The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Authors: Sydney J. Shields
- Language: English
- Genre: Fantasy
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 7.6 MB
- Price: Free
Saying no—even thirteen times—is not enough to avoid tonight’s ball. On
this unfortunately hot spring day, Marigold Claude is trapped between her
mother and younger sister, Aster, in a too-tight dress, in a too-small
carriage. It’s her sister’s dress from last season, for Marigold refuses to go
to the modiste to get fitted for a new one; an afternoon of being measured
and pulled and poked is an absolute nightmare.
Her blond hair is pulled up
tightly so that her brows can barely move and her eyes look wide with
surprise. Her father and her younger brother, Frankie, sit across from them,
likely feeling quite lucky to have the luxury of wearing trousers instead of
endlessly ruffled dresses. A bead of sweat snakes down the back of her
neck, prompting her to open her fan. It’s as if the more she moves, the
larger the dress becomes. With every flap of her fan, the ruffles expand into
a fluffy lavender haze. She is almost sure that she is suffocating, though
death by silk might be preferable to the evening ahead.
This ball is the first event since her twenty-first birthday, so now she has
a few months to marry before she is deemed an old and insufferable hag.
The ride is far too short for her liking, as with any ride to another Bardshire
estate. The opulent village was a gift from the prince regent himself; it is
the home of favored artists from all over the world, including painters like
Marigold’s father. Sir Kentworth, a notable composer, is hosting tonight’s
event as an opportunity to share his latest works. Though the occasion is
more of a way to hold people hostage for the duration of the music, and
force them to pretend to enjoy it.
The carriage door flies open upon arrival, the wind stinging Marigold’s
eyes, and she is the last to exit. Under different circumstances, she would
have feigned illness so she did not have to attend, but her younger siblings
are an integral part of the program this evening, and Frankie requires her
support to manage his nerves before his performance. He’s been practicing
for weeks, but the melodies of Sir Kentworth’s music are so odd that even
Frankie—a gifted violinist who has been playing since his hands were big
enough to hold the instrument—can hardly manage the tune. Aster will sing
Sir Kentworth’s latest aria, even though the notes scrape the very top of her
range. Since their last rehearsal, Aster has been placed on vocal rest and
openly hated every minute, her dramatic body language expressing her
frustration in lieu of words. That rehearsal was the first time Marigold saw
the twins struggle to use their talents, making her feel slightly better about
having none of her own. She’s spent her entire life simply waiting for some
hidden talent to make itself known.
So far, nothing has manifested, meaning
she has only the potential to be a wife, and even that is slipping by her with
every passing day. Her back is still pressed firmly against the carriage
bench. If she remains perfectly still, her family may somehow forget to
usher her inside, allowing her to escape the event altogether.
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