Sylvain slipped into the empty seat next to Allie, who studiously avoided Carter’s gaze.
Seeing her expression, Sylvain leaned close to her. ‘Are you OK?’
Allie’s lower lip trembled but she just shook her head. She didn’t trust herself to speak.
Because Carter was right: she wanted to run away. Only there was nowhere to go.
As soon as dinner ended, Allie made a beeline for the door. She was half-running down the main hallway when Sylvain caught up with her.
Taking her by the hand, he pulled her with him into the shadows under the swooping curve of the grand staircase near Isabelle’s office.
‘Allie …’ he said as soon as they were out of sight. ‘Dîtes moi. What’s the matter? You hardly said a word at dinner. You hardly ate. You seem so sad. Did something happen?’
He searched her face as if looking for clues.
Allie dropped her gaze. She couldn’t really tell him about Carter because there had always been so much tension between the two of them, and if she explained about Katie it would sound petty. In fact, now that she thought about it, it all suddenly seemed ridiculous and overly emotional anyway.
‘I’m sorry.’ She sighed, pushing her hair back out of her face. ‘I’m just feeling sorry for myself. Nothing is the way I expected and everyone …’ She stopped and shook her head. ‘I’ll be fine. I’m just tired.’
He was standing so close to her she could feel the warmth of his body. It was hard to feel self-pitying when he was looking at her like that.
‘You’re sure?’ he said. ‘No one said anything to hurt you?’
Allie gave a wan smile.
‘No,’ she said. ‘I’m being an idiot. I guess I just miss … France. Your place. The way things were. Everything’s so … I don’t know. Complicated here.’
Sylvain stepped closer; his legs pressed against hers. Now Allie could smell the faint scent of his sandalwood cologne. Feel his breath on her cheeks.
She looked up at him questioningly.
With light fingers, he picked up a loose strand of her hair from the top of her shoulder and let it run through his fingers like silk. Goosebumps sprang up on Allie’s arms and shoulders.
‘There’s something that will cheer you up,’ he said. His voice, low and accented, made her shiver. ‘It’s a surprise. But there’s something I have to do first. Meet me outside the back door in half an hour?’
Excited curiosity ran through her. At this moment she wanted nothing more than a distraction.
‘I’ll be there.’
After Sylvain left, Allie didn’t really know what to do with herself. She walked down the grand hallway as far as the library door, then turned and paced back again.
There was no doubt what he had in mind involved kissing. Taking everything to the next step.
And that was fine, right? After all, she was attracted to him. And Carter was obviously not an issue. He’d been a lot of things today, but romantic wasn’t one of them.
Why did that matter so much?
She longed to discuss it all with Rachel. She’d know what to do.
‘Hey, Allie.’ Katie’s familiar Chelsea accent stopped her outside the common room. Turning, she saw the redhead hurrying towards her, blue pleated skirt flaring around her perfect legs.
Oh good, Allie thought, despairing.
She braced herself for Katie’s wall of sarcasm. But it didn’t happen.
Instead, the other girl seemed almost nervous. She kept toying with a delicate gold bracelet that dangled from her slim wrist. The light from the chandelier above them glinted off her hair, making it sparkle like fine strands of copper. Her skin was poreless.
‘This is going to sound odd,’ Katie began. ‘But I just wanted to say I’m glad you’re back. And … I know you don’t like me and I don’t blame you. I’ve been a total bitch. I’m sorry … kind of.’ She stopped playing with her bracelet and looked up at Allie with the sharp green eyes of a pedigree cat. ‘You were a bitch to me too, you know.’
Briefly, Allie considered defending herself. But she changed her mind. What Katie was saying was true. She gave as good as she got.
‘Anyway,’ Katie continued, ‘then Nathaniel happened and you were like some kind of superhero. I don’t know if I ever told you that I thought it was amazing what you and the others did. I don’t know how you’re so brave. I just …’ She bit her lip. ‘I just know that I’m not. Brave, I mean.’
Allie was flabbergasted. Whatever she’d expected Katie to say it wasn’t this.
‘And now … the thing is … I don’t want to be your enemy,’ Katie said. ‘I think we have enough of those right now. So, I’d like to declare a truce. With you. For a while, at least.’ She paused before adding, ‘When it’s all over we can go back to despising each other if you’d like.’
‘You want … You … To be … friends?’ Allie found it hard to say words that made any sense.
‘I know, right?’ A rueful half-smile touched Katie’s lips. ‘Quel oddity. But you did save the school. And I’m not a complete cretin. Besides, I mostly hated you because of Sylvain anyway. And I’m over him now.’
She smoothed the lines of her skirt with a demure sweep of her hands.
‘Is this for real?’ Allie finally recovered the power of speech. ‘You seriously want a truce?’