or several seconds I simply stood there, Lily's voi

disa

drobe beside it, and a window overlooking the quiet gardens behind the manor. Everything about the room was

in the doorway long enou

daily routine is on the desk. Mr. Blackwood takes his meals s

erst

port direc

cour

he previous four nannies fou

. "I'm not easi

ot amusement or doubt but concern, and alth

she said be

re my daughter was, whether she was happy, whether someone held her when she cried, and whether she ever looke

side this house and

nstead, I felt afraid, because hope was d

ce, but by the time I finally lay down, sleep still refused to come, and every time I closed my ey

otsteps stopped outside my door. I opened my eye

jamas, her dark hair messy from sleep and her hands clas

we were eye level

ral seconds before whispe

ewhere deeper tha

I wasn't goi

t a stranger but like someone checking whether a promise

ed. "Br

dded.

in hers, her fingers closing around mine immediately - the si

he refused strawberries because she claimed they tasted "too happy," insisted her to

a tray of tea, and Lily glanced at her

aid. Her expression a

es you th

r cheek when

y, while I turned back to the child beside me, and Lily continued eating

ed the dining room, and Lily didn't e

ped. I looked at Lil

ells li

wned.

ks tea when sh

g away, and that was when I realized something - Lily wasn't simply observ

didn't seem uncomfortable with the silence either - she seemed to enjoy it, an

ed up at me. "Will y

cour

A few minutes passed before she aske

es

next

es

me the question she had clearly be

idn't look at me - she si

lowed.

then released a tiny breath t

meals, and brought me books before bedtime, expecting me to read every single one. During reading hour, she climbed int

her, and she lo

thi

he returned

elt too natural, too familiar, and a strange ache fille

m f

reaching up and touching my cheek.

I could answer, a voice came

her body changed - it was subtle, but her shoulders became tense and her hand ti

ng very we

once. "Wal

stand. "I'll b

hanged immediate

n surprised

d. "I p

ith Damian, and we walked far enoug

rrived from

med it

nbur

es

ndation was

ere was a reason he

with difficult

who needed

r nannies resigned

kno

still a

es

hy

where Lily was waiting. "Becau

on changed, though only slightl

can surp

you don't understand. Lily doe

d not

behaved this wa

s gaze. "

then Damian spoke. "I protec

a warning, and I didn

ned and walked away, leaving me with a realization I couldn't ignore: Damian Bla

more about the manor, not searching for secrets, not yet,

oden door, old, locked, and easy to overlook, except it clearly hadn't be

ad replaced them recently. Someone came here. S

mine the lock, a voice stopped me. "Can

away with folded towels in her arms

earning my

he locked door before returning to me. "The

ning, and I underst

d next - the moment I reached the corner, Clara's footsteps changed

ew seconds later I heard a

n's s

reporting my

smiled. I

yone's eyes whenever they passed it all pointed toward the same conclusion: whatever was hid

ected to that room. I just didn't know yet that opening that door would force m