Page 89 of The Bridesmaid

‘It’s always about the money, Holly,’ she says. ‘That’s what being a Kensington is all about.’

Chapter Seventy-one

PETRA

I’m dressing for the bachelorette party, the birthday invitation resting on the table in my cabana. So many memories. That party. Silky’s court case was partway through and the bad feeling of it rippled throughout.

‘Soul death.’ That was what Silky had said in court. ‘I can remember the exact moment my soul died.’

Is that what Kensington Manor School did? Killed the souls of other girls? I bring to mind the point when that soft part of me left. I hadn’t been nearly as brave as Silky. My soul death had come that very first penance.

My eyes settle on Simone’s curving writing on the birthday invitation:Six feet under.

I can still remember how, at school, I’d become fascinated by Simone, looking out for her each time we went to church. The confidence she moved with. I wanted to learn it for myself. On Tuesdays she was one of the old girls assigned to our rooms, making sure the new girls washed and undressed in the right order. Folded our clothes correctly on the chair by our beds. I’d been at the school ten nights, and was still crying myself to sleep, when I realized in a panic I couldn’t find my toy bunny. We wereall allowed one item from home and this was mine. I carried her everywhere with me, chewing nervously on her ears, to the disgust of the teachers. My attachment to the comforter had earned me the nickname ‘Bunny’ from the other girls.

Simone found me curled in a ball, sobbing my heart out.

‘What’s wrong?’ She knelt beside me.

‘My b … bunny,’ I’d sobbed. ‘Anita. I can’t find her.’

Simone’s expression had hardened and I expected her to tell me to toughen up. I was learning fast, these were the rules at Kensington Manor School.

Instead, she stood. ‘Whoever took this girl’s toy bunny, give it back,’ she said in a sharp voice. ‘Now. Or there’ll be consequences.’

Silence descended over the dormitory. Then from nowhere, my careworn bunny, Anita, flew through the air, and landed unceremoniously on my bed. I scooped her up gratefully and pressed her to my body.

‘Thank you,’ I told Simone.

‘You should be careful,’ she said quietly. ‘You don’t really want anyone here to see you have a weakness. They’ll prey on it.’

I climbed into bed, not really understanding, chewing gratefully on Anita-bunny’s ear. Simone’s face softened and she tucked the covers around me.

‘Shall I come again tomorrow?’ she suggested. ‘Just to check you’re OK?’

I’d nodded, barely able to believe my luck. Simone felt like a warm beacon in the endlessly cold night of Kensington Manor School. She came most nights after that. For several weeks I wrote her little love notes. Sometimes she’d even sleep in with me if I was scared. For certain, I never, ever thought, she would betray me like she did.

Chapter Seventy-two

HOLLY

Georgia walks deeper into the room, gun still trained on me and Fitzwilliam. My eyes flick to her open computer screen, and again the floristry tower pushes for my attention. I tuck it away and concentrate on the situation in hand.

‘Georgia,’ I say. ‘Have you been leaking stories about Adrianna to the media?’

She frowns again. Adjusts a delicate gold bracelet on the dark skin of her wrist.

‘Of course,’ she says finally. ‘That’s my job. I’m PR.’

‘All that stuff about Adrianna being hard to work with,’ I say. ‘Needing thousand-dollar room riders at luxury hotels. This is where those stories originated?’

‘That’s right.’ Georgia looks pleased with herself. ‘One big PR campaign that starts and ends with me.’

‘Georgia,’ I say, stunned. ‘She’s your sister. Howcouldyou?’

Georgia blinks her almond-shaped eyes several times, very fast. Then she laughs.

‘Oh,’ she says. ‘Holly, I forgot you are new to all this. OK, I can see how all this might look.’ She waves a glossy-tipped hand at the press releases. ‘Driwantsme to post these stories. It’s all part ofthe brand. We run nightclubs, Holly. It’s all about the vibe. The reputation. Without all that stuff, all you’ve got is a loud room with flashing lights.’