Then another voice joined in—a woman’s voice.

“Meret?”

She turned sharply toward the sound, her breath still shaking not noticing when Butler Marriott excused himself.

Lisa stood in front of her. She looked taken aback by Meret.

Meret cheeks flushed with embarrassment when she remembered she was on the floor and might perhaps be acting like a crazy person. She quickly pushed herself off the floor too quickly, her heart still racing, fear draining slowly into ...