His Dancer, His Chains novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: Who Waived the Rest

The Belcher house sat behind iron gates in the Main Line suburbs, lit up like a ship.

A line of black cars waited at the curb.

I wore a green dress Pippa had picked out of my closet, and Rafferty's ring, and my own face.

"You don't have to go in," Rafferty said in the car.

"Yes, I do."

"We can turn around."

"I'm going to look at her," I said. "I want to see what she does."

He took my hand and held it, and we walked up the steps together.

The doors opened on a hundred guests in the great hall.

They were donors, directors and wives, and they all turned.

I knew what they saw.

They saw the dancer, and the woman who had stolen Nicolette Belcher's fiancé at the courthouse.

"Chin up," Rafferty murmured.

"It's up."

"I know. I like it."

Nicolette came down the staircase in white silk, with her arms open.

"You came!" she cried.

She kissed my cheek, and she kissed Rafferty's, and the hall settled back into its conversation.

"I was so afraid you wouldn't," she said.

"I made the whole menu with you in mind, Cora. Rafferty says you hate mushrooms."

"I don't remember telling him that."

"Lucky guess."

She laughed, and I looked past her shoulder.

A banner hung over the hall table, with a photo of her at a ribbon cutting.

BELCHER FAMILY CARDIAC CHARITY FUND, it said, in gold.

I looked at Rafferty, and I saw him read it too.

We did not say a word.

For an hour I smiled at donors.

Nicolette steered us through the rooms with a hand under my elbow.

She introduced me as Rafferty's wife and her dear friend, the bravest woman she knew.

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