Glass Slippers [1st Draft]

21. Sisterly Subterfuge

Harriet's face twisted into a frown. "What do you mean the wrong way?" Harriet didn't even bother promising not to cause Linette trouble. She had long since learned that she couldn't keep that promise.

"Don't worry about it," Clara said quickly. Harriet pursed her lips. Whenever Clara talked quickly like that it normally meant that Harriet should be worrying. It's what Harriet had nicknamed the Clara-anxiety voice cue. The faster Clara talked, the more worried and anxious Clara was.

"Clara-"

"Harriet. Please, just don't." Harriet stayed quiet, studying what she could see of her sister's face through the keyhole.

"What can I do to help?" Harriet asked.

"I'm not sure. Just make sure you stay near James at all times and make sure to let Gardenia know that I won't be going to the ball tonight."

"You won't be going to the ball tonight?" Harriet said, her voice rising in volume. "What about Gus?"

"Nevermind him." Clara's voice sounded strained, leading Harriet to believe that something was far more wrong than Clara was letting on. However, she didn't have time to say anything as she heard a cough coming from Linette's room.

Harriet froze before diving towards some nearby window curtains, hiding behind them in the nick of time. Just as the fabric hid her from view, Harriet heard the sound of Linette's door opening. Through the fabric she could see her stepmother standing in the hallway, looking at the door to the attic. She stood there for another moment before Harriet watched her turn back to her room, closing the door behind her.

Harriet waited for several minutes, waiting for her racing heart to slow down, and then crept back to the attic door.

"Clara, I'm going back to the kitchen. Don't worry, I'll tell Gardenia," Harriet whispered, hoping that her sister heard her before she hurried away back down to the kitchen, making sure to skip the squeaky or creaky steps and floorboards.

Harriet made it down to the kitchen just as the morning sun was rising and she could see that her siblings were still fast asleep. Glancing at the clock on one of the walls, Harriet reckoned they wouldn't wake up for another three hours. Or at least Amelia wouldn't. Looking down at the prone form of her little brother, she had a sudden terrorizing thought. What if he didn't wake up at all?

Harriet reached down and squeezed one of James' hands, holding it tightly in her grip and then kissing the top of it. She was just setting it back down when she realized something. How was she supposed to go talk to Gardenia and stay with James?

Glancing at the clock again, she weighed her options. If she left right away she could probably get to Gardenia's home and back with still time to spare before her siblings woke up. She paused for a moment, before hurrying to grab her shoes and cloak. Harriet slipped the shoes on hurriedly, not paying any attention to the hole under where her big toe was.

Harriet wrapped her threadbare cloak around her shoulders, and walked through the door and into the cold morning air, making sure to shut the door behind her silently. As she trekked through the forest, she watched as the moisture from her breath created clouds in the freezing air. Pulling the cloak tighter around her, Harriet increased the speed of her walking until she was almost running. She had to get back before her siblings woke up.

She had been running for ages, and her breath was coming a little harder but as she ran down the path she found herself suddenly at a dead end. She skidded to a stop, almost falling over. Harriet had never been in the forest and come across a dead end, there just never was any.

She turned her head to look around her, taking in the sight of the trees of the forest in the dim light of the early morning. Everywhere she turned she could not find a clear path other than down the one she had come from. Harriet tried to remember which way she normally went when coming to visit Gardenia, but she found that she couldn't.