Read Online Elves and Escapades (Scholars and Sorcery Book 2) by Eleanor Beresford - Free Book Online

rustling against the sheets. “But I was afraid of the other girls—really afraid. I hadn’t realised that I would still be terrified, with girls who had known nothing bad of me. Only not of Diana and Valerie, because they were so kind to me—and not of you. It wasn’t just Diana making me frightened, you know. I’m a coward,” she says again.
    “No. No, old girl, you’re not a coward. It’s Diana, you must know that. You’d been hurt, and you were shy and scared, and Diana used magic and gossip to work on you and make you terrified.” I reach down and stroke her hair, like she was a frightened foal.
    “I suppose it didn’t help. I still would have been afraid, though. Every time I look at another girl, I imagine them thinking I am bad and wicked and I can hardly bear it.” She reaches up and catches my hand, holding it. “Charley, I liked you always, so much. You were so candid and kind. I felt like you were the kind of girl who would never turn on someone scared and alone, just protect her. I used to wish and wish you would be my friend, but I thought you’d find me too dull and timid. Now I’m scared that I will cling too much and drive you away, like I did Mavis.”
    “Just you try it.” I squeeze her hand hard. “Now I’ve got you as my friend, I’m not so easily shaken off.”
    “So—you’re not upset, that I hugged you yesterday?”
    I hesitate for a moment. It would be better for us both, I’m sure of it, if Rosalind was more wary of being so demonstrative toward me. I know it’s not safe, feeling as I do. I tell myself that the only reason I think telling her to back away on the expressions of affection is a bad idea is that she’s been hurt too much already and I don’t want to be like the mysterious Mavis, whose unknown ears I itch to box until she squeals, duplicitous little snob.
    “Hug me all you like, old thing. I like it,” I say with deep honesty.
    Rosalind climbs up to her knees and turns to fling her arms around me. “Dearest Charley,” she says contentedly. “I knew we were supposed to be friends after all, you know. When Sunflame found us. She trusted the two of us to make her well.”  
    I hold her as long as I dare, before sending her off to dress. She pauses in the doorway, looking back over her shoulder, her tangled hair escaping from one heavy braid below a face that is still far too gaunt from her Healing of the day before.
    “I was so scared that you were hurt really, truly badly, Charley. I couldn’t bear to lose you.” She tugs at her own braid. “There’s something else, something I haven’t told you yet. Just—Charley, promise you will always be my friend? No matter what?”
    “We already promised,” I say. “Best friends for always. Like sisters.”
    She gives me a twisted smile, looking queerly like Esther for the moment. “That’s right. Sisters.”  
    The door closes behind her.

    The last days of the shared fortnight trickle away, so fast. The day before Rosalind goes the rain is pounding down too heavily to have a hope of taking to the air, or even riding some of the ground running steeds. I find myself sulking, and hate myself for it. It’s Rosalind’s last full day here—I should be making the most of it. It would be easier, I tell myself, if we were flying. Instead we are cooped up indoors and I feel my black mood settling on me, wasting what time we have left.
    Meggs picks up my temper and refuses to be cuddled, prowling and flickering in and out of sight and avoiding caresses, despite Rosalind’s attempts to call him over for petting. She eventually gives up trying to tease him into affection and settles into an armchair with a book. Her mood seems odd, too. I keep looking up to see her watching me, with an oddly intent gaze. It reminds me of the first days of term, when Diana would bring Rosalind into the study and I would keep looking up to find those deep blue eyes, so serious behind their spectacles, fixed on my face. Reading my