Page 46 of The Cruelty of Thorns

“No, why?”

“She was just here to check on me.”

“She must’ve left in the opposite direction.” I crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking her hand in mine. “I found a way out, but we have to go now.”

“What do you mean? The staff is up, the coachman–”

“I was able to come and go without any of them seeing me. Do they eat early?”

“Yes, but…”

“That’s our opportunity.” No wonder I hadn’t seen anyone. They were probably all in the dining room, which meant they would be finished with their meal soon. “Come on, Rosetta. We can get out, but we have to leave now.”

She pushed herself up off the bed. “Are you sure?”

I looked around and spotted her shift hanging from a hook on the wall. Retrieving it, I helped her stand and start to get dressed. “If we can get to the pasture beyond the stables, we can climb over the fence and be free.”

“But Giovanni–”

“He’s eating, yes?”

She sighed and nodded. “I suppose so.”

“For now. Let’s go.”

She finished dressing and pulled on her shoes, then followed me to the door. When we got to the hallway, I started to go down the back way but she grabbed my hand and pulled me in the opposite direction.

“The staff uses that staircase. This way will take us to the front of the house.”

I was a little more on edge this time, knowing the staff could be finished with their meal and be moving about the house. “When does Lucia eat?” I whispered to her.

“She was on her way to the kitchen when she came to see me. She said she would have someone bring me a tray.”

We descended the same stairs I had taken the night I was brought here, arriving in the greeting hall. We waited at the bottom, looking around to assure ourselves no one was coming, then moved swiftly across the room toward the front door. Once there, Rosetta grabbed my hand, pulling me back.

“If we go out that way, we’ll be seen.”

“It’s okay. I just went through it earlier.”

I could tell she was nervous about using the entrance, and wondered if she had even been through it since coming here. I squeezed her hand assuredly and reached for the knob then stopped.

Was that footsteps approaching?

We both listened for a moment, then when no one appeared, I opened the door and pulled her out, easing it shut behind us.

“Come on,” I urged, guiding her through the portico and down the same hidden path I had taken before. When we got to the end of the house, I stopped and looked down at her.

“Does Giovanni have any help in the stables?”

“I believe there are two boys at any given time, but they don’t last long. The Contessa…”

I could see the answer in her expression. “She uses them.”

She nodded. “When she’s done with them, Giovanni just grabs more.”

One more reason to get out of here. “This is going to be the tricky part. Can you run?”

She glanced past me toward the driveway, her eyes widening in panic. “Out there?”

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