At breakfast she barely touched her food.Shepushed a piece of toast around her plate and stared out the window whileIdrank coffee and tried to figure out what was going on inside her head.
FinallyIcouldn't take it anymore.
"Are you all right?"Iasked, bluntly.
She blinked as thoughI'dstartled her.
"What?"
"You're quiet—tooquiet."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"You haven’t exactly beenMr.Talkativeyourself this morning, you know."
"I'm serious,Vivienne,”Itold her.“I’mworried about you.”
The smile faded immediately and for a momentIthought she wasn't going to answer.
Then she sighed.
"I'm fine."
I raised an eyebrow at her.
"You don't look fine.Youlook worried."
She looked down at her coffee cup, swirling the brown liquid as though she might find the answers to my questions in there.
"I'm just tired,” she said at last.“Ihad a hard time sleeping last night.
I didn't believe that for a second—tired wasn't whatIwas seeing.Shelooked worried…sad…scared.Andthat was just off the top of my head.Wasshe still fearing thatHarrisMurdochwould beat me at theAlphaChallenges?
I wondered ifIought to tell her about my secret weapon—about myBeast.Therewas no way a regularWerecould best me.Butno,Ididn’t want to scare her.Ijust wanted to know what was wrong and howIcould help her feel better.
Still,Iwasn't about to push her if she wasn't ready to talk.
"Is there anythingIcan do?"Iasked gently.“Anythingat all?”
She hesitated.
"Actually…"Shebit her lower lip."I…Ihave to go back into town today."
The words seemed hard to say—she was obviously reluctant to go back toBlackridge.NotthatIblamed her.
"To pick up the packages you were waiting for?"Iasked.
She nodded.
"Some of them should be there by now.Ihope," she added, looking worried again.Shecrossed her arms over her chest protectively and then winced, as though the gesture had hurt her.
An idea occurred to me—maybe she needed some time alone.Andmaybe she would feel better if she didn’t have to face those two women at the post office again—they really seemed to have it in for her for some reason.
"Why don'tIgo get them for you?"Isaid.
Her head came up immediately.
"You’d do that?"
