he hall, the one place in the manor where the central heating never seemed t

er where she kept her pa

pt

hot anger began to spread from her stomach to her chest. She pulle

d her opened w

tossed a bundle of bla

of the girls called in

rt? Eva asked. She

that you have been too flighty lately. You need to learn so

bed was an old maid's uniform. It w

Eva

es narrowed

aid

and raising instinctively. It was

ianne's wris

tightening valves in the lab had given Eva hands

eyes widening in

ay. Dianne stumbled ba

aying your g

he used for wire cutting, and drove the blades into the fabric. The sound of tearing

ing and closing like a fish. Y

garment bag in the back. It was a black slip dress she had bought at a thrift s

d pulled the dress on. It fit her perfec

going downstairs. And I a

mother, leaving the shre

glass. Eva moved through the crowd. She kept her head high. She wore no jewelry, no makeup,

g court with a group of bankers. When he saw Eva, his

o the man next to her-Jimmy Noel, Baxter's nephew-and started

ng. It was clum

. Her hip checked a passing waiter, and

pped. It was a smooth, calculated m

d onto the Persi

d a finger at Eva. She pushed me!

the immediate vicini

, seizing the moment. Eva! How dar

logize, he hissed at Eva. Now. Or so help

e faces surrounding her. The sneers. The judgment. The absolute

small clutch. Her fin

lled i

that moment, he seemed small. She took the folded

voice was calm, terrifyingly rea

e paper again

en

er hand. Get that t

va said. Look at wh

olute lack of fear. He snatched the paper

g about a cleaning bill. Isobel wa

opened, but no sound came out. The blood rushed from his face, leaving him a

ed to shake. Th

s were filled with a mixture of

u get this?