A Taste of Candor

Chapter 14

~Tahlia.

By the time my outing with Declan had run its course and we scooted into a taxi to return me home, I could confidently assert I had not had such fun in months. The food had been delicious, the music, delightful, and Declan himself, the best company I could ask for. He showed himself to be kind, considerate, and adorably naive at times.

All too soon, the taxi eased to a stop outside my home, and upon settling my gaze on the well-lit face, I found my stomach churning. My parents still hadn't returned from their visit when I had left, so if they knew my whereabouts, they had heard from the servants instead of myself. And the fact I'd gone under their noses in this manner for a Candorian man certainly wouldn't speak in my favor. In a moment, I regretted ever going.

In my somber contemplation, I'd failed to notice Declan had exited his side of the vehicle to open my door for me. The cab door swung open, and my eyes ascended to meet his pleasant face, hand outstretched to assist my stepping out. With a sigh and a strained smile, I took his hand and rose.

Neither of us spoke a word as we strode up to the front porch, and frankly, even if Declan had said anything, I likely would have had no words to reply with. My thoughts raced elsewhere.

But alas, we came up to the porch steps, and there Declan came to a stop. He turned to face me, and I followed suit, tilting my head up to look into his icy blue eyes. Distracted as I was, I gave him a kind smile. After all, the ordeal I was certain to endure inside was not at all his doing.

"Thank you for everything, Declan." I said in a quiet voice, "I had a lovely night."

He grinned. "Me too. You were great company. Thanks for coming."

"Any time. Have a pleasant remainder of your evening."

"Thanks, you too."

So with that, I turned to head inside, and after a moment's hesitation, Declan went back to the taxi. As I crossed the porch itself, I fished in my purse for my house keys, and after finding them, I let out a colossal sigh. A brief pause, and then I unlocked the door.

I swung the door open to find my parents seated beside each other on the stairway a little to the left of the door. Their faces may as well have been sculpted from stone, so cold and stern did they look. By the time I'd shut the door, my mother's visage had shifted from disappointment to sheer rage. I flinched when she suddenly rose up and reached over to snatch the white flower from my hair. She glared at the magnolia as if it had stabbed her, then glanced back at me.

"I demand an explanation for this, young lady!" Mother snapped. "Where have you been?"

"I ... had dinner with a gentleman, Mother."

"And who is this gentleman you have spoken nothing of?"

I hesitated a moment, which only seemed to intensify her anger. "Mr. Declan Otto, Mother. We ate at a diner ... and listened to a concert."

"And what did you do after that?" Mother demanded, eyes sweeping up and down my body in an implication I found repulsive.

"We came back here! I promise you, nothing untoward happened, Mother!" I exclaimed, irked she would think so lowly of me. I glanced at my father, who hadn't said a word yet and remained a seated and silent witness on the stairs. "I apologize profusely for not informing you of my plans, but—"

"How long have you been planning this ... outing? I cannot help but think you waited for your father and I to be away to do this thing. You simply had not accounted for us returning as early as we did."