Chapter Two

802 83 15
                                    

The two-story brick school building that had once been home to a titled family was already alight from within. It was close to dinnertime and I could smell beef stew when we entered the front door. Miss Wilson, my deportment teacher, hurried towards us. "Can I help you, gentlemen?" she asked, her eyes flicking between the four of us.

"Is Miss Hunter available?" I asked, speaking before anyone else had a chance. I gestured to the two strangers. "These two...gentlemen have a letter for her. They claim to have come to take me away."

Braxton shot a glance at me, as though he'd noticed my hesitation at calling him a gentleman., which I ignored. I was certain that the more people who knew what they were up to, legitimate or not, the better.

The woman's left eyebrow went up, and she looked at the constable. "I only came along to make sure they all arrived with no problems," Constable Higgins said, taking a step back. "Miss Hunter may call on my services if there is any problem."

"What seems to be the problem, Miss Wilson?" Miss Hunter's voice came from the staircase. She came down the steps slowly, her manner unhurried. "Miss Norton. Constable. I trust there has been no unfortunate incident?"

"No, ma'am," I said immediately. "These two men say they have come to take me home, that my parents sent them."

Braxton removed his hat and made the slightest of bows. "Ma'am, we have a letter from Mr. Norton, detailing his wishes on the matter." He drew a sealed envelope from his pocket and held it out. "We don't have much time before our train departs, so if we could resolve this quickly, it would be much appreciated."

Miss Hunter took the envelope from him. "I will take as much time as is necessary before I turn over one of my pupils to strangers," she said, her tone cold. "Let us go to my office. Thank you for your assistance, Constable. I shall send someone for you if there is a need."

Constable Higgins tipped his hat and withdrew. Since I hadn't been dismissed, I trailed behind the gentlemen as they followed the headmistress. It was only a few steps down a hallway to Miss Hunter's office. She stood to the side to allow Braxton and Keene to enter first.

When I continued to follow, she caught my arm and held me back. "Do you know these men at all? Even by just sight?" she asked in a low voice. "Are they associates who work with or for your father, perhaps?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. I've never seen them before, not even a glimpse. I don't recall my father ever mentioning their names." I hesitated and then added, "They do not seem like men my father would associate with by choice."

"In what way?" Miss Hunter asked, raising an eyebrow.

Would she understand me? "They do not seem at ease in their suits, fine though they may be," I said, voicing the main trait that had me uneasy. "I know I should not judge, but I don't think they liked me questioning them."

"Hmm. That could be just the usual male attitude." Miss Hunter released me and strode to her desk. She gestured at the pair of chairs opposite. "Please be seated, gentlemen, while I read the letter."

Both men sat, and I remained standing off to the side. Miss Hunter broke the seal and unfolded the paper. It was silent in the room as her eyes moved across the words. A slight frown creased her forehead and her fingers began to tap the back of the paper.

There was something she didn't like about that letter.

Braxton cleared his throat after a long minute. "As you can see, ma'am—"

With a lift of her hand, Miss Hunter cut him off. She kept her eyes on the letter. Finally, after another long minute, she lifted her gaze. "Aida, I think you should read this," she said, holding it out to me.

Bursting with curiosity, I stepped closer to take it from her. It was typed, much like I'd seen Papa's business papers. The signature at the bottom was barely decipherable but it looked like his. The contents spoke of a family emergency and requested Miss Hunter release my care to Braxton and Keene until the crisis had been resolved.

The Opera Singer's Daughter (A Sherlock Holmes Spin-Off Novel)Where stories live. Discover now