Chapter 20
TWENTY
RUELLA
I pace back and forth, the plans on a warm bath and breakfast long forgotten.
I read and re read the note in my hands as I search my mind for anything that could point me in the direction of who could be behind it.
I really don’t think it is Asher, and Jacob seemed too busy with whatever is happening with Piper.
It could have been Daylan. He is who I suspected attacked me, but other than the same style shoes and his grouchy behaviour, I don’t have much else to go on with him.
What am I missing.
My alarm goes off for the last thirty minutes left before they shut the kitchens for food and at the same time my stomach growls in protest. I don’t have time for a bath now but if I hurry, I can still get something in me.
My phone bings.
At least that takes the pressure off, and I can take a quick shower, not only do I feel eyes on me even when I am the only one in here, I am slick with sweat. Hopefully a freezing cold shower will make me feel better.
I rush over to my desk and open the bottom drawer I haven’t used yet.
I will hide the note in there for now and investigate later, maybe I can convince Corden to look at the security cameras in my staircase to find out who posted it.
As I pull open the empty drawer, I realise it isn’t as empty as I first thought.
I always use the dining hall or the common room to do my work, so this desk has barely been touched, which is why I have never noticed the object rolling back and forth in front of me.
I reach in and grab the pink pen and my eyes widen in shock. It might seem like your everyday ballpoint pen, something that wouldn’t draw anyone’s attention normally. But it has mine.
“No way,” I whisper to myself.
I press the side of the cap and sure enough the very end of it lights up like a torch. I pull the cap off completely and smirk when I try to write a word on my notebook open on the desktop. Nothing happens. It’s as though the pen has run out of ink. I know better.
I once again click the button that turns on the light and sure enough, my invisible words have become visible.
I start to laugh, but then realisation hits me.
This is Marlowe’s. Or…was.
I examine the room I am in with new eyes.
“Holy shit. This was Marlowe’s room,”
I look back down at the pen in my hands. If this was here and Marlowe was the one using it, then I just found the best evidence since getting here.
I quickly flick the main lights off in my bedroom but keep the pen light on. With the age of the building and my small window, the room is now shroud in darkness. I rush around all the surfaces that came with the room, shining the UV light on anywhere she may have written something down.
We used to do this to each other. It was something we picked up after that day with the vase.
The day we weren’t allowed to spend much time together without being under supervision.
Delphine took Marlowe on a shopping trip but of course I wasn’t allowed to go, but Marlowe brought me back something this time.
An invisible ink pen. It wasn’t out of the goodness of Delphine’s heart, the pack came with two pens, so Marlowe shared one with me.
For months afterward we would write each other little notes and pictures around the house, something to make the other smile or even a game of noughts and crosses on a mirror until it was wiped away by the maids.
No one had a clue we were communicating so much.
When they eventually ran out of ink a new pen took its place, and we continued that way until Marlowe left for Marrowton Academy.
Yes, the communication slowed down as the resentment came between us, and the more Delphine got into her daughter’s head, but they are still my favourite memories I share with Marlowe.
I push all the books and paper off my desk and scan the surface. No words but there are a lot of doodles, hearts and flowers. Nothing of importance that I can see but I will come back to it. I run over to the bedside tables. Nothing.
The windows. Nothing.
The bathroom counters and mirror above the sink. Nothing.
Finally, I make my way over to the large, golden framed mirror beside the door. I shine it on the surface, but there isn’t anything. My shoulders drop in defeat.
I really thought I was onto something.
As I go to switch off the light from the pen it passes over the ornate lamp on the side table. A load of numbers appears written on the surface.
“Bingo,” I smile to myself, holding the UV closer.
NW.598534.EW.233879.SW.723144.WW.382946
My brows furrow as I grab my phone and quickly make a note of the random letters and numbers, then type them into google, but nothing that comes up has any relevance.
My phone buzzes in my hand and I see a message appear in the drop down from Corden asking where I am.
“Shit,” I forgot about meeting Corden.
I type out a response and grab my bag from the back of the chair before rushing from my room. I have no idea what I found but it clearly means something to Marlowe if she had to write it down in the invisible ink.
