Jenkins left the room, shutting the library door behind him with a decisive click. I crouched down next to Piper. What was it they did in all the old novels, pat their hands? I patted her hand. She didn’t flicker so much as a false eyelash. Smelling salts? Didn’t have any. Cold water poured over her head? Seemed harsh. Also, I didn’t have any.

“Piper, it’s me, Scarlett, Viv’s cousin,” I said. “I know you’ve had a shock, but you need to wake up.”

Why? my brain argued. If I were Piper, I’d want to stay unconscious, too.

I glanced around the library to see if there was anything I could use to nudge her back to consciousness. I had no idea how long it would take for help to arrive.

The waist-high bookcases in the center of the library made it easy to see across the room. I glanced down the rows and saw a swatch of gray fabric behind one of the cases. I was certain it hadn’t been there when I found Dooney. I was positive I would have noticed. I slowly rose to my feet and crept toward the bookcase. I knew I recognized the cloth, but from where?

I jumped around the shelf, wobbling a bit on my heels, and there, crouched on the floor, was Sunny in the pearl gray dress that had caused such a to-do between her and Trisha—that’s why I recognized it.

“Sunny, what are you doing in here?”

Her face was blotchy and she looked as if she’d been crying. Her voice when she spoke was punctuated with hiccups.

“I—came into the library to gather my thoughts. Then I saw Dooney and rushed to help him, but he”—she hiccuped again—“was—” She sobbed.

“The door was locked,” I said. “How did you get in here?”

“There’s another entrance,” she said.

“The tunnel,” I said.

She nodded. “I was outside walking the grounds—then found a door at the far end of the garden. It led here but when I came inside—Dooney—”

“I know, it’s awful,” I said. “But why are you hiding?”

“I thought—” She paused and took a steadying breath. “I thought it would look bad if I was found with him, and I panicked when I heard the three of you come in.”

I nodded. So, she’d come in through the tunnel during the time Archie and I went off to find Jenkins. I was in the unique position to appreciate exactly how freaked out she might have been to find the groom dead in the library.

“Come on,” I said. “Let’s see if we can help Piper.”

Sunny nodded and swiped at her face with her hands. She took the hand I held out, and I pulled her to her feet. Together, we went back to Piper, who was still out cold.