Free Knots (Club Imperial Book 4) by Katherine Rhodes Page A

pouring.”
    “He’s going to be pouring a big one for me.” Gordon choked back a laugh as she walked down the hall to the den.
    She couldn't believe that Gordon was back at her parents house. He had been her saving grace when she lived there. He was her confidant – nearly a parent - right up until the day she came home, hysterical, because she'd made the mistake of losing her virginity to Miller Harrington. He became far more than a confident at that moment.
    Cece stopped dead. Oh no.
    She turned around and ran back to where Gordon had been. He was gone. Cece looked around desperately, then still herself. There was no reason to panic right this instant; if there was something wrong she was sure that Gordon would find her and tell her. They were slated for coffee anyway. She could give Sir—Donny the third degree then.
    She nodded to herself and turned back to face her family. She walked into the den where her father was indeed leaning against the bar with a scotch in his hand. Charles was sitting in the Queen Anne chair, looking very much like he was holding court, with mother and Hannah on the couch across from him.
    “Frances, darling!” Mother popped off the couch and rushed over. “Oh, I’m so happy to see you!” She offered air kisses lest she smudge her make-up, which Cece noted was more akin to spackle now than Cover Girl. “You are such a rarity around here now, my dear! Whatever keeps you away?”
    Oh the list. Cece just smiled indulgently. “Work, mom. I have a bit of swing schedule and it’s hard to just get up and leave. And there are always things to do around the house.”
    “Frances, won’t you at least hire a maid?” Her father tossed the question at her from the bar. She looked over and could see that it was not his first scotch of the evening. “For God’s sake, girl, you’re a Robbe. You shouldn’t be cleaning the fucking toilets.”
    “Roger!” Mother chastised him. “You need to watch your mouth.”
    “Oh, for God’s sake, Marjorie.” He swished his scotch in the air. “She’s been to college. She knows the word.”
    “You need to stop encouraging that college talk, dad,” Chas said from his throne. Chair. “Cece really needs to come back and take her place in society.”
    “In high society,” Cece corrected. “I already am in society, brother dear. I have a very respectable place in it, in fact, as a researcher, student, homeowner, librarian. I’m sorry you can’t deal with the fact that your sister has ambitions beyond being a bauble on a man’s arm.”
    “You will still make an excellent wife, you know.” Chas stared at her hard. “Your school work will certainly give you the ability to understand your more intelligent husband.”
    Cece stared at Chas. Of all the people in the world, she didn’t know that a person could hate their brother most of all. She imagined tying him up in one of the rope creations, naked, and leaving him somewhere nice a public so everyone could see him. A little humiliation went a long way, and she wasn’t even thinking in terms of her lifestyle. Just in terms of getting the asshole to leave her alone. She was ready to give him what for when there was a hand on her arm.
    She looked over and Hannah had walked over and was facing away from their brother. “Please don’t,” she whispered. “Please, Ce. Just let it go. You don’t have to deal with him when you’re gone. I do.”
    Cece looked over at Hannah, and had a burning desire to go get Gordon and squeeze the truth out of him about what was going on in the house. For the moment though, she smiled at her sister, sending her a look of understanding. She really hoped Hannah was alright.
    The cook, Mrs Perkins, popped her head into the room. “Dinner’s served, Mister Robbe.”
    Roger lifted his glass in acknowledgement and Charles rose from his chair. They led the way into the dining room and Cece had to check herself. It was just dinner, she’d be able to leave very soon