Chapter 13. “My shoulder! Ohhhhh, my shoulder!” Julia shrieked.

“M y shoulder! Ohhhhh, my shoulder!” Julia shrieked.

Several guests cried out as Julia leapt to her feet, sending her chair clattering to the floor.

“I’m so sorry, miss!” Lucy cried, struggling to hold on to the big soup tureen.

“Owww! My shoulder! And look at my dress!” Julia wailed.

“My arm was bumped. I didn’t mean to spill it!” Lucy backed timidly against the sideboard.

Julia grabbed up her white linen napkin and began dabbing frantically at her shoulder and the neckline of her dress. “Ow, it burns!” A dark orange stain ran down the white lace shoulder of the gown onto the pink velvet bodice.

“Julia, dear, you may be excused to freshen yourself up,” Simon called from the head of the table.

He intended to be understanding, Julia knew, but she heard only disapproval in his voice.

I have done something clumsy once again, Julia thought unhappily. Hannah would never have behaved so badly.

Hannah wouldn’t have screamed and knocked her chair over, Julia knew. Hannah wouldn’t have made such a commotion.

But what could she do? That steaming-hot soup really burned!

“Are you hurt, sister? Do you need help?” Hannah called from the other end of the table.

“No, I do not need help,” Julia replied through clenched teeth. Disgusted with herself, she tossed the napkin onto the table, muttered “Excuse me,” and started for the door. She could feel her face burning and knew she was blushing.

She glanced at the doorway and stopped short when she saw the expression on Lucy’s face.

Was that a smile? A pleased smile?

Late that night, after the guests had boarded their carriages and headed home, after the servants had cleaned up, Hannah and Julia met in the secret room only they knew about.

It was a long, narrow room without windows, hidden behind the second pantry. Heat from the kitchen stove on the other side of the wall kept the small room cozy and warm. A small gas lamp cast a dim light.

The two sisters had discovered the room when they were small children and had used it as a secret meeting place ever since. They had sneaked blankets and feather pillows in and sometimes pretended they were girls hiding in a faraway cave.

That night Julia did not feel like discussing “little girl” things. Her back resting on a pillow propped against the warm wall, her hands clasped tightly in the lap of her wool nightdress, Julia sighed unhappily.

Beside her, Hannah yawned and tugged at a strand of fine blond hair.

“Did you not see Lucy’s expression?” Julia demanded in a low whisper. They always whispered in this secret room, even though no one could hear. “Did you not see the smile on the maid’s face?”

Hannah shook her head thoughtfully. “My eyes were on you, sister. It took me a while to see what all the commotion was.”

“But afterward,” Julia insisted impatiently. “After I jumped up and knocked my chair over, did you not see Lucy smile as if she were pleased about what she had done to me?”

“No,” Hannah replied softly. “I only heard Lucy apologize.”

“I saw her smile!” Julia exclaimed, raising her voice angrily. “She spilled the soup on my bare shoulder deliberately!”

“Why?” Hannah asked, gesturing for her sister to lower her voice. “I do not understand, Julia. Why would Lucy do such a thing? She has no reason to harm you.”

Julia ignored her sister’s question. “First she broke my finest work of pottery. She apologized for that, too, as I recall,” Julia said bitterly. “And then she embarrassed me in front of Father, when I was trying so hard to … to act the way he wants me to. Did Father say anything to you? About me? About what happened?”

“He seemed displeased that there was a disturbance,” Hannah replied, yawning again. “But I think Father was very happy about the dinner.”

“Happy about you,” Julia muttered.

“Being hostess is such hard work,” Hannah said. “I thought my smile would freeze on my face.”

Lost in her own thoughts, Julia didn’t appear to hear her.

“I am so tired,” Hannah said, sighing. “I think we had better go up to our rooms.”

“Yes,” Julia agreed.

The two sisters climbed to their feet, leaving the pillows against the wall. Silently they started toward the door.

In the dark, empty pantry Julia stopped and grabbed Hannah’s hand. “Just heed my warning, sister. Keep an eye on the new maid. Something about Lucy is not right.”

Too tired to argue, Hannah muttered her agreement, and the two sisters proceeded up the dimly lit stairway to their rooms.

A single gaslight on the hallway wall provided the only light in the long corridor. As Hannah made her way to her bedroom, she saw Lucy silently slip out her door and vanish into the shadows.

How strange, Hannah thought, feeling chilled and afraid.

The servants have all retired. Why was Lucy in my room at such a late hour?

Curious, she stepped into the bedroom. Logs crackled pleasantly in the fireplace. Hannah’s party dress had been removed from the chair on which she had tossed it. The bedclothes were neatly turned down.

How nice of Lucy, Hannah thought, sliding into the linen sheets. She felt a momentary pang of guilt for talking about the new girl with Julia.

I mustn’t listen to Julia’s wild accusations, she scolded herself.

Hannah pulled the goose-down comforter up over her shoulders and let her head sink into the pillow. Smiling to herself, she listened to the soothing crackle of the fire.

“Oh—!” she whispered when she felt something move against her bare leg.

It must be a wrinkle in the sheet, she told herself.

She shut her eyes again. She was so sleepy. She hoped she could fall asleep quickly.

“Oh-!” Hannah froze.

What was that?

Did something move? Is something in my bed?

She tried to cry out, but her voice caught in her throat as she felt something slither up her leg.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20