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I gulped and dropped my eyes.
    “Alcyone Everly, get your head back into this car this very minute! I don’t need you catching cold and meeting your new mother with a red nose!”
    “
Mother
?” My head shot back into the car so fast I hit it on the roof. “I don’t need another mom.”
    “Nonsense.” Mrs. Dewsbury slammed the door shut and popped open her umbrella, her heels clicking on the driveway. She opened my door and frowned. “Every girl needs a mother.”
    I looked up at her and gulped. “I already have a mother.”
    “No, you don’t.” She raised an eyebrow and whipped around, nearly hitting me with her leather handbag. “Come along. I’m getting drenched.”
    She clicked on up the driveway with her umbrella, leaving me alone to shiver in the rain with my things.
    We paused at the top of the steps while Mrs. Dewsbury rang the doorbell. I could hear it sounding deep inside the house. A deep, scary sound. I clutched my carpetbag close and wished I had Daphne.
    The door slowly creaked opened until the woman of the house stood before us. “Yes?”
    “Mrs. Dewsbury, ma’am. With your new daughter.” Mrs. Dewsbury poked me in the back, forcing me to fall into a curtsy.
    “Alcyone,” I muttered.
    “What an interesting name,” the woman said. I dared to look up, only to see her eyes staring into mine. Her voice held a soft lilt, like she was singing. I glanced back down.
    “Her mother chose it, Miss Beatrice.” Mrs. Dewsbury looked almost nervous.
    “I see. Well, she might as well come in.” The woman held the door open for me and I slipped under her arm. She flashed me a quick smile that was left unrequited.
    “Very good. Now, I —” Mrs. Dewsbury stopped and looked up.
    Miss Beatrice held her arm up, barring the door, and smiled. “Thank you very much, Mrs. Dewsbury, but you don’t have to stay. If you could send me the paperwork in the mail, I’d appreciate it.” With that, Miss Beatrice shut the door and turned to me.
    I stood shivering in the foyer, half-blinded by fear.
    Miss Beatrice looked me up and down. Was her gaze friendly or judging? I couldn’t tell.
    She gave me a brief smile and turned on her heel. “Well, come along, Alcyone. I’m so happy to have you here! This house needs some cheering up.”
    When I didn’t move, her face dimmed a little. The sight of me standing there, dressed in black and trembling at the knees, must not have been very cheering. Neither was the glare fixed on my face.
    A slight sigh escaped her lips. “Well, you might as well get to bed. There will be plenty of time for introductions and tours in the morning. It’s nearly eleven o’clock already!” She cleared her throat “It’s like I always say, ‘Often late to bed makes a girl unfit to wed.’ ” She sounded a little nervous, her voice getting that sing-song quality again.
    What does that have to do with anything?
I kept my head down to block my tears as I followed her up the staircase and down a corridor. Miss Beatrice halted in front of a door at the end of the hall and reached into her pocket to pull out a key. With the swipe of a lock, the door was open and beckoning me to enter.
    I walked in before her and placed my bags on the floor.
    Miss Beatrice clicked her heels and smiled. Lighting an old-fashioned oil lamp, she sighed and said, “Yes, this will do. Noone’s slept in here for ages! This used to be my daughter Irene’s bedroom, but she moved out a few years ago.” She glanced at me. “There are dry pajamas on the back of the chair. Breakfast is served at seven fifteen. Do you like oatmeal?” I didn’t respond, but she continued talking anyway, her words running together. “I’ve always said that punctuality is the key to vitality. I do hope you have a good night.” With that, Miss Beatrice turned and walked out of the room. She paused in the doorway only a brief moment—not even long enough for me to understand the look on her face. Was it happiness? Sadness?