Page 27 of Legacy of Glass
Her thoughts were whirring too quickly for easy sleep, but the emotions of the night had exhausted her, and she did eventually fall into a slumber deep enough that if her aunt knocked on her locked door, she never heard it.
* * *
When she woke the next morning, it took Olivia a full minute to grasp that the strange memories in her mind weren’t tangled remnants of her dreams. When the night before came flooding back in full detail, she gasped and slipped straight out of bed, rushing to dress herself as quickly as possible.
Now that daytime had arrived, she had to find Marigold and make her explain herself. Surely there was still a way for Lord Emerson to fix everything.
She flew along the landing, not even thinking of breakfast or her normal morning chores. She nearly bowled Hattie over as her cousin stepped out of her room, barely catching herself in time.
“Olivia!” Hattie squealed, and Olivia winced at the volume.
“Sorry!” she called back, continuing toward the stairs.
If she stayed for a proper apology, Nell and Aunt Helen would appear, and then she might never get away.
“But—Olivia!” Hattie called after her.
Olivia still didn’t slow. She took the stairs two at a time and dashed through the house to a door that led into the walled garden at the back of the manor house. She could move even faster outside, and she soon reached the outer garden wall that gave access to the hill behind Manor Row.
Once actually on the hillside, however, she paused. In her mad dash to get to Marigold, she hadn’t considered the issue of how to approach the Emerson manor. She certainly didn’t have free access to it, never having been inside before. She and Marigold usually met on the hill, either by chance or prior arrangement.
Despite everything that had happened, she didn’t know if she had the courage to march up to their front door and demand admittance. But neither could she return to her own home without making some effort to find her friend. After what Marigold had done to Olivia, Olivia wasn’t going to allow her to hide in her room and let Olivia sort it all out on her own.
After another moment’s hesitation, Olivia approached the outer wall of the neighboring manor. As with her uncle’s manor, a door gave access between the rear of their garden and the hill. In all Olivia’s time with her aunt and uncle, she’d rarely seen it used by anyone but Marigold.
Feeling bold, she tried the door but found it locked. Shrugging, she rapped on it three times—loudly but not too loudly. And then she waited.
When a minute passed and no one came, she grew too impatient to remain still and knocked again. This time using five raps.
A clang sounded on the other side of the wall, making her straighten. If she had to guess, it had sounded like someone dropping a shovel onto a stone path. Her straining ears caught the further sound of footsteps and then the scrape of a bolt being drawn back.
She tried to calm her expression, putting on the best smile she could muster as the door was pulled open a crack and a face looked out at her.
The boy, hovering on the edge of manhood, had the appearance of a gardener’s apprentice, and he wore a look of caution. But when he saw Olivia, his expression changed, an admiring light springing into his eyes.
“Did you knock, miss?” he asked. “I haven’t heard anyone knock here before.”
Olivia tried to look as innocent and appealing as she could. “I’m looking for Lady Marigold. She’s a good friend of mine. Could you send her a message to let her know that Olivia is waiting to meet her on the hill?”
The boy’s face lit up—this time with the familiar light of someone bearing news that was too exciting not to share.
“Can’t do that,” he said breathlessly. “Lady Marigold isn’t here.”
“She isn’t at the manor?” Olivia frowned. It was still early in the morning by Marigold’s usual standards. “Then where is she?”
“That’s just it.” The boy leaned forward and lowered his voice slightly. “Don’t think anyone knows. Not with the way the house is buzzing. Like an upturned beehive it’s been since late last night. The senior gardener has been here for forty years, and he says he’s never seen Lord Emerson so angry. Furious, he is. Threatening to disinherit his own daughter and everything.” The boy shook his head, clearly delighted at so much excitement overtaking the usually orderly manor.
“If you ask me,” he continued, “I think she’s run away.” He declared this opinion with aplomb. “I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve seen her sneaking out this back door.”
Olivia was too shocked to speak, and the boy hesitated. But after looking at her closely, he regained his confidence and continued.
“I’ve seen her out here with you sometimes. When I was on my break,” he hurried to add. “Is it true you work next door?”
Olivia blinked and nodded, not quite sure what she was agreeing to. Marigold wasn’t at home? From the sound of it, she had never returned after leaving for the ball. So where was she? Had she really run away?
With a sinking feeling, Olivia acknowledged it was a possibility. Her friend had dramatically declared her intention to disappear many times, and Olivia had long ago stopped taking her seriously. But Marigold must have known she had gone too far this time and caused more trouble than even she could handle.
“I see,” Olivia said slowly, trying to think of something she could ask the lad that might give her a clue to Marigold’s whereabouts.
