Chapter 6
I enjoyed our little adventure today.
I sat on my bed in my flannel pajamas that Kitty bought for me last Christmas.
My pillow was scrunched between my stomach and my arms as I gazed at Frank’s latest message on my phone, enjoying the lightness bouncing in my chest. We’d swapped numbers before leaving our break-in at The Enchanted Teapot.
Rain pattered against the windows and Duchess lay curled next to me on the mattress.
When nobody was present, I’d tried addressing her and she’d come directly to me and brushed against my leg, purring.
Apparently now that I knew her name, we could be friends.
I gripped my phone. There was something about texting that always made me braver than normal.
What did you enjoy about it?
Everything. But I especially enjoyed a certain part.
Oh? What was that?
A sly smiling emoji ended up on the screen. I grinned, holding my phone close as I recalled the fire burning inside me at his gentle touch and claiming kiss.
Perhaps next time we could aim for a more straightforward outing.
My heart flipped at the words ‘next time’.
Doubtful.
A laughing emoji appeared.
I have the supplies for our project.
Before my family had arrived home, I’d gone through our stores and gotten almost everything we’d need for brewing a wolfsbane potion, including an old cauldron I didn’t think anyone would miss.
They were now hidden securely under my bed.
I held my phone close, loving this private conversation that was just ours.
Clever and efficient.
I don’t have the actual plant we need, though.
No worries. I know where to get some.
Where should we meet to brew the potion?
Somewhere we won’t be disturbed. Your room?
I almost laughed out loud. If I brought Frank Churchill into our home, there wouldn’t be a moment’s peace.
Not unless you want my sisters to find out what we’re doing. How about your place?
Roommates
I rested my head on the headboard, lost in thought.
Where could we meet? The potion needed to steep for twelve days, so it would need to be in a spot where nobody might stumble upon it.
And with Isabella’s death setting the authorities on alert, even the woods weren’t guaranteed not to have people combing through them.
A sharp rapping on my door brought my head up. Without waiting for a response, Kitty burst into my room. She must have come home from spending time with Lydia because she no longer wore the vigil attire from earlier and held two steaming mugs of hot chocolate.
She marched over and handed me a cup, then gave me a stern look. “I demand you tell me what’s going on with you and Frank Churchill right this minute.”
I placed my phone screen down on my comforter and gave her my most innocent expression. “Nothing.”
She slid onto my bed, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. “Don’t nothing me, Mary Bennet. I caught you making out with him in a dark alley instead of being at a vigil with your family.”
I stared at her, unable to tell if she was happy or infuriated by her supposed discovery. Steam from my mug curled up, fogging my glasses. “We talked at the Netherfield party.”
“Since when do you go out of your way to talk to people?”
“I talk to people,” I said.
“Let me amend my statement. Since when do you go out of your way to talk to the guy you like?”
I flushed. “It just happened.”
“And you happened to mention that you wanted to solve Isabella’s death and that you planned on breaking into the Ravenswood’s shop, and he readily volunteered to come along?”
“Something like that.”
Kitty’s lips pressed together as she observed me.
I took a taste of my hot chocolate to hide my warming cheeks. “Frank sensed someone coming. We didn’t know it was you, so we—”
Her shoulders fell in relief. “Then it was all pretend.”
I flinched. “Because there is no other scenario in which Frank Churchill might want to kiss me?”
Kitty’s eyes grew round. “No, of course, that’s not what I meant.
I was…” She sighed and raked a hand through her hair.
“Look, I realize you’ve had a crush on him for forever, but you must understand by now that he’s nothing but a flirt.
Whatever he said to you today, he’s probably said to dozens of other girls. ”
An annoyance I didn’t often feel toward Kitty stirred in me on Frank’s behalf. “Just because he’s charming and popular doesn’t mean he can’t be sincere.”
“Yes, but he’s a high fae who can get whoever he wants.”
“Maybe he wants me.”
“Maybe.” She bit her lip, her gaze darting to my hands, which were clutching the warm mug so hard they ached.
“Why can’t you accept that Frank might actually like me?”
“If he did, then he’s much smarter than I’m giving him credit for.” She gave me a faint smile. “Frank would be the luckiest guy in the world to end up with you, but I can’t help but worry that you’re only the new flavor of the week for him.”
