Rose watched Lady Delphine walk away with Esme on her tail as they walked toward the man. He looked a little drunk, and there was a huge wooden cup of ale in his hand. With every movement he made, the liquid spilled over the top of the cup, but he wouldn't stop moving his hand.
"Who is that?" the man asked, pointing toward Rose. "A new girl? Give her to me."
"No one," Lady Delphine said sweetly as she tried to distract him while Kali grabbed Rose's arm and pulled her away from the scene.
Rose let herself be pulled as Kali dragged her up the side stairs. They turned a corner and came into a row of rooms. Rose counted no fewer than five different rooms. She wanted to plug her ears against the noise that came from every corner of the house. How could anyone—she didn't want to think about it.
Kali stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. "This room should be empty," she was saying.
