Somehow, Alice had managed to cajole me into a skirt. Again. However, I did put up only token resistance, and if I admitted it deep down, I didn't really mind.Seth had said he would look for me. I desperately wanted to see him, if I could do so without triggering Louise's predatory suspicions. The notion of it was like a mission behind enemy lines, with a high probability of being executed if captured. Well, Seth wouldn't execute me, but he could hold me prisoner.Alice punched my shoulder. "Stop daydreaming, you great lump of pudding, and let's go."We headed down the stairs. The katana lay across my back, and I found its weight a comfort. I imagined it like father's hand, guiding me.Louise spied us as we passed the parlour door. She reclined on the chaise, a magazine open in her lap. "What great event are you two abandoning us for? Tea at Buckingham Palace, or lunch with the Tsar?"Charlotte giggled, then cast her gaze downward at the letter she was writing. It was a beautiful

We rode back in silence and then Frank drove me home. I managed to bury my feelings under the herculean list of tasks Step-mother expected us to complete every day. My gut was more twisted than a pair of bloomers going through the wringer on washing day. The sheer horror the Linton family suffered, when they should have been safe in their beds, hit me hardest. Over the last few months I had become inured to what I had to do, but sobbing in Seth's arms broke the ice holding together my internal dam, and now I couldn't stem the flow.I continued to struggle with my growing attraction to the Duke of Leithfield. He kissed me as though I were the only woman in the world, and at the same time he never pushed me to the back or tried to protect me. He held me at his side, like an equal. What game was he playing?After a restless night, the next day I still walked in a daze. Even Magda scolded me for being underfoot. My mind seemed disconnected from my body, and I relied on Alice to push me i

In the midst of death, life never stopped. Or rather, the jobs that needed doing never stopped. I wondered if Heaven employed domestics to keep everything running smoothly. Or was that Hell, where you found yourself a housemaid for all of eternity to the toffs residing upstairs?For one day, at least, Alice and I had managed to escape outside, enjoying the sunshine and gentle breezes. With our skin protected by thick gauze and gloves, we tackled the beehives. I wielded the smoker and kept the bees dreaming while Alice removed the frames and used a scraper to pry the honey free.Alice kept up a steady chatter about her intensifying romance with Frank. I could see the appeal. Tall and handsome like Seth, but Frank seemed quicker to laugh and more comfortable in his skin. From Alice's waffling, it seemed he was handy in all manner of things. There were even scandalously delicious details she would need to confess under cover of dark, once the rest of the house was asleep. I had to know

Night fell and wrapped me in its embrace. I stopped crying, and the pain across my shoulder blades eased to a dull ache. Thankfully, my coarse clothing saved my skin from the switch and I couldn't feel any blood. But my nerves still protested and my joints hurt as the shackles held my arms up, and I couldn't relieve the pressure. At least the soft breathing of the horses kept me company and reassured me I wasn't alone. They munched hay with a steady grind, occasionally whickering to each other.Then my ears pricked at something not equine in origin?a tread more foot than hoof. Fear gripped my heart and gave a squeeze. "Who is it?" I called out.No reply.The feet shuffled closer. Oh God, a vermin was in the stalls. Had she laid a trail of vermin breadcrumbs, so one would find me helpless in the barn? Had she planned to use an undead creature to do her work and dispose of me? I renewed my effort to pull the ring from its home embedded in the wall. I leaned my weight against the chain

It's surprising how quiet two hundred people can be when they don't want to miss a single syllable of the main show. Louise's heels clicked on the floor as she approached. I had to turn, instinct demanding that I never present my back to the enemy. Two things gave me immense satisfaction in the horror playing out. The first came as I took in her dress, and had the satisfaction of knowing it was last season's. And here was the scullery maid, wearing Paris, summer 1919. Ouch.The second matter to bring me a fraction of joy was her angry face adorned with the broken nose and darkened circles under her eyes, although she had layered on the powder in a futile attempt to cover the dark smudges. She could throw all the dirty names she wanted, but I could throw a punch."What is the meaning of this, Louise?" Seth asked.She pointed a finger and stabbed the air in my direction. "She is a liar and a filthy, grasping whore!"My feet wouldn't budge. I swallowed, but couldn't squeeze out any wo