Chapter 12
Vanessa came through a moment later. She didn't look angry. She looked pale.
"You told them," she said quietly, so only I could hear over the dishwasher.
"He told them I was clumsy," I said. "I just said what it was."
She stared at my bandages. Then she glanced back toward the ballroom door where Richard's voice had started again, louder, smoothing over the moment.
"He's humiliated," she whispered. "You know what that costs in there."
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"I know," I said. My hands were throbbing so hard I had to press them against the edge of the counter to keep still. "But I couldn't let her think I was careless with Sophie's clothes. I couldn't let them think that."
Vanessa didn't tell me I was wrong. She didn't tell me I was right either. She just nodded once, a tight, small movement, and went back out to stand at the wall while the dinner went on without me on the other side of the door.
