Adalene and the two old widows who now gawked at us as well.
In a single instant, one thought punched the air from my lungs. Should Reverend Perris or anyone in the village already suspect me, all the planted seeds of suspicion would need to grow was a little water, water like the word of a deacon’s jilted daughter.
If Julia accused Rebecca because of John, Mary could accuse me because of James.
The sudden weight of implications too horrifying to face pounded down upon me. The room began to spin and the walls closed in on me.
“We cannot speak to one another in this moment.” My breaths were heavy with panic.
“Are you leaving? I can leave too. ‘Tis no reason for me to stay if you are not staying, and I would much rather spend the evening with you.”
“No.” My voice cracked.
“Emmalynn, I—”
“No.” I shook my head with my eyes still fixed on the floor. “Do you not understand the ramifications for me should she find out about us?”
He opened his mouth to speak, but silenced himself as he realized the hidden meaning to my warning. One word from Mary, one single word from her or her father, and my fate would be the same as my mother’s.
“My apologies. I never meant to upset you.” His words were whispers across his lips, and he recoiled from me, clasping his hands behind.
“Miss Hawthorne, you forgot thy evening wrap.” Adalene sauntered toward us, giving James a sideways glance that made him cringe as she passed him.
“But, that is not—”
She glowered with a fierce gaze that not only chilled my blood, but told me not to disagree as she held out a brown and maroon knitted shawl. “You left it at the table.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“’Tis a pleasure to see you again, Mr. DeKane.” With her eyes fixed upon him, she shifted to my side and pressed her shoulder into mine.
“And, you, as well.” He nodded as if to tip his hat, although one did not adorn his head. “I hope you two have a pleasant even—”
“And what, may I ask, are you three speaking about?” Mary sauntered toward us with a half-smile twisted on her pale face. Her voice shuddered through my ears with a tone that bordered fury and confusion while the sway in her hips spoke of an evil that would haunt my nightmares.
James glanced at her and frowned.
“Good day to you, Miss Pruett.” Adalene’s brave gesture twisted in my stomach, knowing what Mary was capable of toward the old woman.
Mary gazed down upon Adalene without moving her head—an odd sense of arrogance formed a crinkle in her forehead.
“James, I asked you a question,” she said.
James cleared his throat. His eyes twitched as he glared at her. “I simply wondered if Miss Hawthorne had interest in selling the cow she just acquired.”
Mary tapped her foot against the hardwood floor, growling under her breath as she folded her arms across her chest. “And doth she?”
I bit my tongue and shook my head.
“Ah. Then I suppose you hath thy answer.” She raised one eyebrow and a wicked smile spread across her lips. “Although, you must know, Darling, I would never allow an animal, once owned by the daughter of the damned, on my property. You should know this.”
“Of course, I know such. I was not inquiring for myself.”
Adalene grabbed my arm and I closed my eyes. How I longed to unbridle my tongue and say all the words I desired most. And, yet, I could not.
Mary’s eyes narrowed and she glanced at James. “Escort me home.” With her demand, she spun on her heel and jerked his arm. “I am rather uninterested with this marriage ceremony.”
I wiggled from Adalene’s grip and fled through the door, stumbling down the stairs and falling to my knees.
“Miss Hawthorne?” Adalene called after me. Her shoes scuffed through the dirt, stopping beside me.
“Please, do not tell me thy thoughts. Just allow me to return to my home.”
“Not until you agree to heed my warning.”
I rose to my feet as tears streamed down my
In a single instant, one thought punched the air from my lungs. Should Reverend Perris or anyone in the village already suspect me, all the planted seeds of suspicion would need to grow was a little water, water like the word of a deacon’s jilted daughter.
If Julia accused Rebecca because of John, Mary could accuse me because of James.
The sudden weight of implications too horrifying to face pounded down upon me. The room began to spin and the walls closed in on me.
“We cannot speak to one another in this moment.” My breaths were heavy with panic.
“Are you leaving? I can leave too. ‘Tis no reason for me to stay if you are not staying, and I would much rather spend the evening with you.”
“No.” My voice cracked.
“Emmalynn, I—”
“No.” I shook my head with my eyes still fixed on the floor. “Do you not understand the ramifications for me should she find out about us?”
He opened his mouth to speak, but silenced himself as he realized the hidden meaning to my warning. One word from Mary, one single word from her or her father, and my fate would be the same as my mother’s.
“My apologies. I never meant to upset you.” His words were whispers across his lips, and he recoiled from me, clasping his hands behind.
“Miss Hawthorne, you forgot thy evening wrap.” Adalene sauntered toward us, giving James a sideways glance that made him cringe as she passed him.
“But, that is not—”
She glowered with a fierce gaze that not only chilled my blood, but told me not to disagree as she held out a brown and maroon knitted shawl. “You left it at the table.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“’Tis a pleasure to see you again, Mr. DeKane.” With her eyes fixed upon him, she shifted to my side and pressed her shoulder into mine.
“And, you, as well.” He nodded as if to tip his hat, although one did not adorn his head. “I hope you two have a pleasant even—”
“And what, may I ask, are you three speaking about?” Mary sauntered toward us with a half-smile twisted on her pale face. Her voice shuddered through my ears with a tone that bordered fury and confusion while the sway in her hips spoke of an evil that would haunt my nightmares.
James glanced at her and frowned.
“Good day to you, Miss Pruett.” Adalene’s brave gesture twisted in my stomach, knowing what Mary was capable of toward the old woman.
Mary gazed down upon Adalene without moving her head—an odd sense of arrogance formed a crinkle in her forehead.
“James, I asked you a question,” she said.
James cleared his throat. His eyes twitched as he glared at her. “I simply wondered if Miss Hawthorne had interest in selling the cow she just acquired.”
Mary tapped her foot against the hardwood floor, growling under her breath as she folded her arms across her chest. “And doth she?”
I bit my tongue and shook my head.
“Ah. Then I suppose you hath thy answer.” She raised one eyebrow and a wicked smile spread across her lips. “Although, you must know, Darling, I would never allow an animal, once owned by the daughter of the damned, on my property. You should know this.”
“Of course, I know such. I was not inquiring for myself.”
Adalene grabbed my arm and I closed my eyes. How I longed to unbridle my tongue and say all the words I desired most. And, yet, I could not.
Mary’s eyes narrowed and she glanced at James. “Escort me home.” With her demand, she spun on her heel and jerked his arm. “I am rather uninterested with this marriage ceremony.”
I wiggled from Adalene’s grip and fled through the door, stumbling down the stairs and falling to my knees.
“Miss Hawthorne?” Adalene called after me. Her shoes scuffed through the dirt, stopping beside me.
“Please, do not tell me thy thoughts. Just allow me to return to my home.”
“Not until you agree to heed my warning.”
I rose to my feet as tears streamed down my
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