Jennifer

“A muffled voice startled them both.

"When are you going to kiss her?"

They pulled away. In the ballroom windows, noses and hands pressed against the glass, were the girls. They stood among the prickly rosebushes, beaming wicked little grins. Delphinium and Eve whispered and giggled to each other; Bramble wore a magnificent grin on her face and a spark of light in her yellow-green eyes.

Another figure stood among them. This one had his arms folded across his chest, stiff and firm and formal...

...Yet he did not look displeased.”
― Heather Dixon, Entwined

“Bramble's lips were tight. Her fists still shook.

"Take it back," she said. She gazed at the floor, but the words whipped. "We don't want the picture. We don't want your charity. Take it back!"

Teddie drew himself up to his full, towering taffy height.

"N-dash it-O!" he said. "It's not charity and I won't take it back! It's a gift! A gift, dash it all! Because I liked your mum! And I like your sisters! And you, Bramble! I love you!"

The words echoed. Everyone's hands clasped over their mouths, and they stared at Lord Teddie, who panted but kept a tight chin up. Bramble's lips were still pursed. They were white.

"Young man," said the King gently. "Your ship leaves soon?"

Azalea guessed that, with the fiasco of everything, the King had annulled any arrangements between Bramble and Lord Teddie. Lord Teddie's entire taffylike form slumped. He turned to go, all bounciness dissolved.

"Do you mean it?"

Lord Teddie turned quickly. Bramble's lips remained tight, but her gaze was up, blazing yellow.

"Gad, yes," said Lord Teddie. "I love you so much, my fingers hurt!"

"Oh!" Bramble slapped he hand over her mouth and doubled over. "Oh-oh-oh-oh!" She shook. It was hard to tell if she was crying, or coughing, or ill. "Oh!"

In a billow of skirts, Bramble leaped. It was a grand jete worthy of the Delchastrian prima ballerina. She landed right on Lord Teddie, who had no choice but to catch her, and threw her arms around his neck. Then, to everyone's shock, she pressed her lips full on his.

"Oh...my," said Clover.

No one seemed more surprised than Lord Teddie who stumbled back under Bramble's assault.”
― Heather Dixon, Entwined

“What happened?" said Clover, wetting a cloth in the basin, and dabbing Azalea's face.

"She had a sort of fit," said the King. "I think her underthings may be laced too tightly."

All the girls, including Azalea, blushed brilliantly.

"Sir," said Eve. "You're not suppose to know about the U word!"

"Am I not? Forgive me.”
― Heather Dixon, Entwined

“When I saw you at the graveyard, looking so white, I knew something was wrong. I knew it."

Azalea stared at him, the fire flickering highlights in his eyes.

"So...I thought I should do something," he finished lamely.

"You saw everything?"

Mr. Bradford gave a half of a crooked smile. "I did knock."

"You didn't see Mr...Mr.-"

"Mr. Keeper?" Mr. Bradford spat the name. "Oh yes, I saw Mr. Keeper. Rather hard not to. I saw him try to kiss you. Or what he said was a kiss. I want to snap his head off!"

Azalea had her hand over her mouth, shocked that someone as solemn and dignified as Mr. Bradford could have such venom. He took her hands, gently, and pushed up her sleeved, revealing her swollen wrists. His fringers traced the bruises.

"You stopped him," said Azalea. She bowed her head, shy. "You kept him from-from-"

"Ah, yes, my lady!" Mr. Bradford smiled a crooked smile in full. "His ponytail was simply begging to be yanked.”
― Heather Dixon, Entwined