Page 5 of House of Salt and Sorrows
“Miss Annaleigh?”
Drawn from my reverie, I looked up to see Hanna’s eyes on me, eyebrows raised.
“Did she say how far along she is?”
“Morella? She thinks three months, maybe a little more.”
“More?” Camille smirked. “They’ve only been married four.”
Lenore left the window and joined me on the chaise. “Why does she bother you so much, Camille? I’m glad she’s here. The Graces love having a mother again.”
“She’s not their mother. Or ours. She doesn’t even come close.”
“She’s trying,” Lenore allowed. “She asked if she could help plan our ball. We can use it as our debut, since we can’t go to court during mourning.”
“You can’t throw a ball either,” Camille reminded her.
“But it’s our sixteenth birthday!” Rosalie sat up, a pout marring her face. “Why does everything fun have to be put on hold for a whole year? I’m tired of mourning.”
“And I’m sure your sisters are tired of being dead, but that’s how it is!” Camille exploded, pushing off the bed. She slammed the door behind her before any of us could stop her.
Rosalie blinked. “What’s gotten into her?”
I bit my lip, feeling as though I should go after her but too tired for whatever fight might ensue. “She’s missing Eulalie.”
“We all miss her,” Rosalie pointed out.
A blanket of silence descended over us as our thoughts drifted back to Eulalie. Hanna roamed the room, lighting tapers before lowering the gas sconces until they flickered out. The candelabras cast wavering shadows to the corners of the room.
Lenore stole part of my throw and burrowed under it. “Do you think it would be so very wrong to go along with Morella’s plan? To have a ball? We only turn sixteen once…. We can’t help it that everyone keeps dying.”
“I don’t think it’s wrong to want to celebrate, but think of how Camille feels. Neither of us debuted. Elizabeth and Eulalie didn’t either.”
“So celebrate with us!” Rosalie offered. “It could be a grand party—to show everyone that the Thaumas girls aren’t cursed and everything is fine.”
“And we don’t turn sixteen for three weeks. We could mourn till then and just…stop,” Ligeia reasoned.
“I don’t know why you’re trying to convince me. Papa is the one who will have to approve it.”
“He’ll say yes if Morella asks him.” Rosalie smiled slyly. “Inbed.”
The triplets fell into fits of laughter. There was a knock at my door, and we all hushed, certain it was Papa coming to chastise us for making so much noise. But it was Verity, standing in the middle of the hallway, drowning in a dark nightgown two sizes too big for her. Her hair was mussed, and glittering tracks of tears ran down her face.
“Verity?”
She said nothing but held out her arms, begging to be picked up. I hoisted her into an embrace, smelling the sweet warmth of childhood. Though she was sweaty with sleep, goose bumps ran down her bare arms, and she snuggled into my neck, seeking comfort.
“What’s the matter, little one?” I rubbed soothing circles over her back, her hair as soft as a baby robin against my cheek.
“Can I stay here tonight? Eulalie is being mean to me.”
The triplets exchanged looks of concern.
“You can, of course, but do you remember what we talked about before the funeral? You know Eulalie isn’t here anymore. She’s with Mama and Elizabeth now, in the Brine.”
I felt her nod. “She keeps pulling my sheets off, though.” Her thin arms encircled my neck, clinging to me tighter than a starfish at high tide.
“Lenore, check on Mercy and Honor, will you?”
