“She brought six trunks of clothes with her,” Terel said, partly in horror, partly in admiration. “And she’s fifty if she’s a day, but she doesn’t have a line in her face.”
“That’s lovely for her.”
“Perhaps.” Terel picked up a cookie and munched it thoughtfully. “There’s something about her that I don’t trust. There’s something in her eyes.”
“Maybe she’s lonely. Didn’t Father say she lived alone?”
“It’s not loneliness, I can assure you of that. There’s something I don’t understand in her eyes.”
Nellie pushed open the kitchen door. “I’ll just take her some food and say hello.”
Berni sat in the parlor and smoothed her velvet skirt. She liked these ornate Victorian clothes: no synthetic fibers, lots of hand embroidery, intricate detailing. What she didn’t like was Terel. It hadn’t taken Berni but moments to see that Terel was out to get what she could for herself. Berni looked at her and smiled and thought, I’ll get you, brat, and I won’t need to resort to magic.
When Nellie entered the room Berni’s face softened, for she recognized the goodness in Nellie. All the images Berni had seen of Nellie’s childhood flashed before her eyes, and before she thought she gave Nellie a radiant smile.
Terel, just behind Nellie, saw that smile, and she vowed to find out what it meant, but she betrayed no wariness as she offered her Aunt Berni cookies and cider from the tray Nellie held. An hour later Terel was able to slip away from the house and find the dreadful child who called himself Duke.
“Well?” Terel demanded of the boy. He wouldn’t speak until she’d put a quarter in his hand. “Have you been watching the hotel like I told you to?”
“Sure thing, and this mornin’ there was a message in Montgomery’s box. I didn’t see nobody put it in there, it was just there.”
“Did you get it?” she snapped impatiently.
He handed her the note, and she read it quickly. It was an invitation to luncheon today at the Grayson house, and it was signed by Nellie. But Terel knew the note hadn’t been written by Nellie; the way it was worded wasn’t the way Nellie would write. She crumpled the note in her hand. It had to have been written by this Aunt Berni, but how had she found out about Nellie and the Montgomery man?
“She’s just like all the others,” Terel muttered. “They all think of Nellie, and no one thinks of me.”
“What’s that?” the boy asked.
“None of your business. Now go back and continue watching.”
The boy snorted and then walked away, hands in his pockets, whistling.
As Terel started back to the house she began to plan. She didn’t know why this Aunt Berni was here or what she wanted, but Terel meant to find out.
When Terel returned her Aunt Berni was in the guest bedroom, lounging on the bed eating chocolates and reading one of Terel’s novels. “There you are, my dear,” Berni said. “I was hoping you’d return soon. You will help me unpack, won’t you?”
“Nellie will—” Terel began, then she smiled radiantly. Better to keep those two apart. “I would be delighted to help.”
Two hours later Terel was furious, but she managed to hide it. She hadn’t “helped” Berni; she had done all the work of struggling with the trunks, opening them so they formed short closets, then inspecting everything to make sure nothing was damaged. The sight of the dresses alone was enough to make Terel vow to do anything to make Aunt Berni leave everything to her, but the jewels nearly undid her. “What is this?” she asked, holding up a long tube of what looked to be green glass.
“Actually, it’s a magic wand. One long emerald,” Berni said.
Terel gave a little smile, further angered that Berni would make fun of her. There’s something wrong here, Terel thought again.
Luncheon came and went, and Berni was puzzled as to why Jace didn’t come. He had seemed to genuinely like Nellie. So why didn’t he accept Nellie’s invitation? Perhaps a note wasn’t strong enough; perhaps Jace needed to see Nellie in person.
After luncheon Berni suggested Terel take a nap. “You have worked so hard today helping me. You deserve a little rest.”
“I do feel tired,” Terel said, yawning. “I think I will take a nap.” She went upstairs, climbed into bed fully clothed, and pulled the spread over her, concealing that she still wore her day clothes. Ten minutes later she heard the door softly open, and she saw Berni peek in at her and then silently close the door again.
Berni went downstairs to the kitchen, where Nellie was already working on dinner, and sat down on the other side of the big table. “You and I haven’t had much time to talk, have we?”
“No,” Nellie said, trying to smile, but she didn’t feel much like smiling.
Berni once again felt guilt. It was her fault Nellie was stuck in the kitchen now. If Berni h
adn’t interfered, Nellie would probably be on her honeymoon right now.