Duncan said nothing, only kept walking, solid at their side, and as they descended into the dark house he found himself thinking that earning Charity’s trust had been difficult enough, and these two would be worse, because they had been trapped in Edward’s walls while he’d been free.
But they had made it out.
And Charity was waiting for them.
CHAPTER 8
“Are you awake?”
Muffled voices reached Charity’s ears, and she woke up with a startle.
The first thing she saw was Augusta’s face close to hers, drawn tight with worry and irritation both, and Matilda’s behind her, pale and wide-eyed, hovering carefully.
Is this real?
Charity adjusted her eyes, focusing on what was in front of her. She blinked a few times and then shot up in her bed.
“Augusta… Matilda,” she said, remnants of sleep still lingering in her voice. “Is… you are here? Is this some dream?”
Giggles echoed across the room, and Matilda clapped her hand against her mouth.
“You are not dreaming,” Augusta assured.
Charity extended her hands out, and both of her sisters grabbed at them immediately. They huddled closer to each other and embraced. A few stray tears escaped Charity’s eyes, but she quickly wiped them off.
“How did you get here?” she asked, and then she reached for Matilda’s face with both hands as if she needed to feel her to be certain. “How did he….how did anyone…”
“Well…” Augusta said, sharing a look with Matilda. “I suppose that…”
“Oh, it was an entire adventure,” Matilda cut in, looking both rattled and excited by the experience.
“Yes, well, that is one way to describe it,” Augusta nodded. “We were taken right under Uncle’s nose from the east wing at midnight. Beforehand, we were told that we should prepare for it by a secret note.”
“Oh,” Charity said, surprised. Immediately, she knew that it was Duncan who was behind this, and a strange sense of warmth settled over her at the realization.
“So, I suppose, in a way we were taken away,” Augusta carried on. It was clear that she had some complicated thoughts on the matter. “I am not sure if I should use the rescue, though it does feel that way.”
Matilda, on the other hand, just looked happy to be reunited with her older sister and could not keep herself from smiling brightly.
“Well, I do not care how you got here. The only thing that matters to me now is that you’re alright now. Come here,” she said again. “Both of you, please. I have been thinking of you every moment, and I have been terrified.”
The tremendous relief that she felt in this moment could not be understated, and she owed it all to Duncan.
“You are bruised,” Augusta said abruptly when she pulled back, and her mouth settled into the shape of an O, “Your cheek is swollen, and your mouth. Oh my goodness, Charity, who has touched you?”
Matilda’s hands flew to her own mouth as her eyes followed the sight of the injury.
“Oh,” she whispered, staring at Charity’s face. “Oh no. I did not see it at first.”
Charity lifted a hand as if to smooth it away, though she knew she could not.She waved a dismissive hand in the air, as though it was just a paper cut.
“It is nothing,” she said, wanting to end that line of questioning at once. “At least it is nothing that you need to be worrying about. I am sure that it will be as good as new in just a few days.”
“What are you talking about?” Augusta’s eyes narrowed, and she leaned in for a closer look, “Who did this to you? Was.. it… is it.. are you safe here?”
Immediately, Charity realized what her sister was implying and took her head immediately.
“Yes, yes. I am no danger here, and neither are the both of you. You must take my word for that,” Charity said.
