As the day worn on and Millie sat, arms crossed, in one of the hard, uncomfortable chairs along the office wall. Sister Marion had deposited her there for the Mother to deal with after the assembly, but Millie had been waiting for hours now. She shifted position for the thousandth time, hoping to regain some feeling in her legs. It felt as though she might die of boredom.

The secretary kept looking up at her and smiling. Millie did not smile back. Even the secretary's usual cheerful demeanour was now tinged with doubt.

Had everyone turned on her now?

Finally, the Mother Superior swept in, pausing at the threshold.

"Regina, could you please prepare some tea for our guests?" she asked.

The secretary bobbed her head and went skittering off down the private hall.

The Mother watched her go before she turned to look down at Millie.

"You," she said, her tone dripping with disappointment. "I'll deal with you in a moment. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more important matters to attend to—this way, gentlemen."

Two men followed as she continued further into the office. The first was thin and bald and carried a leather doctor's bag. The second looked to be about her father's age, wearing a deep navy uniform with his rounded Bobby helmet tucked under his arm. Both glanced at her with vague curiosity before they all disappeared down the hall.

Millie inched to the edge of her seat. That had to be the doctor and a constable from the village—the exact sort of people she wanted to tell her suspicions. That was if they would even believe her. It was her word against the school. And she was sure the Mother was about to spin them another perfectly believable tale about tragic timing and unfortunate circumstances.

If Millie had proof, her story would be stronger.

But she didn't.

She debated her chances if she were to burst in there and tell them what she knew. She wondered how many words she'd be able to get out before the Mother stopped her and summoned someone to pull her away. Millie glanced back to the secretary's empty desk. She was still off busying herself with their tea order.

If she were to go now, she would have a moment, maybe even two...

She got up from her chair and snuck across the office, stopping at the edge of the hall. Down near the far end, Millie could hear the clinking of dishes as the secretary prepared the tea. The door closest to Millie, the same office that she had taken cover in the night before, was open just a crack again. She could hear just snippets of the conversation inside.

"Miss Brodie was—knew that she—difficult situation—"

Millie crept closer, trying to hear more.

She could hear the Mother speaking, but her voice was muffled.

"—off the roof, but we can't be sure—"

"Oh, dear!"

Millie snapped her head up. The secretary had stepped out into the hall from a room at the end with a tray of steaming tea in hand.

"You're not supposed to be down here," she warned, her wispy brows pushing together. Millie thought this was the first time she had seen the usually chipper secretary frown.

"I-I—" Millie sputtered, taking several steps back. "I was looking for you!"

The secretary tilted her head, her expression softening. "Is that so?"

"I wanted to ask if you had the mailing address of my friend," Millie continued, the lie tumbling out of her. She was almost impressed with herself with how quickly it had come to her. "You know, for the one that... died."

"I know the one," the secretary said, advancing towards the cracked open door. "What do you want it for?"

"Well, I wanted... I had hoped to send her family my... my condolences."

"Alright, alright," the secretary said, nudging the office door with her foot. It creaked but didn't quite open. The conversation inside stopped immediately. "But you'll have to wait until I'm done serving the tea. Go take your seat again and don't wander off, or the Mother will be twice as cross with you."

She gave the door another nudge, and it finally popped open.

"Ah, Regina, there you are," the Mother greeted her.

Millie scampered back to her chair. She was happy to wait now. Her lie had been off the top of her head, but it could prove to be useful.

Soon the secretary emerged again from the hall, dusting off her hands.

"Now, what address was it that you wanted?" she asked, though she seemed to question the story when she looked at her.

"Petra—Miss Downey. For her family."

"To send condolences, right, right," she said, shaking her head. "Such a terrible loss."

She headed to the same file cabinet both Millie had already searched. Millie watched her with her lips pressed thin. She already knew there wasn't going to be anything there.

But maybe the secretary could figure out where Petra's file had gone...

As expected, the secretary struggled with her search. She shifted through the files twice over and even checked the other drawers.

"That's odd," she muttered to herself. "It doesn't seem to be here."

Another nun, one of the younger girls who wore all grey, ran into the office. She slammed into the edge of the secretary's desk, panting with the effort of her run.

The secretary stopped her search and looked up, puzzled.

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

"The Mother needed me to take some files down to storage," the young nun said, breathless.

Millie perked up. Storage?

"Oh, right, right. Well, she's with the authorities now, so you'll have to wait."

The young nun fidgeted, looking anxious. "I can't wait. I don't have time. Sister Marion needs me for—"

"Don't complain to me," the secretary said, cutting her off with a wave of her hand. "Nothing I can do about it. But if you're really desperate, you can try your luck and give her door a knock."

"Worth a shot," the nun said, heading down the hall.

Millie kept her gaze straight ahead but strained her ears to listen. She heard the nun's quiet knocks and the door creak open again, but nothing more.

The secretary closed the file drawer with a clang, drawing Millie's attention back.

"I wonder where it could've gone," she said, rubbing at her chin. She shook her head again and turned to Mille. "Sorry to say it, but I can't find your friend's file."

Millie wasn't sure how to respond. "Oh. That's... too bad. I really wanted to send them that letter."

"Perhaps you could check in later, and whoever has it will have put it back."

"If that's my only option," Millie said. She tried her best to look defeated.

The secretary gave her a pitying look. "You know, I think I saw it on the Headmistress' desk earlier today. She's gone for lunch, but I could pop in there for a peek."

Before Millie could answer, she was already headed in that direction. The lie was starting to strain against reasonable effort, but Millie didn't see any reason to stop now.

"If you could, that would be—"

A door closed in the hall, and the younger nun rushed out and nearly collided with the secretary.

"Careful, sister!" she chided the girl.

"Sorry," the young nun said but didn't stop to say much more. She ran out of the office, and Millie saw she was carrying a heavy-looking file box.

Millie watched her go, her gaze intent as an urge formed at the back of her head.

The secretary had already dipped out of sight. She wouldn't be gone long, but...

This might be her only chance.

Millie leapt out of her chair and followed after the nun. She had no delusions of catching up to her, but she could at least figure out where the files were stored. Maybe there was something in there that she could use for proof when she escaped from this place.

The hall was busy with the between-class crowd, so no one noticed Millie tailing the nun. The few that did only stepped aside to avoid Millie, which, for once Millie appreciated. She pushed through the students, doing her best to look like she was doing nothing out of the ordinary. She kept close to the nun's shadow, following her all the way to the basement door at the back of the grand staircase.

The nun opened the door and—

A booming voice rang out. "Mildred Cunningham!"

Everyone turned to look, first in the direction of the voice, then back at Millie. The Mother Superior was standing by the office, looking furious. Behind her, the doctor and policeman were already at the foyer door, about to leave.

Millie swallowed. She had missed her chance.

Next to her, the basement door closed with a click, the nun now out of sight.

Both of her chances.

For now.

The Mother Superior scowled and beckoned to her with a curling finger. Millie went with a sigh, dragging herself back towards the office.