“Well, imagine some good fairy made it with beautiful tree leaves and her very own tears. That’s what I always pretended when Captain fixed something terrible.” She set the half-eaten bowl back on the stand. “How do you feel?”
“I hurt. I hurt bad.”
“I know.”
“I wish I had Papa. I wish I had Mamm. Miss Gillingham?”
“Yes?”
“How come’ee stayed here with me? How come’ee didn’t have no servant care after me?”
“Because I wanted to care after you myself. Just as the good fairy might have done.”
“Why?”
“Because…well, because you’re my friend, I suppose.” She’d imagined the words would warm Minney, would make her smile or maybe laugh.
But they only made her cry, grope for Eliza’s hand, and lean up—wincing and whimpering. “Miss Gillingham, ye’ll die too. I know’ee will.”
The words struck a chord of panic. Even with Eliza’s back facing the tapestry, the beast’s gaze speared through her. “Please, Minney, do not say such things.”
“It is true. I know it. I know he’ll kill’ee too.”
He.As if the person were known. As if it were not some elusive, shadowed madman—but someone Minney knew. Maybe all of them knew.
“Leave, Miss Gillingham. If ’ee leave, he cannot kill’ee—”
“Who?”
Her face turned into the pillow.
“Minney, who?” No answer. “Please, why won’t you tell me?”
“I be afeared.”
“Why?”
“Because…because he already killed my papa. And he already killed Lady Gillingham.” Minney rubbed a fist under her eyes, smearing away tears, even though they only dripped faster. “If I say something to’ee, maybe he’ll kill me too.”
“But your father killed himself—”
“No he didn’t. People only says he did. They believe it. I pretend to believe it too because I have to. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die, Miss Gillingham. I don’t want to—”
“Shhh, shhh.” Eliza grasped the girl’s face, turning her until the frightened eyes met Eliza’s. “Please tell me. I would not expect such a thing of you, I would not ask it if it did not mean so much. You understand, don’t you?”
“Yes. I understand. I’ll tell’ee because’ee are my friend, right?”
“Yes.”
“And I have to tell’ee because’ee think he’s good. He pretends terrible much. But I know why he killed my papa. I know why he made us go away. When I was little, I didn’t know. But I think about it. I think all the time. It must o’ been because Papa loved Lady Gillingham, and even when Lord Gillingham sent us away, her ladyship still comed to see us. At the inn. She weren’t supposed to do that, but he must have found out. He must have killed Papa ’cause Papa loved her.”
Eliza’s chest constricted.No.
“Papa wrote a letter to her. Then she comed to the inn. She talked with my papa, but I don’t be remembering what they said. Then Lady Gillingham took me back here. I never seen Papa again because they said he hanged himself. Then Lady Gillingham died too. He must have been so jealous. That must be the reason he killed her. Isn’t that why he killed her, ye think?”
“Then you’re saying …” The words wouldn’t come. “You’re saying…my father?”
“Now he wants to kill’ee too. I knew he would. I prayed he wouldn’t, but he does. Ye must o’ seen him do it.”
