Regret Has Fangs

did no

nd all at once, and been caught in a week. Camille had grown up watching how people worked, how they bent, what they wanted to believe about thems

weeks she did

ich ribbon to wear to church and thanked her twice for the answer. She helped Mrs. Hale carry the heavy laundry baskets up th

ed with a clean cloth and a basin of warm water, saying nothing, simply bandaging the wound with careful hands. When Julian lost an entire afternoon to a failed exam and s

and loved fiercely, was the

gby ball from hand to hand on the back lawn. "She doesn't talk much

"That's kind

the ball and gave her a sideways grin. "You we

cked, laughing, and for a moment the evening

week. And then, on a gray Thu

quiet. Eleanor was out at a charity luncheon, and the boys were still at their lectures. She went upstairs,

a framed photograph of a laughing dark-haired woman, a worn blue scarf, a small wooden music box with a carved

he door open

ucked under one arm and her face turned toward the window, and for a moment she looked so lost

mil

r chest with a gasp. "Miss Lyra! I'm so sorry. I was only dusting. Mrs. Hale told

d, and found that it truly

w. Forgive me. I'd never have touched it if I'd

ease. I'm

y at the base and lifted the lid, and the tune that spilled out was thin and sweet an

for me," she said q

whispered. "I never had anything like that. My m

ss Lyra. You've h

ed hem and a single suitcase to stand in a room full of someone else's treasures. She

ace lit up.

e lid with a soft click. She meant to say something kind, something generous. Inste

stepped aside at once

helf and stood looking at it for a long moment. Her headache had faded. She felt,

top in the hallway. She did not see the small,

ud, and nothing seemed wrong until Dami

id. "What happen

her palm, a thin scrape that looked, to anyone who cared to look, a little raw. She pulled her hand

looks

it's n

eyes, and a single tear slid down her cheek, bright a

own his fork

study. I was dusting, and Miss Lyra came in, and she was upset to find me there. I understand. It's her mother's room. She was so upset tha

le fell

h the floor had tilted a few degrees

l, the tray trembling slightly in her good hand, the

said slowly. "D

ien, I didn't. I told her she could hear the music box. I let her listen t

. It's only that I'm clumsy, and I was frightened, and..." She broke off a

, who had gone a little red. "

amille's trembling shoulders to Lyra's pale face, and a small, thoughtful crease

, but Lyra saw it, a quick, calculating flash. Then the girl held out her hand obediently, and Eleanor

mured. "I'm sure I knocked it

glancing between Lyra and Camille, a restless frown on

r chair and went upstairs, she f

rstand what had just happened. She had been kind. She had been kind. And somehow, in the

ck came at

th his hands in his pockets, his hair rumpled, hi

at him, and he

u," she w

ou did," he said

say it, either. And I don'

answer. Ne

dishes with her sleeves rolled to her elbows. Damien stood in th

lly all righ

st, bravest smile. "Thank you. You're very kind. I think maybe I just... took it t

Then he nodded, on

ng softly behind her. She looked down at the small red scrape o

d her smile d

t was all it took. One crac