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might have lowered the axe before I turned, but this time seeing Annabeth reminded me of Grace.
    “How would you know anything about anger in your perfect world, in that big perfect house, with all your perfect little frocks and your perfect—” I couldn’t say that. She might not take well to me commenting on her endowments so I brought the axe down to a good, solid thwack on the chopping block.
    “My perfect what?” she asked with a smirk.
    I jerked and wiggled the axe. It came out easily all the rest of the times. No matter how I worked it, it still wouldn’t budge.
    “I was gonna say face. Your face. Are you happy? You look like your mother.” I needed air. Air that one of the Rollins wasn’t breathing with me. Storming past her, I almost stumbled over a log.
    “Well, Cole Kinsley. I didn’t know you noticed,” she said. “My face, that is.”
    “I didn’t say it was pretty.” I stopped and stared at the tree line past the Rollins Plantation. Heck. It was probably all theirs. They probably owned half the state. And now they owned us. If word got out what happened between Grace and me. We were done.
    “No? You said it was perfect.”
    “And my name’s Colby, not Cole.” I went to the back door of my house.
    She followed me.
    “Colby’s a boy’s name. You’ve grown up, in case you haven’t noticed. And grown men don’t pitch tantrums when dumb girls insult them.”
    I started to ask what she knew about us or her sister and me because there was and never would be an us, but I wanted to forget. “In the most respectful of manners, of course, could you pass along the message to your parents that I’d like your sister to stay as far away from me as possible?”
    “Ho-ho-ho, now who’s acting better than thou? You sending me on errands.” Annabeth crossed her arms curtly over her flat—I stopped. Even the fact that her dress wasn’t as flat as it used to be sent more angered heat to my cheeks.
    “Go home, little girl,” I growled at her. “Before I turn you over my knee and send you that way myself.”
    Annabeth gave me a sweet, triumphant smile and cupped her skirts with her irritatingly elegant fingers, but before she walked away, she turned. “Fine, Cole. But the next time I find you trying to peep into my window, I may not be so forgiving.”
    My voice got garbled into some ridiculous sound in my throat.
    Annabeth swung around and stomped to her house.
    * * * *
    On Saturdays, the house cook prepared food for the whole plantation so we wouldn’t have to cook on the Sabbath. I opened my door to head up to the house for my dinner plate, and there stood Annabeth Rollins, plate in hand. I almost slammed the door.
    Annabeth shoved the plate at me. “Mama said to bring this to you. Don’t choke.”
    “Did you put something in it?” I leaned against the doorsill.
    “You’re welcome.” She slapped the plate into my hands.
    I almost dropped it.
    Gathering her skirts, she spun around and glided down the steps.
    “Wait.” Giving in, I shook my head. “Why didn’t a servant bring this? Why would you bother?”
    “Elsie was busy. And I came down here to prove to myself that I just caught you in a bad mood today, and that you could be pleasant on occasion.” Annabeth faced me. “Obviously, I was mistaken.”
    Of course, she couldn’t know all the details of her sister’s Saturday evening adventures. Maybe she’d just been trying to be helpful, but receiving a plate of food from any of the Rollinses right now was a little too early. I didn’t think I could trust any of them now or ever.
    “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to lash out. I just…” I didn’t feel like explaining. “It’s been a bad day.”
    “I couldn’t help but hear her loud mouth when she followed you home. Don’t let her make you feel unworthy of anything life has to offer. She’s spoiled and in the opinion that no one is as good as her. I’m sorry she…broke your heart?”
    “I’m sure I’ll make it through