Nauseating.
Kendall stood beside her parents, watching as her older brother, Brandon, paraded through the streets of Coser on his chestnut horse, Apollo. Neighbors and passers-by stopped to watch and wave, and he rewarded them with a dazzling smile.
"Brandon's back!" people everywhere called, the announcement spreading like wildfire. It had been four years since her brother had left to join the guard and find honor and glory. Somehow, he had gone from being a nobody to beating out knights and warriors in big city tournaments. A rising star, everyone said of him. From what Kendall could see, it seemed that the attention had gone to his head
Next door, Lindsay Bridges scuttled out to have a look. She was older than Kendall, married since last year. Her husband traveled often, so she often liked to pass her time by coming over to the Moores'. "Your brother's gotten even more handsome," she commented, with a smirk.
"Don't let him hear you say that."
Lindsay cocked her pale head, giving a wistful sigh. "If only circumstances had been different ... perhaps I might have been your sister-in-law."
"You always say that, but you know you don't mean it."
"He wouldn't be around anymore than Parker, so what would it matter?" She sighed, shaking her head. "Four years, and your brother's still not married."
"I don't know what he's waiting for."
"I think your brother's more interested in winning tournaments than winning a wife. A real shame." They watched as Brandon dismounted, who was seized in an embrace by his mother even before his feet had properly touched the ground. She planted a kiss on her son's cheek, clinging to him as if afraid to let him go. Brandon blushed but allowed the gesture of affection.
A group of young girls appeared with outstretched hands, eager to touch Coser's golden boy.
'Welcome back, Brandon!'
'We heard all about your victory!'
'You must have so much to tell!'
"Ladies, please," he piped up, raising his hands. "There'll be time for all that later. For now, family comes first. Forgive me."
A collective sigh of disappointment went up, his admirers looking forlorn.
"Please excuse us," Brandon said, draping an arm over his mother's shoulders and leading the way inside.
Kendall nodded up the walk. "Are you coming, Lindsay?"
"I wouldn't want to intrude."
"Oh, come now. You know we don't mind." She paused, glancing over the crowd of heartsick neighborhood girls still standing around. "Sorry, girls," she told them. "That's my brother for you."
"We understand," Rosemary Beck responded. "He cares about his family."
"Well, he's - "
"A dutiful son. And no doubt he would be a dutiful husband and father too."
"Exactly!" another girl agreed, and they began nodding their heads together like chickens. Or turkeys?
"No, he just doesn't care," Kendall tried to discourage them, but it was no use. They were too caught up in buzzing amongst themselves to listen to her.
Kendall shook her head, starting to turn away, but just then, Rosemary reached out and gripped her wrist. "Please tell your brother that we are so happy to have him back and that we are thinking of him."
Kendall could hear Lindsay struggling to hold in a laugh next to her. "Right, I'll be sure to do that."
"Promise?" she asked hopefully.
"Cross my heart."
"Thank you, Kendall. Bless you."
No, no, unbless me! She smiled tightly, extricating the girl's fingers from her wrist and running away with Lindsay at her heels. As soon as they had the door shut behind them, she let relief wheeze out of her lungs. "Vultures."
"You're like a gatekeeper. A gatekeeper to the paradise that is Brandon Moore."
"Ugh. This is like school all over again."
"What do you mean?"
"Girls trying to be my friend just to get to him. Girls passing me scented love letters and chocolates for him. One time, Rosemary Beck offered me money to bring him somewhere so she would be able to 'accidentally' bump into him."
"Are you serious? You never told me all that."
"You'd be surprised what girls would think up."
"Well, you can't really blame them. He's the town hero."
"And just my luck that I have to be his sister."
"Matchmaking isn't to your taste, is it?
"No." She frowned, remembering her little agreement with Lilith Harper yesterday. She was no matchmaker, that was for sure, but it might not hurt to start figuring out how to establish her own match. The clock was ticking.
"Maybe you should consider it, Kendall. I mean, you do realize that once your brother marries, all of this will stop."
Kendall stared at the older girl for a minute. "You know, you're right."
"Of course I'm right."
"But I don't really know anyone who could be suitable for him."
"How about Rosemary Beck? She seems very eager."
"Not on your life! Whoever he marries is going to become part of the family. It should be someone I can tolerate being in the same room with."
"Well, good. At least that narrows it down. A lot."
"Kendall!" she heard her mother calling from the dining room. "Come and sit with us."
