Chapter 10
“How?” Henry’s voice echoed from down the hall. “How did you know?”
Eva stood behind Henry’s bedroom door, feeling like she was witnessing the destruction of a family. Every echoing word hit her heart, which she was sure would soon burst into a billion pieces.
“God help me for I have failed you, Lottie,” Henry said. His voice was hoarse.
“Fail me? No, brother, you never could.”
“I did everything in my power to prevent this from happening. I tried to keep this from you, to let you live a life free from the burden and shame of what we are—”
“Stop this at once and listen to me.” Lottie’s tone came sharp and fast. “Grandpapa told me the tale of the stars before he left us.”
“But you were a girl of eleven.”
“And he trusted me with that knowledge then.”
“Trusted you? But … how … I do not understand.”
“He wrote me a journal,” Lottie said softly. “He told me that one day I would understand how to care for you with that knowledge. Can you not see? Grandpapa thought of your well-being until the very end.”
“You speak of him as if he knew what would become of his death.”
“Perhaps he did,” she said. “Perhaps he saw his fate through the stars and made preparations for it—”
“Stop, please, I beg you.”
In the moment of silence that followed, Eva whirled around and pressed her back against the door. She couldn’t handle hearing more. Palms firmly against her ears, she slid down the door and sat on the floor. Look at what you’ve done. She began to shiver. This was not fair on any of them.
There was a smash of glass.
With a gasp, Eva uncovered an ear to listen.
“I will not allow it!” Henry shouted.
“I am no longer a child!”
“You are only sixteen. What do you think Father would do if he were to discover that you were helping me harbour someone from the future? I could never live with myself.”
“Do not forget he is my father too, and I share the same burden as you,” Lottie shouted back. “Is it not my responsibility to uphold the virtues you have taught me? Am I not allowed to act upon my own morality? If Grandpapa entrusted me with this knowledge, surely you can too? Good God, I am an Asheford!”
“Yes, you damned well are,” Henry growled. “I can see the volatile look in that eye of yours, which gives me all the more reason to insist that under no circumstance will you be involved. This is not a game. Your life, my life, her life is at risk.”
“Then how unfortunate that I share the same stubborn trait as you,” Lottie said. “You may hide away at Bondieux House for weeks at a time, you may ship me off to school in a bid to save my innocence, but remember, dear brother, that I am and will always be your sister. It is my duty to care for you as you have for me and I refuse to continue watching you harm yourself with the guilt of it all.”
And there it was.
That’s all Eva needed to hear for her mind to run wild with a way out. There were only two options. The first was to stay. That meant being the wedge that further divided the family and quite possibly put their lives at risk. No, not quite possibly. Highly likely. She was a walking target for Edwin Asheford and every minute she stayed on this property was a chance for him to come waltzing in to discover her with his son.
Jesus. She hadn’t even thought of that.
That meant her second option was probably the smarter decision. To leave. She could take her things and go to St. Austell, rent a room at a hotel and arrange to meet with Henry there. It would require travelling, sure, but at least she would be out of the family’s way and less of a risk. The only problem was she had no money or clothes, and she didn’t know how to get there on foot. Ah, well. She was self-reliant, wasn’t she? This was the right decision. She knew in her heart it was.
She went to the washing stand and picked up her bag from the floor. She opened it, removed her father’s documents and set them on Henry’s desk. She had no use for them anymore. In some twisted way, the beginning of her dad’s story had unravelled before her eyes and she didn’t think she had the heart to push for the ending. There were real people involved now. Not meaningless names or mysterious photographs.
The sun reflected off the rim of Henry’s glasses. Her finger slowly slid down the convex lens.
Henry Asheford…
Why did your sister say that you harm yourself with guilt?
She clamped her hand around her bag’s strap, reminded herself that it was none of her business and walked out of his room without a backward glance.
“Leaving?” Henry sounded aghast.
He had turned from the window, his face darkening as he processed the message she had just communicated. On the sofa, Lottie was at a loss for words and the announcement even forced William to pop his head from the kitchen where he seemed to have taken refuge throughout the sibling’s argument in the living room.
“Yes,” Eva said, “for St. Austell.”
