Page 17 of The Red Woman on Mars

Sumter was far away. A nine-month voyage. She had secured her escape and was determined not to squander her newfound freedom.

And so, Vivian joined the game of badminton with uncovered legs and arms, feeling horrifically self-conscious. Xavier stared at her for a long moment with his dark expressive eyes but didn’t comment.

“Vivian,” Ivey began as she served. “Have you heard we’re planning a dance in the Red Mothers’ honor here at the Hayes Estate?”

“A dance?” Xavier growled. “Ivey, you cannot be serious.”

“You can go to bed before it begins, X,” said Caspian as he returned Ivey’s volley with ease. “Or crash at your cousin August’s flat for the night. You know he’s only there half the time. Or simply go home to Dorsey Estate. The ball is a settled thing. Constance Yarrow herself requested it of me.”

Xavier scowled and hit the returning shuttlecock so hard that it bounced high in the light Martian gravity on the corner of Vivian’s square and went out of bounds. “Do keep up, Miss Bowen,” he jeered. “I heard Earther women were supposed to be athletic, but you look as if you couldn’t hit a stationary target.”

Vivian felt a surge of adrenaline course through her at his needling words. She was in no mood to tolerate it. Not here, free from Wim’s judgmental gaze, with no potential husband around.

“How shocking!” cried Ivey. “X, you really are a beast today.” She gave Vivian a wicked grin. “We absolutely must win now.”

Vivian felt an unwilling answering smile tug up her lips. She hit the shuttlecock back to Xavier with all the force of her strong Earther limbs, and he scrambled to volley it back.

“Casp, do you truly want the press to be crawling all over your estate?” Xavier demanded. “You know how critical they can be.”

“I don’t know,” Vivian put in. “The journalist inArcadia Todayseemed very impressed by your dashing appearanceand scandalous feather quill pin. Almost fawning.” She hit the shuttlecock, and Xavier missed the swing. It landed at his feet. Vivian smirked. “Point.”

“You saw that, did you?” Xavier picked up the shuttlecock and strode to the net to return it to her. “They’re always more interested in fashion than ideas. That’s why I used the pin. But truth be told, I’m glad my dissent was covered at all. Even if it meant I had to stay at that interminable luncheon all afternoon.”

Vivian reached up on tiptoes above the net to take the shuttlecock. “You seem to have found a way to pass the time,” she said, thinking of the friendly bartender and the frequent refills.

“Indeed,” he murmured as his hand brushed hers. His eyes flicked down for only a moment before returning to her face.

Vivian turned away to hide a blush, only to realize with chagrin that the skin on her exposed chest likely betrayed her.

“Give it here.” Ivey took the shuttlecock. “My serve.” She swung. “X, quit trifling with the poor girl. She doesn’t need you to break her heart.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Vivian sputtered.

Caspian made a sound of frustration as Xavier, once again, missed the volley. He tossed it back to Ivey.

“Glad to hear it,” Xavier panted.

“Good.” Vivian swung her racket, and it connected with a satisfyingthunk.

“Indeed.” The shuttlecock bounced at his feet.

“And that’s the game,” Caspian said in disgust. “Well done, ladies.”

Ivey looked from Vivian to Xavier, pressing her lips together. “Let’s retire for some refreshment. Vivian, you must try the lemonade. Our estate is known for it.”

In the sunroom, a warm, contented glow enveloped Vivian as she accepted Caspian’s glass of cold lemonade. Her muscles ached pleasantly from the unfamiliar exercise. She hadn’t known herbody was capable of such force and precision. Delilah was right—Martian gravity made her a superhero.

Delilah.

The thought of her sister was like a bucket of cold water over her head. She shouldn’t be enjoying herself while Delilah lay in a hospital bed. Not to mention that she still hadn’t heard from Evie or her parents.

“This is my favorite room in our home.” Ivey came to stand next to Vivian as she stared blankly at the collection of succulents. “Our mother’s family was from Arizona. Do you know it?”

“Only through the media. Barely anyone lives in Arizona anymore.”

Ivey wrinkled her nose. “I can imagine why. From my mother’s stories, it sounded like living in an oven. She left when she was seven, but it was enough time to develop a lifelong love of desert foliage.”

Vivian carefully rubbed a hand along the lance-shaped leaves of a vibrant jade plant. “What’s this?”