The Stars Over Bittergate Bay

Chapter 23

23

“ S o, you found the picture and then what?” Delilah asked. Sidney couldn’t tell if she was actually paying attention. Her elbows were splayed on the table, one hand propped up her chin as the other flipped idly through a yellowed issue of Vogue.

“I mean, I didn’t ask a lot of questions.”

“But you did ask some?”

“Well,” Sidney hesitated, “it would have been strange not to ask any.”

“You mean ‘polite,’” Delilah said without looking up. “It would have been polite not to ask any.”

“Do you know which of the two men in that photograph he used to—” Delilah interrupted him with a snort.

“I may enjoy giving Jonas a hard time—not as much as you do, of course,” she added with a wink. Sidney rolled his eyes. “But that’s his story to tell, not mine.”

“But Delilah?—”

“He’s secretive, Sidney. He’s always been that way. And you bedding him isn’t going to change it. As a matter of fact, it might make it worse.”

“Why? What do you mean?” Sidney asked, trying to ignore the way anxiety churned his stomach. He really needed to eat. Delilah finally deigned to look at him, her lips pursed as she considered. When she spoke, she started with a sigh.

“Jonas believes, not always incorrectly, that people only bother getting close to him when they want something from him. You know, like you have with the telescope.”

“Uhh, no,” Sidney protested indignantly, even as the truth of what she said began to sink in. “That’s different! I’m— Karolina sent me here!”

“And now you’re using his library. And his knowledge. And his body, and his bed, and his?—”

“I’m not using him!” Sidney insisted. Delilah only hummed and tilted her chin down, her gaze back on the magazine. “Delilah, I like him.”

“Of course you do. He’s very likable. Even when he’s pretending not to be.”

“No, but—” She cut him off with a shrug.

“Genuinely, Sidney, it’s not what I think that matters.” Before he could ask her what Jonas might be thinking, there was a knock at the door. “Be a doll and get that, won’t you? If Jonas is sulking upstairs, he won’t hear it.” The knock came again and Sidney sighed and got to his feet.

He paused for a long moment in the foyer, watching the stairs to see if Jonas really wouldn’t come down. The bedroom door at the top of the landing was shut. With a deep breath, guilt swimming in his stomach, Sidney went to answer the door.

The woman on the stoop took a step back, and so did Sidney. She was strange and beautiful. Her hair was the color of moss, and the tips of her tawny ears were pointed and pierced with shining gold links. She was short and full-figured, her waist pulled in by a wide black belt. Everything she wore was black. A turtleneck sweater did nothing to diminish the impressive size of her bustline, and sharply skirt and patent pointed heels put him in mind of the secretary of the dean of the astronomy department. Her mossy hair was pinned back, dark eyeliner in two sharp slashes at the corner of her eyes all came together to make Sidney feel quite like he was about to be reprimanded for turning in his supply request for the semester two days after the deadline.

“Hello,” Sidney said.

“Where’s Jonas?” the woman asked, her voice a stern flute, snappish and arch.

“He’s indisposed,” Sidney hedged. The woman’s brow furrowed.

“I see. Who are you then?”

“I’m Sidney Quince,” Sidney returned. “Who are you?”

“Ellery Van Ahlberg, personal assistant to his royal highness Prince Asterion of Andurnei.” Maybe Sidney was supposed to be intimidated by the full title, but it only annoyed him more.

“Is there something I can do for you or his majesty?” Sidney glanced over her head, to see if perhaps ‘His Majesty’ was in attendance. Asterion was one of the men from the picture in the attic and Sidney’s curiosity was piqued, in spite of himself. Ellery Van Ahlberg narrowed her eyes.

“Do you live here, Mr. Quince?”

“Temporarily,” Sidney said, which was probably mostly untrue. Before he could decide whether or not he wanted to clarify, Ellery leaned into the house and inhaled deeply, her nose not more than six inches from Sidney’s chest. Then she leaned back and looked at him again, her lips pursed. “Can I…” Sidney trailed off, as Ellery’s head slowly tilted to one side, her gaze boring into him.

“Ah,” she said. “I see.” She sighed and bit her lip, glancing around the front of the house before looking at Sidney again. “Well, shit.”

“Sorry? Is there something I can help you with?”

“Do you know when Jonas will be less indisposed?”

“No,” Sidney said, which at least had the benefit of being true.