How fucking weird is it that I am currently living in Marlowe’s old room.
My mind is racing as I make it to the dining hall, but the buzz of late comers and delicious smells distract me while I find Corden. I spot his mop of hair in the far-left corner where he is surrounded by cups and full plates.
“Hungry, are we?” I ask as I plop down in the chair opposite him.
“Always,” He grins. “However, most of this is for you. I know you are a touchy bitch if you haven’t had enough carbs and caffeine,”
I shrug knowing he is only speaking the truth.
I take a massive gulp of hot coffee from the large mug he filled for me and sigh. “I love you,”
He grins showing teeth. “I know,” Then he shoves a massive mouthful of scrambled egg in his mouth while I sit in turmoil.
Someone might want me out, but after finding this clue, I am going nowhere until I find Marlowe.
***
“Have you seen much of Deena this week?” Corden asks while I use the heat from the cup to warm my numb fingers.
The weather is getting worse with every day that passes and I have a feeling snow will be upon us sooner than I think.
I need to get some winter clothing, but I don’t have a car to drive into the town twenty minutes away from the Marrowton Estate.
I shake my head taking a slow sip from the steaming nectar, allowing the burn to try and take away the unnerving feeling this morning has left me with.
After taking another gulp I place the cup down on the table where we sit in a near empty dining hall.
“I feel like she’s pulled away the last week or so,”
“Yeah,” Corden sighs. “Me too,”
“Do you think it’s because of Max?” I question while pushing around my scrambled eggs. An hour ago, I would have shovelled every bit into my mouth, but after the note this morning and finding Marlowe’s clues, I have lost my appetite.
“I don’t know, did you explain that the dinner was friendly and not romantic?”
“I sent her a text explaining and she seemed fine with it, but she’s not sat with us to eat since,” I shrug, “There is no way she has half as much work as she says she does,”
“She said she was coming to get ready with us for the fundraiser though, we can interrogate her then,”
“Yeah,” We fall into a comfortable silence as Corden demolishes his three breakfasts. Bacon and eggs, granola with Greek yogurt and a big bowl of mixed fruit. The boy can Eat, but with the size of him, it’s not a surprise how much it takes to keep him moving.
He must feel my attention on him, he looks up and flashes me his charming grin. “What?”
“Nothing,” I smile back then clear my throat. “I found something strange today, a group of numbers and letters that aren’t coordinates too anywhere,” I grab my phone and bring up my notes app from where I wrote them down.
“Do you know what that could be?” I ask. Corden is one of the smartest people I know so I have every faith in him to find out what they mean if he doesn’t already know.
“Hmm,” he grabs my phone closer, brows furrowed in concentration. “To be honest, that doesn’t make much sense to me, but send me it and I can figure it out,” Corden’s phone lights up with an incoming call. “Ah shit, this is my brother,”
“Go, take it,” I smile. “I actually have work to get done for Mr. Chapman. Sending you this now,”
“Does this have anything to do with our little project?” He questions with a raised eyebrow, excitement written into his features.
“I guess we will find out when you figure the code out,” I nod.
“Okay, I’m on it. I’ll text you later,” He grabs his coffee cup and stands, dropping a kiss to my head and turning to leave.
“Oh wait, what colour dress are you wearing on Tuesday?”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever I have in my cupboard that will suffice,”
“Oh, dear lord,” He sighs but then a smirk lifts his cheeks in a knowing look. “Keep an eye out for a delivery,” Then he turns and rushes out the doors leaving me alone.
My shoulders slump and I feel my body slowly drain of energy.
I have so much to do and not enough time to do it in.
That assignment redo I have for Mr. Chapman is still a mess and I only have a few days to make it make sense.
If I don’t, then it doesn’t matter how many clues I find, I will be out.
And my father will actually kill me this time.
I lift my hands and slowly rub circles on my temples with my fingertips, trying to release some of the building pressure.
I don’t think I can continue this on my own. I need help and not just from Corden.
One name comes to mind. A person that makes me not only feel safe but heard. Someone I feel in the deepest parts of my soul that I can trust.