The Room of Old Portraits
Edmund took Malik to the portrait gallery only after asking.
Malik almost said no.
Then he thought of his mother sitting on the stable gate in the photograph, smiling like the manor had not yet learned how to hurt her.
"Five minutes," he said.
They entered through carved doors into a long room lined with oil paintings. Dead Kings stared from gold frames, all pale hands, hunting coats, military uniforms, pearls, land, certainty.
Malik stood in his muddy boots on the polished floor and felt the room reject him.
Edmund felt it too.
For once, he did not pretend otherwise.
At the far end, above a cabinet, hung a blank rectangle where a portrait had been removed years before.
"Naomi's," Edmund said. "I had it taken down after she left. I told myself it hurt too much to look at her."
"Where is it?"
"In storage."
Malik looked at him.
"Of course it is."
The words were quiet.
They cut anyway.
Edmund accepted them because he had earned worse.
He opened a drawer and removed a small velvet box. Inside was a silver signet ring, scratched at the edge.
"This belonged to Naomi's grandmother. It would have gone to your mother."
Malik did not touch it.
"Did she want it?"
Edmund's answer took too long.
"I don't know."
"Then don't give it to me like it fixes something."
Edmund closed the box.
"No. It doesn't."
Outside, police radios crackled. Somewhere below, Della shouted at a constable for walking muddy shoes through her kitchen.
For the first time that day, Malik almost smiled.
Edmund saw it and looked away before the boy could feel watched.
"What do you want?" Edmund asked.
Malik stared at the blank wall.
He thought the answer should be big. Money. Apology. A room. A new name. Revenge.
What came out was smaller and truer.
"I want my mum back where people can see her."
Edmund nodded.
"Then she will be."
"Not in here," Malik said.
Edmund paused.
Malik looked through the window toward the stables.
"She hated this room. Put her near the horses."
May you like
For a moment, Edmund's face broke.
Then he said, "Yes.
