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She washer way to one of the few open doors when the sound of girls’ titters halted her Sassy’s instincts went into play, and she gave then as she stood and waited

“So blubber-headed he was I don’t think he has ever had it before Gawd, but he did h,” an unseen face and unfamiliar voice remarked

“What did you do?” asked another girl Sassy recognized the voice as Caroline Hughes’s

“As he had his eyes closed, I was obliged to keep irl’s words were accohter

Sassy cleared her throat Sassy had often giggled and gossiped with her own friends She had also often heard the servants at the parsonage talking about their ro to it, and a sudden fear entered her mind “Excuse me,” she said, one brow up, and then as they jumped round to see her in the doorway, “Oh, did I startle you? I a to locate Delia Standish”

“Our room is at the end of the hall,” Caroline offered as she pointed

“Thank you,” Sassy said, starting off

“But she isn’t there now She went out with the heado,” Caroline said in an odd voice

Sassy thanked her and quietly withdrew So on at Netherby She had to find out exactly what She went to her roorabbed her cloak, and hurried back down the staircase and out for a walk

She reached the rill that wound its way through the wooded walking path and listened to the waterits way over the rocks What should she do? What proof did she have to go to anyone with her suspicions? None She rubbed her hands together against the cold, as she had forgotten to wear her gloves

Her ring—should she call on the power of her ring to show her where the headmistress had taken Delia?

“I kneould find you here,” said James Bankes, at her back

She spun around, not at all pleased to be interrupted, and said with as much of a smile as she could muster, “Hello, James”

“What is it? So, Sassy—it is all over your face,” he said at once with an acco frown