Curse of Rose de Winter

Chapter 18

When dinner ended, I waited for Dylan in his study. I had the key to it now, because Dylan told me it was best to not let people see me loitering around. I sat at his desk and remembered when it was just us, him teaching me about the de Winter family. It felt so far away, as now it was warm. Summer would come soon. I was officially Blanche and somehow, I regretted it.

I had all the treatment I wanted, talking to rich girls like I grew up like them, had a daddy to pay for my college tuition. The maids always dressed me and made me pretty, and Dylan was buying accessories and dresses to make me his ideal Blanche. I was supposed to be happy—

The door opened and I looked up. Dylan nodded in acknowledgment.

"Rose. How were the sisters?"

"My cousins, you mean. They were easy to converse to."

"I'm glad," he said, taking off his outer jacket. He tossed it to me, and I caught it. His cologne was there, slightly musky but also feminine, like some spring breeze.

"I'm worn out," he continued. "Austen made me invite the families for his daughters, you know, they are of age. I heard Angel had been playing around with boys and Austen wanted her officially engaged already. Sixteen, if I'm not wrong."

"Is that really why?"

Dylan's hand stopped midway as he loosened his tie. He looked down at me in the seat.

"Ah, you think I'm trying to marry you off?"

Dylan sighed before he finally loosened his tie and pulled it out from his head.

"You don't tie your tie?" I asked.

He looked at me in surprise. "Well, I'm clumsy with my fingers, and my butler and valet Hughes is still on leave. He should be returning in a while."

"I can tie ties." I looked at him, and he sighed.

"You can't meet me every morning to tie a tie. You've got much more pressing matters, as Ruby is returning to sleep with you. Watch out for Claribel—she's plotting something, but I don't know what. And Olivia, she's been controlling Austen's every move."

"Is everyone in the de Winter house like this? Villain or victim?" I asked.

He smiled a little, ironically. "It's the Curse of the de Winter blood. We are greedy, we want money, and the men either love cruel women, or never love."

"Which section would you fall into?" I asked with a smirk. He closed his eyes.

"I wonder. But on the day of the ball, Rose, I want you to dance with me and not leave my side. Vaughn found out something when he was questioning Abraham Whitecross—he was paid by someone to do it. Won't say the name."

"He was paid? He was bribed to assault me?" I felt coldness at once and my eyes couldn't focus. My hands scratched one another and then Dylan walked over. He crouched down until he looked up.

"He was bribed to rape you, actually. But he couldn't. He said he decided to assault you and keep you quiet would be better, but I have a feeling you're in great danger, so don't leave me. Please."

I looked at his face, earnest and somehow neither Asian nor Caucasian, eyes long and jawline prominent, as well as his tall nose and thin lips. I draped his jacket over his arm.