Page 34 of The Manor of Dreams

“Wait. I need to ask you something.”

Nora stopped.

“What you said. Last night. Your mom had told you not to go into the garden. Has something like that… happened before?”

Nora tried to avoid eye contact with Madeline. She instead looked toward the glass door that led to the garden. It was firmly shut. She could see spots of pink between the balusters in the stone terrace. The roses were still there. Howhadher mother known? Another question to ask. When she stood at the edge of the garden the other night, what had she seen? Were the roses out there then? “No. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Me neither,” Madeline said. “I wonder what your mother knows that we don’t.”

Nora was still.

“Well. I wanted to say thanks.” Madeline stepped around the kitchen counter, toward Nora. “Whatever happened last night would have been much worse if you hadn’t been there.”

Nora finally allowed herself to meet Madeline’s eyes. It was like touching static. “You’re really okay.” She’d meant it as a question.

“Now I am. Are you?”

Before Nora could react, Madeline reached for her hand. Her touchfelt cool. She turned Nora’s hands slightly, so the cut from the thorns caught the light. She peered at it intently. “Does this hurt?”

Nora shook her head and swallowed. For some reason she couldn’t think of what to say. Instead, she lifted Madeline’s sleeve, baring the long, jagged cut. It had been hastily wrapped in what looked like shredded paper towels and hair ties. A little darkened blood had seeped through. Around the bandage, her forearm was marred with ugly scratches and spotted with purpling bruises. Nora sucked in a breath between her teeth. “This doesn’t look good.”

“I’ll be fine,” Madeline said mildly. “Really.”

“You should clean it.”

“I did.” Madeline pulled down her sleeve as if to end the conversation. Nora stepped back. Why did she feel protective of Madeline, anyway? It was clear she didn’t want any help.

“You’re giving me this very intense look,” Madeline observed. “Like you’re trying to figure something out about me.”

Too late, Nora glanced away and scrambled for something else to say. “Can I askyousomething, then?” Madeline nodded. “What did your grandmother want from us?”

“What?”

“Why did Vivian ask my mother to come see her? Do you know what they talked about?”

Madeline looked confused. “Your mom came up here?”

“Do you not know what I’m talking about?” Nora was getting frustrated. “It’s all in that folder your mom’s been toting around.”

Madeline pressed on. “What folder?”

Nora had assumed that Madeline was in on all of it. Wasn’t she with her family all the time?

“Wait,” Madeline said. “Where is this folder? And what’s in it?”

Nora chewed on her lip.Shoot.“Never mind. It’s not— It’s not important.”

“No, tell me. You’re saying your mom did come to the house? And… my grandmother wanted her to?”

“I don’t know? I didn’t even know about it until yesterday.”

“Let’s work together.” Madeline leaned in. Her herringbone necklace glittered. Nora reminded herself not to stare at Madeline’s collarbone. “I feel like our families each have their own agenda. But we both want to know what really happened. And between the two of us, we can figure it out.”

The morning light shifted.The two of us.There was a slight furrow between Madeline’s brows. Her eyes were wide. Trusting. She reallydidlook like Vivian Yin, Nora realized. She had the same high cheekbones and full lips. The dreamlike expression. The profile of a starlet.

Nora had to be careful. “I’m not supposed to talk to you,” she insisted, stepping back. “Not without a lawyer present.”

Madeline’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. Nora walked out of the kitchen and retreated down the hallway, back to her room.

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