She gripped her bag strap tighter and held up her chin, hoping to give off an air of confidence. The irony was, with every passing second of Henry staring in cool silence, her conviction dwindled to dust.
“Ridiculous,” he finally said.
“You are welcome to stay,” Lottie said. “We have more than enough guest rooms at Asheford Hall.”
Henry nearly choked. “Have you gone mad? She cannot be a guest at Asheford Hall.”
The statement surprised Eva too. Being a guest at Asheford Hall was not an option she’d considered, and she was shocked that Lottie even suggested it, given that the girl was so indignant about Eva being here in the first place.
“Thank you,” Eva said. “I appreciate the help, but I cannot stay here and risk your lives any more than I already have.”
Henry crossed his arms. “How very heroic of you.”
She didn’t know what to make of that statement but there was something in his tone that made her feel bad, that squeezed the breath from her lungs.
“Look, Henry, things were less complicated when it was just us two and now your sister and…” Eva looked at William whose head quickly darted back into the kitchen. “That makes three people who know of my existence. Four, if we assume your father does too.”
“Our father?” Lottie said.
Henry had fallen quiet. With a swipe of his hand through his hair, he turned to face the sea-view window. It was a sign that he was dissociating from the conversation.
Eva looked at Lottie.
She wore a plain white dress with a lacy frame around her neck and sleeves that stopped short below the elbow. Her face was delicate and oval-shaped, with dark eyebrows and pale-blue eyes a shade lighter than her brother’s. Her hair was a rich chocolate tone and was braided into a bun atop her head. Unlike her furrowed, angry expression from earlier, genuine concern had now set into her features.
“Lottie, may I speak with your brother in private, please?”
“I’ll go and make tea,” Lottie said and left the room.
Henry stood still with his back to Eva and his hands in his pockets. The sight of him by the window facing the sea with his head slumped between his shoulders was heartbreaking. It took every ounce of her strength not to wrap her arms around his torso in a comforting hug.
She stood next to him.
“You cannot leave,” he said quietly.
“I also can’t watch both of you suffer due to my selfish curiosity,” she said. “I chose to follow Dad’s footsteps to Asheford Hall that day. It isn’t fair to you or Lottie.”
His eyes were on her now. “Is it not selfish to assume that your sacrifice would benefit our well-being?”
She was quiet for a moment. “I’ll do what needs to be done.”
He faced her. “I gave you my word, Eva. And I fully intend on keeping it.”
“You can still keep your word even if I’m at St. Austell. The only difference is that we’re not roommates and your sister is not obliged to help. There’s less risk for both of you.”
“It isn’t that simple.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ve always been fine alone—”
“Christ, will you listen to yourself?” he said. “You won’t be fine. I’ve sheltered you here for a week, gone out of my way to accommodate your modern sensibilities, and although I hold no judgments for the way that you are, I cannot deny the implications it may have in this reality. You possess traits that most women in this century do not; opinionated, brazen, educated and, most damning of all, you soar like a bird under a unique guise of equality. That freedom is in the words that you speak, in the way that you walk; it is etched in your regard when you look at me … that freedom will get you into trouble in this world.”
She felt herself flush. “Am I … am I that different?”
He looked at her with an expression she’d never seen before. Admiration.
“You’re a rare creature, Eva.”
“Like an imp?”
“Yes,” he smiled sadly. “Like an imp. A wild, uncontrollable, mischievous, free-spirited imp and I fear this reality will crush you.”
She crinkled her nose from the overwhelming flutter in her belly. At least ‘imp’ was better than being called ‘babe’.
“There is one more problem,” he said. “Although I admit that we haven’t had the time to discuss many things, I should have informed you earlier that there is to be a week-long event at Asheford Hall in two weeks. I had hoped that, by then, things would have returned to normal … well, as normal as they could be, given our circumstances.”
“An event?”
“Guests will be arriving.”
“Like a ball?”
He made a face. “Good God, no. Mostly supper, parlour games, some hunting and walks around the property.”
“That you and Lottie will be busy hosting.”
“Precisely.”
A shot of nervous energy went straight to her heart, as if she had injected it directly into her veins. Jesus. A week of Victorian-era fancy-pants entertainment. Like in the movies?
