Phantoms In Philadelphia by Amalie Vantana Read Free Book Online

queen and the personality of a warrior. Jack had
once compared her movements to an autumn leaf in the wind; one
moment it is there, and the next it is carried off to
someplace else.
    As I bent to kiss her cheek, I caught her scent of
roses, and my childhood flashed in my mind. My mother loved roses,
and my father would bring her a bouquet every time he came home
from a mission.
    Since my father was gone, I was the tallest in our
family. Being tall had its advantages when masquerading as a man,
but that was the only time. No man wanted a wife, or a dancing
companion for that matter, who would tower over him.
    As she released us, Jack asked lightly, “Did you
know of our coming, or does this bustle spring from some other
celebration?”
    “Shall we adjourn to the library?” Mother pointedly
ignored his question as she walked across the tiled floor to a
tall, ornately carved wood door.
    Jack glanced at me with raised brows, and we
followed in our mother’s wake.
    Standing in the room with its floor-to-ceiling
bookshelves and a large walnut desk brought back many memories of
my father, but I pushed them resolutely away. This was Jack’s room
now with new memories to be made.
    “What is this party, Mother?” Jack asked as he
entered the library. I watched my mother as she walked across the
carpeted floor to the marble fireplace. She pretended to have an
interest in the fire.
    “Why, Bess’s birthday celebration of course,” she
said as she turned to smile at us.
    She was lying. When my mother lied; she always took
a moment to compose herself before speaking. “I have sent out
cards, and we will have a full house with only the best company
that this metropolis has to offer.”
    I closed the door before advancing into the room and
sitting upon one of the two sofas. “We will have the truth now, if
you please.”
    Mother huffed crossing her arms. “It is as I
say.”
    My eyes narrowed in on her finger. She looked down
at it then lowered her arms to hide her hand in the folds of her
skirt, but it was too late. She wore a gold ring with a large
sapphire stone that was not a part of our family jewels.
    “Mama, where did you get that ring? You promised to
economize and rein in your incessant spending habits.” My mother
had no thoughts for budgets of any kind. In the years that she had
lived in this house, she had redone the drawing room no less than
five times. Mother’s man of business had been to see us three times
in as many months because of her spending.
    “It was a gift.” She looked between us and sat on
the sofa across from me. She breathed a deep sigh, and as she
smiled at us, the tiny lines around her mouth became more
pronounced. “I am betrothed.”
    The clock in the foyer ticking by the seconds was
the only sound as we stared at her as if we were frozen.
    Jack’s bark of laughter broke the silence. His
laughter was always swift and loud. Suddenly, I started to see the
hilarity of the situation. Our mother was the most devoted wife
imaginable. She would no sooner become engaged to another man than
she would dress up as King Lear and perform on the stage. I put my
hand over my mouth, but could not contain the laughter that spilled
forth. I hiccupped, and Jack pointed at me, laughing even harder.
Pulling my handkerchief from my sleeve, I dabbed at my streaming
eyes while Jack collapsed beside me on the sofa, his shoulders
still shaking in mirth.
    “It is no joke!” our mother exclaimed with an
appalled frown.
    Jack and I laughed louder.
    Mother stood and clapped her hands to get our
attention. “I speak the truth.”
    I blinked several times, trying to regain my
control. “You cannot possibly be betrothed,” I said, but the look
in her eyes made me doubt my own beliefs. I lowered my
handkerchief; an icy wind climbing inside me as the realization
slapped me in the face.
    Jack leapt to his feet, placed his
hand to his side, and drew it out as if he were holding a sword.
“Who is the rogue who has seduced