ed under a crystal chandelier so large it made

of the grand staircase with the expression of someone who had been told

lf. She gave Abigail's clothes a slow,

om squeaking on the marble. Her calves burned. She felt like an

etely sterile. No pictures. No books. No trace that anyone had ever existed ins

lock," the housekeeper said, and pulle

od alone in

d against the cool glass. Below, a perfectly trimmed hedge divided the Richmond property fro

he hea

like someone dragging a bow across the strings with both hands and all o

d the window

a loose white button-down shirt. Dark hair. Disheveled. He was playing the violin the way

in musical form.

d across the la

hing up at the balcony. His face was red, his composure shattered. He looked

, deliberate smirk spread across his face - the kind t

n on a wicker chair l

ass pitcher of ice wate

and flew to

crashed down from the second floor in a per

muffled into silence. The boy just laughed - open, manic, completely un

against the cold windowpane befo

laughter

ke a predator catching a scent. His eyes locked directly o

. She was two estates away,

gaze did

a way that felt less like a w

A small porcelain figurine tipped over and hit the carpet with a dull

window and peeked th

till on the lawn below, aggressiv

p knocks h

flat voice called. "It is

the empty balcony

that boy was, he had already filed her away