The Twin They Erased novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Founders' Night

On Founders' Night, Principal Ansel locked me in the tower at four in the afternoon.

The matron carried the key down to the hall.

The cough girl unlocked the door again at seven with a hairpin.

"The matron's key was a copy," she said. "I had one cut in town with the last of my own purse."

I laughed out loud, in the dark, for the first time that month.

Then I put on the clean uniform she had stolen for me, and we went down.

The great hall at Marrow Hill had a high ceiling and a long oak table.

Tonight twelve trustees sat at it in their good coats.

Every girl in the school stood in rows against the walls.

At the head of the table, Principal Ansel was speaking, with her hands folded and her glasses shining.

"And of course," she said, "we owe a special debt to Mrs. Odile Astley of Astley Mills, whose generosity has kept our doors open for seven years."

I walked down the aisle between the rows of girls.

My shoes rang on the floorboards.

Everyone turned.

I heard a gasp, and the trustee at the end of the table put down his glass.

"Mrs. Astley's generosity," I said, "is why I've been in your bell tower for three years."

Principal Ansel's smile held.

"Willa, dear, you are unwell. Matron."

"Please don't," said the cough girl, and stepped out of the line of girls.

She was holding the notebook in both hands.

"My name's on the school roll," she said.

Her voice shook, but she kept it loud.

"I've been here two years. I've fought at Bannon's barn eight times."

"Every time, the principal took half of what I won. I wrote it all down."

"That is a lie," Principal Ansel said, but she had lost the first note of her sweetness.

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