Tamara was the more forceful of their trio, and also taller than Genevieve, if only by about an inch. Tamara still managed to look down at the spiteful girl. “Well, I’m not friends with her and I know that Cassy didn’t do anything with any boy. She was working on the yearbook stuff. I saw her before I left for the dance. And then she was still in the dormitory, in her pajamas with Ella and Naya, when we came back from the dance early. I’m not friends with Cassy, so just back off, Gen.” She leaned closer. “Or I’ll tell everyone about what I saw over by the willow trees when we were walking home.”
Amazingly, Genevieve’s face turned and even brighter shade of red, then she looked around to see if anyone believed the accusation. Sure enough, the other girls sitting at the tables were looking at her curiously. “It was nothing,” she claimed. “I just went for a walk.”
Naya took Cassy’s arm, leading her through to the lunch line where they all got food, then headed towards their regular table.
“Hey Cassy!” one of the other girls called out.
A few others lifted their hands in greeting and the ringing in Cassy’s ears stopped. She looked around, no longer seeing the condemnation on the other girls’ faces. And yet, she could still feel the bitter taste of humiliation. And all because of a lie…from someone trying to cover up her own illicit rendezvous?
Yes, girls could be cruel. And what’s worse, she suspected that this Tony Simpson, whoever he was, had probably kissed another girl and was being lauded for his manliness at his boarding school. While Cassy had been condemned for a sexual liaison. Good grief, she was fourteen years old! She didn’t even know how to have sex! Oh, she knew the basics, but surely what she’d read couldn’t be right! No way! That was just…disgusting!
Chapter 5
The note handed to the teacher caused Tamara’s heart to lurch. There was nothing about the note that might indicate that it was meant for her. But she knew. She just knew!
Sure enough, her calculus teacher opened the note and nodded, then looked right at her. “Tamara, you’re presence is needed at the headmistress’ office,” she said and handed Tamara the note.
There was a stirring in the room, but Tamara ignored it as she packed up her books. Willow and Lana looked at her worriedly, but Tamara shook her head. “It’s my father,” she explained with grim resignation. “He came to London for a visit and probably wants to lecture me on something.”
“Good luck!” Naya whispered with her normal enthusiasm.
“Thanks,” she replied, but there was nothing ‘good’ about a visit from her father.
“You can handle him, Tam,” Willow whispered, her cynical eyes conveying her personal determination. “Don’t let him drag you down. And we’ll be waiting for you after he leaves. We’ll do a stealth run.”
Startled, Tamara paused as she lifted her books into her arms. “Thanks,” she replied with sincerity. “I’ll need it.”
Tamara hurried out of the room, not wanting to endure a reprimand from her teacher. But as soon as she was out of the classroom, her steps slowed. It was only her father, she told herself as she meandered through the hallways, taking an extra loop through the stairs. In part, her slow progression towards the administration building was a petty effort to irritate her father. But mostly, it was her way of delaying the inevitable lecture. Her father wasn’t here to see her because he missed her. Tamara didn’t delude herself into thinking that. She wasn’t a son, so therefore, her only value to him was to marry her off to that idiot prince from Tular. Tamara knew his name, but refused to even think it.
Somehow, some way, she was going to get out of this ridiculous arranged marriage!
When she reached the ancient stone steps of the administration building, her steps slowed even more. Dread filled her, causing her stomach to clench. Talking to her father always felt like she’d done something wrong.
Unfortunately, she knew that her father would furiously disapprove of her classes here at The Burling School. She knew what he expected, but had ignored his demands. And with every perfect score on every test for a class he wouldn’t approve of her taking, she felt a zing of success. But Calculus and chemistry, physics and computer science, graphic design, and anything non-ladylike she could stuff into her schedule.
He wouldn’t approve, she knew. And now that she was standing outside of the administration building, it occurred to her that her father might be too angry with her classes and could yank her out of school, drag her back to Nadir. He could more closely supervise her education if she was back in the palace.
