Visions (The Daevas #2)

12 | Too Much

Your cousin,

Edmund

My eyes go wide with excitement. I am mirthful, oh I am! I will be seeing my sister in a few days! 'Tis wonderful.

"We ought to prepare for Anne's stay here," I say to my husband, still looking at the paper in my hands. Already, I am becoming the mistress who is in command of the household. "We shall let her stay in the north tower where we are staying, so that she can be close to me. Oh Anne loves lilies, and so I shall tell the maids to take plenty from the garden to be placed in her guest bedchamber. She also loves red, so I will tell them to put glorious red coverlet on her bed and drapes.

We have a beautiful scarlet arras with the gold linings. She will love that, I am certain!" I stand up from the bed and wear my yellow robe. Absentmindedly, I tie the ropes around my waist while I am still talking about my sister's comfort and stay here. "I will tell Cook to make a glorious feast for us and some good games and entertainment to be done tomorrow. Anne loves to ride horses and play backgammon. I can take her to the garden for her to see my beautiful roses -- oh wait, Anne is not much fond of gardening, is she? D'you know, love, that Anne loves to hunt? 'Tis shocking indeed, but she is quite unique. What say you, husband? Is it not a delight that my sister is to be here?" I look up at him, sitting on the bed, and smile. But my smile slowly fades away as I see his expression. He is staring blankly on the coverlet, and he isn't moving.

"George? Why are you..." I do not continue what I will be seeing, for I am going beside him. I touch his arm with a hand, kneeling on the floor, with my other hand dropping the letter on the bed, threading my hair into his silky, cropped dark hair. "What has you so upset?"

He slowly looks at me and smiles wanly. "I am all right, Venise," he says unconvincingly. "I am just too occupied with the work that I must complete in my study. I am sure things will go smoothly and that Anne will enjoy her time here with you. Now," he cups my face in his hands and kisses me gently, "I must get ready for I have myriads of work to do. You get ready as well so you can prepare early."

I nod my head in agreement, but still, I am curious about all this. Ever since he and George snuck to see us outside our home nearly three months ago, my husband has been fidgety and out of thought when it comes to Anne. I wonder what happened to them. I certainly do not know why George is not in good terms with my sister -- though I am sure, with Anne, she has nothing against George -- but I will soon find out. I will.

But for now, I must prepare for Anne's stay here. I miss her so terribly. They say that the Dauntless, when siblings, have this instant bond that will never end. But when it does end, there will always be rivalry between them that can never be mended forever. And I am afraid of that. Even Anne is too.

And that will never happen to us.

☆☆☆☆☆

"Anne!" I nearly screech, running towards her, as I gather my kirtle in one hand. She runs to meet me and embraces me like we have not seen each other for ten years rather than nearly three months. We giggle like school girls, and I look over my shoulder to her belongings, which I tell a page to carry.

"A week with you, sister!" I exclaim, grinning. "'Tis all very joyous, I must confess."

Anne smiles her sly little smile. "Joyous indeed, I agree. Now where is my brother?"

"He is in his study, doing some work."

She rolls her eyes. "God's teeth, even George, who is so very lively, is doing dreadful work. Just like Edmund doing his arithmetic and writing letters in Latin to the king and all those nonsense!"