Elspeth Starkenburg's Arc

Chapter 9 of 10

Elspeth walked home slow. The satchel felt heavy on her shoulder, though Apple rode quiet inside it now. Cecilia's words stuck in her ears. Tell Amalia the truth. She had lied that morning. She had said the cat was in the barn. Amalia trusted her, and she had broken it. Her stomach hurt the whole way. When the cottage came into view, its patched roof and worn door, she almost turned back. Amalia sat on the step, lacing her boots for the tavern shift. The scar on her cheek caught the light. She looked up. "You're late," she said. Then she saw Elspeth's face. "What." Elspeth's eyes filled. She set the satchel down and unbuckled the flap. Apple's white head poked out, ears twitching. "I lied," Elspeth said. The words shook. "I didn't put her in the barn. I took her to school. In my bag. She was crying all day alone and I couldn't leave her." She was crying now too. "Please don't be mad. Please let me keep her." Amalia went still. She did not smile or joke. She looked at the cat, then at the girl. "You lied to me," she said. Flat. "I know." Elspeth wiped her nose. "I know it was wrong." Apple climbed out of the satchel and pressed against Elspeth's leg. The girl scooped her up. She dug in her pocket and pulled out a small grey cloth mouse, seams stitched crooked. "I made her this. So she'd have something at the barn." She held it out. Apple batted it and caught it in her paws. Elspeth pressed her wet face into the cat's fur. Apple went limp against her, purring, and rubbed her chin along the girl's jaw. Amalia watched them. The stiffness in her shoulders eased. She stood and came down the step. "Look at me," she said. Elspeth looked up. "You don't lie to me. Not about her. Not about anything. Understand?" "Yes." "If something's wrong, you tell me. That's the deal." Amalia crouched to their level. She reached out one rough finger and scratched behind Apple's ear. The cat leaned into it, same as she'd leaned into Agnes. "She picked you," Amalia said quiet. "I'm not blind. She sleeps on your pillow. She comes home. That cat's ours now." Elspeth's breath caught. "So I can keep her?" "You already have her." Amalia stood and picked up her boots. "But the barn still won't work in the day. She can't come to school. And I'm gone at the tavern." She frowned. "We need a real place for her while you're both away. A warm one." Elspeth held Apple tighter. The lie was gone. The trust held. But Amalia was right. Tomorrow Apple would wake alone again, and there was still no warm place to leave her.