Salene, Rayne, and Tani, though they are a couple of years younger than I. We call each other cousins, though there’s no blood relation. I hope your granddaughter found them to be kind young women.”
“Oh, she did indeed,” Mrs. Cartwell said. “As a matter of fact, our granddaughter said that they were very sweet and friendly to everyone, not at all what she’d expected from royalty.”
“I’m not surprised,” Nica said, still smiling. “Aunt Lari always said that being royal didn’t mean they had more rights than anyone else. It just meant they had more responsibilities.”
“Aunt Lari, whoever she might be, sounds like a very wise woman,” Mrs. Cartwell said.
“I apologize, Mrs. Cartwell,” Nica said. “Aunt Lari is Princess Lariah Dracon, the girls’ mother. And yes, I’ve always thought of her as one of the wisest women I’ve ever known.” She looked down the line, then back at their hosts. “We should move along now, I think. Thank you again, Mrs. Cartwell, Mr. Cartwell, for having me tonight.”
“You are most welcome,” Mrs. Cartwell replied, then watched as she walked away with Bree and Ian Fadden.
“That is a remarkable young woman,” Mr. Cartwell said.
“She certainly is,” Mrs. Cartwell replied.
“Did you sense the power radiating off of her? I’ve never felt the like.”
“Yes, I felt it,” Mrs. Cartwell said. “Extremely powerful, but blocked somehow. A pity. I’d like to see what she can do.”
“The block is not permanent, and is actually quite thin,” Mr. Cartwell said. “We’ll be seeing what she can do before too long.”
“Oh yes?” Mrs. Cartwell asked in surprise. “That will be something to see, won’t it?”
Mr. Cartwell nodded, but said no more. He had a small secondary talent for precogniti
on, and it was telling him that bad things were coming, and they were coming fast. The moment he’d touched Miss Nica Vinia’s hand he’d known she was going to play an important role in whatever was to come, and that Ian Fadden would as well. He smiled. Ian Fadden’s life was going to change. But those were going to be good changes.
***
“How do you do that, Nica?” Bree asked in wonder.
“Do what?”
“Win people over so easily. You’re so quiet and reserved all the time, until you find yourself in a situation like that. It never fazes you in the least. You always know exactly what to say and how to act.”
“Not always,” Nica said, carefully not looking toward Ian. “The Cartwells are very nice people, but they are also very status conscious. I figured they’d be impressed by my being close friends with Jasani royalty and since she brought it up, I figured it was a good opening.”
Nica's Legacy (Hearts of ICARUS Book 1) Page 8
