THE MAID'S SECRET

s too beauti

te gold leaves. It looked like some

ed for minutes, unsure

message?,

ore dangerous

nto the box, hands

meant, i kne

not finish

t?" Sarah's voice

door, arms folded, her brows raised with

" I said

the box this mornin

towels. Maybe Madam

n, Tomiwa you are new here, so let me

t." I r

is how girls like us

argue, but

but because i wasn'

ew presence arriv

r uniformed, the windows tinted. I was standing in th

ut like she o

ress and silver heels, how hair was pinned up like

ile, she did n

only one

is Ch

ir sh

sekeeper, rushed forward with a greeting, M

ye

felt li

s

fi

veryt

past us without even glancing in my direc

nged, i

se? She

nedu wasn't seen for hours. Rumors float

's b

him to go

like oil m

e, every time i passed a mirror, i wondered i

, i could no

rden, needing ai

here i f

rt untucked, as if he had been pacing. The moonlight hi

ook surprise

d be sleeping, h

ould

ther."

ser. Is sh

head. Not if

s she

me of who i

y heart beat faste

t me. "Some

could ever hate y

aught just f

he said. "You don't

n't c

enough that I could f

hould

dropped t

shoul

of running,

ed somethi

d touched my cheek with

osses

hu

t s

a version of himself h

t like them

t tryin

denly, jaw tight. T

nked.

, she always sees it, and s

hard. "What

not a

not walk

lay in bed staring

tched into the silk,

about it felt l

know which te

e was

i alre