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Courtney rolled her eyes “In any case, I was hoping you and Elinore hadn’t decided to make a day of it”
“Hardly” With a tolerant sigh, Aurora shut the door against Oridge’s firmly planted back “Much as I adore Elinore, this is one ti without me?”
A faint smile touched Courtney’s lips “Would you be devastated if I said yes?”
“Probably”
“Then rest easy I’ve been staring out the orrying about Slayde I’ve scarcely even glanced at the note and drawing, e they’d wrested away fro a ten- agreement to permit them two hours alone with the sketch, after which he intended to reclaim it
“Well, we’d best start glancing,” Aurora muttered “Because the precise instant our ti open that door to snatch the sketch away As you heard, he’s alreadyunder his breath” She dropped onto the bed, her expression sole into the lion’s den Although Elinore seee Morland” A pause “At least I think she believes that”
A pucker formed between Courtney’s brows “What is it? What else is upsetting you?”
“Nothing Everything To begin with, I’ood at it”
“Nor a to Elinore you wish you hadn’t?”
“No Other than the fact that I divulged your wedding plans I’m sorry, Courtney ’Twas the only way I could explain my odd impatience and your equally inexplicable distraction”
At the last, Courtney sighed “I’m as poor an actress as you are”
“Do you mind that I blurted out your news?”
“Of course not Elinore is like family Slayde and I would have told her next anyway” Courtney leaned forward “Aurora, what happened to unnerve you?”
Pain flashed across Aurora’s face “ ’Twas listening to Elinore extol the virtues of Slayde’s penning his letter to the Times Courtney, I can’t explain it, but I feel as if I’ve betrayed Ma how fortuitous all this is, that the Huntleys will finally be free of the curse and that aze met Courtney’s “But they can’t rest in peace, can they? Because the diarandfather remains the last known person to have handled the stone, stealing it for himself ‘He with a black heart who touches the jeill reap eternal wealth, while beco the carrion upon whom, for all eternity, others will feed,’ ” she recited aloud “Oh, God, Courtney The whole idea terrifieswe’ve set it all right, granted my parents some semblance of peace, when in fact, we have not”
Courtney rose and went to the bed, sitting down beside her friend and hugging her tightly “Now you listen to me, Aurora Huntley,” she commanded fiercely “There is no curse ’Tis as fabricated as every other dark tale or legend that spans generations, propagated by thieves whose best interests it serves to do so Your parents were killed by greedy, inary curse That dialobe in search of it crave that fortune None of theacy attached to it, do they? And wouldn’t they be, if they truly believed they’d become the carrion upon whom all others will feed eternally? I should think the answer to that—great wealth or not—would be yes”