Masquerade ✔

Chapter 20

Clara sat with Amyeliana up on the roof. She had come home that day desperate to finally tell someone about everything that had been going on. She told Amyeliana everything that had happened with both Harrison and Araminta, and practically stunned the teenager into silence.

"Wow," she finally said. "So, you kissed her fiancé, she found out about it, and she's fine with it?"

Clara threw up her hands in frustration. "I don't know," she exclaimed. "Apparently? The whole thing just feels very weird to me."

"Good. I'd be concerned if you weren't weirded out by it." Amyeliana shook her head. "I can't imagine what Harrison would think if he found out."

"He won't," Clara said sharply. "And let's be honest, it's a secret that's worth my job."

"You don't feel bad about lying to him?"

"Of course, I do. But telling the truth won't get him out of the marriage, and it'll get me fired. Even if him knowing the truth would get him out of marrying Araminta, it wouldn't be worth losing my job. I need, we need, the money more than he needs, well, anything." Her words were harsh, but Clara knew they were true.

"I suppose. But, I mean, how are you doing with it? It can't be easy, especially given that you like him."

"I don't like him," Clara argued, but even she didn't believe her own words.

"You only say that because you know you can't like him," Amyeliana retorted. "But that doesn't mean that you actually don't."

"I keep my job this way," Clara said firmly. "And it's not like I'm hurting anyone."

"No, I suppose not." Amyeliana sighed. "You haven't told Ezra about any of this, have you?"

"No, absolutely not," Clara said, shaking her head. "No point, it'll all be over when the wedding happens. And it would just cause him to worry. Which is why I'm counting on you not to say anything, either."

"Oh, trust me, I have no intention to," Amyeliana said. "He and Archibald got in a fight before you got home."

"Really? What happened?" Clara turned her thoughts back to when she first got home. She had only seen Ezra, but figured Archibald was sleeping.

"Over the construction site," Amyeliana said. "The recruiters came to his factory today, and he talked to them. He didn't take a job or anything, but when we got home and told Ezra about it, Ezra lost it and basically forbid him from accepting it."

Clara pursed her lips. She knew exactly why Ezra did what he did, but she also knew it wouldn't do anything but infuriate Archibald. "Which in turn made Archibald angry because he sees Ezra working there and hating it less than factory work and getting paid more?"

"Precisely."

Clara sighed. "I'll talk to him later," she said. "He'll calm down. And Ezra and I already talked about it; if everything checks out with the company, Archibald can always get a job with them later."

Amyeliana didn't reply, and Clara couldn't see her face to tell what she was thinking. "What's wrong?"

"Have you been by the construction site lately?" Amyeliana asked.

Clara shook her head. "Not since before the demolition."

"I think you should."

"You pass it on the way to work, right?"

Amyeliana nodded.

Clara didn't like how worried she was about this. "Alright," Clara said. She got up. "I'm going now."