Stranger At The Altar

ste

till in the pajamas I hadn't bothered changing out of. Outside, the streets bustled with a normalcy that mocked

59 a.m, the i

id, voice flat, as though an

e blouse with pearl buttons and pressed black slacks. I left my hair down, partly to avoid

a threat. A driver in a matching black suit stood at t

lf to look back as I

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iron gate that opened so silentl

as, but not in the way I imagined. There were no gaudy gol

but to be seen. To make you feel small before you'd even stepped inside. The driveway

s though it had always belonged there, a brutal beauty of dark stone, smoked glass, straight architectural lines and steel woven into

olumns and potted black roses. Not a splash of color in

took a breath and glanced at my

recently married to a man who hadn

w to style my hair and I was no longer in the mood to hide. My lips were bare, my skin pale in

peckled stone driveway. The butler was already waiting, tall

twood," h

hed, practiced, and

rs. Westwood. It st

ith a faint smile.

curtly, closed the door behind m

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ly behind him, as an un

chandelier hung from the ceiling, ominous red glass shaped like inverted teardrops. The walls wer

felt sterile

. Late forties, tall and neatly groomed, wi

briskly. "House manager. I'll

oo far and turned too often. The walls were too smooth. The

or personal use. Laundry, housekeeping, and room upkeep will be handled by the staff.

indrops: fast, cold, a

nything?" I asked, sur

nly have presence, Mrs. Westwood, not power. It'll be in yo

unch at one, dinner at seven. Formal attire is re

he usu

for half

pushed open a door at

is y

schedule on the de

kitchen is off-limits without permission. You may

ruction made m

n didn't change. "I

oodbye, closing the door

e room, my cage of

ivings, I couldn't den

ter. The bed was enormous-king-sized, navy linens, perfectly smoothed. A fireplace stood across from it, cold a

m there as some kind of comfort, yet although they were beautiful and fragrant,

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came next was

men standing side by side, so vi

cent, impossibly polished in a fitted white blouse, tailored black slacks, and pointy

wrong building. She was short, with round cheeks an

ver it. A chunky necklace of turquoise stones bounced as she walked in. Her lipstick was rose pi

ing past Ava and taking both my hand

r wardrobe, fittings, and whatever e

dded, clearly trying not to roll her eyes. "She'l

"Oh, honey, you look so much like my daughter! Bone structure of a Vogue cover

d. "I-th

her tongue and looked around the room. "Hyacinths. Ugh. Westwood h

shoes that don't look li

was aiming for com

ook, then a comically obv

pped into this place, I felt the tig

a folder

leste, you're a Westwood now, which means your image reflects th

e marriage,

terous laugh, exactly lik

tside this house," Ava said. "We'll need to appro

lette," I

s in daylight," Ava replied, stone-faced. "We

you're too obsessed with being invisible. I'll hav

plaints, she turned to leave. "You'll have

othing from a wheeled cart someone had left outside the door. "She may talk like a spread

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things into drawers that smelled of cedar and lavender. The bed felt too large, the silenc

ellow, humming as she went. " You'll need assistance picking out lunch

chin for a sec

rpness, sweetheart? We'll play with contrast, so soft neck

her for a

ve in this place?

the kindness in her e

't let

wide again. "Now

ress from one hand and hel

call the tailor and tell him you've got the

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an –

ghost, yet she move

or twelve. She was supposed to disappear into the

oom while Marla chattered around her and

not afraid.

could be dangerous. Perhaps later today, I would assign someone to watch o

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a sunroom overlooking a trimmed garden. A

e when I entered. Didn't smile. Just ge

late,"

s 12

is no

to roll my eyes. "Do you time

y the things I want to control, you si

rage that simmered behind his eyes. The lunch was delicate, portioned like a model's die

Halfway through, I

marry

is grip tightening o

available, disposable, and

d honesty cut dee

s

h now I'm beginning to wonder if I misjudged you. I su