“Of course not,” Ellery grumbled under her breath. “Is Delilah home?”

“Elle?” Delilah chirped from the foyer behind Sidney. He heard no footsteps, of course, but the dramatic shift in Ellery’s demeanor indicated that Delilah had arrived. Or at least made herself visible.

“Lilah! How are you, darling?” Ellery’s voice took on a decidedly kinder tone. Sidney grimaced as Delilah floated up beside him, bestowing air-kisses on Ellery’s cheeks.

“Oh, you know,” Delilah drifted casually into the doorway beside Sidney. If she was corporeal, it would have been a tight squeeze. As it was, Sidney felt like a palace sentry wedged into an archway beside his partner. “A bit bored if I’m honest. But Sidney’s been a welcome addition to the house.”

“Has he been here long?” Ellery asked, addressing Delilah as though Sidney was a new pet, unable to answer for himself. Unsurprisingly, Delilah responded in kind.

“Not terribly long, but he’s settled in nicely. Doing some astronomy and that sort of thing.”

“I’m right here,” Sidney interjected. They ignored him.

“I don’t suppose Jonas is going to break his streak and actually come to the party this year?” Ellery asked.

“Likely not,” Delilah shook her head. “Sidney would love to come, though.”

“Would I?” Sidney asked.

“Without Jonas?” Ellery scoffed, glancing at Sidney like he was a noisy toddler covered in mud. “They’ll eat him alive.”

“I’m not sure I want to—” Sidney began. Delilah interrupted.

“No. It’ll be fine. I can look after him. And you can help.”

“I don’t work for Jonas,” Ellery said, her tone suddenly barbed. “Or you.”

“Oh, Elle,” Delilah batted her lashes. “Come on. You should see Jonas with him. He’s practically a kitten.”

“What?” Sidney demanded, cheeks heating. Ellery snorted.

“As pleased as that makes me,” Ellery said, though she neither looked nor sounded pleased. “It makes my job a hell of a lot harder.”

“Can he have an invitation? Please, Elle?” Delilah pouted.

“As if that’s my decision.” Ellery produced two envelopes from behind her back. “I’ll speak to Asterion about it,” she said, handing Sidney the heavy cream-colored stationery. “If you really want to go, that is.”

“I don’t?—”

“Of course he does,” Delilah said. Ellery glanced up toward the sky, her hand curling around the handle of her umbrella.

“Coffee in the garden tomorrow, Lilah?” Ellery asked.

“Sounds lovely, Elle. I’ll be there.”

“Goodbye, Mr. Quince.” Ellery gave him the falsest of smiles. “Lovely to make your acquaintance.”

“Was it?” Sidney asked. She laughed, short and sharp, and then turned, lifting her umbrella as she started back toward Elmmond House.

“She’s wonderful, isn’t she?” Delilah sighed, drifting back into the foyer.

“She’s horrible.” Sidney closed the door more firmly than necessary.

“Well, you’re no prince yourself,” Delilah snipped, floating down the hall. Sidney followed her, a prickle of apprehension standing up the hairs on the back of his neck.

“Asterion’s coming to the party?”

“He hosts it. Did Jonas not tell you?” she asked, glancing back at Sidney’s face. He shook his head, and she grimaced. “Don’t think too much about it. Jonas never goes.”

“But I thought…” Sidney didn’t know what he thought, really. His mind was all jumbled. Maybe Asterion wasn’t Jonas’s research partner. Or maybe he was? “Asterion still comes around then?”

“Sometimes,” Delilah shrugged. Her edges seemed to waver and she turned toward the kitchen, like she was looking for an escape. “Ask Jonas about it,” she said. “Likely not right now. Though he is having an awful long pout. You ought to go check on him. Take him those envelopes. That’ll cheer him up.”

“Will it?” Sidney asked, as Delilah floated away with a chuckle.

“Well done, Sidney. You’re cleverer than you look.” And then she was gone. Sidney looked at the envelopes in his hands. He tapped them together, as he tried to think. They were an impressive, expensive looking weight; commissioned by a prince of Andurnei.

Sidney turned his gaze to the steps. Knocking on the bedroom door felt intrusive. Things were uncomfortable and it was Sidney’s fault, but he didn’t want them to stay uncomfortable. And avoiding Jonas wasn’t going to help. They were going to have to talk about it.

Sidney set the envelopes on the table near the door, and took a deep breath, steeling himself before he started up the stairs.