“Are you going to help me?” Barbara growled softly.
“I wouldn’t know where to start.” Charles whispered. “Besides, I shouldn’t be comfortable going through a lady’s things—even if the lady is Ulrika Rittenhouse.”
Barbara’s eyes widened with anger.
“Tell me where to look.” Charles nodded.
“Stand on that chair and look above the wardrobe, and I’ll…” Barbara hissed. She paused and studied a large crystal shaker of powder on Ulrika’s dressing table.
“What?” Charles asked.
“That’s not the shaker that goes with her toilet set.” Barbara whispered.
“How do you know?”
“I acted as her maid in Marionneaux.” Barbara snarled. “I am familiar with her things.”
“Perhaps this is the one she brings for travel.”
“No.” Barbara shook her head. “Her travel case is enamel and gilding.” She picked up the shaker and studied it closely. “This isn’t even for powder. This is a sugar caster.” A smile crossed Barbara’s lips. “And it’s monogrammed. C.C. It’s Corliss Cage’s. This shaker came from this house.”
Barbara unscrewed the silver cap and started to empty the floral-scented contents onto the floor.
“What are you doing?” Charles rasped.
Suddenly, a dusty object thudded to the floor atop the pile of pink-ish powder. Even the clinging grains of pink could not hide its blue sparkle.
With greedy fingers Barbara picked up the stone and cleaned it by rubbing it against her dress as Charles’ mouth fell open.
“The Fallbridge Blue.” Barbara grinned.
“Your brother refers to it as ‘The Moliner Blue.’”
“My brother also thinks he’s a puppet.” Barbara snapped.
“What do we do now?” Charles asked.
“Now?” Barbara smiled. “Now, Charles, we live…”
Did you miss Chapters 1-419? If so, you can read them here.
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