Page 74
Rambaud's restaurant so we can show off our new knowledge of wine and food, and then we're off to the ballet. On Sunday, we're going to lunch and then immediately to the Museum of Modern Art for most of the afternoon. We return here for another special dinner and start of another week. I thought I'd have Sunday afternoon off at least!" she cried, her arms up in frustration.
She shook her head.
"I guess it got me so upset. I forgot what I had brought down and went upstairs to get ready for my dance class. I was up there twenty minutes before I realized what I had left in the dining room, but when I rushed down to get it, it was gone! I asked Mrs. Churchwell if she had seen the pages, but she said she hadn't."
"You mean when you and the others cleared off the table, you didn't realize it was there? No one did? I can't believe that. One of the boys must have it. Did you ask Howard?"
"Actually, he and Cinnamon left before Ice. Steven. and I did. I know Steven didn't have it. I must have kicked them under the table or something, but they're gone. Where could they be?
Could someone have just thrown it all in the garbage?" I shook my head.
"I don't know. What does Cinnamon think?"
"She worries that Ms. Fairchild might have found it or someone else did and gave it to her. She thinks she would give them to Madame Senetsky." she moaned.
I didn't want to say it. but I thought that was very likely. I tried to ease her concern.
"Why would she do that?"
"Why? We're living in a prison." she wailed. "Spied upon in every which way and I don't mean just Peeping Toms. I can't even get an hour to see my boyfriend. I'm terrified about asking Madame Senetsky to let me have any time off."
She shook her head, sucked in her breath, and hurried on to her class.
I looked after her, thinking about what she had said. Cinnamon suspected the silhouetted person on the fire escape was Ms. Fairchild. Could Rose be right? Could it be we were all being watched? How bizarre. I thought.
The remainder of the day was uneventful. I still half suspected Howard had swiped the pages, but if he knew anything, he didn't reveal it. Rose remained depressed and anxious. We tried to cheer her up, but her boyfriend had called and expressed how disappointed he was, too.
"Y'all know what happens when you can't see them, don't you?" Rose asked. No one wanted to answer, even though everyone knew what she meant. "They find someone else who is able to see them. I can't blame them. either."
"I'm sure you'll have free time next weekend," I said. Neither Cinnamon nor Ice looked optimistic about it. 'He'll wait. He'll wait if he really cares for you.
"I described the same situation to Chandler and he understands," I went on. "It's a bigger trip for him coming in from Boston. and he wants to be sure he can spend a lot of time with me before he comes."
"Well, good for you," Rose said, her eyes welling up with tears. "I didn't mean..."
She turned and walked quickly out of my room with her arms folded, her head down.
"Rose..."
"Leave her go," Cinnamon said.
"But I didn't mean to make it sound like my boyfriend is better than hers."
"The way she is right now. she's goin' to jump down anyone's throat "
I told her what Rose had said concerning our being in a prison, being under glass.
"Maybe you're not so wrong suspecting Ms. Fairchild," I said.
"Suspecting her of what?" Ice asked. and Cinnamon told her. She grimaced and shook her head.
"It all seems so spooky." I said.
"That's not spooky. That's downright sick. And what about the ascot?" Ice asked. "How does it figure into this?"
Cinnamon shook her head,
"As I told Honey. I can't explain it." She thought a moment and then nodded. "There's only one thing to do."
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74 (Reading here)
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156