Page 48 of Cruel Shame

Gideon rose from the table he now shared with the knights. He’d done something fantastic to his hair. It was still straightened, but instead of being slicked back, he’d shaved the sides and arranged the middle into a cute quiff that brought out his high cheekbones.

I hurried up to him and grinned. “Look at your hair!”

His brow furrowed. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you and Mr. Burgh, so Lachlan took me to get my hair and nails done.” He stretched out his fingers, which looked exactly the same as usual, but shinier. “How are you feeling?”

I slipped into the seat next to him and picked up a pot of tea. “The concussion is gone, and I don’t need any painkillers.”

“And the cuts?” He retook his seat and glanced down at my hands.

“The liquid stitches are still holding tight.”

He winced. “On my skin, cuts like that would mean the most terrible raised scars.”

I brought my cup to my lips and smiled. “At least that’s one benefit to being so pale. It’s so annoying that you can get away with wearing the most amazing colors.”

Gideon sat straighter in his seat, and pressed his lips together to suppress a smirk. “One has to dress to one’s advantage, I suppose.”

A laugh bubbled out from my chest. I turned to a server who brought a fresh rack of toast to the table, who took my order for breakfast. That was the sort of thing Kendrick would say, if he cared about color coordinating clothing and makeup.

“I heard there was a commotion last night at the headmaster’s quarters,” Gideon said.

“Right,” I muttered.

Orlando and Kendrick strolled into the dining room, their steps faltering as soon as they noticed me sitting at the table. They hurried toward me and took their seats.

“What are you doing here?” asked Kendrick.

“After last night’s stunt, I’ve got to strike hard at those wankers.” I told the three boys everything that had happened, from the busybodies at the door to the red carpet invitation across the Church of Scotland for people to make an evening of making Mr. Burgh’s life a misery.

“They mean to drive him out,” Gideon muttered.

“That much is obvious,” Kendrick drawled.

Gideon huffed an annoyed breath through his nostrils. “According to the Herald, the headmaster has been placed on paid leave.” He paused and raised his brow. “Now, do you see why they’re doing this?”

I nodded. “They’re stingy with their money as well as life-ruining bastards.”

“Don’t forget the Liddells’ legal trouble,” added Kendrick.

Gideon inclined his head. “True, but everyone’s looking to the headmaster to coordinate a lawsuit. My parents are coming up on the weekend, wanting to know what Mr. Burgh will do about that business with the cocaine.”

I took a slice of toast and plastered it with a generous serving of butter. “Your mum and dad are in London, right?”

“That’s how you found out about Elizabeth’s television appearance,” Orlando said, seeming to remember Gideon’s words from Saturday night.

“Indeed.” Gideon took a sip from his teacup.

“But Mr. Burgh has enough legal troubles of his own,” said Kendrick

“Precisely.” Gideon raised a brow.

My shoulders slumped. “The Liddells are so—”

“Diabolical?” asked Orlando.

“Calculating?” asked Kendrick.

I shook my head. “They’ve thought of this from every angle. The word I was looking for was ‘thorough’.”