For a long moment, she stood outside of the Headmistress’ office, not stepping inside. But when she heard the angry tone, she couldn’t delay any longer. She’d done this! She’d selected the hardest classes offered at the school so it was time to face the consequences.
“Hello father,” Tamara greeted, stepping into the stark office. The severe countenance of Headmistress Hendricks smiled, but Tamara recognized the admonishment in her eyes. The headmistress wasn’t an idiot and knew exactly how long it took to walk from the math class to her office.
Tamara had the grace to look apologetic, until she turned to face her father once again.
“It’s an honor to see you, father,” she said, not with a great deal of sincerity, but Tamara knew how to appease her father. At least, most of the time she knew. Every once in a while, he was on edge and needed a target. Women were his favorites when he was really frustrated about something and never hesitated to take his anger out on any woman nearby.
“Tamara, you look good,” he replied, just as formally. “How are your classes? I’m here to check on your progress personally.”
Tamara knew that his words were meant to show Headmistress Hendricks that he was a good father, doing his duty to ensure that his daughter was well cared for and heading in the “right direction”. Tamara also knew that this visit was simply a side visit to the main purpose of his trip out of his country. She was a footnote in his life.
“My classes are good, father,” she replied, with a small, mocking bow. “My grades are good.”
He nodded, turning to Headmistress Hendricks for confirmation.
“Yes, Tamara is an excellent student.”
“And are her classes appropriate for her future? She will need to know how to be a good wife to her future husband.”
Tamara’s whole body stiffened and she turned her terror filled eyes towards the headmistress, silently begging her to understand what he was actually asking. Unfortunately, the older woman wasn’t looking at Tamara.
“Tamara is on a very promising path that I’m sure will enhance her future role in society very well, Your Highness.”
Tamara blinked, stunned by that ambiguous comment. Had Ms. Hendricks just…had the headmistress covered for her?
The stern headmistress continued. “Her manners and etiquette couldn’t be more elegant. She has good poise and speaks well in front of others when it is required of her.” The headmistress turned and smiled at someone coming through the doorway. “Ah! Here is Ms. Dunworthy,” she said. “This is her dormitory guide. Ms. Dunworthy, His Highness is concerned about Tamara’s classes. He’s here to ensure that she’s heading in the right direction for her future role as a wife.”
Tamara cringed, hating that everyone knew what was expected of her. As she watched, Ms. Dunworthy’s eyes hardened, her shoulders stiffened. For a moment, Tamara was confused.
Then Ms. Dunworthy, always the epitome of elegance and manners, turned to Tamara’s father and…lied!
Okay, sort of lied. But she was magnificent!
“Your Highness, we’ve worked with Tamara to ensure that all of her classes are appropriate for her future role. We haven’t scheduled the napkin folding class, or the classes that explore correct seating chart control, but never fear, we are nothing if not thorough at The Burling School. We have many occasions where Tamara is required to demonstrate and improve upon her skills as a hostess and wife.” She folded her hands in front of her
and smiled blandly. “Never fear, Your Highness. By the time Tamara leaves The Burling School, she will be quite prepared for everything life might throw at her, plus she will do it with elegance and beauty.”
Tamara tried very hard to hide her surprise…and her amusement…at Ms. Dunworthy’s words. Hoping for a bland expression, she turned to face her father once again, needing to see his reaction.
The man simply nodded, not even bothering to look at his daughter. “Excellent,” he replied. “The Burling School came highly recommended to me as a place where my daughter’s more,” he paused, as if thinking, then went on, “…stubborn and unwoman-like inclinations could be channeled on a more appropriate path. I am encouraged to hear that those recommendations were true.” With that, he shifted and nodded towards the headmistress, but not at Tamara and Ms. Dunworthy. A moment later, he walked out of the office. The three women watched, silently, through the window of Ms. Hendricks’s office window, as the man walked down the stone steps of the building, then ducked into the back of a limousine. Moments later, he and his entourage drove off.
