Chapter 10

Charley flushed. "Charles wanted to be an artist."

"Oh, how romantically right for him," her persecutor mocked. "With his golden good looks and his ravaged sensibilities, he makes the perfect rescue for an impressionable thing like Adelina—whereas you," he went on before Charley could say anything, "make the perfect level-headed foil to keep Adelina’s starry eyes blinded to what your brother is really about."

Charley straightened her trembling, tense shoulders. "Have you quite finished slaughtering my family?" she demanded, wanting to slap his face.

"Haughty," he remarked. "I like it."

"Well, I don’t like you!" she hit back. "Adelina and I have been friends since we were twelve years old—her wealth or my lack of it has never been an issue between us because that’s not what true friendship is about! "My family works hard for its living," she said proudly. "All of us work hard!" My father did not waste his life swanning around the world enjoying the useless life of an overindulged playb