My father emerged from his bedroom. “Was someone at the door, or was that my imagination?”
“You’re not going to believe this, but Frederic and Maxim just showed up to invite me for dinner at the castle again tonight.”
“They were here? At this hour?”
“I know, it’s … weird.”
“What did you tell them?”
“I said yes.”
My father pursed his lips. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
I walked over to him. “Do you think I have something to be worried about?”
“You’re a beautiful woman, Willow. And those brothers are all single.”
“I’m with Peter, remember?” I said.
“I know. But I don’t think those brothers are the type to care. They seem like the sort who don’t let anything stand in their way when they want something. That’s how rich people often are. They hide it well, but they look down on us regular folks. I could see it in their eyes last night. Everyone in Beaver Falls is so taken by their wealth and good looks that they don’t notice, but I did.”
“Daddy.” I kissed him on his forehead. “You worry too much. I know what I’m doing.”
Chapter 5
I parked in the same spot that my father had the night before. This time I wasn’t dressed as fancy, and as requested, I’d come alone. No one was waiting at the door, so I knocked. A moment later, Frederic opened it.
“Good evening, Willow. Please, come inside,” he said. “Since it’s just the four of us, we’ll be having dinner in the salon.”
We walked in silence as I followed him down the hallway and through the foyer, and then down another hallway until we reached the room Frederic had called the salon. His three brothers were seated on antique upholstered armchairs arranged on one side of the large room.
“Our guest has arrived,” Frederic announced.
His brothers stood. “Welcome,” Alexander said.
Maxim walked over to me. “Would you care for a glass of wine?”
“No, thank you.” I wanted to keep my wits about me.
Maxim placed his hand on the small of my back and ushered me toward the sitting area. “You remember my brother Nicolai, don’t you?”
“It’s nice to see you again,” I said.
“You as well.” His voice was warm and inviting.
I looked around the room, too timid to meet Nicolai’s gaze. Orchestra music played softly in the background. The room was lit with candles; a chandelier that hung above a dining table provided additional light. The salon, as Frederic had called this room, was less formal than the dining room and drawing room. The space was large, combining a sitting area on one side with a dining area on the other. Beautiful tapestries hung on the walls, and in between them were large floor-to-ceiling windows. Dark wood beams contrasted with the white ceiling. Like the drawing room, this room also had a large fireplace, which, along with the decor, gave the room the feel of a hunting lodge. Minus the dead animal heads.
“Let’s get started with dinner,” Alexander said. “It will give us a chance to get to know you better, Willow, and vice versa.”
I was seated beside Nicolai. Maxim and Alexander sat across from us, and Frederic took the seat at the head of the table. He was the oldest, and Nicolai the youngest.
Dinner was a more casual affair this time around. There were no servants to fill wine glasses or bring our meals to us. Everything was already laid out on the table.
“Please, help yourself,” Frederic said.
I filled my glass with red wine and my plate with meat and vegetables, trying to ignore that four pairs of eyes were all trained on me.
“Tell us about yourself, Willow,” Alexander asked. “Do you have any brothers or sisters, or are you an only child?”
“I have three older brothers.”
The brothers exchanged quick glances. “So you are like Nicolai, the youngest of four,” Frederic said.
“Yes, I suppose so.”
Alexander continued. “You mentioned last night that your mother died a long time ago. May I ask how?”
I looked down at my plate. This wasn’t a subject I liked discussing. “She died right after giving birth to me.”
“Hmm. Another strange coincidence.”
“Frederic, would you stop already?” Nicolai said, glaring at his brother. “Can’t you see how uncomfortable you’re making her?”
“It’s all right, really.” I put my hand on top of Nicolai’s. He sucked in a breath.
“Are you okay, Nic?” Maxim said, studying his brother’s expression.
He lifted his gaze to look at Maxim. “I’m fine.”
“He’s our little brother,” Frederic explained. “So sometimes we get a bit carried away fussing over him.”
An awkward silence fell over the table.
“It’s my turn to ask a question,” I finally said, looking away from Nicolai. “Am I the first person in Beaver Falls you’ve ever invited over for dinner more than once?”
“Yes,” Maxim replied.
“And why is that?”
I waited for one of the brothers to answer, but no one seemed willing to speak up first. Several seconds of silence ticked away until Frederic finally said, “For Nicolai.”
I wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean, but I figured that was as good an answer as I was going to get from the guarded Korzhas.
“Last night, your father said that your mother’s family has lived in Beaver Falls for generations. Did your relatives share any interesting stories with you while you were growing up?” Maxim asked.
“What kind of interesting stories?” I said.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe there was a grandmother that could predict the future or a cousin who was gifted in the healing arts.”
Pieces started clicking in to place. These brothers had a very strange preoccupation with magic. That was the reason for my second invite. Too bad I wasn’t able to indulge their fantasies. “There are no witches in my family, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
“How can you be so sure?” Frederic asked.
Before I had a chance to answer, Alexander stood up. “Do you hear that?” He looked across the table at me. “Johann Strauss is my favorite. Would you care to dance with me?”
“I … I’m not much of a
