Kieran’s POV
After I left Charlotte’s room last night, I entered the hall to find Nora standing there, wringing her hands nervously. She looked up at me with wide, tear-filled eyes that darted to the door behind me, then back at me. There was a question in them, but she remained silent.
“She’ll be okay,” I assured her, guiding her away from the door. “She’s just got a stomach bug. You should stay away from her until she gets better, otherwise you’ll get sick.”
Nora sniffled and looked over her shoulder as I let her away, but she didn’t protest. We returned to the dinner table and finished eating in silence. Nora didn’t say another word for the rest of the night, even when I had the cook secretly prepare a little bowl of ice cream to cheer her up.
The quiet was more painful than all the
