Chapter 2: The Name Nobody Was Supposed to Say
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The words seemed to hang beneath the chandeliers, heavier than the silence that followed them.
Ask your wife.
Grace watched Ethan's face lose its color.
His fingers curled around Lily's shoulders, and the little girl pressed herself against him as if she could disappear inside his tuxedo.
Sabrina seemed to realize she had said too much.
She looked down at her gown, brushed an imaginary speck from the gold fabric, and attempted to recover her composure.
"I misspoke," she said.
Ethan didn't blink.
"You said my wife.""
"I was upset.""
"You said to ask my wife.""
"Ethan, please. This is becoming ridiculous.""
"Your exact words.""
Sabrina swallowed.
Grace had never seen the woman struggle to find an answer before. Sabrina could normally invent an explanation faster than anyone could ask a question.
Now she glanced toward the guests.
"Everyone is staring at me as if I'm some kind of criminal. I was trying to help Lily, and your employee attacked me.""
"Then tell me why you had a syringe hidden in your dress," Ethan said.
"I already told you. It wasn't for Lily.""
"Who was it for?""
Sabrina's lips parted.
Nothing came out.
One of the security guards stepped closer.
"Sir, shall we take the object?""
"No," Grace answered before Ethan could speak.
"Not until the police arrive. Nobody should handle it without documenting where it was found.""
The guard looked at her uncertainly.
Sabrina seized the opening.
"Listen to her," she said, pointing at Grace.
"The maid who kicked me across your foyer is suddenly an expert in evidence. Perhaps she's the one who brought it here.""
Grace turned slowly.
"You watched me pick it up with a napkin.""
"After you attacked me.""
"You were reaching for it.""
"I was trying to retrieve my personal property!""
"Then why did you say it wasn't meant for Lily?""
Sabrina's face tightened.
"Because it wasn't.""
"Who was it meant for?""
"Enough!"" Ethan shouted.
His voice struck the marble walls.
Lily began crying harder.
Ethan immediately lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm sorry.""
He brushed the curls away from her face, his anger giving way to a panic Grace had rarely witnessed.
"Did Sabrina give you anything to drink?"" he asked gently.
Lily shook her head.
"Did she touch you?""
Another shake.
"Did she ask you to go somewhere with her?""
Lily hesitated.
That hesitation frightened Grace more than the syringe had.
Ethan crouched so he could look into his daughter's eyes.
"Lily, you won't be in trouble. I promise. You can tell me anything.""
The girl wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
"She came to my room yesterday.""
Sabrina closed her eyes briefly.
Grace noticed.
So did Ethan.
"Why was she in your room?"" he asked.
Lily twisted the silver ribbon around her wrist.
"She said she wanted to show me something.""
"What thing?""
"A picture.""
"What picture, sweetheart?""
Lily looked toward Sabrina.
The woman shook her head almost imperceptibly.
It was a small movement.
A silent warning.
Grace saw the girl shrink.
"Lily," Grace said softly, "look at me.""
The child's gaze shifted.
"You don't have to protect anyone who makes you afraid.""
Sabrina let out a sharp laugh.
"Oh, this is unbelievable. You're coaching her now?""
Grace ignored her.
"Lily, what did you see?""
The girl took a shaky breath.
"A picture of Mommy.""
Ethan's face softened with pain.
"Which picture?""
"Mommy standing outside a big house. Sabrina said Mommy used to visit it when you were away.""
Sabrina's voice cut through the foyer.
"That is enough.""
Ethan rose.
"Don't speak to my daughter.""
"I was trying to explain something she misunderstood.""
"What did you show her?""
Sabrina's jaw tightened.
"A photograph.""
"Of my wife?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because children deserve to know the truth about their parents.""
Ethan stared at her.
"What truth?""
Sabrina glanced toward Grace, then at the gathered guests.
Her expression hardened into the familiar mask of offended respectability.
"Perhaps we should discuss this privately.""
"No," Ethan said.
"You brought it into my home. We will discuss it here.""
Several guests lowered their phones, suddenly aware they were witnessing something far more serious than a party scandal.
Others continued recording.
Sabrina noticed them.
She lifted her chin.
