Silent Song (Ghostly Rhapsody) Read Online Free PDF Page A

for us. The longer the party lasted, the worse our insecurity became. Doubt began to edge toward certainty again—the certainty that he had dared to slight us so. Every time the door opened and a new guest was announced, the beginnings of fear would rise. Those who had been admiring us, congratulating us, vying to dance with us… they scared us too. No, not fear—rather, anguish. Were they here to witness our fall? Did they know what our husband planned to do?
    And again, that sickening doubt. What had he planned to do, anyway? Lord Windermere had been so gentle, so loving, so perfect. A rock against the storm, a foundation stone, supporting us our whole lives. We loved him so, so much. How could that man betray us? It hurt, love and pain swirling and warring and—
    And it stopped.
    The last note hung in the air before Keith silenced the guitar, placing his hand over the strings.
    I realized I was crying. Dabbing at my eyes, mortified, I heard Anna suck in a deep breath, and when I lifted my eyes again, Professor Hedford had taken off his glasses and listened to the silence with eyes closed and a beatific smile in place.
    Keith bit his lower lip, waiting verdict. The professor stood up and took a couple steps toward him, staring him down. Then, he turned his back on him and looked at us. No one spoke, not even Jack.
    “That, dear students, is what Lady Windermere is supposed to be like. Now, I have one challenge for every single one of you: Do you think you can act up to it?”
    And we roared. We clapped each other on the back, laughed, and answered him with catcalls and screams.
    Oh, yes. We will be up to the challenge.
    Lady Windermere was no longer a character. Her words were no longer phrases to learn. She had become a feeling. We knew her. We just had to help the rest of the world understand her half as well as we did.
    Mr. Hedford nodded with pride.
    “We’re finished for the day, class. Think about who you are and rest well. Tomorrow, we’ll be marking the stage,” he said.
    Marking the stage must be the worst part of being in the theater group. Boring and tiresome. It’s all about running around with duct tape, trying to figure out where to put the couches and tables and where each of us should stand while speaking. Somehow, though, no one complained.
    I even looked forward to it, and that surprised me.  

CHAPTER 5
    When the time did come and we had to spend three horrid hours deciding what to put where, making lists and taking measures, my aching muscles looked back on that moment of anticipation and scoffed at it.
    But if I had to be honest, it had been fun this time. Sort of, anyway. 
    “Hey, Mom,” I called out, closing the door when I arrived home and leaning back against it for a moment.
    She abandoned diner preparations and peeked out of the kitchen, surprised. “You’re home early,” she said.
    I hadn’t detoured to stare at nothing while listening to Keith; that’s why. I figured I had gotten to see him and hear him at school so… why risk the bushes?
    “We finished a little early with the theater group,” I lied. “This year’s going to be a riot.”
    “What was the play again?”
    “Lady Windermere’s Fan.” 
    I had told her before, of course. Of course, she’d forgotten.
    She frowned a bit. “Will the school council approve of that one? It’s all about scandal, if I remember it right.”
    “Why does everyone but me know the damn play?”
    “Language, Alice.”
    “Sorry.” I sighed, dropping my bag on the kitchen table and plopping down to watch Mom preparing some weird Norwegian salad. “I have to stay after school tomorrow.” I tried to be as nonchalant as possible when I told her that one bit of news.
    “Something happened?”
    “No, not at all. It’s for the play. There’s this family who’s going to lend us the decor, and Professor Hedford asked us to go to their place and select the furniture. We were taking measurements and deciding that stuff