“Will your father be attending?” she said.
“Absolutely not,” Henry said. “That bastard is not welcomed upon this property.”
“At all?”
“I suppose I should have also told you this earlier, but as you can see, many important things slipped my mind,” he said with a weak smile. “Part of our agreement is that I care for the family estate, while he maintains the business in London. He’s far too busy to ever make the long journey west to Asheford Hall, not to mention far too proud to show his face. Hence the safest place for you is here, on the property.”
“And we can use the event to our advantage,” Lottie chimed in.
They both turned as she set a laden tea-tray onto the dining table.
“No,” Henry growled. “It is one thing for you to know Eva and another to introduce her into a world where she does not belong. We must think of the implications.”
“Eva?” Lottie said.
Eva gave her a weak smile. “My name is Evaline Quinn. I’m sorry I lied to you.”
As Lottie’s gaze travelled from Eva’s face to her clothes, a smile lit up her features. “I do believe we can become great friends.”
Henry gave an exasperated sigh.
“Brother, think about it. We disguise Eva as a friend of mine from Paris who is visiting Asheford Hall for the summer months. That way we can ensure she is well fed, supported and protected,” Lottie said softly. “We disguise her in plain sight as Jane Edwards. Eva, do you have prior knowledge of our way of living?”
Eva’s stomach flipped. “I do,” she said quietly. “But I don’t think it’s enough to fake it.”
“But enough for you to be taught quickly?”
“I guess.”
Lottie approached and pinched Eva’s cheeks. “How old are you? You look young enough to pass as a student,” she said, tilting Eva’s head to the side. “I am sixteen.”
Eva’s lips twisted in discomfort. Lottie’s sudden touch and personal questioning made her shy. What the hell? It’s just a normal question.
“I’m twenty-three,” Eva said. “Soon to be twenty-four.”
A small pause ensued.
Lottie gave Henry a side glance, a smirk playing on her lips.
“What?” Eva said, feeling a lump of growing irritation blocking her throat. Why did it feel like they were judging her?
“You are now eighteen.” Lottie grinned. “If I spent the next two weeks teaching you how to become a lady, do you think you could do it?”
“I don’t … I don’t know,” Eva stammered. “Couldn’t I stay here at Bondieux House? Wouldn’t that be easier for everyone?”
“It would be rather difficult for us to care for you if that were the case,” Lottie said. “People would soon notice our daily absence from the Hall.”
“Okay, I guess that makes sense,” Eva said. It did not make sense, but she no longer knew what to think or say.
Henry was watching her in brooding silence, and that made her want to shake his shoulders, just to get a reaction from him. Why was he not saying anything? Because he’s considering the option. A shudder ran through her. Oh God.
Lottie nodded. “Good, then it’s settled.”
“What’s settled?” Eva said.
“You are to be Miss Jane Edwards, an eighteen-year-old student from … hmm, let’s say Washington? That should be an easy enough alibi, given your peculiar accent. More importantly, you will be my best friend.”
With a heavy sigh, Henry’s shoulders slumped. He approached Eva with a coolness that reminded her of their first morning together; dreadfully quiet, stiff and angry. It should have irritated her, but being this close, she could smell him. Lemon and cedar. It was a scent that had an oddly calming effect.
“As much as it pains me to admit it, my sister is right,” he said. “I cannot exactly leave the Hall that easily when I have a schedule to entertain the guests.”
Eva dropped her head. The thudding of her heart was painful now.
“Look at me, Eva,” Henry demanded. He glared at her with icy-blue eyes that had the power to slice her to the bone. “I say this with the utmost respect. If you are to set foot in my home, I ask that you adopt your disguise in both private and public life. Everything that you are as Evaline Quinn must no longer be and if you let that mask slip for one second, so help me God, I will put a stop to our game of pretence before my father can catch hold of your scent.”
Eva swallowed hard.
“Do you understand?” he said.
“I do,” she said.
“Good. You both have a week to create the convincing character of Jane Edwards. If this plan shall fail, I will find an alternative,” Henry said. “In the meantime, I shall continue with our investigation into how to fix the damned device.”