Written to Die for the Angel, So I Exposed Her First novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: A Useful Girl

Lucan reached the turn of the stair a moment before Aurelie did.

"Here," he said. "I'm here. I was seeing Miss Valmorin out."

Aurelie came down three steps with one hand on the rail, her white skirts gathered, her face lifted.

"Oh, Perrine," she said warmly. "There you are. I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For caring so much about the little ones. I'm ashamed I never looked. I've been so wrapped up in my own small affairs, and you saw what I didn't." She took Perrine's hand. Her palm was dry and cool. "You're a better friend to them than I've been."

It was perfectly done.

It forgave her, praised her, and made the whole scene her own idea, in four sentences, with the Warden listening.

Perrine thought: she's good.

She thought: she's so good that she has never once needed to learn how to lose.

"I only fed them bread," Perrine said.

"Bread is everything." Aurelie squeezed. "Lucan, will you take me up? I'm dizzy. This has been such an evening."

"Of course."

He offered his arm.

Aurelie took it, and as they climbed, her lilac gaze flicked back over her shoulder to Perrine.

The smile on her mouth did not move.

"Good night, darling," she said. "Sleep well."

Perrine stood alone on the back stair until their footsteps had gone.

Then she let out a long, shaky breath and said to the empty dark, "That was a threat."

Garance was waiting by the carriage at the kitchen court.

"Well?" she said.

"The Dowager lost her pearls."

"I heard it from the cook. Everyone's heard it. They're singing it in the street." Garance helped her up. "And the Lord Warden?"

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