ir had asked a local to help look after Briony while she recovered on Goldfish Isle.


    The helper was a young woman named Autumn, just twenty years old. She exined that her father had named her Autumn because she was born in the fall.


    After two more days on Goldfish Isle, Briony was feeling much better. She was tired of lying in bed all day; the stillness was starting to suffocate her. She wanted to get outside, to feel the world again.


    Autumn was attentive and gentle, always mindful of Briony''s blindness. When Briony mentioned she wanted to go out for a walk, Autumn was quick to offer her arm, guiding her carefully out of the house and onto the sandy beach.


    Evening was setting in. The air held a salty tang, the breeze cool against their skin. Autumn tucked the shawl more tightly around Briony''s shoulders. "Are you cold, Briony?"


    Briony shook her head. "I''m fine. Autumn, can you tell me more about your ind?"


    Autumn scratched her head, thinking. "Do you know why it''s called Goldfish Isle?" Briony guessed, "Because the ind looks like a goldfish?"


    "Nope!" Autumnughed. "It''s because we actually have goldfish on the ind!"


    Briony was surprised. “But aren''t goldfish freshwater fish? People usually keep them in tanks."


    "Exactly. Our ind isn''t very big, but we have a few hills. One of them has a freshwaterke, and that''s where all the goldfish live."


    "Oh, I see."


    "As for how they got there, there are two stories," Autumn went on. "Some say the goldfish were always here, but others believe that ages ago, a sailornded on the ind and released his pet goldfish into theke. Either way, thatke hasn''t changed much over the years, and the goldfish have been thriving ever since."


    Briony listened, her unfocused eyes turned to where the sea and sky met in a sweep of endless blue. Yet all she saw was darkness.


    She said softly, "If I could see, I''d love to visit thatke."


    Autumn nced at her. The inders all had sun-browned skin from years beneath the open sky, but Briony was so pale, almost. luminous in the fading light. Autumn had never seen anyone like her before.


    el.not


    She couldn''t help but admire the delicate beauty in Briony''s features, the snow-white skin that seemed glow in the dusk. Even though Briony''s eyes couldn''t see, she was striking-like a living work of art. Autumn found herself stealing nces, never quite able to look away.


    And she could sense the quiet sorrow Briony kept hidden behind her calm exterior.


    "Don''t be sad, Briony," Autumn said gently. "Just think of this as a little vacation. When Mr. Monroe takes


    you


    home, I''m sure he''ll find a brilliant doctor to help you. Your eyes will get better, you''ll see."


    The girl''s kind words warmed Briony''s heart.


    She asked, "Where is ir, anyway?"


    She hadn''t seen ir sincest night, and a strange uneasiness crept over her.


    Autumn frowned. "Didn''t Mr. Monroe tell you?"


    Briony''s brow furrowed. "Tell me what?"


    "Mr. Monroe flew outst night!" Autumn replied.


    Briony''s expression tightened. "Are you sure?"


    "Positive!" Autumn insisted. "He asked me to keep youpany while he was gone."


    In Autumn''s mind, ir treated Briony with the utmost care and always called her "Ms. Kensington." As far as Autumn was concerned, ir would never leave without telling Briony first.


    But seeing Briony''s reaction now, she realized maybe things weren''t as simple as she thought.


    Briony pressed her lips together in silence. ir had said they needed to wait here for someone to meet them. But now he''d slipped away on his own.


    So, did they really have to stay here at all?