The dress fit her better than a glove and had the power to instill confidence in even the most insecure singer.It was easy to imagine herself on the stage when wearing it.For a woman who simply wanted to go unnoticed and fade from the memories of those around her, it was quite the contradictory fantasy.If she were to defy Father and take up Mrs.Reed’s offer of lessons, would she have the courage to go on a stage?To sing in the limelight when all she’d ever done was sing in the shadows?It couldn’t hurt to pretend, even if only for an hour or so.
She dug through the piles of Mum’s playbills to where the scores lay at the bottom.After finding the one she wanted, she studied Zelmira’s parts, analyzing the division of each bar, accentuation of the phrases, and varying modulations.She made her own notes, then she took to the stage, which looked remarkably like the travel-weary trunk.It might be childish to behave so, but no one watched.If she could not seek a public means to use the voice God had gifted her, then she would perform for Him so He might know her appreciation of it.
She gave full release to her music-bursting soul, singing until hervoice tired and acting as she imagined Mum had.Such foolishness, and yet she felt lighter and giddier than she had in years.It was almost as if she’d spent the entire afternoon with Mum—the version of Mum before fear had consumed their world.Reluctant to let the connected feeling pass, Nora retrieved the unfinished libretto Mum had written from the trunk before restoring the dress and the rest of the trunk’s contents to their place.
Nora carried the treasure to the kitchen table and settled into Mum’s old chair with her simple supper of green beans and potatoes.Careful not to drip any broth on the yellowing pages, she dove into the story Mum had written during the months following Nora’s kidnapping.With an opera singer heroine, villains named Winston and Ursula, and the heroine’s daughter being attacked near the end, it was easy to see how Mum had used the story to process what had happened.However, the similarities ended there, turning instead into a gripping tale of guilt, betrayal, and danger.
Katherine Yates started out as a young woman willing to do anything for wealth and operatic fame, even make a deal with Winston, Ursula, and Xavier—an evil brother-sister-husband trio.Together they stole jewels from their patrons while pinning the blame on others.It wasn’t until Katherine watched Xavier murder a maid that she realized the devil’s deal she’d accepted.Her poignant scene of guilt and a change of heart led to her turning the trio in to the police and then fleeing with their threats chasing after her.Having believed herself finally free, she fell in love and had a child, who was then ripped from her when she least expected it.Winston and Ursula had found her and sought their revenge for Xavier’s hanging.The story ended mid-sentence, with Katherine watching as Winston raised the knife to kill her daughter.
Every time Nora read that wretched last scene, she itched to pick up the pen and write an ending where Katherine and her husband swoop in to save their daughter.Winston and Ursula would meet their end, and finally Mum would have peace.Instead of finding that pen, Nora laid her hand over the unfinished scene and prayedthat one day Mum might return home to write her own version of a happy ending.Until then, Katherine’s daughter’s life would teeter on the precipice of tragedy or victory.
It was later than Nora would’ve liked when she set up the simplest traps and checked all the locks before trudging upstairs.After she’d heard her old name spoken but not seen anyone, being home alone left her tense.It was far too easy to imagine someone hiding, what with the way the house creaked and the wind blew.Mice feet pitter-pattered in the walls, and by the thumps in the attic, the raccoons from a few nights ago had found their way back in.So much for tugging the trunk up to the attic tonight.The last thing she wanted was to face a pair of angry raccoons.As for the mice, maybe Nora could convince Father to get a cat.One as grouchy as Tristan ought to be able to rid the house of vermin.After a quick check of the attic stairs to confirm the door was closed, she carried the libretto to her room.
She flipped through the loose pages again.Maybe she should ask Lydia for ideas on how to preserve the pages.No matter if Mum ever returned to finish the libretto, Nora wanted—
Strong, lean arms cinched around Nora’s waist and lifted her from the floor.
She dropped the pages and screamed as she thrust her elbows behind her.When that had no effect, she tossed her head back and kicked against her captor’s legs.
Please, God.Let Mr.and Mrs.Jerden hear me.
One arm released her, but a gloved hand snaked around and pressed against her nose and mouth.Her scream died under the suffocating grip.
How had this man gotten inside?
Nora flung her body side to side, hoping to break free or throw him off balance.
He lowered her until her stockinged feet touched the ground, then leaned heavily downward on her.The force made it harder to writhe, but it was a mistake for him to place his center of gravity directly over her.
She jerked her legs upward, making his one arm bear her full weight.
He stumbled, and when she was certain she could do the most damage, she dropped her feet and pushed up.
Her head collided with his face.
No satisfying crunch, but his curse accompanied her release.
When she hit the floor, she rolled and kicked.If she could make contact with his most vulnerable spot, he’d be the one down and she running for the stairs.
Instead of hitting her mark, she grazed the side of his leg.
He grabbed her ankle as she pulled back for another shot.
She slammed her other stockinged foot against his shin, but it had no impact on his stance or his hold.
“You’ve gotten stronger, Eleonora.”
Nora froze as she looked up into the face of the man from the stage.Adler.But why?And how?
Eleonora.
There was no reason to know her name unless he was—
She met his gaze, and her stomach twisted.
A glass eye stared at nothing while his other eye stared down at her.
Winston.
