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Mama's eyes darkened. She turned and looked toward the windows where I was looking, then she fixed her eves back on me.

"Whom are you looking for, Noble? Who is supposed to help you?"

I didn't want to tell her about Daddy's visit and what he had said. too. She would accuse me of lying to get out of being caught in a lie,

"Nobody," I said quickly.

"Then answer my questions, Noble. What did you do to weaken our walls?" she demanded.

"Nothing."

"You're lying again. I repeat, what did you do? Ill find out anyway. Its better if you tell me, better if you begin to purge. yourself. Noble, Well?"

She was right. I couldn't lie to her, not now, not with her bearing down on me with those eyes.

"I... I was just curious."

"About what?"

"About your makeup, your clothes."

Her face brightened with the blood that rushed up her neck and into her cheeks. There was so much fire in her eyes that I couldn't look at her. I shifted mine toward the floor and waited like someone anticipating a whip snapping on her back.

You used my makeup again? You put on my clothes?"

I didn't reply. When I was younger. I had experimented with her makeup after spying on Betsy when the Fletchers had first moved next to us.

She nodded, a new look of calm on her face, but calmness in her now was even more threatening.

"I want you to go up to your room and remain there until I tell you to come out again," she said.

I knew what that meant. Oh, how well I knew. "No, Mama. please."

"Ill help you," she said, continuing her reasonable tone of voice. I kept shaking my head,

"I don't want you touching the baby, talking to her, even looking her way until I say it's all right to do so, even after I let you come out again."

"Mama, no. please..."

"Go upstairs. Noble. I'll bring you something soon."

I had to tell her; I had to tell her everything and take the chance.

"Mama, listen to me. I didn't see only Elliot. Daddy came to me. He came to me tonight. He told me you were making a very big mistake."

She smiled again, that same chilling grin.

"That wasn't your father. Haven't I told you many, many times that evil can assume a pleasing identity to get us to put down our Guard?"

"It was Daddy. It was."

"You're such a fool, I do worry about you. Without me, what would happen to you?" She leaned toward me and in a hoarse whisper said. "It was your father who brought this whole plan to me."

She sat back again. nodding.

"That's right. This didn't just come out of thin air. He was the one."

I shook my head, but she continued to smile at me as if I was the one very, very mistaken.