When she said nothing, Joanna stepped forward, clearing her throat. “It’s a shame Mama has forbidden you from joining us, Elinor. This truly could have been the night a suitor sees you properly.”
There was so much sincerity in her voice that Elinor almost agreed. Joanna was nice enough, certainly not cruel like Belinda or Rebecca, or Rebecca’s horrid son, Gilbert, who mercifully did not live with them.
Belinda cackled, hugging her waist as she bent. “Oh, Joanna, do not make me laugh so hard! This corset is rather tight. But do come to your senses, filling Elinor’s head with cruel hopes. Really, are you so truly cruel?”
Joanna’s eyes widened. “No, no, I meant it?—”
“How awful,” Belinda drawled, and Elinor tried to ignore her trying to turn her own cruelty onto her sister. “Honestly, Joanna.”
Joanna’s pretty face pinched, souring where Belinda couldn’t see. Elinor gave her a small smile to let her know she had understood perfectly what Joanna had meant. Shehadmeant it genuinely, and Elinor was grateful for that.
“Elinor, where is Newton?” Joanna asked. “I have not seen him around today.”
At the mention of her three-year-old tabby cat, Elinor’s mood lifted as she looked around her room, before leaning down to poke her head beneath the bed. She laughed softly, finding him curled up under there. He often hid there when Belinda’s voice began to raise, and although he wasn’t scared of her, he mewled loudly whenever he heard her, as if her tone grated on him.
“That mangy little thing,” Belinda scoffed. “No doubt it is somewhere in a bin, eating leftovers, and then it will traipse itself back into our lovely home as though it is not riddled with disease.”
“Actually, he is here.” Elinor beckoned Joanna over to look, trying to ignore the horrible comment.
She really ought to expect this from Belinda, but she always found new ways to hurt Elinor with her dagger-like words.
Before Joanna could hurry over, Belinda marched to the other side of the bed and bent over to peer at Newton. Elinor rose, quickly going to that same side. Belinda had gotten physical with Newton on more than one occasion, dragging him from a chair, or harshly nudging him with her foot to leave her bedroom doorway.
Elinor lifted her hands in preparation in case she did anything of the sort now.
Belinda just huffed. “At least it is not on the furniture. But why is it on a cloak? Why do you have a cloak beneath your bed?”
“He is not anit,” Elinor tersely told her, ignoring the question about her cloak. “He is my pet.”
“Yes, and he just like his owner. Hiding away in the shadows, never noticed.”
Elinor just forced herself to breathe through the slight. Joanna crouched down, reaching out to Newton. Although Joanna wasn’t cruel like Belinda, Newton was still weary of her, and Elinor tensed, hoping he wouldn’t hiss at her like last time she had tried to pet him.
Joanna’s small coaxing noise had Newton lifting his orange head, his eyes lidded with being woken up from sleep. She laughed, moving to stand back.
“He is very cute, so I will not disturb him.”
“It is just a cat, Joanna, do not be so silly,” Belinda muttered. “Anyway,Elinor, I cannot help but notice you have not complimented Joanna’s dress. That is not very sisterly of you. Or are you jealous of her, too? Is her gown too simple, unlike mine? I did worry about this to Mama. We cannot give the impression that she has favorites by one of us having a fancier gown.”
Joanna’s face flushed pink, and she ducked her head.
“I think they are both equally matched in loveliness,” Elinor quickly said. “Joanna, you look very beautiful, and I like how your necklace complements the gown’s shimmer on the skirts.”
At the more extensive compliment than what she had received, Belinda narrowed her eyes, and then composed herself quickly, tossing her waves over her shoulder. “Yes, well, you can only hope to wear something as lovely as her gown. Perhaps your dreams might sew you something, but I can only promise more misery when you wake up to find yourself dressed simply.”
“I do not mind dressing simply,” Elinor answered. “It is a choice.”
Belinda snorted behind her hand. “Heavens, you are rather backwards.”
“I like your dress, Elinor,” Joanna interjected hastily. “It looks far more comfortable than ours are, at least.”
Belinda’s head shot around to her sister, her eyes slitting into a glare. Shrinking back, Joanna began toying with her necklace again, and it was only then, closer to them now, that Elinor noticed faint pink lines near the pendant, as if Belinda may have caught her sister’s skin when she stole the other necklace.
Elinor’s heart withered in sympathy, but neither of them ever spoke back to Belinda about her behavior. Joanna tried at times, but she was always cut off and then likely reprimanded herself.
Fists clenched, Elinor cleared her throat and nodded her thanks anyway.
“Come,” Belinda ordered Joanna. “We must finish preparing ourselves.”