Page 54 of Retribution
‘In American terms, you’re fired, Cindy,’ Stephens says calmly. ‘Kindly leave or you’ll be thrown out. You have ten minutes to collect your belongings and be at the gate. As it’s so late, a taxi will be called for you, which is more than you deserve in my opinion.’
Giggling maid makes a choking, spluttering noise, which Stephens completely ignores.
He looks around at the others. ‘And, as for the rest of you, Nurse Smith is not employed by this estate. Doing as she bids without question will see you in the same position that Cindy now finds herself. Miss Novelle is to be treated with the same respect you would show Mr. Novelle or the Master Novelles. Is that understood?’
I hear a couple of ‘yes, sirs.’
‘Now, get to bed!’ he orders and they file out in silence.
Stephens’ eyes find Nasty Nurse.
‘As for you, madam, I may not be able to get rid of you, but you will not treat Miss Novelle in this manner again.’
Nasty Nurse smirks. ‘You can’t interfere, Stephens. It’s not your jurisdiction. I mean Jesus. You’re abutler.’
‘I think you’ll find that this house and all that goes on within its walls is very much my jurisdiction, Nurse Smith.’
She gives him one of her smirks. ‘We’ll see.’
She turns to me. ‘As for you, I’m calling Joe right now.He’s going to know about all of this. The clothes that have been brought for you will have to be checked for contraband. I’ll be taking them all.’
I watch in concealed anger as she strips my closet of everything that’s hanging in it, and rummages through my drawers for the rest of the stuff Shade brought before she leaves the room.
Stephens is last to go, and I give him a small smile as he picks up the trash can. He bows curtly as he closes the door.
A few minutes later, I tense as I hear the nurse’s quick strides and clacking shoes. But she doesn’t come in. She just re-locks my door.
No one comes into my room the next morning or afternoon. No food is brought. All I have to keep the hunger pangs at bay is water from the tapfaucet.
The entire day passes like that. When I bang on my door to be let out, no one comes. Where is Stephens? I know he’d never let this stand. What’s happened to him?
A note is slipped under my door that night.
It’s from Samantha saying that Stephens was in a hit and run while he was off the estate that morning. He’s in the hospital.
I crumple it in my palm before tearing it up into tiny pieces and throwing it out the window.
Joe and Nasty Nurse did this. I know it. They’ve made sure that Stephens isn’t here to help me.
I search my room, hoping for some food the ransacking maids might have missed, but there’s nothing. I go through my school bag and find the little paper smiley face scrunched up in the bottom.
I’d forgotten about it. Frowning, I turn the bag inside out and peer closely at the seam. It looks like it’s been cut and then loosely sewn back together. If I feel it, there’s something in the lining of my bag. I work my fingers into the seam and pull itopen. Inside is a little bag with the pills I made. Not Envy, therevengeones I used on the sorority girls and that dick, Bennet.
I can’t eat them, of course, but if I’m careful, they may end up being a different kind of lifeline. I hide most of them under my bedframe on one of the flat metal bits, but three of them I put back in the bottom of the bag inside the lining. They’re too small to be felt, so no one should find them.
I don’t sleep well that night. I’m worried and hungry and I have no way of contacting anyone. I’m supposed to be going to class tomorrow, but what if they don’t let me go? John isn’t back from his trip for days. Is Nasty Nurse just being like this because he’s gone, or is JohnlettingJoe tighten the noose?
The next day, I’m very hungry and very tense. My door finally opens at nine am and Nasty Nurse struts in.
‘Ready for class, sweetie?’
I am not ready. I’m dressed in underwear that chafes, a bra that doesn’t fit me properly and, since all my clothes have been taken, one of the gray uniforms.
She laughs when she sees me. Actually laughs.
‘Well, you can’t go out like that!’ she sniggers. ‘Your future husband sent this.’
She holds up a red dress. It’s short and skimpy and looks like it’ll be tight.
