Page 49 of One Last Smile

“She was a selfish whore, and she used him. She knew I loved him. She was jealous of me. She always was. She just wanted to take what was mine, and she caught him in a moment of weakness.”

She stops pacing and looks at me. “Why am I talking to you like this? You’re just the servant. Who’s going to believe you?”

“I’m not trying to tell anyone anything. I’m only giving you—”

“Right. Advice.” She reaches forward and strips the photograph from my hand. She holds it in front of me tauntingly and says, “Here’s my advice.” She begins tearing the photograph and as she does, she says, “Fuck off out of my business. I knew it was a mistake inviting you to dinner, letting you put on airs, acting like you’re our sweet aunt or some shite. You’re a servant. You’re nothing. You’re here to make sure Lucas passes sixth form so he can fuck off to Oxford, and I don’t have to stare at his stupid face anymore. Do your job, like good little help, then bugger out of our lives.”

She storms away, stopping after a few paces to call back, “And tell Lucas if he takes any more pictures of me, I’ll break all of his cameras.”

She continues toward the house, and my heart pounds. I shouldn’t have shown her the photograph. Of course she would deduce that the only person here interested in photography would take that picture. Thank God she didn’t think to search me and find the others.

I need to warn Lucas. I don’t know what she’ll do to him. Perhaps nothing. After all, killing her mother’s favorite child is a far cry from killing a girl no one likes. And if I came forward and exposed them, she would immediately become a suspect. More likely, they’ll try to kill me.

I need to stop that before it happens, but how?

An idea comes to mind. It’s not a great one, but it’s the only way I can think of to possibly bring Minnie’s killers to justice.

I let that idea work its way through my brain that night. By the morning, I have the intricacies worked out. I’ll only have one chance to make it work, and it will mean sacrificing my employment and, unfortunately, exposing Lucas.

But if it does work, then Minnie’s killers will be behind bars, and Lucas and I will be safe.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

When Lucas and Eliza come downstairs together for breakfast, I look at them, tension stiffening my shoulders. He smiles and says, “Good morning, everyone,” and I nearly collapse with relief. Eliza hasn’t confronted him.

Eliza looks at me, venom shooting from her eyes. But when she looks at Lucas, she only gives him an exasperated smile. She must have somehow decided that he wasn’t responsible for the photographs after all.

Veronica beams at Lucas. “Well, look who’s so cheery this morning!”

“I had a wonderful day yesterday,” he says. “I let Mary borrow one of my cameras, and we challenged ourselves to a picture-taking contest.”

He meets my eyes, and I realize what’s happened. Eliza must have asked if he was taking pictures by the office yesterday, and he crafted a story about loaning me a camera.

That’s all right. I can work with that.

“Oh?” Veronica says, smiling gratefully at me. “How wonderful! I must see the pictures!”

Lucas’s smile fades, but before Eliza can notice the change in his face, I say, “Oh. I’m afraid I completely forgot to remove the lens cap. It’s been so long since I’ve used a camera.”

“That’s all right,” Lucas says. “You can use it again today.”

Eliza looks shrewdly at me, and I say, “That sounds wonderful, Lucas! I’ve been meaning to take a picture of each different tree in the arboretum.”

Sebastian perks up at that. “Mary! You never mentioned you were an amateur botanist.”

“Well, I don’t know if I would say that,” I reply, “but I am truly impressed at your collection.”

“Well, perhaps the three of us can label the photographs when Mary is done,” Sebastian says. “I know a fair amount about those trees.”

Veronica rolls her eyes. “Oh no. You’ve gotten him started on trees again.”

“That sounds lovely!” I say. “I’m particularly interested in the baobab.”

Sebastian’s eyes fly open with joy. “I love that tree! It’s truly incredible how nature adapts to challenging conditions. Did you know their trunks can hold up to—”

“Not now, Father,” Eliza interrupts. “Let’s allow Mary something to occupy herself while she’s here.” She casts her venomous eyes at me. “Something to keep her out of trouble.”

I return a beatific smile. “Yes, I do have a tendency to get into trouble when I’m alone. Besides, I don’t want to rush my botany lesson. Aside from that, I have to take excellent photographs to have a hope of competing with Lucas here.”

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