Kendall followed the sound of her mother's voice, with Lindsay right beside her. They walked past the archway, coming into a small but pretty room, the walls taken up by rows and rows of glass shelves and several watercolors of intricate flower arrangements. Her mother was fond of pretty things, perhaps a little too fond.
"Hello, Lindsay," Brandon greeted, doing a bow of his head. "It's nice to see you. You look lovely as always."
Lindsay grinned with pleasure, and Kendall had to elbow her friend to snap her out of it.
"Have a seat, dear," her mother offered, and Lindsay sat down happily. "I'll make us some tea. Brandon, I can get Kendall to run out to the bakery and buy your favorite cake if you like."
Kendall widened her eyes, surprised.
Brandon shook his head, amused. "No, it's alright, Mother. You don't have to do that."
"See?" Kendall said. "He says it's alright."
"You're a lazy one, Kendall. How often does your brother come home, hmm?"
She didn’t answer, watching as her mother disappeared into the kitchen. Actually, she'd been thinking more about how expensive that cake was, not that her parents cared. They believed that money was meant to be spent and enjoyed, and Kendall knew better than to try and tell them otherwise. She was the youngest in this house and used to having her words ignored.
"You look good," her father said from his chair at the head of the table, out of politeness. It had been four years, but he still seemed sore about Brandon's decision to leave and play hero rather than stay and help with the family business.
"Thank you, Father," Brandon answered. "It's good to be home."
Their father said nothing else, folding his arms and staring at the tablecloth.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Brandon said, jumping up. "I brought back gifts."
Gifts? Despite herself, Kendall's curiosity was piqued.
Brandon reached into one of his bags, rifling for a while until he came up with something small, silver and square-shaped. "Father, this is for you," he said, handing him the gift.
Mr. Moore held the box in his hands, squinting through his eye-glasses. "What is this?"
"A pipe case. Handcrafted by this man who's eighty and blind in one eye, can you believe it?"
Their father brought the piece closer to his face, almost kissing it. He popped the lid, feeling the velvety insides and picking up a matching silver pipe. He rolled it between his fingers for a while, making that face he did when he inspected new goods in the store. "Yes, it is fine workmanship."
"I knew you'd like it," Brandon said, although his smile seemed a little nervous to Kendall. He swept a shock of dark brown hair from his forehead, reaching for his next gift. He produced something curved that gleamed, placing it carefully and delicately on the table. The rest of them leaned over to get a better look.
"Forget-me-nots, set in glass, to symbolize eternal beauty. I thought Mother would like it."
"Let me guess," Kendall said. "This was made by that man's wife, who's deaf-mute and only has one arm."
"What?"
She chuckled, but no one else laughed with her. "Just a joke," she mumbled, frowning.
"I'm sure she'll love it," Lindsay said, just as Kendall's mother walked in with a tray of cups. She set them down, and her eye went straight to the bulb-shaped trinket.
"Mother," Brandon said, scooping it up with both hands. He went round the table, taking up one of her hands and placing it in her palm. "This is for you. Just a little something from my travels."
She looked down at it, a hand flying to her mouth. "This is for me?"
"Mmhmm."
"It's - it's beautiful," she whispered. "I've never seen anything like it."
"Tell her what it symbolizes," Lindsay urged.
"Eternal beauty. And also those are forget-me-nots, because I could never, ever forget you."
Mrs. Moore looked up at him, a weepy smile making her lips bob up and down. She wrapped her arms around her son, squeezing him tightly. "You are the best son a mother could ask for."
"And you're the best mother I could ask for."
"Aw," Lindsay went, while Kendall rolled her eyes and reached for a cup of tea. "What did you get for your sister?"
"Oh. Let me show you." He slipped out of his mother's embrace, returning to his bags. With great care, he extracted an object and held it out to Kendall. Kendall looked down, becoming as wide-eyed as the encased doll in his hands. "It's a ... doll."
"Do you like it?"
Kendall gazed up at him, seeing that his smile was sincere. He had left four years ago, so in his mind, she must still be thirteen. "It's lovely," she made herself say, accepting. The doll stared back at her from inside its case, porcelain-faced, with dark, curly hair and an exquisite, ruffled forest-green dress. Kendall placed the gift beside her cup, still mulling over it while her brother smiled at Lindsay. "You know, I might have something for you too."
"Who, me? Really?"
He held up a finger, then pulled something off his wrist, holding it out to her. It was a bright red woven bracelet. "My good luck charm."
"Oh, then I couldn't possibly - "
"Please, I want you to have it. Good luck has to be shared, or it turns bad."
