“Please don’t talk back to me,” she said, closing her eyes for a moment as if I’d physically pained her. “I cannot abide it. I am very disappointed that, being ill, you would risk Agatha’s health by putting yourself in such close proximity.”

Inwardly, I rebelled—I wasn’t even actually sick—but of course, I couldn’t say that to Laura.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I would never risk her health—”

“To bed, please,” she said coolly. “I think you’d better rest for the whole morning.”

My cheeks felt like fire as I slinked into my room and closed the door (which I was tempted to slam—but who, besides Agatha, would dare slam a door with Laura in the vicinity?). I had to stay in bed the whole morning? Because I stood too close to Agatha when I had a headache?

I flounced onto my bed and sat there stewing until I heard them leave, and then I went to the bathroom and took a shower (if she commented, I could say it helped my headache).

When I came out, I found a stack of books on my bed, as well as a handwritten note on Laura’s fancy stationery.

I’m sorry I was short with you. Please rest and I’ll see you at lunch. Here’s some reading if you can’t sleep.

I appreciated the gesture, even though her note made it clear that she expected me to stay quarantined up here for the whole first half of the day.

At least Barrett got out safely.

I didn’t even want to think about what her reaction would have been if she’d found him in my room.

CHAPTER

19

THE DAY PLODDED along. I nearly died of boredom—the books Laura had left me ended up being punishingly dull. Barrett was at lunch, but I felt Laura’s eyes on me and avoided talking to him. I could sense his confusion after my first snub, but by a few minutes in, he seemed to understand. He made small talk with Laura about the upcoming school year, while I listened and felt bitterly jealous of everyone who got to be around him. As soon as the meal was over, I escaped to the garden so she couldn’t send me back to bed.

He was mysteriously missing at dinner, but I thought asking about him would give me away somehow. Then, halfway through, I thought not asking about him might be worse, so I asked Laura if she knew where he was.