Again there was an undercurrent flowing through the room that she couldn’t comprehend. “I know. What goes through the mind of someone when they kill another person and then set up a shrine?”
He blinked, as if that hadn’t been what he was saying.
“Where did you get this?” He hefted the journal.
“From the woman’s house. It’s horrible. She was horrible.” She held out her hand. He didn’t move. “Jeremy?”
“You shouldn’t read something like this.”
She made an impatient motion with her hand. “Yes, yes, I’ve heard that before. Give it here.”
He didn’t move, so she reached over and pulled it from his hands.
The sound of the front door opening made her jump, and she shoved the journal right back under the stack of papers. Jeremy raised a brow.
Gabriel walked into the kitchen and stopped dead. “What are you doing here?”
“Good afternoon to you too, dear brother.”
“I thought you were back at school.”
“I took a leave.”
“You what?” Gabriel’s voice was forbidding.
“I will go back next term, if everything works out.”
“Explain yourself. If what works out?”
“My project. I have something I’ve been meaning to take care of for a long time.”
“What type of project?” she asked.
“No.” It was the first time she’d ever seen Gabriel look even remotely frightened. His features changed, and there was something terrifying in his expression. “Go back to school. I will have the carriage take you and I will talk to the dean.”
“No.” Jeremy stood. “I’m staying in London. You can’t control me, Gabriel.”
“I can. Youwillgo back to school.”
“Next term.”
“Thisterm.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Marietta stood to leave.
Gabriel pointed at her. “Sit.”
She sat. She immediately stood again, irritated with herself for following the command. “Why don’t you listen to what Jeremy has to say?”
“Because I don’t care what he has to say. He is going back to schooltoday.”
Jeremy’s face was a picture of hurt and determination. “No, Gabriel. If you force the issue, I will cut off contact.”
Marietta caught the devastation on Gabriel’s face before it disappeared behind a mask of iron. “I’ll cut off your allowance.”
