Prescott, then from Basil and now Sage? Was there no end to it? She bit her lip, forcing her mouth closed when she wanted to blurt out the truth. To allow Basil and his family to assist her in her quest to save her sister.
But, in doing so, she would damn them, and she could never live with herself if another suffered because of her actions.
What must be done?
She looked over her shoulder to see Sage, now standing beside his brother. Basil hung his head, looking down as he whispered softly. Julia could only guess he spoke of the embrace Sage witnessed upon entering the room.
“Ah,” Sage said, and the sound of surprise in his voice sent a tremor of awareness through her. Sage lifted his head acknowledging something by the window. “Miss Marianne, I did not see you there. How do you do?”
A chill swept through Julia, and her hand clenched over the doorknob, her nails biting into the brass. Her breath lodged in her chest, choking her, but her body froze as the scene played out before her.
Marianne, who sat crumpled and weeping on the window seat, heard Sage speaking her name. She lifted her head in surprise, her mouth opening to gape at him.
Sage continued to smile, as he awaited Marianne’s response.
Basil lifted his head. He looked first at her. But, Julia could not tear her gaze away from Sage and Marianne. For since Marianne did not respond to Sage’s greeting, he now took steps closer.
“Why is it, Basil, that I enter the room to find two women weeping? What have you done?”
Basil’s gaze swung in turn from Sage, to the window seat, which remained empty to his eyes, then back to Julia, the horror dawning on his face. The dagger of betrayal penetrated her heart.
Sage could see Marianne.
He could see her!
Julia didn’t know what sort of power Sage possessed, but he was strong enough to see the spell that tore Marianne’s spirit from her flesh. A sudden realization sent Julia into a horrible panic.
Marianne would tell Sage. Tell him what happened.
If she did that…
It was over. Their lives were forfeit.
Julia could think of one thing. Only one thing might save them now.
She turned the doorknob, opened the door and ran.
****
Basil heard Sage’s voice, but couldn’t quite make out the words. He stood frozen for a moment, staring at the empty space Julia had just occupied.
His brother’s arrival had not been all that surprising. After all, he frequently corresponded with Sage, sending his letters to the London house where Aunt Petunia rarely ventured. It was in part Sage’s last missive besides his aunt’s that had sounded rather desperate and solidified his plans to return to England. Upon reaching Merriweather Manor and realizing he’d have to make the trek to Uncle Arden’s to rescue his sisters, Basil knew he’d have to wait for the snowstorm to end before embarking on that journey. He wagered Sage would make an appearance before too long.
Having Sage discover Julia in his embrace, he was sure, must have been rather shocking. Surprising even, but not unexpected. Sage was certain to have remembered the relationship he and Julia shared once long ago.
And Sage sent him a questioning look as he handed her the handkerchief to wipe away her tears. Tears apparently caused by Basil.
“What have you done?” Sage had whispered, while Julia took measured steps toward the door.
“Nothing, I assure you,” Basil answered, seconds before Julia announced she would seek out Aunt Petunia.
And then Sage spoke of Marianne.
No… to Marianne where Basil saw no Marianne.
The cold emanating from the room penetrated Basil’s chest, straining to touch his heart.
“Oh, Gods,” he said.
He looked into Julia’s eyes and the truth shined in her panicked face. When he arrived looking for Julia, she had been speaking to someone. Speaking to an empty room. Or so he thought.
Marianne.
Basil looked over his shoulder as Sage approached the window seat, speaking softly to…nothing. There was nothing
But, in doing so, she would damn them, and she could never live with herself if another suffered because of her actions.
What must be done?
She looked over her shoulder to see Sage, now standing beside his brother. Basil hung his head, looking down as he whispered softly. Julia could only guess he spoke of the embrace Sage witnessed upon entering the room.
“Ah,” Sage said, and the sound of surprise in his voice sent a tremor of awareness through her. Sage lifted his head acknowledging something by the window. “Miss Marianne, I did not see you there. How do you do?”
A chill swept through Julia, and her hand clenched over the doorknob, her nails biting into the brass. Her breath lodged in her chest, choking her, but her body froze as the scene played out before her.
Marianne, who sat crumpled and weeping on the window seat, heard Sage speaking her name. She lifted her head in surprise, her mouth opening to gape at him.
Sage continued to smile, as he awaited Marianne’s response.
Basil lifted his head. He looked first at her. But, Julia could not tear her gaze away from Sage and Marianne. For since Marianne did not respond to Sage’s greeting, he now took steps closer.
“Why is it, Basil, that I enter the room to find two women weeping? What have you done?”
Basil’s gaze swung in turn from Sage, to the window seat, which remained empty to his eyes, then back to Julia, the horror dawning on his face. The dagger of betrayal penetrated her heart.
Sage could see Marianne.
He could see her!
Julia didn’t know what sort of power Sage possessed, but he was strong enough to see the spell that tore Marianne’s spirit from her flesh. A sudden realization sent Julia into a horrible panic.
Marianne would tell Sage. Tell him what happened.
If she did that…
It was over. Their lives were forfeit.
Julia could think of one thing. Only one thing might save them now.
She turned the doorknob, opened the door and ran.
****
Basil heard Sage’s voice, but couldn’t quite make out the words. He stood frozen for a moment, staring at the empty space Julia had just occupied.
His brother’s arrival had not been all that surprising. After all, he frequently corresponded with Sage, sending his letters to the London house where Aunt Petunia rarely ventured. It was in part Sage’s last missive besides his aunt’s that had sounded rather desperate and solidified his plans to return to England. Upon reaching Merriweather Manor and realizing he’d have to make the trek to Uncle Arden’s to rescue his sisters, Basil knew he’d have to wait for the snowstorm to end before embarking on that journey. He wagered Sage would make an appearance before too long.
Having Sage discover Julia in his embrace, he was sure, must have been rather shocking. Surprising even, but not unexpected. Sage was certain to have remembered the relationship he and Julia shared once long ago.
And Sage sent him a questioning look as he handed her the handkerchief to wipe away her tears. Tears apparently caused by Basil.
“What have you done?” Sage had whispered, while Julia took measured steps toward the door.
“Nothing, I assure you,” Basil answered, seconds before Julia announced she would seek out Aunt Petunia.
And then Sage spoke of Marianne.
No… to Marianne where Basil saw no Marianne.
The cold emanating from the room penetrated Basil’s chest, straining to touch his heart.
“Oh, Gods,” he said.
He looked into Julia’s eyes and the truth shined in her panicked face. When he arrived looking for Julia, she had been speaking to someone. Speaking to an empty room. Or so he thought.
Marianne.
Basil looked over his shoulder as Sage approached the window seat, speaking softly to…nothing. There was nothing
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