Proper Secrets (23 page)

“You see?
 
This is why I prefer live friends.
 
I have learned so much about you this night, Miss Worthing, that it would fill twenty volumes.
 
Mr. Corey may prefer a summary of fiction, but I wish to have the entirety of a worthy person laid before me,” said Mr. Sharp.

Their threesome confused a good portion of the attendees, unused to seeing two men behave so uncivilly to one another in order to gain favor.
 
Emily encouraged none of it, and after several dances in a row, refused to stand up any more.
 
She escaped into the company of her sister and Mrs. Annesley, though the latter attempted to convince her that dancing once more with Mr. Corey would do no harm.

“My apologies Mrs. Annesley, I…”
 
Emily grasped for something to save herself and her feet.

“She has promised me some conversation and I’ve not seen an inch of her,” interrupted Miss Dinah, sweeping in from the side to take Emily’s arm.
 
Emily smiled on her with gratitude as Mrs. Annesley relented.
 
Miss Dinah, as good as any socialite at disappearing when she did not want to be seen, found a good corner for them to relax.

“My thanks, Miss Dinah.
 
I don’t think I would have been able to walk tomorrow if you had not stepped in,” said Emily.

“It’s no wonder.
 
I’ve seen hounds run slower on a hunt.
 
Is it not exciting though, to be the talk of the ball?”
 
Miss Dinah looked up at Emily with her too open eyes.
 
Emily felt as if the girl could see right through her, and examine every thought that crossed her mind.

“It’s flattering, but I would not wish this every evening.”
 
Emily tried to remember where she’d seen that look before, one of calculation and measured reaction.
 
Miss Dinah smiled.

“I admire your humility.
 
And you’ve made my sister ill with envy.
 
You’re a remarkable woman.”
 
Miss Dinah laughed, though not at what she said, something silent that Emily did not hear.
 
She supposed Miss Dinah’s attitude to be a product of growing up in this environment, where everyone competed against each other, and Emily pitied her.

Mr. Annesley watched Miss Dinah charm Emily with a hard eye before turning back to his friends.

The evening ended with Mr. Corey as the victorious suitor, as Mr. Sharp would be taking to the country for sport after the ball.
 
Disappointed that Mr. Sharp would not be around, for he had made her laugh the most, Emily examined her other feelings about the men and found them unchanged.
 
Neither inspired more than friendship.

A solid month of training had done the new officers a great service.
 
Capt. Wingrave, military cap atop his head, assessed them.
 
A few of them would not stay past the first contract, either ill-suited to leading or tiring of the lifestyle already.
 
Several would advance if they kept their chins up and eyes sharp.
 
Then there was Peter.
 
In a vexing turn of the tables, Peter Worthing had the most potential as a candidate for long-term service as a strategist.
 
Capt. Wingrave would have preferred that Peter had no aptitude for this life so that he could justify sending him home to his family, but in every instance the boy proved himself.
 
Other than his lack of knowledge regarding the battle of Chatwood Lowe, Peter knew of the most decisive encounters in the Endland-Sypass War, and could apply the lessons within them to theoretical situations.
 
For Peter’s sake, Elijah hoped that translated into strategic prowess on the battlefield and not a dead officer, caught thinking too long.
 

“Today, you go out on your first mission.
 
There will be real blood and real death.
 
You are to do everything your Swordofficers order to the letter.
 
Any deviation and your safety is forfeit.
 
Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir!” barked the men.

“You will march in two hours.
 
Swtnt. Worthing, I would speak with you.
 
The rest, dismissed!”

“Yes, Capt. Wingrave, sir?” said Swtnt. Worthing.

“At ease.
 
Look me in the eye when I say this, Peter.
 
If you’ve come here to die, it is easily done,” he said.
 
Shocked at such a statement after weeks of Capt. Wingrave refusing to acknowledge they had a connection at all, Peter gaped in disbelief.

“We men do stupid things for love.
 
My sister would have you live,” Capt. Wingrave continued.

“With respect, Captain, I do not wish to hear of your sister,” said Peter.
 
They nodded at each other, and parted ways, Peter to battle, and Elijah to worry.

Emily checked her calendar.
 
They’d been in Dunbarrow nearly three weeks.
 
Homesickness had caught up with her.
 
Bridget nor Emily fit in well with the city, most definitely because they made no attempt to further their position.
 
Mr. Annesley kept careful watch on how Bridget fared among the high born residents of Dunbarrow.
 
She was not disliked, but also not considered a formidable connection.
 
Emily detested the neglect perpetrated by some of the Annesleys because they did not understand Bridget’s true station.
 
Lord Worthing had warned them of false friends, but it seemed news of their actual wealth had not traveled far as of yet.
 
The sisters were treated as country folk, though their consequence exceeded almost any three ladies put together.
 
Emily regretted it only because it seemed to affect Mr. Annesley’s opinion of Bridget as a future spouse.
 
He knew the truth, and Emily could only account for the change by concluding that he valued the impression that others had over Bridget’s substantial inheritance.
 
It gravely disappointed Emily to see him put distance between them.

Mr. Corey had advanced his evident plan of securing Emily’s hand, only too happy to wait for the Worthings’ identity to spread, and seemed to think it only a matter of time before she swooned in his presence.
 
She did like him.
 
