Page 14 (2/2)

Luce unclenched her jaw If scrubbing this disgusting soup tureen had anything to do with understanding my past, my work ethic would make your head spin But this is pointless She waved a cast iron skillet in Bill's face Its handle was slick with pork grease Not to

Luce knew her frustration didn't have anything to do with the dishes She probably sounded like a brat But she'd barely been above ground since she'd started working here She hadn't seen Helston Daniel once since that first gliarden, and she had no idea where her past self was She was lonely and listless and depressed in a way she hadn't been since those awful early days at Sword & Cross, before she'd had Daniel, before she'd had anyone she could truly count on

She'd abandoned Daniel, Miles and Shelby, Arriane and Gabbe, Callie, and her parents--all for what? To be a sculleryshe didn't even knohether she was capable of doing So Bill thought she was being whiny She couldn't help it She was inches away from a breakdown

I hate this job I hate this place I hate this stupid solstice party and this stupid pheasant souffl?--

Lucinda will be at the party tonight, Bill said suddenly His voice was infuriatingly calm She happens to adore the Constances' pheasant souffl? He flitted up to sit cross-legged on the countertop, his head twisting a creepy 360 degrees around his neck to make sure the two of them were alone

Lucinda will be there? Luce dropped the skillet and her scrub brush into the sudsy tub I' out of this kitchen, and I' to talk to her

Bill nodded, as if this had been the plan all along Just remember your position If a future version of yourself had popped up at so school party of yours and told you--

I would have wanted to know, Luce said Whatever it was, I would have insisted on knowing everything I would have died to know

Muarantee you that

That's impossible Luce shook her head She'sme Nope She's a version of you who has been reared by completely different parents in a very different world You share a soul, but she's nothing like you You'll see He gave her a cryptic grin Just proceed with caution Bill's eyes shot toward the door at the front of the large kitchen, which swung open abruptly Look lively, Luce!

He plunked his feet into the washtub and let out a raspy, contented sigh just as Miss McGovern entered, pulling Henrietta by the elbow The headmeal

After the stewed prunes, she droned

On the other side of the kitchen, Luce whispered to Bill We're not finished with this conversation

His stony feet splashed suds onto her apron May I advise you to stop talking to your invisible friends while you're working? People are going to think you're crazy

I'hed and stood straight, knowing that was all she was going to get out of Bill, at least until the others had left

I'll expect you and Myrtle to be in tip-top shape this evening, Miss McGovern said loudly to Henrietta, sending a quick glare back at Luce

Myrtle The name Bill had made up on her letters of reference

Yes, miss, Luce said flatly

Yes, miss! There was no sarcash, if she overlooked how badly the girl needed a bath

Once Miss McGovern had bustled out of the kitchen and the two girls were alone, Henrietta hopped up on the table next to Luce, swinging her black boots to and fro She had no idea that Bill was sitting right beside her,hertwo ruby-colored spheres fro one out to Luce

What Luce liked irl was that she never did a drop of work unless the boss was in the roo as the sweet juice trickled froht I heard you talking to someone else in here before, Henrietta said She raised an eyebrow Have you got yourself a fellow, Myrtle? Oh, please don't say it's Harry from the stables! He's a rotter, he is

Just then, the kitchen door swung open again, irls jump, drop their fruit, and pretend to scrub the nearest dish

Luce was expecting Miss McGovern, but she froze when she sao girls in beautiful hter as they tore through the filthy kitchen

One of them was Arriane

The other--it took Luce a irl Luce had met for just a moment at Parents' Day, all the way back at Sword & Cross She'd introduced herself as Arriane's sister

Some sister

Henrietta kept her eyes down, as if this gah the kitchen were a noret in trouble if she even pretended to see the two girls--who certainly didn't see either Luce or Henrietta It was like the servants blended in with the filthy pots and pans

Or else Arriane and Annabelle were just laughing too hard As they squeezed past the pastry- rabbed a fistful of flour from the marble slab and tossed it in Annabelle's face For half a second, Annabelle looked furious; then she started laughing even harder, grabbing a fistful herself and casting it at Arriane

They were gasping for air by the tiarden, which led to the big garden, where the sun actually shone and where Danielto follow

Luce couldn't have pinned dohat she was feeling if she'd tried--shock or embarrassment, wonder or frustration?

All of it must have shown on her face, because Henrietta eyed her knowingly and leaned in to whisper, That lot arrived last night Someone's cousins from London, in town for the party She walked over to the pastry table They nearly wrecked the strawberry pie with their antics Oh, itrich Maybe in our next lives, hey, Myrtle?