Read Online After the Ashes by Sara K. Joiner - Free Book Online

that’s all about,” Vader said, shrugging.
    My heart sank. Seeing Mrs. Brinckerhoff’s gestures and Tante Greet’s stricken face, I knew. And I knew it wouldn’t be pretty whenmy aunt returned to the table. It took all my strength not to flee. My fingers squeezed the bottom of my seat as tightly as a reticulated python constricts its prey.
    When Tante Greet sat back down, Vader said, “Is everything—”
    She interrupted him. “No, Niels, everything is not well.” She whipped around to me, her lips white. “Johanna was just telling me she saw Katrien carrying on with some boy in the middle of town yesterday. Some native boy.”
    â€œWhat?” This caught me off guard. I thought Mrs. Brinckerhoff was going to tell Tante Greet about my hair or my not wearing a hat.
    Even though he was disappointed in my behavior, Vader defended me. “That doesn’t sound like Katrien. Is she certain of what she saw?”
    â€œShe is positive.” Tante Greet’s eyes never left mine.
    Vader turned to me, eyebrows drawn together in a solid line. “Katrien, can you explain yourself?”
    I opened my mouth, but the wine steward arrived. “Your wine, sir,” he said, showing Vader the bottle.
    While the steward poured, Vader and Tante Greet kept me locked in their gazes. “Well?” he said.
    The steward set the bottle on the table and left. The wine sloshed a bit before settling.
    â€œKatrien, what do you have to say for yourself?” Vader asked. His voice was quiet but forceful, and I heard him loud and clear in spite of the noise in the dining room.
    I took a deep breath. “After Slamet and I left your office, we walked home through town. We teased each other and got to laughing. That’s all! I was just with Slamet!”
    â€œAh, well, that explains it,” he said, but the little crease between his eyebrows didn’t vanish entirely.
    Tante Greet’s lips pursed. “She should stop being so affectionate with that boy.”
    â€œHe’s my friend,” I said.
    Tante Greet turned on me so suddenly that I jumped. She reminded me of a mongoose I once saw attacking a cobra in themarket in Batavia. Swift and ruthless. “Katrien, you are thirteen years old,” she hissed. “You are too old to be friends with a native boy. You are not a child anymore. You need to learn to behave yourself in public. You need to be more ladylike.”
    Hadn’t she spent all afternoon lecturing me on these very things? I pushed up my spectacles and glared at my aunt.
    â€œ
Lift
your spectacles, Katrien,” she said automatically. “Don’t push them.”
    Vader tapped the table in front of me. “Remember what we discussed.”
    I balled my skirts in my fists and seethed. Blast Mrs. Brinckerhoff anyhow! I didn’t care what Tante Greet said about her. The woman was the devil!
    Vader took a small sip of wine and ignored my rage. “This is quite good.”
    Tante Greet sipped hers and agreed. “What do you think, Katrien?”
    Since my thirteenth birthday, Vader had allowed me to have one glass of wine with dinner. I didn’t like any of it, but that didn’t stop Tante Greet from trying to teach me to savor its nuances. This was part of my education in the social graces, she said.
    I resented performing for her tonight, especially when I had just been so thoroughly reprimanded. But I didn’t have a choice. If I sulked, it would only lead to them limiting my visits to the jungle. They both sat and watched me like Javan scops owls. I drank a small mouthful and held the liquid on my tongue to taste the flavors before I let it go down my throat. “Ummm . . . dirt?”
    â€œYour wine tastes like dirt?” asked a familiar, haughty voice.
    I did not need to lift my eyes to know that Brigitta and her family had arrived.

Chapter 12
    At the sound of Brigitta’s voice I closed my