“What do you want, Heather?”
“Isn’t it obvious? You don’t need to be at Manderley, Dorien. You’re too talented to be wasting away behind these walls. Master Radcliffe can’t teach you anything new. You should be back in the spotlight where you belong. And you should have the right woman by your side.”
Heather leaned forward to lick my earlobe. I couldn’t stop the shudder that rocketed through my body at her touch. “It’s what your parents wanted.”
“I don’t care. I won’t do it.”
“You’ll do it,” she whispered. “Or I’ll be reporting your parents to the authorities. And where will that land your brother?”
Shit. Fuck. Shit.
She knows. How can shepossiblyknow?
“Leave him alone,” I hissed. “He has nothing to do with this.”
“Tsk, tsk. All this is your fault. You shouldn’t have lost your temper, Dorien. Aggravated assault. Someone with a serious felony conviction can’t be appointed as a long-term guardian. Luckily, as a long-term friend to the family with an impeccable record, I’m happy to step up.”
“Stay away from him,” I growled.
“There’s that temper again. Go on, Dorien. Hit me. Add another assault to your record. All you’ll be doing is giving me more ammunition. I’ll take your brother away from you, and what will you have? That trash whoreFayeto warm your bed? I hope you’ve had your shots.”
I sat on the windowsill, my head spinning. “You’ve made your point, Heather. Give me your terms.”
“Faye is not playing with you on Saturday. My parents give a lot of money to this school, and they expect certain standards. They won’t accept anyone else by your side, especially not a painted heifer. She will step down, and you and I will play together instead.”
“You can’t play Faye’s composition.”
“Please.Modesty doesn’t suit you. There’s no way that fat cow could write something like that. It has Dorien Valencourt stamped all over it.” She stopped in front of my mirror, turning her body to admire herself. “I should say, Dorien Valencourt and Heather Danvers.”
“Faye won’t let you get away with this.”
“She won’t have a choice.” Heather’s smile could have chilled a penguin. “I intend to make it so that Faye de Winter never sets foot in Manderley again. And you’re going to help me. Orelse you’ll never see your brother again.”
Chapter Fifty-Six
Faye
When I went down to the kitchen to finish prep for the party, I noticed several sandwiches and meatballs missing from one of the platters.
Gah. I’ve got to remember to tell those boys not to steal food. If they’re hungry I can give them something to devour—
Argh.I grinned stupidly at myself.One night with Dorien and Ivan and even my internal monologue has become filthy.
I shuffled the meatballs around, but now I had a big gap on the side of one of the platters. I racked my brain for something simple to fill it with.I saw some crackers at the back of the pantry. If they’re not stale, they’d be perfect.
Humming Beethoven to myself, I went to the pantry and shifted the boxes aside, tossing anything that smelled funky. As I shoved aside a giant box of salt, I noticed something smeared on the wall near the back of the shelf, half-hidden in darkness. I took out my phone and shone the light on the wall.
What I’d thought was a smudge of ketchup or something was words scrawled in whiteboard marker in the same writing that had been on the noticeboard.Clare’s handwriting.
The words chilled me to the bone.
THE WALLS ARE TALKING.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Faye
The walls are talking.
