Beyond the Broken Angel

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Giselle gingerly took the box, lifting the necklace out and looking at it. "Where'd you get this from?"

"It was my mother's," he told her.

Her heart melted a little then. "Oh, Will. I can't—"

"Just put it on, Elle," Will said softly. "It'll look beautiful on you."

Giselle smiled at him as she slipped the necklace around her throat and clasping it behind her neck.

She felt the cool, silver pendant fall right at the start of her sternum. Will watched it hang there for longer than he should have before he pulled his eyes away and opened the passenger's door, ushering her inside.

The car ride to Edgar Kaufman's house was spent listening to Marguerite babble on about Jim Ludlow and asking Will for more information about the man that might help win her a shiny ring on her finger.

"He's just such a catch," Marguerite mused when they were halfway there. "So handsome and kind and rich. Heavens, I don't know what I'd do with myself if he doesn't marry me."

"Marguerite, I'm sure there are plenty of other wonderful men out there if it doesn't work out, and it doesn't matter if they're rich or not," Giselle couldn't help but say.

"Gah! You're one to talk," Marguerite teased. "You've got rich men coming out of the woodworks!"

"What are you talking about?" Giselle frowned, looking over her shoulder to Marguerite in the backseat.

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about," Marguerite smiled wickedly, her eyes cutting to Will before coming back to Giselle. "You've got suitors galore! Steven, Lawrence, and you don't even know how many men have asked me about you! Heavens, Giselle, you could probably get a proposal this very year if you want one. Honestly, I hope that it's Lawrence. He's a sweet man, someone I wouldn't mind settling down with if Jim Ludlow didn't have so much money."

"Don't be silly, Marguerite," Will said, his voice icy. "No one is going to propose to her."

"And why do you say that?" Marguerite challenged, backing him into a corner. Giselle watched it all unfold, letting the girl do her work for her. "Do you not think she's pretty enough or something?"

Will frowned. "I never said that."

"Is it her personality, then? Do you think she's total bore?"

"I never said that either."

"Well you're not denying it."

"And I'm not confirming it, either."

Marguerite rolled her eyes, shrugging at Giselle. Giselle turned back around, leaning her body away from Will and towards the window as she watched the dark trees shooting by turn into gates and then a beautiful courtyard as they drove up the long driveway to Edward Kaufman's house.

The house was larger than Dare Manor, and teemed with people funneling into the front door.

It took a while, but Will eventually found parking off to the side of the house. Marguerite was the first out of the car, not waiting for Will to come around and open her door like Giselle did.

Marguerite rushed ahead of Giselle and Will, eventually spotting one of her friends and joining their group.

"I don't feel like I'll be seeing much of her tonight," Giselle said.

"Not unless you want to smother Jim Ludlow like the rest of the single, unmarried women," Will joked, though his eyes seemed eager for her to respond.

"No, I definitely won't be smothering anyone." Will let out a breath. "Though, I might be keen on smothering Steven Sandoval if he is here," she said just for fun. She truly had no intent on doing anything with Steven.