The pity in her eyes made my heart twist. “I have a long day at my internship tomorrow. I’m going to go to bed.”
“Wait.” She put a hand on my arm. “Hurting you is the last thing I want to do, Mary, but I’d be a terrible sister if I didn’t at least tell you I was worried. And I am.”
I kept my gaze on the pillow I held close to my chest.
She tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Do you remember Graham?”
My head snapped up in surprise. Graham had been a taboo subject after the idiot broke Kitty’s heart.
“All Lydia ever told me was how lucky I was to date him because he was so handsome, but you”—she squeezed my hand—“you shared your honest opinion of him, and if I’d listened to you earlier, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten my heart broken.
” She sucked in a shaky breath and met my gaze.
“I don’t want Frank to be your Graham and me not to have said anything. You deserve more than that.”
I forced a smile. “Men certainly can make a mess of life.”
She let out a small laugh. “You can rely on a sister to fix your hair and your heart—men often get the first wrong and run when it’s the second.” She leaned forward, careful not to spill her drink, and gave me a hug. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Rising, she departed, taking her mug with her.
My eyes fixed on the door, her words lingering after her as I finished my hot chocolate.
I flipped my phone over and stared at our message thread.
Perhaps she was right. Perhaps I wanted these dreams with Frank to come true so badly that I wasn’t seeing that they were only a false high.
Was I walking into the dark for someone who would only leave me there alone, condemned in the end?
A notification popped up on the screen, reminding me of my internship in the morning.
Frank’s issues aside, I faced a long workday at church.
If I got some sleep, maybe I’d feel better when I woke up.
I set the empty mug, my phone, and glasses on the bedside table and sank into my down pillows and pulled the covers up to my chin, letting the warmth of my body against the blanket suffuse through me.
Shutting my eyes, I tried to force thoughts of Frank out.
I pictured the church, the scent of the old texts in the hidden rooms beneath.
The yellow lighting and the dry parchment under my fingertips. Secluded and alone.
My eyes flew open, and I sat up with a start. Wait. I grasped my phone and brought up the chat with Frank.
I have an idea of where we can meet.
You do? Great! Where?
Come to the church tomorrow at 2 p.m.
The church? Are you sure?
Positive.
I’ll count the hours.
The thought of seeing Frank again made my stomach do excited little flip-flops.
Goodnight.
Goodnight, dear Mary.
I sat there and stared at his last words longer than I should have.
Finally, I set my phone on the side table beside my bed and laid back, staring at the ceiling.
Perhaps I was only Frank’s flavor of the week, but I knew one thing for sure.
Even if pain was on the horizon, I was going to enjoy my time with him while it lasted.
The next day, Lydia came down to the table at breakfast. When our eyes met, she stopped in her tracks and huffed, then moved toward the cupboards.
I stood and hurried over to the kitchen counter. Duchess followed, jumping up and exploring the countertop.
“Hey, Lydia. I know I was rather harsh the other day…”
She slammed a bowl down and Duchess yowled, skittering off the counter and onto the floor. The cat peered back, giving Lydia an affronted glare.
My sister looked around, ensuring we were alone before speaking. “Threatening me in order to protect a crush? I don’t appreciate being blackmailed.”
“Sorry. I’m just trying to figure out what happened the night that Isabella was killed.”
“Why? What’s she to you?”
A ghost that demanded that I assist her in finding her killer. “Lydia, I’m doing this for Frank, but also for you. You seem worried someone is going to discover something.”
She dropped her gaze to the bowl, avoiding eye contact. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I folded my arms, not budging.
She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “If I answer your questions, will you leave me alone?”
“I swear it,” I said. When she motioned for me to continue, I questioned, “Do you normally deliver potions for Isabella?”
“No. She asked me to drop off that one because she was having dinner unexpectedly with her parents and didn’t want Frank to miss his potion.”
“But you do brew for her.”
“A year ago, she approached me and offered a chance to earn extra money on the side. We’d meet up in the afternoons.” She shrugged. “What can I say? A girl has needs.”
“You didn’t make any adjustments to the batch, did you?”