Chapter 15: House Meeting

Hallie's POV

At eleven o'clock the whole household stood in the family room, and I stood in the middle of it in yesterday's skirt.

I had not slept much and I was not sorry.

Tobias was next to me. He did not touch me in front of the staff.

But the back of his hand rested against mine, and he did not move it.

The cook was there, and the housekeeper and two maids and the gardener, holding his cap.

Noelle and Dennis stood by the piano. Noelle gave me a thumbs-up at hip height.

Pearl sat in the big chair with her cane across her knees. Rosalind sat opposite in grey wool, with her hands folded.

The pillowcase was on the coffee table.

"Rosalind," Pearl said. "Tell them what's in the bag."

"I'm sure I don't know," said Rosalind.

Pearl tipped it out.

Three small black recorders rolled across the table. Dennis set a fourth one beside them.

Each had a strip of tape on the back and a number in round, neat handwriting.

The housekeeper looked at the numbers and went pale.

"Those are my labels," Rosalind said gently. "I number everything. It's how I keep the house running."

"They were in my grandson's desk," Pearl said.

"For the household's security."

"For three years?"

"One can't be too careful," Rosalind said, and smiled at me.

Boxes began to slide in at the edge of my vision, and I braced.

"bookbabe_91: The aunt is SMILING?? In the book she wins this scene. (18,300 likes)"

"tea_and_spoilers: In the book Noelle isn't here to hold the necklace. The plot is BROKEN. (14,100 likes)"

"pagefive: I've been rooting for the wrong couple for a month and I'm furious. (22,900 likes)"

Keep reading free with an account. Start After Seeing the Comments, I Forced the Male Lead to Love Me from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.