Free Nobody's Secret by Michaela MacColl Page B

forestalled by Vinnie.
    “I’m sure you can appreciate that we like to keep Emily’s little problem within the family circle. Can I depend on you not to mention this? Not even to Father—he worries so.”
    “Of course, of course,” Mr. Ripley said. “You may count on my discretion.”
    “Thank you!” Vinnie beamed.
    “Would you like me to help you bring her home?” Mr. Ripley asked.
    Vinnie shook her head. “Now that the mania has left her, I’ll have no trouble with her.”
    Emily glared at her sister, but Vinnie ignored her.
    “I’ll lock up for you,” Mr. Ripley said.
    “And I’ll return Father’s key to its rightful place. Mr. Ripley, I can’t thank you enough.” While Vinnie was talking, Emily stealthily stuffed the blotting paper in her pocket.
    “Good night, Misses Dickinson.”
    Emily let Vinnie lead her quickly out of the office, down the stairs, and past the Common. “Vinnie!” she panted, trying to catch her breath. “I can’t believe you said those things. Next you’ll have me committed to an asylum.”
    Vinnie stopped in the middle of North Pleasant Street, now illuminated by a thin crescent of moon and brilliant stars. “Emily, what did you want me to say? He caught you snooping in Father’s papers.” She lifted her thick braid of hair to cool her face and neck. “I thought I was quite clever. He feels as though we’ve confided in him—and you know how virtuous he is. He’ll never tell anyone.”
    “He might tell his fiancée,” Emily pointed out, unwilling to give Vinnie the satisfaction of having rescued her.
    “Fiancée?” Vinnie was easily diverted. “How can Mr. Ripley afford to get married? Father always said he was poor as a church mouse.”
    “Perhaps he came into money recently?” Emily dangled the question in front of Vinnie like an apple in front of their horse, Jasper.
    Vinnie shook her head violently. “Emily, you are doing it again. Trying to distract me. What does it matter if Mr. Ripley is getting married? What were you really doing in Father’s office?
    “I take these turns . . . sometimes I can’t help myself,” Emily replied in an arch voice.
    “This is the final straw, Emily Elizabeth Dickinson.” Vinnie stamped her foot on the dirt road. “I’ve put up with your morbid fascination with that dead man. I covered for your truancy when you should be sharing our chores, and I rescued you from your own foolishness just now. It was all fine and well when I thought you were in love, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.” A disappointed expression flitted across her face. “If you don’t tell me everything, and I mean everything, I’m informing Mother about where I found you tonight.”
    “But she’ll tell Father.”
    Vinnie nodded with a sly smile.
    There was a silence between the sisters. Finally Vinnie said, “So? Will you tell me or not?”
    Until now, Emily’s investigation had been hers alone, a private thing between her and the shade of Mr. Nobody. But now she suspected fraud, and possibly murder. And the corruption might have spread to her own father’s office. Maybe it was no coincidence that Mr. Nobody had been found in their pond. Might Vinnie have the right to know? Perhaps she could help.
    “It’s a long story,” Emily warned.
    “We have all night.”
    Emily couldn’t help feeling relieved. It would be a burden shared. “All right,” she said. “I’ll tell you.”
    “Everything?”
    “Everything.”

One Sister have I in our house.
CHAPTER 10
    Emily poked the fire banked in the stove until she had enough flame to light a candle. Taking a pitcher from the icebox, she poured two glasses of milk, partnering them with generous slices of gingerbread. She thought for a few moments, trying to arrange her story.
    Vinnie suddenly interrupted her musing. “When Austin is home, you and he are down here talking after we’re all in bed, aren’t you?” Vinnie’s normally cheerful voice held a touch of bitterness.
    Emily