"I've never heard that before," Kendall commented.
"I heard it quite a few times from people I met. I know it sounds superstitious but I think it's got a nice sentiment."
Shyly, Lindsay took the bracelet, clutching it to her chest. "Thank you. It's wonderful."
"Lindsay, dear, your tea's turning cold," Kendall's mother said, pushing her cup nearer to her.
"What? Oh, yes, thank you."
Brandon took a seat, fiddling with the knots at top of his shirt, loosening the collar slightly. "So, has a lot happened in Coser while I've been away?"
"Nothing particularly interesting," his mother said. "We went to the Townsends' last night for a dance. It was terribly crowded."
"And boring," Kendall added, a bit too quickly.
Her mother turned, setting brown eyes on her. "You were nowhere to be found most of the night."
"I was ... mingling."
"It's true," Lindsay agreed. "I hardly saw you."
"I don't like going to those dances."
"Well, you know how it is. We have to go. People will talk if we don't."
People. That was all they cared about - what people thought or said. It was like being dolls, she thought, glancing at Brandon's present. Dolls had no minds of their own. They just did whatever they were made to do.
Brandon was leaning back in his chair, lightly circling his cup on its saucer. He hadn't taken a drink, but their mother hadn't said anything about his tea going cold. He cleared his throat, risking a glance at his father. "And ... how's the business?"
Their father didn't meet his eye, focusing on cracking some biscuits, crumbs spilling all over the table. "Could be better."
"Business has been a little slow, but I'm sure it'll pick up soon," their mother said.
They had been saying that since before Brandon had left. Kendall eyed her brother, realizing something. He did not know about the secret debt to the Harpers. She'd only found out two years ago, and even then, it had been by accident through overhearing her parents grumbling about it.
She gazed at her brother, wondering what he would think if he knew. He wouldn't like it, for sure. He thought the Harpers arrogant too, and it would probably hurt his pride.
"I didn't realize," he said quietly. "What about the money I sent back?"
"Oh, yes, it was very helpful," their mother said cheerily.
Helpful in being spent on things they didn't need, like fancy shoes, new curtains, or ornaments that 'would look so pretty in our house, don't you think?', as her mother would say. Kendall hated to think of just how much money was going out each month and how little was coming in. Really, she had had enough of this. She pushed back her chair, and everyone looked up. "I'm feeling a little tired. I'm going to go lie down."
Her mother nodded, and she slipped away gratefully. A few minutes later, she was in her bedroom, sitting by the window. Her room faced out to the stables, where Sky, her golden mare with a snow-white mane, was peeping out from her stall at Apollo.
Years ago, Sky had been her brother's horse, a birthday gift from their parents when things had been better. To be fair, Brandon hadn't been selfish, and had taught Kendall to ride in the woods behind their home. When it became obvious that Sky had formed a deeper bond with Kendall, he didn't even grow jealous. A few years later, Brandon spent all his savings on a good sword and a new horse, and rode off for the city. Before he left, he told her that Sky, the fastest horse in Coser, was now hers.
Kendall smiled as she watched Sky crane her neck to try and get a sniff of the unfamiliar horse. She might not have much in her life, especially compared to someone like Lilith Harper, but Sky was her pride and joy. Kendall longed to be out past the trees on Sky's back, crossing the fields at full speed and leaving Coser behind, if only just for a little while. She knew she couldn't do that though. To step out when her parents' beloved son had just come home would be asking for trouble.
There was a knock at the door, and she called, "Yes?"
"Hellooo," Lindsay cooed. "May I come in?"
She nodded, and Lindsay slipped inside, easing the door behind her. She came over, handing out the green-gowned doll, the gift from Brandon.
"Just put it over there," Kendall said, gesturing at her desk, and Lindsay set the case down near the edge. "I still can't believe he got me a doll."
"I think it's sweet."
"Of course you do. You think everything he does is sweet."
"He is sweet, and you know it." She dropped into the armchair along the wall, draping her arms over the sides. She was a tall, lanky girl, all long limbs and freckled skin. And there was a playful innocence to her features that tended to make Kendall forget that she was a few years older. Kendall peered at a hazy reflection of herself in the window, seeing a small (no, petite!) girl with mounds of wild dark hair and big eyes in a pale face. How was a girl like her supposed to out-marry Lilith Harper?
"Everything alright, Kendall? You look worried about something."
"I am." She pulled up her knees, fiddling with a loose string on her dress. "Um, I did something. Something that might have been a little foolish."
"Uh oh. You didn't murder someone, did you?"
