Perilous Journey of the Much-Too-Spontaneous Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

to do anything he said. She might as well let him down easily. If there was a relationship to be saved without ruining her plans, she would save it.
    “Hello, father. This is a wonderful home.” She offered her hand and curtsied slightly. He took it and kissed it, a broad smile spreading under his mustache. She noted that it had much more grey in it than the last time she’d seen him.
    “This is the daughter I’ve been longing to see.” He beamed again and gestured for her to sit. As her father sat across from her at the end of a very long table, a human servant entered the dining room and served them the first course, a creamed soup with tiny bits of truffle and carrot.
    “My dear, I want to tell you that I am not as horrible as you might think. I was took ill when I heard you’d run away. And when I got news of The Triumph going down, I was even more devastated.”
    Marguerite had to bite her tongue to keep from saying something sarcastic about him not caring enough to actually come help her; instead sending Madame Pomphart and a slick suitor. They’d traded letters a few times over the past few months, but only in the form of checking in to make sure the other was still alive.
    “Now that we are together at last, and your schooling is out of the way, we should revisit our plans and start over fresh,” he said with a smile.
    To anyone else, that would sound like a perfectly lovely way to reconcile, but Marguerite knew it was a thinly veiled way to let her know he was still in control and had come to clean up the mess she’d made of her life. She opened her mouth to rebut him in the kindest way she knew how, but he didn’t give her a chance to speak. “First things first. We are going to have to find you a suitable match here, since you seem to prefer it to France. I purchased this home with the idea of staying here until you are settled, then passing it along to you and whomever the lucky man is you choose. I hear that’s how it is done here in the new world.”
    Marguerite was actually touched by his effort to meet her halfway, but she paused before speaking, “Thank you, that is very considerate, and yes, that is how it is done here in New France. But what do you mean you bought this home?”
    “I also spoke with Captain Laviolette today. He is quite taken with you, but I made it clear that my aspirations for you are much higher than an aership captain who can’t keep his own ship from blowing up.” He was playing cat and mouse. She was obviously the mouse.
    “I know you don’t approve of Jacques, but I don’t care. I’m not ready to get married, Father. We are not engaged; he is just a dear friend. Perhaps when I do decide to marry, it would be to someone like him, but for the time being, do not ignore my question. What do you mean you bought this house?”
    “Well, if that is your attitude, then it’s just as well that I’ve leased out the estate in France. I’m here to stay, my dear. There is no reason for us to be apart. We are the only family left to each other.” Marguerite’s heart dropped. This could ruin everything. She would have to put her plan into action first thing in the morning if it was going to work. Otherwise, her father would embed himself into the society and start dragging her around to balls again.
    She thought of the last ball she attended and shuddered. She’d rather risk her life in the aether.

Chapter Six

     
     
    Marguerite rolled over and dramatically pounded the bed with her fists. “Men make me furious , Outil. Who do they think they are? They can’t plan my life for me.”
    “If you will excuse me, ma’am, I am not sure I understand why you are so upset this morning.”
    “I was up half the night thinking of all my hard work being thwarted by the men who claim to love me.”
    “I am sorry, but I don’t see how anyone is thwarting you, m’lady.” Outil pulled open the curtains to let the sunshine fall on Marguerite’s bed and spill down to the