Page 46 of Crimson Heart

22

By late afternoon, everybody at the Gallagher estate knew about what had happened between Charlotte and Byron. The news had traveled faster than a California wildfire and caused plenty of damage. There’d been bad words between the Gallagher siblings and cousins, not to speak of Flora, who seemed particularly annoyed about the development.

Seeing that there would be more arguments among the various groups in the household, Danielle decided not to host a communal dinner. Instead, she instructed Priscilla to set out various dishes in the kitchen for everybody to help themselves whenever they were hungry. Priscilla was still her confidant despite the very unequal roles they now inhabited. It didn’t matter. The same kind of trust and affection remained between them even after Danielle had risen to alpha female of the pack.

“I still can’t believe it,” Danielle murmured.

She and Priscilla were the only ones in the kitchen, and even though Priscilla didn’t want to accept her help, Danielle nevertheless assisted her with the food preparations.

“My sister-in-law and my half-brother? I didn’t see that coming.”

Priscilla cast her a soft smile. “Charlotte is very pretty and just as nice as you. When I changed the sheets for her yesterday, she insisted on helping me. She didn’t treat me like a servant.”

Danielle put her hand on Priscilla’s forearm. “Nobody should treat you like a servant. You’re more than that.”

“Thank you.” Priscilla continued with the preparations. “I’m just saying, she’s pretty and nice; it would surprise me if Byron weren’t attracted to her. I mean, she’s his type.”

“I didn’t know that.”

Priscilla nodded. “Oh, yeah. Heath would sometimes run into him at the bars in town, and he’d always flirt with the same type of girls.” She shrugged. “He can be very charming. Women really like him.”

Danielle raised an eyebrow. “They do?”

Priscilla chuckled. “Well, at least those women who don’t know what he’s like at home. He acts differently when he’s not here.”

“Your brother said that?”

“Yeah. I mean, I don’t see it, probably because I see how he behaves here. As if he has to prove something when he’s home, and when he’s among other people who don’t know the family, he’s nicer.”

Surprised at Priscilla’s analysis, Danielle had to admit that she was probably right. “You might be right. We really only know one side of him, don’t we? I guess that can be said for a lot of people. We all have to portray a certain image.”

“That’s a good way of saying it,” Priscilla agreed, then leaned in. “What do you think will happen now?”

“I don’t know yet. I haven’t had a chance to talk with Jude in private. We all got steamrolled by it. And given that Jude and Byron aren’t exactly… how shall I say?”

“On friendly terms?” Priscilla offered. “Not that he’s on good terms with Eve or Flora right now, either. After that argument today⁠—”

“Stop with your gossiping, you stupid girl!” an angry voice interrupted from the open door.

Priscilla whirled around, and Danielle did the same. It was Flora who now entered the kitchen, her glare directed at Priscilla.

“Flora,” Danielle said in a stern voice, realizing instantly that Flora hadn’t seen her yet.

Immediately, Flora swung her gaze to Danielle and cleared her throat. “Oh, didn’t see you there.”

It didn’t sound like an apology, but she wouldn’t just stand by and let Flora reprimand Priscilla. Flora had done that often enough before Danielle had become Jude’s mate, and she’d thought that it had stopped. Apparently not.

“Priscilla wasn’t gossiping,” Danielle corrected her, lifting her chin high. “Unless there’s something you need, Priscilla and I would like to return to our conversation.”

She could see Flora suppressing an angry retort. To show her that she had no authority over her or Priscilla, Danielle turned back to the counter.

“Priscilla, do you want me to cut the carrots lengthwise?” she asked as if nothing else was more important right now.

A few seconds later, she heard Flora turn on her heel and walk down the corridor out of earshot. Priscilla let an audible breath roll over her lips.

“Oh my God, she looked like she wanted to throttle you,” Priscilla whispered. “You shouldn’t have confronted her.”

Danielle turned to face Priscilla. “Listen, if Flora reprimands you again for anything, anything at all, you tell me right away. It’s not right for her to bully you. Those days are over. You’re my friend, and I won’t let her hurt you just because she needs a scapegoat.”