So was Circe.But I was not alone. The little girl sat on the edge of Whistler’s bed, twisting a long strand of blonde hair around one finger.She sighed dramatically. “I thought you’d never wake up.”“Then you were wrong.” I smiled. “Some privacy, okay?” She giggled and covered her eyes while I dressed. “All clear,” I said, giving her a wink as I opened the bedroom window. The sea breeze was cool and crisp and clean, and I liked the way it felt on my face.“Are you surprised to see me?” she asked.“To tell the truth, I thought I might never see you again. I’m glad I was wrong about that.”A smile blossomed on her face. “You’re really glad I came?” “Sure.”“Good. I thought you might be mad…about yesterday, I mean. I got pretty scared. I don’t like the bottle house, and when that lady showed up—” Her lower lip trembled. “Well, that lady scared me. The way she talked about ghosts. I hid, but I heard what she said to you. I didn’t think she was very nice, and when she said she was taking you to the Whistler Estate….”“It’s okay, sweetheart.
