Noble grinned, amused again by the tone she'd taken. He wasn't sure that she was being funny on purpose — Miss Cartwright was not particularly easy to read, given that there seemed to be more going on with her than he'd suspected at first — but he was amused.

And then she pressed close to him, like something frightening was coming. "What —?" Noble said, turning his head to see whatever was behind him —

But it wasn't a horror; just a woman. He took a step back, to create a little space between himself and Miss Cartwright. "Mrs. Cartwright," Noble said mildly.

But this was weird — Miss Cartwright was acting like she was afraid of her mother.

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