Chapter 040

AMELIA

While I walked to Damian's bedroom, I tried to remember where exactly I had kept the list of supplies for the bakery. Was it on the dressing table, the chest of drawers or...

I stopped in my tracks. Sounds were coming from inside the bedroom. Had Damian come home already? That couldn't be. He wasn't due back for hours. Some hidden instinct made me tiptoe the last few paces to the door and gently push it open. I saw Petra rifling the drawers.

She had already brought out some of its contents. She tugged at the last drawer, swore under her breath when she found it locked, and began to grope on the dressing table for the key.

"What are you doing?" I asked quietly.

Petra squeaked and nearly jumped a foot in the air.

"Amelia!" she cried. "You scared me!"

"No. You scared me. I almost thought you were a burglar." Petra flushed crimson. "But you didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

She straightened slowly, caught sight of her hand and snatched it o