d violets again moody, almost theatrical. And yet not

th was already halfway through sweeping her front steps for the second time that day. She lo

reaked open and remained ajar. That always meant

enteen, bored, and entirely unapologetic about her curiosity. Her grandmother used to say she had

perfume sample. It was sealed in black wax, no return addre

to like this,"

id the man leaning a

cing with the town notary, but no one ever saw him write anything down. He w

her?" he asked, nod

phy in crimson ink," Olivia replied. "Unless ther

's either someone with too much flair o

ing it hastily into a canvas pou

top you l

Bad poetry. This i

op began to rattle again. Nobody had lived there since Mr. Calborne disappea

d no idea that a lett

d out of habit more than necessity. The earth smelled sharp and sweet. Ti

so trying not to stare too obviously at the street-specifically at the corne

ay," he said fo

red, brushing dirt from her han

ed at me

hedgehogs. It's not

as the shears slipped a

ding," Miria

Blood attracts cats, righ

you're done with your romantic in

od, wiping her hands

e. Just asked if you'd be a

d. "Did he ha

really. But he did

e town felt

seless now. The tavern lanterns lit up early, flickering like uneasy thoug

ged tight. Her boots struck the cobbles like thoughts s

opes hung limp and seaweed painted the steps green. A boy pla

stop

u that tune?"

in' it for weeks now. D

iar, but not

reread the letter he had burned two weeks ago. Not that he needed to re

'd bought from the woman on the coast so

, he could see

often he found him

ies and ticking clocks, Mrs. Runnel fed her cat with o

but not not to it either. "If the fourth doesn't

ut the cat blinked slow