She was always too smart to be lied to, after all.
Charity’s hands tightened in her lap. She could see how this chapter was turning in their lives, could see that if she did not handle it now, the distrust would grow, and distrust between sisters was exactly what Edward would use.
“I cannot tell you everything,” Charity said finally, and she hated herself for it.
“So I am right. You are hiding something.”
“There is no use getting into the details like this,” Charity sighed, “can you let the matter drop, please?”
“I am sure that is what you’d like for me to do,” Augusta replied, “but…”
“I will speak when you are ready,” Charity said. “We will sit and I will tell you what you need to know. Is that fine with you? But you must let the matter go for now.”
Augusta studied her, and her expression changed from annoyance to steady patience.
“Do you promise me?” she said.
“Yes, but please, let it go for now.”
Augusta held her gaze for a moment, then stood, and when she spoke again, her tone was less sharp than before.
“I see you’ve made up your mind then. I guess we will have the conversation when it comes to it.”
She left Augusta to sleep then. Things seemed calm on the surface, but something inside of her told her that Augusta was not going to let the matter go easily.
CHAPTER 12
“You are quite committed to dying in an undignified ditch, I see.”
Duncan’s voice reached them before his lantern light did,and he stepped out from the shadow of the postern arch.
Augusta and Matilda froze in response, looking at each other with a sort of dread that could not be faked. They were like little children who had been caught doing something wayward, which… Duncan supposed that is exactly what they were.
It took only another second for the younger one to start screaming. Duncan jerked so sharply that the lantern swung and flung light up the stonework, brightening the gate. Matilda screamed again, clapping her hands over her ears as if she might muffle her own terror.
He forced his shoulders down, forced his face into something less like a threat.They’re scared of you.
“Stop that,” he said, then immediately regretted it when Matilda screamed louder.
Augusta yanked her sister behind her and squared her stance.
“Oh, I would be careful, Your Grace,” Augusta muttered, scrunching up her nose. “I do not wish for you to speak to my sister.”
“It is a bit too late for what you might want or might not want,” Duncan’s gaze flicked to the sack she was carrying. “You are leaving?” he said.
“It is none of your business.”
“Alright then.”
Duncan could sense that she was rather annoyed at having been caught, and perhaps they might have gotten away with it as well if Duncan had not been in his study.
He had spotted them from the window, escaping the premises of the estate like scared little cats. It only took a few moments for him to catch up to them after that.
“What do you think your sister might think if she knows you’re sneaking away like this?” Duncan asked her.
“Oh, who is to say?” Augusta said, narrowing her eyes. “I do not wish for you to speak to my sister, so I suppose I do not wish for you to find out either.”
Duncan stared at her for a heartbeat, then let out a slow breath through his nose. He reminded himself, again, that she was a girl who did not know better. If it had been anyone else, Duncan would not have tolerated such disrespect.