Only then did the three women breathe a sigh of relief. “Good grief!” Ms. Hendricks groaned as she sat down heavily in her chair. “What a sexist…!” she stopped and looked towards Tamara. “I apologize, Tamara. That was ill-mannered of me.”
Ms. Dunworthy smiled as she sat down as well, waving to the other chair for Tamara to sit. “So, your father thinks that we’re training you to become a wife?”
Tamara’s chin lifted. “That was his goal,” she told both ladies, her eyes daring them to change her class schedule.
“And yet, you are in all of the most advanced classes,” Ms. Dunworthy replied contemplatively. Tilting her head, she asked, “Am I to assume that becoming a good, well-mannered wife is not your personal goal?”
Tamara stiffened, looking warily at both women before answering. “My goal is to become a positive, productive member of society. And although I love Nadir, I don’t intend to return to my country. I…can’t,” she replied, stumbling on that last word as if it pained her. “If I go back to Nadir, I will be measured for my wedding dress.”
Tamara looked towards both women, waiting for their reactions. Although, she wasn’t fully prepared for the admiration shining in either woman’s eyes, it felt…good!
“Well, then I suspect we need to prepare you for your personal path!” Ms. Dunworthy announced, then smiled towards the headmistress who was also smiling with delight.
A half hour later, Tamara walked into her dorm room that was silent, since the rest of the girls were still in class. For a long time, she simply stood there, a strange sensation filling her. Was this what empowerment felt like? Approval? She loved studying hard and earning high marks on her exams and projects. But this…this was different. This felt…liberating!
“Are you okay?” an almost belligerent voice asked.
Tamara turned and looked in the doorway. Cassy stood there, her books held in front of her chest like a shield. They weren’t friends, but ever since that afternoon in the lunch room, when Genevieve had lied about Cassy and the night of the dance, there’d been a sort of detente between the two groups of friends. Tamara and Cassy might never be bosom buddies, but there wasn’t the animosity that had previously existed between them.
“I’m fine,” Tamar said, then smiled brightly. “Thanks for asking.”
Before anything else could be said, there was a loud banging as the rest of the students hurried to their rooms. Classes were over for the day and everyone had ninety minutes before the dinner bell rang. It was homework time. Decompression time. And everyone was a bit relieved for the break because the classes and expectations here at the school were demanding.
Cassy nodded, then turned and headed into her room across the hall from Tamara’s. Lana and Willow rushed up the stairs, then burst into their shared room. “What happened?” Willow asked, tossing her book bag carelessly onto her bed before standing in front of Tamara. The stance was belligerent and someone might assume that Willow was ready to do battle. And Tamara knew that the assumption wouldn’t be too far off from the mark. But they wouldn’t understand that Willow…and now Lana…were ready to do battle for her. For Tamara! And it felt really good to have friends that were willing to take on the world for her!
Chapter 6
“Class dismissed!” Ms. Dunworthy announced. She then turned concerned eyes on Tamara. “Are you okay? You look a little…anxious.”
Willow pasted a smile on her features and nodded. “Absolutely! I’m fine,” she lied, pretending that her friends from chemistry class didn’t recognize the fake smile and ask her about it. It was too humiliating to admit, but Willow was desperately trying to figure out how to avoid going home for the holidays.
So instead, she headed towards her dorm room, wondering if Ms. Dunworthy would allow her to stay here at the school instead.
As soon as she reached her room, she flopped back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling.
“What’s wrong?” Tamara demanded as soon as she stepped into the room.
Willow lifted her head up to glance at Tamara and moved her feet out of the way seconds before her friend flopped down on the small bed beside her. “Holidays,” she grumbled.
Lana burst into the room with her normal exuberance and did the same, tossing her books onto her bed, then coming over to jump on Willow’s. By that point there wasn’t much room and Willow laughed at the ridiculous way all three of them were contorting their bodies.
