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I felt a terrible fear She stared atdarker in disapproval "You should go now Stop thinking about these things"

I aith a start to deep darkness and the sounds of rain beating on the roof aboveofabout ether, but they went to threads in ht feel fro I could not recall The wind gusted, and the rain suddenly pattered harder and swifter against roof and pane It lulled, then gusted again I listened to that, sleepless, until , and then rose wearily to face another day

CHAPTER 14

Cousin Epiny

I don’t kno Gord staggered through his classes the next day As I feared, I earned punishnment My spirits were low When I heard the ruly drunk and was not to be suspended, but si an officer, my misery was complete I suspected his punishment was undeserved, but had no real proof to offer on his behalf I still wondered if I should not take my suspicions to Dr Amicas, and wondered, too, if race eclipsed all curiosity about what had befallen Gord I was a bit disillusioned with ly the tale that he had taken all those bruises tu down the library steps He had developed a fine black eye from his "fall" and limped as we marched to and fro I decided I didn’t understand hi bleak and downhearted when I returned to Carneston House at noon and found an unexpecteddays of freedoetso I would not have to spend my time in the dormitory Spink, to his credit, tried to look happy for h we both knew it conde behind alone there

"I need the study time," he declared "And I know you’ll enjoy yourself there Don’t worry aboutme back some of those cinnamon cakes your little cousin baked for you last tiood time"

Nate and Kort had also received letters To their dised They would overnight at Nate’s great-aunt’s in Old Thares Their sisters and sweethearts would be housed in Kort’s uncle’s ho tryst the four had secretly planned was abruptly dooer sister was soundly denounced as a tattletale

We completed our afternoon classes and then hurried back to our barracks to pack As ere cli the stairs up to our room, Gord actually passed me on the steps By the ti out the door with his previously packed bag slung over his shoulder A broad grin dominated his fat and swollen face

"What are you so chipper about?" I deed "I’ll see my parents over the break My father has co withthere as well She lives only a few miles from my uncle’s house"

"Who is Cilima?" I demanded, and all around me the other cadets paused to hear the answer

"My fiancee," Gord asserted, and suddenly blushed a deep red There was some skepticism and mockery, but he quietly produced a e black eyes Her beauty stunned me, and when Trist archly asked if she knew the fate that awaited her, Gord replied with dignity that her affection and belief in hih difficult tiain, I was struck with the realization that there seeined He was the first of us to leave, and the others followed soon after, for they had all packed the night before

Spink followed me to our room and watched woefully as I packed, and then bravely accoe He stood beside es and conveyances were co off cadets I could tell he was eaten up with envy that I would escape the Acade it well, saying only that I should enjoy food cooked for the pleasure of eating rather than the convenience of feeding

I had expected only that e for me Thus I was taken aback when the driver pulled in his horses and I saw that not only my uncle but also my Cousin Epiny had come to fetch ed to greet raciously shook hands with hi the Acade Epiny, left unattended in the carriage, immediately climbed out without assistance I watched her from the corner of my eye as she wandered a short distance down the walk, studying the grounds and the ad with her direct, inquisitive stare She looked like a stick in a large lace collar I was accustoe in the voluminous flounces and bustles and hoops or whatever it was under their skirts that made them bell out so Epiny’s dress was a childish style in a stiff shiny fabric of diagonal navy and white stripes It was short enough that I could see she wore little black boots instead of slippers Her hat looked like a cockeyed toith lace and three blue flowers sprouting out the top of it as if it were a vase It was so ugly that I was certain it was extre around her neck which she held between her teeth When she came closer, I realized it was a whistle shaped like an otter Her breathing blew it very softly as she carried it She came to stand at my uncle’s elbow She listened for a short ti and then sighed out through the whistle, rather loudly