Page 21 (1/2)

"Why aren’t you dead? Why are you standing? What happened?" Mel asked, her arms held out to catch me should I suddenly topple over

"I was on the catwalk Liuh her teeth and tapped her toe shoe "Oh, la I saw her skulking off while everyone gathered around you If Madeendarmes, and they arenot kind to us"

Bea tapped Mel on the ar to tell?" Mel asked

"Who, iven some sort of test "No, of course not I’ht?"

Bea held up a finger, then fled the rooone Her room is a mess Looks like you’ve rid us of some trouble"

I chuckled "I didn’t really do much Just fell But ill" A rinned "Wait I have an idea Will you help me?"

Their eyes ed a How?

"First of all, go put Lione Second, can you find alimber I had work to do

I spent the rest of the afternoon holed up in Lith ood one, and no nored it The ewer held rose-scented water, and the first thing I did was take whatin relief as the dirt I’d carried withLiled with the final piece of the puzzle Without needle, thread, or scissors, I couldn’t make what certainly felt like the most important part of my wardrobe

Therefore, it seemed like more than providence when I heard Blue’s voice on the other side of the door

"Li told me she was in on the joke, and I cracked the door open just wide enough to let her slip in Her eyes twinkled as she held out a pile of cloth "That’s what you needed, yes?"

I held out the bloomers and smiled "Exactly But how did you know?"

"You have your secrets, and I have mine Now, let me help you not muck it up"

The basket she set on the floor held all the little details that only a costumer remembered, and I was soon ready to put , dear," Blue said as she hobbled back out the door "I’ll be watching" She winked and was gone, and I checked the clock under glass on Limone’s dresser Her room was three times the size of ht went as planned, it would be mine completely tomorrow

A soft scratch on the door startled et into place, as being seen with et her thrown out of the cabaret--at least, until my plan reached victory