“Tell me what’s wrong!” Lana demanded, pulling her out-of-control curls up on top of her head.
“We don’t want to go home for the holidays,” Tamara explained. “Personally, if I never go home again, I’d be fine,” she continued, even though Tam had been regaling Lana and Willow about the sunrises in Nadir the previous night. Her resistance to return home had nothing to do with her love for her country and everything to do with avoiding an arranged marriage to a man she didn’t know.
Lana’s eyes widened with excitement. “Then come home with me!” she gasped, sitting up, causing her curls to dance merrily around her beautiful features.
Tamara and Willow both snorted. “Right. And ruin your family holiday? No way!”
Lana laughed, waving her hand dismissively. “First of all, both of you coming home with me would be a lot of fun and would make Christmas so much better. I’d love to share my family’s traditions with you and I know that my father would absolutely love to get to know both of you better. I talk about you guys all the time during our phone conversations, so it just makes sense that you come home with me. I’m pretty sure that he thinks you two are figments of my imagination.” She laughed as if she’d said something funny. “But also, I know that you both don’t want to go home, so come with me. We’ll have a ton of fun! Besides, my dad is all furious about some business deal that he lost to some guy. The last time I spoke to my dad on the phone, he was ranting about the same upstart guy who had tricked him out of something or other. I wasn’t really paying much attention since this particular man has been driving my father crazy for a while now.”
“Won’t your father mind if he’s invaded by strangers when he’s trying to resolve a business issue?” Tamara asked. “My father hates it when anyone messes up his plans and screams until the whole palace is miserable.”
Lana grinned, her dimples coming out as she shook her head. “No, in fact, my father absolutely loves to entertain, so you’d actually be doing him, and me, a favor by coming. He’ll be so excited to have house guests that he’ll shift out of grouchy-mode and into host-mode.”
Willow blinked, not sure how to handle an invitation such as Lana’s offer. “He…he doesn’t already have plans for the holidays? He’s not going to visit…friends?” she asked. Her father didn’t really have friends. He had leeches that he considered to be friends.
Lana knew what Willow was asking and put a gentle hand on Willow’s arm. “My dad has many friends, but he’ll love bot
h of you.” She wrinkled her nose as she continued, “My father might not know how to stop this bully that keeps stealing his business, but he’s a wonderful host. You’ll be honorary daughters for the holidays!”
Both Willow and Tamara looked at each other, then almost at the same moment, they agreed. But not with words. Nope, that wasn’t their way. Instead, they nodded and…
Lana didn’t have enough time to escape before both Tamara and Willow piled on top of her, tickling her and kissing her everywhere. They were a giggling mess of arms, legs, hair and laughter.
Chapter 7
“Bampas!” Lana gasped, walking into the living room to kiss her father goodnight.
Instantly, her father whipped the cigar out of his mouth, trying to hide it behind his back. “I thought you were in bed, agapitos.”
Lana glared at her father, then let her eyes drop to the glass of scotch in his other hand. “The doctor told you that you should quit smoking and decrease your alcohol intake. From what I’ve seen, you’ve done neither.” She paused and glared at her dad, crossing her arms over her chest as she waited for her father’s response.
“Pah!” her father snorted. “Doctor’s don’t know everything, agape mou.”
Her mouth fell open and she stepped deeper into his study. “Bampas, you know that I love you and I need you to take care of yourself. And yes, doctors know a lot more about your health than what you seem to understand.” Walking over to him, she lifted up onto her toes and kissed his round cheek. “I love you, Bampas. And I need you around for years and years! Besides, if you don’t take care of yourself, who is going to show that guy, what’s his name, Anastas, that you’re the ultimate business man?”
Her father pulled his cigar around again, puffing on it several times. “Don’t mention that man’s name in my presence,” Higar replied. “You can speak of anyone, but not that man!”
Forbidden Seduction (The Diamond Club Book 12) Page 13
