Read Online Almost an Angel by Katherine Greyle - Free Book Online
Authors: Katherine Greyle
Ads: Link
of it.
Well, thought Carolly with renewed determination, she would just have to prove she spoke the truth. "All right, Margaret. Now that we've established the ground rules, we should go on to introductions. My name's Carolly, but you can call me Caro." She felt James's disapproval, and squared her shoulders in defiance. "Now, shall I call you Margaret? Maggie? Peggy? What?"
In her first show of collusion Margaret turned to her uncle and spoke, her words as much a challenge to him as if she'd thrown down a gauntlet. "You may call me Mags."
Carolly felt her eyebrows rise at the odd nickname, but her surprise was nothing compared to James's reaction. His face became a thundercloud, and he boomed, "Your name is Margaret Amanda Northram—"
"But I shall call her Mags," Carolly interjected.
"Carolly," he thundered, "you do not understand—"
"I don't need to understand, James. She wants to be called Mags."
"But that was her mother's name!"
"Oh." Carolly understood. She smiled sadly at Mar—no, Mags. "My mother's name was—" She closed her eyes. What was her mother's name ? Oh, yes. "—Gloria, but my father used to call her Gold." She looked at the still-defiant girl. "You can call me Gold, if you like. Or Caro."
She didn't get the reaction she anticipated. She'd hoped to win a smile from Margaret, or at least a slight softening in the girl's demeanor. Instead she got a sneer of derision. "What a stupid name."
"Margaret! You will apologize immediately," barked her uncle, startling them both. But before Margaret could respond, Carolly rounded on him.
"Really, James. Can't you stop being domineering for five minutes and let me talk with the girl like a civilized person?"
"I will not allow her to insult a guest in my house!"
"I wasn't insulted. And even if I was, James, I'm perfectly capable of standing up for myself. If Margaret insults me, I'll tell her so. And if she keeps insulting me, then I won't be her friend."
James's eyes bored into her. They glittered like coal in the sunlight, and Carolly quailed under the force of his anger. She swallowed nervously, knowing James didn't like being contradicted, especially not in front of his ward. But it was too late now. She couldn't back down. And kindness, she was sure, was the way to the little girl's heart.
She lowered her voice, but didn't soften her tone. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, James, but I truly would like to get to know your niece. And I can't do that if you keep yelling at her. Even if she does something unkind. Now, do you think you can stay out of this for five minutes? Or should I find some other time to speak with her?" Her threat was clear. She would do whatever it took, including sneaking around the outside of the building at night, if it meant she could talk to Margaret unhindered.
James glowered. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and Carolly waited, expecting him to lash out angrily. But he didn't. To her immense relief, he glanced at Margaret then settled back in his chair.
Carolly exhaled, slowly releasing her pent-up fear. She wasn't fooled into thinking he'd given up. They both knew he was merely biding his time until they could speak in private. But in the meantime he was letting her proceed.
With a shaky smile, she turned back to Margaret. "Now, Mags, is there anything you'd like to do or ask?"
The girl thought for a moment, her blue-green eyes narrowed. Carolly held her breath, her stomach knotting tighter as the seconds ticked by. The girl was clearly trying to think of the most outrageous thing she could, something she hoped would unsettle the adults.
Carolly was determined to remain sanguine no matter what.
"Are you an angel or a tart?" the girl finally asked.
Carolly nearly choked. James exploded out of his chair. "Margaret—"
"Five minutes, James. Can't you be silent for five minutes?" Carolly asked.
He rounded on her. "Madame—"
"Your niece's question is reasonable, and you've no doubt been wrestling with it."
"Hardly,"
Well, thought Carolly with renewed determination, she would just have to prove she spoke the truth. "All right, Margaret. Now that we've established the ground rules, we should go on to introductions. My name's Carolly, but you can call me Caro." She felt James's disapproval, and squared her shoulders in defiance. "Now, shall I call you Margaret? Maggie? Peggy? What?"
In her first show of collusion Margaret turned to her uncle and spoke, her words as much a challenge to him as if she'd thrown down a gauntlet. "You may call me Mags."
Carolly felt her eyebrows rise at the odd nickname, but her surprise was nothing compared to James's reaction. His face became a thundercloud, and he boomed, "Your name is Margaret Amanda Northram—"
"But I shall call her Mags," Carolly interjected.
"Carolly," he thundered, "you do not understand—"
"I don't need to understand, James. She wants to be called Mags."
"But that was her mother's name!"
"Oh." Carolly understood. She smiled sadly at Mar—no, Mags. "My mother's name was—" She closed her eyes. What was her mother's name ? Oh, yes. "—Gloria, but my father used to call her Gold." She looked at the still-defiant girl. "You can call me Gold, if you like. Or Caro."
She didn't get the reaction she anticipated. She'd hoped to win a smile from Margaret, or at least a slight softening in the girl's demeanor. Instead she got a sneer of derision. "What a stupid name."
"Margaret! You will apologize immediately," barked her uncle, startling them both. But before Margaret could respond, Carolly rounded on him.
"Really, James. Can't you stop being domineering for five minutes and let me talk with the girl like a civilized person?"
"I will not allow her to insult a guest in my house!"
"I wasn't insulted. And even if I was, James, I'm perfectly capable of standing up for myself. If Margaret insults me, I'll tell her so. And if she keeps insulting me, then I won't be her friend."
James's eyes bored into her. They glittered like coal in the sunlight, and Carolly quailed under the force of his anger. She swallowed nervously, knowing James didn't like being contradicted, especially not in front of his ward. But it was too late now. She couldn't back down. And kindness, she was sure, was the way to the little girl's heart.
She lowered her voice, but didn't soften her tone. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, James, but I truly would like to get to know your niece. And I can't do that if you keep yelling at her. Even if she does something unkind. Now, do you think you can stay out of this for five minutes? Or should I find some other time to speak with her?" Her threat was clear. She would do whatever it took, including sneaking around the outside of the building at night, if it meant she could talk to Margaret unhindered.
James glowered. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and Carolly waited, expecting him to lash out angrily. But he didn't. To her immense relief, he glanced at Margaret then settled back in his chair.
Carolly exhaled, slowly releasing her pent-up fear. She wasn't fooled into thinking he'd given up. They both knew he was merely biding his time until they could speak in private. But in the meantime he was letting her proceed.
With a shaky smile, she turned back to Margaret. "Now, Mags, is there anything you'd like to do or ask?"
The girl thought for a moment, her blue-green eyes narrowed. Carolly held her breath, her stomach knotting tighter as the seconds ticked by. The girl was clearly trying to think of the most outrageous thing she could, something she hoped would unsettle the adults.
Carolly was determined to remain sanguine no matter what.
"Are you an angel or a tart?" the girl finally asked.
Carolly nearly choked. James exploded out of his chair. "Margaret—"
"Five minutes, James. Can't you be silent for five minutes?" Carolly asked.
He rounded on her. "Madame—"
"Your niece's question is reasonable, and you've no doubt been wrestling with it."
"Hardly,"
Similar Books
