“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”
She smiled as she left, the ritual completed once again. She wondered what she’d do if someone actually did want to marry her. The thought was enough to make her laugh. She had zero money, zero prospects, and sometimes suffered from night terrors. That and the ugly scar on her arm made her quite a catch.
It took half an hour for her to get to her apartment building. She thought about getting a cab but doubted they would take an IOU as payment. The thought of getting on the tube in this heat made her feel ill so she walked, finding herself thinking about MacGregor castle again.
She would have to try and find out more before she went north. How did a child just go missing like that? Why did they lock themselves away rather than look for her? Did they have other children? What happened to them if they did? And did they know their steward was running the clan down into ruin?
Maybe the visit would give her some answers. The people working at the castle might be able to answer them for her.
She climbed the steps to her building and pushed open the door. Inside was quiet, the noise of traffic dying away as the door swung shut behind her.
The elevator was out of order again so she climbed the stairs, feeling the need for a cold shower growing. Sweat was pouring down her.
She stepped out on the third floor, not surprised to find Caroline sitting cross legged in front of her door, her eyes far too old for her ten years. “Locked out again?” she asked.
Caroline shook her head. “They’re arguing.”
“Quelle surprise.” She held a can out.
Caroline took it gladly, opening it and draining half the contents in one go. “How old are you?” she asked as she wiped the open can across her forehead.
“Thirty-one. Why?”
“Maybe when I’m thirty-one, I can be like you. Have my own place. Then I wouldn’t have to listen to shouting all day.”
“Yeah but you’d have bills to pay too.”
“I could get a job. I could work for you, like your apprentice or something.”
“I think the child labor laws would have something to say about me hiring a ten year old.”
“Next year?”
“Maybe.” She sank to the floor, opening the loaf of bread and tearing a hunk off, passing it to Caroline who devoured it so fast she thought the kid might choke. “It does get easier, you know? It won’t always be like this.”
“What if it doesn’t?”
She shrugged. “I’ll have to keep feeding you then, won’t I?”
Caroline looked up at her, blinking rapidly. “Could you be my mom?”
“What?”
“You don’t shout at me. You make sure I’ve got things to eat. They just yell at each other and then go out drinking. Please, let me move in with you. I’ll be good, I promise. I’ll wash up and clean for you and everything.”
“Listen, Caroline, it’s not quite that simple.”
“Why not?”
Jessica took a sip from her can, wondering how she’d gotten herself into this. How was she supposed to explain to a child that yes, her parents were the worst, but when she’d tried to report them to social services, they didn’t want to know?
“I can’t just take you away from your parents like that. There are rules we have to follow.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do we have to follow the rules?”