Kendall ignored that. "You have to promise not to tell a soul."
"Alright. You have my word."
Kendall dropped her gaze, frowning as she tried to get the words out. "I made a bet."
"A bet?"
"With Lilith Harper."
"Ooh, interesting," Lindsay went, dragging her chair closer. "Go on."
"Over at the Townsends' yesterday, Grace, Rae and I were talking to Lilith, and she was being a snob as usual, saying that I would never get married."
"I'm sure she didn't mean that."
"She thinks that because she's the town beauty, any man would want to marry her at the drop of a hat. She doesn't realize what people really think of her - that she's snooty and arrogant. With her and her family's expectations, they'll never find someone who measures up. Remember Logan?"
"I remember."
"Poor Logan. It was obvious he was heartbroken, that's why he had to move away."
"I'm sure he's married to another girl by now. Probably has kids."
Lindsay was likely right, Kendall realized. She had a memory of Logan when she was around eleven or twelve, tickling her to cheer her up after she'd had an argument with her mother. She blushed as she remembered the way his hands had darted over her sides and stomach, and how he had yanked her to him so she couldn't get away. She had laughed until she'd had tears in her eyes, but God, how she had wished he would not stop.
She had never told anyone about her crush on Logan Shaw, not even Lindsay. When he had left, she had buried her feelings and put on a smile instead, wishing him luck through gritted teeth. Now, she pretended to shrug as she said, "Well, good for him. I say he made a lucky escape."
"The Harpers aren't all bad. You like the twins."
"Viola, maybe. Not Emma – she seems a lot like her older sister. As for the father .... " Kendall grimaced to show what she thought.
"Mmm, have to agree with you there. But you know, I think a lot of it began after Lilith's mother died."
"No, no, there's no excuse for being a lousy human being. No excuse in the world."
"Can you blame her for turning out the way she did, growing up with a father like that?"
Kendall fingered a dark brown curl around her finger, making a conceding face. "It would explain a lot. I'm glad he's not my father. I mean, no amount of money in the world would make up for that."
Lindsay nodded, before blinking curiously. "So what's this about a bet?"
Kendall drew a long breath. "I bet that I could find a husband before her."
Lindsay stared at her, sitting perfectly still. "You didn't."
"I did."
"We're talking about Lilith Harper."
"Yes, I know! But, look, I'm tired of everyone treating her as if she were the queen of Coser. It's high time someone knocked her off her high horse."
"And that someone is you?"
Kendall slipped off the cushions, standing before her friend. "I know I'm no Lilith Harper, but I'm an intelligent, sophisticated young woman, aren't I?"
"You're certainly not modest."
"What Lilith will never understand is that there are some things more important than money. All I need is a good man who is intelligent, funny and not too tall that I have to stand on my toes to kiss him. That's the kind of man I'm going to marry, not some lord's son with everything handed to him on a silver platter. I'm going to win and - "
"And what?"
"And - and nothing. I'm going to win and that's it. I will get to enjoy gloating rights for the rest of my life."
"Gloating rights." Lindsay made a roll of her eyes. "You can't put a price on that."
"Exactly."
"And just where will you dig up this husband-to-be of yours? This man who is intelligent, funny and cannot exceed a certain height?"
Kendall rested her arms on her hips, furrowing her brow. "Yes, well, I've been thinking about that. No promising candidates as yet."
"Lilith Harper has connections. Her social circle is ten times ours."
"It's not about quantity, it's about quality."
"That only applies when you have something to work with! I think I can count on one hand the number of eligible men around our age in this town, and I don't think I even need all my fingers."
"I'll think of something. I will."
"You'd better think fast."
"Just keep your eyes peeled, and let me know if you come up with any ideas. Maybe we missed someone."
"Like the undertaker, perhaps."
"Not funny."
"At the same time, you want to get your brother wedded while he's in Coser."
Kendall sighed. "There is too much to do."
"Well, this is what I like about you, Kendall. You always keep things interesting. When I start having children though, you are to stay far away from them. You'd be a terrible influence."
"Why does everyone say that about me?"
"Because it's true."
"Things are going to have to change."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning me. I need to change. I need to be more like a lady so men will start taking me seriously."
"You??"
Kendall shot her a warning look. "You're starting to sound like Lilith."
"It's just that I like you the way you are."
"I like the way I am too, but that hasn't worked out for me so far."
"You can't change yourself for the sake of a bet, Kendall."
"I can and I will." If this is what it takes to clear our debt, it'll be worth it.