sister’s name.
“No one is here,
Guinevere,” I called out and the sound of banging doors ceased.
Her
disappointment was evident as she came down the stairs.
“ Sturges would not be drunk if George were here.”
“I take it that you
know the drunk below stairs?” she asked as she took in our surroundings.
My smile felt
rather grim. “I know him and his presence here says much.” She watched me with
raised brows. “He is a useful man to have around when George has things that he
does not want his regular servants to know about.”
She wanted to
question Sturges , so we went back to the kitchen, but
nothing we did would rouse him. When she grabbed an iron pan to beat him awake,
I knew it was time to remove her from the premises. We left the house after
blowing out the lantern and leaving the drunk to his sleep.
She stomped
along the street, kicking rocks out of her path.
“Guinevere.”
She did not
acknowledge me.
“Would you not
rather go back to Charleston and allow me to finish this for you?” She halted
but did not turn. “You know that I could do it, and Sam and Bess would protect
you. I do not want harm to come to you.”
“I am not
leaving you, Jack, and that leads me to something I must say.” She took my hand
and pulled me to a path between two houses where we could speak without being
overheard.
I had once told
her that my world had changed when I met her, and never had truer words been
spoken. She meant more to me than words could express, and that meant that I
had to protect her, even if she fought me.
Taking a deep
breath that was labored, she said, “Jack, when we hear of my uncle’s arrival it
is imperative that you show me indifference.”
“No.”
“What?” she
asked, looking at me like I was a little daft. “What
do you mean, no?”
“Just what I said.
I will not change what I feel because some ghost or goblin from your past is
about to resurrect itself. I am rather looking forward to facing this ghost and
giving him a piece of my mind and my pistol.”
“Jack,” her
voice came out in an anguished whisper, “you do not know what you are saying,
or what we face.”
As I laid my
hand on her shoulder, she closed her eyes. “It does not matter what it is,
together we can conquer it.”
Shaking her
head, she gripped the front of my coat in her fists, staring into my eyes. “No.
It is too dangerous, and I will not risk your life again, not when I can keep
you safe.”
One of my hands
covered hers, and my thumb brushed across her knuckles. It was endearing that
she wanted to keep me safe. I did not fault her for her misguided assumption
that she had to protect me. After what happened on our wedding day, I
understood her need.
“My love, you do
not have to protect me.”
“Yes, Jack,” she
said, shoving my hand away, “I do because you are too reckless to heed what I am
telling you. You do not know him; you do not know what he is capable of.”
“No, but I know
what you and I are capable of. We are going to see your uncle brought to
justice, this I promise you.”
She wanted to
believe me, but I saw that she did not. “My uncle will be bringing many men who
will shoot first and never look back.”
“Then it is
fortunate that I know some excellent fighters,” I said, but she looked as if
she wanted to shake me. It was not that I was taking this lightly. I did
understand, but I was trying to calm her. “We should choose a date to be
married, Guinevere.”
She shook her
head.
“You can deny
all you want, but in the end, you will become my wife, and it will be my right
to protect you for the rest of your life.”
“Why do you
insist upon this when you know that it is impossible with what we face?” she
asked in a voice full of exasperation.
I reached
forward and tugged up on the gold chain that she wore around her neck. My ring,
the one I had bought for her because it reminded me of her eyes, was there,
worn close to her heart.
“You are the
best part
“No one is here,
Guinevere,” I called out and the sound of banging doors ceased.
Her
disappointment was evident as she came down the stairs.
“ Sturges would not be drunk if George were here.”
“I take it that you
know the drunk below stairs?” she asked as she took in our surroundings.
My smile felt
rather grim. “I know him and his presence here says much.” She watched me with
raised brows. “He is a useful man to have around when George has things that he
does not want his regular servants to know about.”
She wanted to
question Sturges , so we went back to the kitchen, but
nothing we did would rouse him. When she grabbed an iron pan to beat him awake,
I knew it was time to remove her from the premises. We left the house after
blowing out the lantern and leaving the drunk to his sleep.
She stomped
along the street, kicking rocks out of her path.
“Guinevere.”
She did not
acknowledge me.
“Would you not
rather go back to Charleston and allow me to finish this for you?” She halted
but did not turn. “You know that I could do it, and Sam and Bess would protect
you. I do not want harm to come to you.”
“I am not
leaving you, Jack, and that leads me to something I must say.” She took my hand
and pulled me to a path between two houses where we could speak without being
overheard.
I had once told
her that my world had changed when I met her, and never had truer words been
spoken. She meant more to me than words could express, and that meant that I
had to protect her, even if she fought me.
Taking a deep
breath that was labored, she said, “Jack, when we hear of my uncle’s arrival it
is imperative that you show me indifference.”
“No.”
“What?” she
asked, looking at me like I was a little daft. “What
do you mean, no?”
“Just what I said.
I will not change what I feel because some ghost or goblin from your past is
about to resurrect itself. I am rather looking forward to facing this ghost and
giving him a piece of my mind and my pistol.”
“Jack,” her
voice came out in an anguished whisper, “you do not know what you are saying,
or what we face.”
As I laid my
hand on her shoulder, she closed her eyes. “It does not matter what it is,
together we can conquer it.”
Shaking her
head, she gripped the front of my coat in her fists, staring into my eyes. “No.
It is too dangerous, and I will not risk your life again, not when I can keep
you safe.”
One of my hands
covered hers, and my thumb brushed across her knuckles. It was endearing that
she wanted to keep me safe. I did not fault her for her misguided assumption
that she had to protect me. After what happened on our wedding day, I
understood her need.
“My love, you do
not have to protect me.”
“Yes, Jack,” she
said, shoving my hand away, “I do because you are too reckless to heed what I am
telling you. You do not know him; you do not know what he is capable of.”
“No, but I know
what you and I are capable of. We are going to see your uncle brought to
justice, this I promise you.”
She wanted to
believe me, but I saw that she did not. “My uncle will be bringing many men who
will shoot first and never look back.”
“Then it is
fortunate that I know some excellent fighters,” I said, but she looked as if
she wanted to shake me. It was not that I was taking this lightly. I did
understand, but I was trying to calm her. “We should choose a date to be
married, Guinevere.”
She shook her
head.
“You can deny
all you want, but in the end, you will become my wife, and it will be my right
to protect you for the rest of your life.”
“Why do you
insist upon this when you know that it is impossible with what we face?” she
asked in a voice full of exasperation.
I reached
forward and tugged up on the gold chain that she wore around her neck. My ring,
the one I had bought for her because it reminded me of her eyes, was there,
worn close to her heart.
“You are the
best part
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