Before Vera Xavier could even close the door, she heard Rona Langdon's curses drifting up from downstairs. She had no idea what Cara Preston told Rona, but while the shouting had subsided, it was replaced by a stream of thinly veiled insults aimed at Vera.
The words were nasty, but Vera paid them no mind, treating them as nothing more than Rona spouting nonsense. She didn't return to her room, knowing that even if she did, Cara would just come looking for her right away and interrupt her studying.
Sure enough, less than three minutes later, Cara came upstairs.
She must have been slapped by Rona Langdon; half her face was red and swollen, and her eyes were brimming with tears.
As soon as she came up, she pulled Vera into the room and shut the door. "Sister, how could you do this? Mom already gave all your things back, so why didn't you say anything?"
Vera put on a wronged expression. "I was about to tell you, but you cut me off."
