There was a knock on the door to Lindsey’s sitting room. Was it Camilla, come to check on her? She got up and opened the door.
“Oh. I mean, hi June.”
“I brought you some dinner.” June held up a tray. “You didn’t come down, so I thought you might be hungry.”
“Thanks.” Lindsey had been so busy writing lines that she’d lost track of time. Besides, her overwhelming guilt had caused her to lose her appetite.
“I’ll set it up for you over there.” June headed to the table by the window and set the tray down. She removed the lid and laid everything out. “Do you need anything else?”
“No.” Lindsey paused. “Did Camilla go down for dinner?”
“No. She’s still not feeling well.”
“Oh.”
“Are you all right?” June asked.
“I’m fine.” But Lindsey couldn’t keep her voice from quavering. “Thanks for bringing dinner.”
June hovered by the table. “Lindsey, Camilla isn’t angry with you.”
“She seemed pretty angry to me,” Lindsey said.
“Well, yes, she’s angry with you. But she’s mostly angry that she didn’t get to choose how you found out about her illness.”
“Did she say that?” Lindsey asked.
“No,” June replied. “But I’ve known her for so long that it isn’t hard for me to tell what’s going on in her head.” She patted Lindsey on the shoulder. “I’ll come back for everything in an hour.”
As June left the room, Lindsey noted to herself that for a woman who ‘sees and hears nothing,’ June sure knew a lot about what was going on between Lindsey and Camilla. But Lindsey was grateful. She was beginning to think she’d need an instruction manual to understand Camilla. And after the scene she’d witnessed, it was clear that June and Camilla were closer than they seemed.
As Lindsey ate her dinner, she thought on June’s words. Maybe this punishment wasn’t just because Lindsey had broken Camilla’s rules. But it wasn’t because she was mad at Lindsey either. Maybe it was Camilla’s way of taking back control the way Lindsey had taken control away from Camilla.
A short while later, June returned to collect Lindsey’s tray. When she was done clearing the table, June announced that Camilla wanted to see her.
“She’s in her bedroom,” June said. “Do you remember the way, or do you want me to take you?”
“I remember.” Lindsey hesitated. “She said I should go to her room?”
June’s lips curled up at one side. “I see you’ve learned your lesson. Yes, Camilla gave you her express permission to go to her room. She also said to ‘bring your lines.’ I’m assuming that means something to you.”
Lindsey nodded. So there were things that June didn’t know about her and Camilla’s relationship after all. Lindsey liked that she and Camilla still had their secrets.
“I recommend you don’t keep her waiting,” June said.
“Right. Thanks.”
Once June had left the room, Lindsey grabbed her notepad and made her way to Camilla’s wing. She was nowhere near finished with her lines yet, but at least she could show Camilla her progress.
Lindsey went through the white double doors and continued past the playroom until she reached Camilla’s bedroom. She knocked on the door and waited.
“Come in,” Camilla said.
Lindsey opened the door. The room looked a lot brighter than last time she’d seen it. Camilla was sitting up in bed, her legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. She had a book face down on her lap. Although she didn’t seem to be back to her normal self, she looked a lot better than the night before. But she still wore that same cold expression.
Camilla pointed to the bed next to her. “Come. Sit.”
Lindsey sat down. “I’m sorry. I haven’t finished my lines yet.”