When the Curtain Rises by Rachel Muller

Author:Rachel Muller
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: JUV000000
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2007-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Nyssa showed up at the door after lunch. “What are you up to this afternoon?” she asked Chloe. “Want to walk into town?”

Chloe’s fingers were wrapped around the key at her neck. “Actually, I was just on my way upstairs.”

“To look for your mystery lock? Even better,” said Nyssa. “I’ve never been past the main floor. I’ve always wanted to see the rest of the house.”

When Chloe hesitated, Nyssa put up her hands. “I’ll be cool. I won’t say anything more about haunted houses, I promise.”

“All right,” said Chloe. She stepped back to let her friend enter. “We can cover more ground with two pairs of eyes anyway.” On their way up the stairs, Chloe pointed out the painting of the carnival on the first landing.

“This is it?” said Nyssa, leaning forward to get a better look. “This is the picture that keeps changing?”

Chloe nodded. “And now look, there’s a lake in the background. I swear that’s the first time I’ve seen the lake. No matter what you say about holograms or practical jokes, this picture still creeps me out!”

Nyssa studied the painting a second longer. “All right then, let’s see if this lake is still here when we come back downstairs.”

A minute later they were on the third floor, entering a storage room lined with cupboards and shelves and wardrobes. Garment racks filled most of the center of the room.

“Cool,” Nyssa said as Chloe unzipped the nearest garment bag and removed a long gown of gauzy white fabric. Nyssa reached for the handle of the mahogany wardrobe beside her. She was almost buried in the avalanche of garments that spilled out when she opened the door. “Wow. Did all these costumes come from Dante’s carnival?” she asked.

“All that stuff disappeared with Dante, I think,” said Chloe. “Kitty told me that her mother was a seamstress and costume maker for St. Mark’s.”

“Your great-grandmother made these?” said Nyssa, holding up a mermaid’s tail covered with glittering scales. “That is so cool.”

Chloe nodded. “I know. Both my great-grandparents were amazing. You wouldn’t believe what Dante went through to get what he wanted. It makes me feel kind of stupid. Dante would never have let something like stage fright stop him from doing what he wanted to do.”

“People get over stage fright, you know,” Nyssa said as she returned the mermaid’s tail to the wardrobe. “I know you say you have it bad, but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence.”

“I know, I know.” Chloe took a deep breath. “Actually, on that subject, I was kind of wondering—how late would be too late to put my name down for that talent show?”

Nyssa looked up. “You’re changing your mind?”

“Don’t get excited,” said Chloe. “I’m not committing myself to anything yet. It’s just, I’ve been thinking about how Dante never gave up. I don’t know. I’ve been reading his memoir, exploring his house—maybe some of his determination is rubbing off on me.”

“So do you still have your entry form?”

“I threw it away,” Chloe said sheepishly.

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