28: Darling?

Camilla’s face shut down, and Maksim wished he had kept his mouth shut. The softness morphed into something else. She stomped on his foot and ran up the stairs without looking back to know if he followed her. Her room was locked when he entered the house. He decided against bothering her and continued to his room to clean up.

A few minutes to breakfast, he stepped out of his room. Camilla was exiting her room when he turned the corner. She wasn’t alone. Doris was with her. His housekeeper clicked her tongue and took his wife’s hand. Both women walked away without a single backward glance at him. Keeping his annoyance in check, he waited until they were gone before taking the same route. 

Everyone that should be at the table was there. Vanya. Papa. Camilla. She was at Papa’s right, and he suspected his father had something to do with that. When he arrived at the table, he asked her to stand.

“Why?” Papa asked. “Tryin