Page 53 of Retribution

The three maids I don’t really know go to work. I recognize them as some of the ones who avoid me at all costs.

I consider what’s in the room right now. I doubt they’ll find my window key tucked into the curtain seam. But there are still a couple of snacks in my closet.

One of the women is in there right now.

‘Here!’ she shouts almost gleefully, coming out of the closet with my underwear in her arms, as well as my snacks.

‘Well, well, well,’ Nasty Nurse says, ‘and what do we need all this satin underwear for?’

‘Wearing,’ I say simply. ‘The ones in the drawer are uncomfortable.’

She snorts. ‘And snacks? Where did these come from?’

‘Marcie brought them,’ I say, already sure that Nasty Nurse won’t be letting her visit me again anyway.

She tuts. ‘Anything else?’

‘I found a razor in the back of the toilet, Nurse Smith.’

‘My, my, Marguerite. We have been busy. The rules you’ve been given are for your benefit. I’ll be telling Joe everything. He’s not going to be happy about your disobedience. Not at all.’

She picks up one of the bags of chips and throws it back down on the bed with a chuckle.

‘No wonder your ass is still so fat,’ she remarks and one of the maids giggles behind her hand.

Stephens walks into the room at that very moment and gapes at the sight before him.

‘What is the meaning of this?’ he thunders.

I’ve never seen Stephens even slightly ruffled, so my eyes widen as he stalks into the middle of the room.

‘Well? I’ll have an answer!’

‘Nurse Smith told us that she had dangerous stuff in here,’ the giggling maid says, not giggling anymore. ‘She said we should?—’

‘Nurse Smith is not your employer. Nor is she your superior. The woman whose room you’ve just ransacked is Mr. Novelle’s stepdaughter. She is to be treated with respect in this house!’

‘She shouldn’t even be here,’ giggling maid mutters. ‘She should be in a hospital, or something.’

In front of me, Nasty Nurse’s lips twitch.

Stephens’ hard eyes find the maid. ‘Your name?’

‘Cindy.’

‘You only recently came to us, is thatcorrect?’

She shrugs. ‘Yeah. Like two weeks ago.’

Stephens steps closer to her, eyes zeroing in on her alone. ‘And how are you finding your position here?’

‘Um,’ the maid looks around. ‘Good.’

‘Good? Well, it’s unfortunate for you, then, that you’ve just been sacked. As of this moment, in fact. Find Samantha. She’ll ensure you receive your wages.’

Cindy just stares at him and then glances around the room. No one meets her eyes. Nasty Nurse shrugs at her.

‘What?’ Cindy asks. ‘I don’t get it.’