There was nowhere to escape, no way to escape. Gretchen had her backed up against the mirror, had her hand on her shoulder, and then—

A gasp escaped her lips as the dozens of pearls flew from her neck and clattered against the stone floor, some bouncing out of sight while others remained right at her feet. Frida stood speechless, unable to so much as process Gretchen's words and anger; her eyes were stuck on the pearls that remained in sight as the significance of the damage set in. Those were mother's pearls—the piece of jewelry Frida had held close to her heart since the day her mother's will was read. The boggart she'd faced in Professor Sleptov's class had taken the form of her mother snatching away the pearls, which had become a symbol of their relationship.

And now they were all over the floor.

Frida let out a choked sob and finally slid to the side, out and away from Gretchen's reach. She opened her mouth, but no words came. She could only nod.

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— set by mj  —

Frida looked as though she was going to cry to Gretchen simply did not care. Her sister had stolen her letters and - she made the logical leap - had destroyed all but one of them and why? Because she was scared. Well, she ought to be scared. She had no right to interfere and now Gretchen was scared because she could imagine the sort of things Mr Prewett might have written, what he might have alluded to, and it would be just like Frida to make things so much worse by blabbing to Noelle or Priam.

"And don't mention this to anyone or you won't live to meet a suitor," Gretchen growled as she swept out of the bathroom, though it was mostly an empty threat. Mostly.

  

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Bee is tremendous, isn't she?