Chapter Two
Daisy
Alow, persistent sobbing echoing through the hall is what next wakes me.
It's about a half an hour before mandated get-up time. I’m still tired in the mornings, and, after Colin’s information yesterday, I understand that it’s jetlag. Of course it is. How did I allow Stoke and his minions to get into my head like that? I decide not to wait for one of the Blanks to ‘wake me up’ by medicating me to within an inch of my consciousness. I get out of bed, shower, and get dressed.
I make sure to do everything exactly the way I’m supposed to. I follow all the rules. I make my bed and tidy up my room before I slip into the hall and walk to the common room. No one else is in here this early. I heard the new shift of Blanks coming through the doors about half an hour ago, and I know that Stoke has not yet arrived. It's barely seven.
I sit at the table and grab some colored pencils, mindlessly doodling until I'm found.
'Oh, here you are, Marguerite,' one of the Blanks says as he enters the room.
It’s Philip again.
'This makes a change, eh, lazy bones?'
I give him a bright smile and nod enthusiastically while I internally roll my eyes. How did I do this for ten years? How did I sit and behave as if I was so stupid and compliant? Even pretending to do it now leaves a bad tastein my soul.
I turn back to what I'm doing, my fingers metaphorically crossed that this will be the beginning of the end of the pills.
Unfortunately, not more than five minutes later, a small cup is put on the table in front of me.
'Time for your medicine,' another Blank chirps.
Sue.
I stop the sneer trying to alight my face before it’s noticed.
Sue's sharp eyes have been taking in everything about me for days. She goes through my pockets, I assume on Stoke's orders. She makes sure that I haven't taken anything into my room, even something as innocuous as an extra blanket because it’s drafty. Maybe she thinks I’ll try to fashion a rope to hang myself with. She also gave me a demerit the other day forshuffling in my slippers.
But she isn’t the only one. In fact, I'm being watched so closely in general that I can barely leave my room without feeling the Blanks’ eyes following me, which is a bit of a problem if I want to get out of here. Also, it reminds me of my time in the Novelle house under Nasty Nurse's thumb a little too much. I miss the days when I could walk around The Heathalmost freelyand I never believed that I’d think something likethat.
However, things are looking up. Since Colin's words tome yesterday, at least I know that I'm not crazy. They just want me to think I am.
But why?
I've been turning it around in my mind over and over again. I still can't work it out. It must have something to do with the Bandervilles. Otherwise, why would Joseph have been here pretending to be a doctor?
They have the women in their family under tight control, I remember from meeting the mother and sister. Maybe that’s what this is about. Power. Bringing me here can't be retribution for killing Joe. They wouldn't have known about that so quickly. After all, I was taken from the dance floor in the club within minutes.
If only I could figure out who took me. The voice that I heard on the plane was familiarsomehow. It must have been someone connected to the Bandervilles, but I can’t place it and it’s niggling at me.
But if it was the Bandervilles who had me brought here, they’d know by now that I must have had something to do with Joe’s death. I was taken not fifty feet from where I poisoned him. So, why hasn’t anyone confronted me about it? Have my murderous actions just been chalked up to my past? To everyone but my guys, I was already a killer, after all.
Sue shifts impatiently next to me, muttering something about always having to waste her time waiting. I don’t want a punishment, so I take the cup from the table and tip it into my mouth without any more hesitation, following it with a gulp of water.
'Thank you,' I say brightly, inwardly wanting to vomit for having to play these games.
'Let's see,’ Sue says.
I open my mouth and she grasps my chin punishingly as she looks.
'Move your tongue.'
I do as she says and, once she's satisfied, she gives my cheek a hard tap.
'Good girl,' she says, as if she's speaking to a child.
