Honor and Desire (Gold Sky #3) - Rebel Carter Page 0,32

else. Her fingers moved lightly through the strands of Seylah’s hair as she lifted the coils of hair to pin into an updo. Seylah bit her lip and said nothing, watching her mother as she worked.

“What?” Seylah asked when her mother remained silent.

A smile curved up her lips. “Nothing, nothing.”

“It’s not nothing, Mama.”

The fingers in her hair stilled. “Well, I estimate that this Elliot is quite taken by you to ask for such an informal address so early, and then there’s today to think of. No way that man hasn’t taken a shine to you, sweetheart.”

“He seems very nice,” was all Seylah offered at the observation.

“And what else? You have to have some other thoughts on him than he is very nice. Pudding is very nice, cake for breakfast is very nice, but a man? A man should be so much more.” The tone in her mother’s voice was suggestive, alluring even, and Seylah blushed furiously at the unspoken intimacy she heard in it.

Storks did not bring children, after all.

“Mama…”

“Oh, humor me!”

Seylah dropped her eyes and looked down at her hands as she thought over her interaction with Elliot. He had been far better than nice.

Easily.

“He’s, ah, very strong. Tall. I like his eyes very much.”

“Go on…”

“And his voice is like warm chocolate or syrup. It just, well it warms me so, down to my toes. I’ve never heard another man like him.”

Julie clasped a hand to her chest in a swoon. “Oh, this is wonderful! And now you have a picnic together. I cannot wait to hear all about it.”

“I am...excited,” Seylah said, choosing her words carefully. She smiled at her mother who was looking on in approval at her handiwork, the hair comb had been slid home and her earrings put on. The effect was transforming. She scarcely recognized herself, and there was still make up to come.

Julie plucked up a pot of rouge and grinned at her. “Are you ready for the finishing touch?”

Seylah leaned back in her seat, eyes wide as saucers and trained on the makeup her mother held. “I am, but I want it known that I am incredibly intimidated and uncertain of what to do with,” she pointed a finger at the rouge, “that.”

Julie lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “No one really does, not at first. I was very poor with it until I practiced, and I only did so because it was a prerequisite to graduate finishing school. Let me tell you, there is nothing more motivating at learning your way around beauty products than being threatened with expulsion or repeating a year of lessons.”

Seylah laughed at her mother’s reminiscing. “You almost were expelled?” It was surprising to think of her mother as anything but a master at the classroom, a studious woman who had made her way with books, and had always been a star pupil, but the exasperated look on her mother’s face said otherwise.

“I was not the most motivated when it came to finishing school.” She placed her hands on Seylah’s chin and tilted her head to face her. “Purse your lips for me and hold still.”

At those words, Seylah froze.

“Thank you,” Julie murmured as she began to paint her lips. “Finishing school was not my element, you see? Not a lot of places in New York were. I wasn’t like your uncle or maman. They thrived in the limelight, but I,” she shook her head with a snort, “I was more suited to the frontier and life here with your fathers. It was terrifying to imagine such a life for myself, and it was difficult upon my arrival, but Gold Sky has proven to be a perfect fit for me.”

Seylah repressed the urge to nod, her mother had told her to freeze and when the other woman was wielding makeup, Seylah knew better than to move. Who knew what kind of folly could arise from an errant gesture.

She glanced up at her mother and saw a look of concentration Seylah wasn’t entirely sure stemmed from her focus at applying rouge.

“Do not be afraid if you don’t fit the mold of what society expects you to be, sweetheart. You know that I love you, that your fathers and sisters adore you, for just who you are--who you choose to be. And I want you to have fun on your picnic outing, but please, do not change who you are for the sake of capturing a man’s attention.”

Since she was unable to speak, Seylah raised her eyebrows at that.