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Nora stayed in her chair and didn’t turn around when she heard the door open behind her again But when the door opened a third ti wonized the girl at once--Søren’s niece The o, and she rushed into Nora’s arether Nora pulled her close and held tight to the girl’s tre?" she de to Nora, who could only pull the girl closer and rock her in her arms She seemed mostly unharmed A cracked lip, a bloody bruise on her cheek She ht?" she whispered to Laila in the little Danish she remembered

"Okay," Laila whispered back "I was at Onkel Søren’s house They grabbed me and--"

"You two look very sweet," Marie-Laure said "And aren’t we a lovely trio? We have the wife, the ht about taking one of his sisters, but the little girl’s better Men always do prefer the younger ones Look at you" Marie-Laure studied Laila’s face "Such a beautiful thing You look like hiray All the boys must be in love with you"

Laila shuddered in Nora’s arms

"No one is in love with me," she said, and Nora kissed the top of her head and whispered, "Jeg elsker dig" into Laila’s ear--I love you

"Don’t worry Love is overrated But tellclose to where Nora and Laila sat huddled on the ground She sensed thebehind theerous, especially noith Laila there shivering in her arms almost paralyzed fro Nora ran her hand up and down Laila’s back, trying to instill soirl

"Does your uncle love this woman?" She inclined her head toward Nora "This whore of his? Does he love her?"

Laila looked up at Nora, who only nodded her head, indicating Laila should tell the truth as best she could

"Yes," Laila said "Of course he does She’s" Laila’s voice broke and tears started to strea then, too, in si to him She’s like his wife"

Marie-Laure’s eyes flinched but she only turned back to Nora

"What about her?" Marie-Laure said to Nora "Does he love his niece?"

"Of course he does, you lunatic She’s like a daughter to hihter? So hard to choose I need to keep one of you here But one of you needs to go to hie But who does he love more? Whom should I keep? Whom should I send? Whoever stays, we’ll have a wonderful tiuest"