*Horace*
Later that afternoon, I look out the window and see the recital. Layla and Susannah are sitting on a blue blanket, looking like bright flowers. Rapunzel sits in a straight-backed chair, her back to the castle, and Védrines stands to her right, a violin tucked under his chin.
Even from this distance, I see Rapunzel’s body sway as they begin playing. And I see that Védrines is standing at an angle, facing away from her, his eyes presumably on the music stand before him. He has probably concluded that my employer is stark raving mad, but he is keeping to his word.
My heart begins hammering in my rib cage. One of my bailiffs is talking, but the words make no sense. I snatch up the legal papers Jelves prepared with regard to Susannah’s upbringing.
“Gentlemen,” I say, pivoting on m
