“No,” Hattie said. “Just humiliated. Which could feel like the same thing.” She leaned in with another sly smile, then lowered her voice. “She’s in her room now. Probably trying to scrub the funeral out of her pores.”
I was well aware of it, and it was taking a lot of discipline to not go over there and knock.
“Keep an eye on her,” I said, letting the words settle between us with the weight they deserved. “And let me know if anyone bothers her.”
Hattie’s eyes narrowed as she stared at me. She didn’t seem confused or startled, just…understanding. An understanding only a woman who’d lived her whole life in Blackwood could have. She dipped her chin once, knowingly.
“No men near her,” she said softly. “Got it.”
I grinned politely and tipped the brim of my hat. “Much appreciated.”
I turne
