Miss Clack moved to Mrs. Jamieson’s side, clearly sensing a kindred spirit. Meanwhile, Kitty walked to the spiral staircase and turned to Julia.
“I should like to meet your mother. Even if only through a doorway.”
They smiled at each other and Julia followed close on Kitty’s heels as they climbed the staircase.
Aurelia turned to Cuff.
“What do you say? Are you too proper for an experiment?”
“Not at all,” Cuff said with a smile before following Aurelia upstairs.
Blanche looked up at the mezzanine, then at Miss Clack and Mrs. Jamieson.
“I shall join you,” she said quickly. “I hardly think it improper to make a new acquaintance,” she added coolly to the two women.
“Mum? Can you hear us?” Julia asked through the doorway.
“I can hear you and Aurelia.”
“What about the others? You said you heard voices?” Aurelia asked as she stepped behind Julia.
“I can hear voices, but not what they’re saying.”
Aurelia looked to Cuff.
“Good evening—Antonia, is it?” he asked.
Everyone was silent for a moment, waiting for Antonia to answer.
“I hear a man’s voice,” she said finally. “But I can’t tell what he said—it’s all muffled. Is he standing right there with you?”
“He is. It’s Sergeant Cuff, and he asked if your name is Antonia,” Julia said.
“Oh… yes. That’s me.”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Antonia. I have enjoyed getting to know your sister and daughter.”
There was silence again.
At last, Antonia said, “It’s like someone is murmuring. I can hear that the voice is just on the other side of the door, but…” She trailed off. “I can’t make out a single word.”
“He said it’s a pleasure to meet you, and that he’s enjoyed getting to know me and Julia.”
Aurelia’s thoughts were a tangle of worrying that Antonia might not take a mumbled voice as proof, and sadness to know that she couldn’t share this with her sister, after all.
“You said Sergeant Cuff knew the aunts?” Antonia asked.
“He did, yes,” Aurelia said, starting to feel silly for talking at a door.
“Then I want you to ask him a question. Ask him what color the curtains were before Marigold took over the shop. You won’t remember, but if he really knew the aunts—if he’s really been here before—then he’ll know.”
“The curtains were a pale shade of pink,” Cuff said proudly.
“He says they were pink,” Aurelia translated. “But actually, I did know that—another character told me that they were pink linen, and the carpet was aquamarine.”
Antonia was silent for a moment, then said quietly, “You couldn’t possibly remember that. You were a baby when Marigold redid the place.”
“I don’t remember it at all,” Aurelia agreed. “I only know because the characters have told me.”
