Read Online Dollenganger 06 My Sweet Audrina by V. C. Andrews - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: V. C. Andrews
Tags: Horror
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Vera broke her bones just so she could stay home and hear what went on in our best front salon.
My tension built as I waited for Momma and my aunt to show up. First came Momma, dressed in her prettiest afternoon gown--a soft flowing wool crepe of a pretty coral color, with piping of violet to match her eye color. She wore a pearl choker and earrings with real diamonds and pearls to match the choker. It was heirloom White-fern jewelry she'd told me many times would be mine one day. Her magnificent hair was swept up high, but a few loose curls dangled down to take away the severity and make her look elegant.
Next came my aunt in her best outfit, a dark navy-blue suit with a tailored white blouse. As always, she wore her dark glossy hair in a figure-eight knot low on the back of her neck. Tiny diamond studs were in her ears, and on her little finger she wore a ruby class ring. She looked very schoolmarmish.
"Ellie, will you let Mercy Marie in?" said Momma sweetly. Tuesday was the only day my mother was allowed to call her sister by her nickname. Only Papa could call my aunt Ellie any time he chose.
"Oh, dear, you are late," said Aunt Ellsbeth, getting up to lift the piano lid and take from
underneath the heavy silver frame that enclosed the photograph of a fat woman with a very sweet face. "Really, Mercy Marie, we expected you to arrive on time. You've always had the annoying habit of arriving late. To make an impression, I suppose. But dear, you'd make an impression even if you arrived early." Momma giggled as my aunt sat down and primly folded her hands in her lap. "The piano isn't too hard for you, dear, is it? But it is sturdy enough, . I hope." Again Momma giggled, making me squirm uneasily, for I knew the worst was yet to come. "Yes, Mercy Marie, we do understand why you're always tardy. Running away from those passionate savages must be very exhausting. But you really should know it's been rumored about that you were cooked in a pot by a cannibal chief and eaten for dinner. Lucietta and I are delighted to see that was only a malicious rumor."
Carefully silk crossed her legs and stared at that portrait on the piano, placed just where music sheets were usually stacked. It was part of Momma's role to get up and light the candles in the crystal candelabra while the fire snapped and crackled, and the gaslamps flickered and made the crystal prisms on the chandeliers catch colors and dart crazily about the room.
"Ellsbeth, my dear, my darling," said my mother for the dead woman who had to participate, even if her ghost was often rebellious, "is that the only suit you own? You wore it last week and the week before, and your hair, good God, why don't you change that hairstyle? It makes you look sixty."
Always Momma's voice was sickeningly sweet when she spoke for Aunt Mercy Marie.
"I like my hairstyle," said my aunt primly, watching my mother roll in the tea wagon loaded down with all the goodies Momma'd prepared earlier. "At least I don't try to look like a pampered mistress who spends all her time trying to please an egotistical sex maniac. Of course, I realize that's the only kind of man there is. That is exactly why I chose to stay single."
"I'm sure that's the only reason," said my mother in her own voice. Then she spoke for the photograph on the piano. "But Ellie, I remember a time when you were madly in love with an egotistical maniac. In love enough to go to bed with him and have his child. Too bad he only used you to satisfy his lust; too bad he never fell in love with you."
"Oh, him," said my aunt, snorting her disgust. "He was just a passing fancy. His animal magnetism drew me to him momentarily, but I had sense enough to forget him and move on to better things. I know he found another immediately. All men are alike selfish, cruel, demanding. I know now he would have made the worst possible husband."
"Too bad you couldn't have found a wonderful man like Lucky's handsome Damian," said that sweet voice from the piano, as
My tension built as I waited for Momma and my aunt to show up. First came Momma, dressed in her prettiest afternoon gown--a soft flowing wool crepe of a pretty coral color, with piping of violet to match her eye color. She wore a pearl choker and earrings with real diamonds and pearls to match the choker. It was heirloom White-fern jewelry she'd told me many times would be mine one day. Her magnificent hair was swept up high, but a few loose curls dangled down to take away the severity and make her look elegant.
Next came my aunt in her best outfit, a dark navy-blue suit with a tailored white blouse. As always, she wore her dark glossy hair in a figure-eight knot low on the back of her neck. Tiny diamond studs were in her ears, and on her little finger she wore a ruby class ring. She looked very schoolmarmish.
"Ellie, will you let Mercy Marie in?" said Momma sweetly. Tuesday was the only day my mother was allowed to call her sister by her nickname. Only Papa could call my aunt Ellie any time he chose.
"Oh, dear, you are late," said Aunt Ellsbeth, getting up to lift the piano lid and take from
underneath the heavy silver frame that enclosed the photograph of a fat woman with a very sweet face. "Really, Mercy Marie, we expected you to arrive on time. You've always had the annoying habit of arriving late. To make an impression, I suppose. But dear, you'd make an impression even if you arrived early." Momma giggled as my aunt sat down and primly folded her hands in her lap. "The piano isn't too hard for you, dear, is it? But it is sturdy enough, . I hope." Again Momma giggled, making me squirm uneasily, for I knew the worst was yet to come. "Yes, Mercy Marie, we do understand why you're always tardy. Running away from those passionate savages must be very exhausting. But you really should know it's been rumored about that you were cooked in a pot by a cannibal chief and eaten for dinner. Lucietta and I are delighted to see that was only a malicious rumor."
Carefully silk crossed her legs and stared at that portrait on the piano, placed just where music sheets were usually stacked. It was part of Momma's role to get up and light the candles in the crystal candelabra while the fire snapped and crackled, and the gaslamps flickered and made the crystal prisms on the chandeliers catch colors and dart crazily about the room.
"Ellsbeth, my dear, my darling," said my mother for the dead woman who had to participate, even if her ghost was often rebellious, "is that the only suit you own? You wore it last week and the week before, and your hair, good God, why don't you change that hairstyle? It makes you look sixty."
Always Momma's voice was sickeningly sweet when she spoke for Aunt Mercy Marie.
"I like my hairstyle," said my aunt primly, watching my mother roll in the tea wagon loaded down with all the goodies Momma'd prepared earlier. "At least I don't try to look like a pampered mistress who spends all her time trying to please an egotistical sex maniac. Of course, I realize that's the only kind of man there is. That is exactly why I chose to stay single."
"I'm sure that's the only reason," said my mother in her own voice. Then she spoke for the photograph on the piano. "But Ellie, I remember a time when you were madly in love with an egotistical maniac. In love enough to go to bed with him and have his child. Too bad he only used you to satisfy his lust; too bad he never fell in love with you."
"Oh, him," said my aunt, snorting her disgust. "He was just a passing fancy. His animal magnetism drew me to him momentarily, but I had sense enough to forget him and move on to better things. I know he found another immediately. All men are alike selfish, cruel, demanding. I know now he would have made the worst possible husband."
"Too bad you couldn't have found a wonderful man like Lucky's handsome Damian," said that sweet voice from the piano, as
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