"Very well. Your wife wasn't the saint everyone remembers.""
Ethan took one step toward her.
"Be careful.""
"She lied to you.""
"Stop.""
"She kept secrets.""
"I said stop.""
"And if you knew what she did during the final year of her life, you wouldn't be standing here pretending you understand anything about her.""
Lily made a small, wounded sound.
Ethan turned away from Sabrina and guided his daughter toward Grace.
"Take Lily somewhere quiet.""
Grace hesitated.
"Mr. Hawthorne—"
"Please.""
The word carried no authority this time.
Only fear.
Grace reached for Lily's hand.
The girl immediately gripped her fingers.
They had almost reached the side corridor when Sabrina spoke again.
"Grace.""
Grace stopped.
Sabrina's voice was quiet enough that only those nearest them could hear.
"Ask her what happened in the east wing.""
Grace turned.
"What?""
Sabrina smiled without warmth.
"Ask Lily what she heard behind the locked door.""
Ethan went rigid.
Lily began shaking.
"Daddy," she whispered.
He was beside her in an instant.
"What is it?""
Lily stared at the staircase.
"The door was open yesterday.""
"What door?""
"The one Mommy told me never to open.""
Grace felt a chill spread across her arms.
There was only one room in the mansion that Lily had been forbidden to enter since her mother's death.
The old east-wing nursery.
It had been locked for three years.
Ethan had told the staff that the room contained private family belongings and should never be disturbed.
Grace had never questioned the order.
Until now.
"What did you hear?"" Ethan asked.
Lily looked at Sabrina.
Then she looked at her father.
"I heard Mommy singing.""
Ethan's mouth opened, but no words came.
Lily began to cry again.
"Not in the picture, Daddy. In the room. I heard her singing the song she used to sing when I couldn't sleep.""
Ethan crouched before her.
"Sweetheart, your mother isn't—"
"I know!"" Lily cried.
"I know she's gone!""
Her voice cracked.
"But someone was singing in there.""
Grace gathered Lily against her side.
Across the foyer, Sabrina's expression had changed.
She wasn't smirking anymore.
She was watching Ethan with the fixed concentration of someone waiting to see whether a trap had worked.
Ethan stood slowly.
"Open the east-wing nursery," he ordered.
The head of security, Marcus Reed, looked uncomfortable.
"Sir, that room has been locked since the funeral.""
"Then unlock it.""
Marcus glanced at Sabrina.
It was only a glance.
But it was enough.
Ethan saw it.
"Why are you looking at her?""
Marcus immediately lowered his eyes.
"I'm not, sir.""
"Get the key.""
The guard hurried away.
Sabrina stepped forward.
"Ethan, I strongly advise you not to do this in front of your guests.""
"You've lost the right to advise me.""
"I'm trying to protect you.""
"From what?""
She looked at Lily.
"From the consequences of what your wife left behind.""
Ethan's expression became frighteningly calm.
"If you mention my wife again without telling me exactly what you know, I'll have you removed from this property.""
Sabrina drew a slow breath.
"Then perhaps you should ask your housekeeper about the night your wife died.""
Grace felt the floor shift beneath her.
Ethan turned toward her.
"What is she talking about?""
Grace opened her mouth.
She had worked in the mansion for years, but she had never discussed the final night of Margaret Hawthorne's life.
She remembered the rain against the windows.
The ambulance lights.
The little girl crying in the upstairs hallway.
And a voice behind a closed door that had not belonged to any doctor.
But before Grace could answer, Marcus returned carrying an old brass key.
"Sir," he said, "the nursery is ready to be opened.""
Ethan took the key.
Then Sabrina reached into her gold gown and pulled out something that made Grace's stomach drop.
A small, folded photograph.
She held it between two fingers.
"Before you open that door," Sabrina said, "you should see who was standing beside Margaret when she took this.""
Ethan snatched the photograph from her hand.
He unfolded it.
For one long moment, he stared without moving.
Then his eyes lifted toward Grace.
The photograph showed Margaret Hawthorne standing outside the east-wing nursery.
Beside her stood Grace.
May you like
But Grace had never seen the photograph before.
And she knew, with sudden certainty, that it had been taken on the night Margaret died.
