Caught in the act
Irene had opted to go to the theater first and put away the disguise. Valentina had been hovering within sight far too often since nearly catching Irene hanging the Odeergin costume on the rack. Irene wasn’t positive the tempestuous star was watching her, but she hated to take chances. It seemed more likely Valentina would figure out the same cloak and headpiece appeared in Mrs. Hoffman’s laundry bag than Irene being caught in the hallways without a chaperone in the dead of night. There were other costumes in wardrobe she could put on to help her sneak to her quarters unidentified. Though they wouldn’t have the same effect as the frightening Odeergin getup, she believed they’d help her escape detection from casual curiosity.
She used the quiet service corridors to reach the theater and slipped in. She pulled her headgear off and rushed to the prop area. It took her only a moment to shove her disguise in the trunk.
She turned to find Valentina standing there, smirking at her.
“So. Our rising starlet is sneaking around without her chaperone as an Odeergin, How very interesting.”
Irene’s heart relearned to beat with a vengeance. It hammered in her chest as if it would break free. It took her a moment to note Valentina wore a man’s outfit, padded to disguise her curvaceous figure. No makeup, though her features were too lovely and soft to be mistaken for a man’s, but the absence of her black wavy hair under a newsboy’s cap, no doubt hidden by a wig cap would have kept her safe under casual scrutiny.
“It looks as if you’re sneaking around too.”
“Oh, but Rosalie is with me, as is proper. She’s waiting outside the door while we have our little talk. I’m not in violation of Church law. I’m also not spending hours on a Kalquorian ship doing heaven knows what with alien men.”
Dread was a weight in Irene’s gut. Two witnesses had seen her do the unthinkable. “You followed me.”
“For days, when I could sneak out. I wondered where you went in that terrible Odeergin outfit…an impressive disguise. I do give you credit for that.” Valentina softly patted her hands together in sneering applause.
Releasing June 23.
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