When the Curtain Rises Read Free Page A

one of the most talented magicians who ever lived. You can read Dante’s story for yourself if you’d like, Chloe. He wrote a memoir.”
    â€œ Part of a memoir,” said Bess. “He disappeared before it was finished.”
    â€œDisappeared?” asked Chloe.
    Kitty nodded slowly, her eyes wide. “A few months after that painting was commissioned, the entire carnival our father was with vanished. The police found a few things at the site where the carnival was last seen, including the painting that hangs on the first-floor landing. But that was it; there were no other clues.”
    â€œClues? But didn’t any of them ever show up again?”
    â€œNone of them, ever,” said Kitty. “The police questioned people for months, for hundreds of miles in every direction. Our mother posted a large reward, but no one came forward. We never found out what happened. Some people say our father and his companions simply wandered north into the wilderness.” The old woman’s voice dropped as she leaned forward over her plate. “ I think something more sinister happened to them.”
    â€œIt’s pointless to stir that all up now,” said Bess, an edge to her voice. “It was almost a century ago. Dante would be long dead anyway.”
    â€œI’ll find Dante’s memoir for you,” Kitty said to Chloe, ignoring her sister. “You can read his story for yourself.”
    Bess clucked her tongue in annoyance. “Don’t force it on her, Kitty. I’m sure the last thing Chloe wants to do on her vacation is read a musty old memoir.”
    â€œNo,” Chloe protested. “I’d like to see it, really. I didn’t know I had such an interesting ancestor.”
    Chloe helped Abigail carry the dishes into the kitchen after breakfast. When she returned to the dining room, her great-aunts were just sweeping the last crumbs off the tablecloth. “I was wondering,” she began hesitantly. “I mean, my father said—would you mind if I explored the house after I got dressed?”
    â€œOf course not. Explore to your heart’s content,” said Kitty.
    â€œThanks,” said Chloe. “Also, I’ve been meaning to ask about the little key you sent with your invitation.”
    The two old women looked perplexed. “Key?” Kitty said.
    â€œYes, this one.” Chloe unfastened the chain that hung around her neck and passed the tiny key to her great-aunt.
    Kitty turned the key over in her hand. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen it before. Bess?”
    â€œYou say it was in the letter we sent you?” Bess asked.
    â€œYes. It fell out of the envelope.”
    Bess shook her head. “It didn’t come from me. Why would I go to the trouble of mailing you a key? It wouldn’t have been much use to you if you hadn’t accepted our invitation. And if you accepted, why send a key when we were going to see you face-to-face?”
    Abigail was still in the kitchen, wiping down the counters. “I posted the letter,” the housekeeper admitted, “but it was sealed when I got it.”
    â€œThe key fell out of the envelope,” Chloe insisted. “Someone must have put it there.”
    Abigail nodded. “Well, it wouldn’t be the first mystery this house has seen. Strange things happen here sometimes,” she said, lowering her voice. “But then, it is a magician’s house, after all.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, ‘strange things’?”
    Abigail paused, her dishrag suspended in the air. “Most of the time it’s just a feeling I get—” She fell silent as the door from the dining room swung open and Bess entered the kitchen with an empty cup and saucer.
    â€œAm I interrupting something?” Bess asked.
    Abigail’s plump face had gone a little pinker than usual. “Just telling Chloe what a pleasure it is to work here.”
    Chloe waited until