Things change around the 11-year-old orphans from Grace Field as they approach their twelfth year of life.
✦ Will these four eldest children, who have placed so much faith in their sole guardian, Isabella, be able to betray that trust after learnin...
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Chapter Eleven | Mama Knows
[Narrator]
After their little conversation, the four companions made their way back to the House, each with their own thoughts lingering in the air. Ray, particularly concerned about Ninelie, hoped to have a one-on-one talk with her to find out what had transpired during her time in Isabella's office. However, his search for the missing girl proved futile as she seemed to have disappeared.
As they combed through the House, the sound of an old door creaking caught their attention. It was the door to Isabella's office, a room seldom accessed by anyone. To their surprise, there stood Ninelie, just coming out of Isabella's room.
Anxious to get some answers, Ray approached the red-eyed girl and gently led her towards the library, with Emma and the others following closely behind. Gilda closed the door behind them, creating a sense of privacy.
"Why were you in there? What did that woman do to you?" Ray inquired, his concern evident in his eyes. However, Ninelie seemed distant and unresponsive, refusing to make eye contact.
"She didn't do anything, we just talked." Ninelie finally replied, her voice soft and distant.
"What did you talk about?" Ray pressed on.
"Ninelie, please tell us. Did she say something to you?" Emma asked.
Looking up, Ninelie managed a faint smile and said, "She asked how I was, if I was still taking my medications, and all that. It's nothing serious, so don't worry about it."
Her response raised more questions than it answered, leaving the five children puzzled and concerned. After all, why would Isabella have a seemingly innocent conversation with Ninelie? The uncertainty gnawed at them, and Ray couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss.
Ninelie made her way to the door, opened it, and stepped out, leaving the others in the hallway.
"Just what exactly...did Mama say to her?" Norman wondered aloud.
"Was it because of what happened a day ago?" Don questioned, feeling a tinge of guilt.
"No," Ray said. "If anything, she might've threatened Ninelie."
'Maybe she's still angry about earlier...' he thought.
"What? Shouldn't we do something about it?" Gilda asserted.
"She didn't look like she wanted to talk. How can we ask her about what happened?" asked Gilda.
Frustration and worry bubbled up inside Ray as he clenched his teeth. The situation was far from ideal, and the lack of information made him feel powerless.