He was pleasant to converse with, and never left her guessing at his meaning.
 
A bouquet of flowers from the gentleman had arrived on her birthday, not too presumptuous, but romantic.
 
Bridget did not press the issue, knowing Emily’s state of mind.
 
The problem with Mr. Corey may have been that he hid nothing, not even that his feelings for her were of light weight, regardless if they would grow as he spent more time in her company.

Miss Dinah had also continued her substantial attentions, and Emily began to expect to see her everyday.
 
No rival to Anne’s friendship, Miss Dinah, while asking everything under the sun of Emily, offered little of herself unless Emily expressed blatant curiosity, and even then the details were sparse.
 
Miss Dinah had grown up in Dunbarrow, her parents died at a young age, and the Canton sisters lived with their aging aunt and uncle.
 
Old Mr. Canton, the self-proclaimed reincarnation of a high priest, accompanied them to parties while Mrs. Canton called it all foolishness.

“Miss Worthing, I was hoping I could persuade you to a walk today,” said Miss Dinah when Emily made her way downstairs.

“Oh?
 
Where should you like to go?” inquired Emily.
 
Bridget admired her finished painting in the corner, a fantastic landscape of no name.
 
While her eyes caressed the paint, Mr. Annesley observed her; his troubled gaze more than upsetting to Emily.

“First, I thought you might like to see the harbor, then on to the music shop I mentioned before,” said Miss Dinah.
 
Mr. Annesley’s attention focused back on their ever-present guest.

“It’s a bit windy for the harbor today, isn’t it?” he asked.
 
Miss Dinah laughed and waved her hand at him.

“Is that a joke, Mr. Edward?
 
It is always windy in Dunbarrow, you have said so yourself.”

“I may indeed wish to stretch my legs.
 
Allow me to fetch my things,” said Emily.
 
When all was set for the ladies’ walk, Mr. Annesley waved goodbye from the front step of Amberose, biting his lip in anxiety.
 
Mrs. Annesley had taken Bridget to find a frame for her painting, and so Emily had left alone with Miss Dinah.

“Corbin,” he called.

“Yes sir?” said the butler from the next room.

“Is Henry in today?” asked Mr. Annesley.

“Aye, sir.
 
He had some news to report and waits in his room for your summons.”

“No time for summoning.
 
I’ll be going straightaway.”

“Oh…” sighed Emily when she saw the ships for the first time.
 
Gulls soared on the promised breeze, and the seawater flashed in the summer sun.

“Come, let us get a good look,” said Miss Dinah, leading Emily onto the docks.
 
They’d already walked a good distance across the city to get to the harbor; the slick boards of the dock did not invite closer examination.

“Are you certain we should go down there?” said Emily.
 
Already several men blinked in astonishment at seeing two high born ladies without an escort in such a rough setting.

“No worries, Miss Worthing, I come down here often.”

“I apologize, Miss Dinah, but I really do not feel comfortable.
 
We would get in the way of the men’s work.”
 
Emily looked between the street level, where the foot traffic of the city, including women and children, went about their business, and the dock itself right on the water, a healthy four or five yard drop down.
 
Only the crew of the ships milled about where Miss Dinah pulled her, insisting Emily go down the steps.

“Are you frightened of pirates, Miss Worthing?” she laughed, “Or should I call you Miss Emily?
 
It rings like church bells.”
 
The cold fire of recognition slid down Emily’s bare nerves, melting her spine like wax.

“What did you say?” said Emily.

“I asked if I could call you Miss Emily.
 
We are good friends, are we not?
 
Come on, Miss Emily, let us see the ships!”
 
Dinah Canton pulled harder on Emily’s arm, succeeding in making Emily stumble down a few steps.

“You are going to make me fall!
 
Miss Dinah, I insist upon going back to Amberose.
 
You are behaving very strangely,” said Emily.
 
Dinah pulled her lips into a pout, but they relaxed, and her eyes glazed over as she looked behind Emily.
 
Dreading to see what she might find there, Emily twisted.
 
Jude Annesley grinned down at her from the top of steps, hands on his hips.

“Miss Emily.
 
So good to see you,” he said.
 
Emily turned back to Miss Dinah, but she was so engrossed in the appearance of Mr. Jude she paid no mind to Emily.
 
Feeling the danger, Emily forced herself out of it.

“I will be leaving,” she warned.

“Yes, Miss Emily, to Tadoros.
 
Our ship is ready to sail.”

A little faster, a little farther, Mr. Annesley repeated to himself.
 
He cursed, and cursed again as the horse recovered from a stumble on the cobblestone.
 
Finally the docks came into view.
 
He needed to see only one thing, Miss Emily Worthing still ashore, and see her he did, but so close to being gone from them forever, that Edward shouted in quite an ungentlemanly way.
 
The two conspirators saw him, but he came upon them so quickly they could not force Miss Emily any further.

“Jude!
 
I’d have your head if you weren’t my blood,” said Mr. Annesley, dismounting and stationing his body between Emily and his forsaken brother.

“It is good then that you still care, dear brother,” laughed Jude, “I’ll be away now, if you could step aside.
 
I’ve a few lads who don’t mind taking a few swipes at you Edward, just leave my new traveling companion, and go home,” said Jude.
 
On his signal, a gang of seven men, crusty with salt and equally as unconcerned with morals as Jude, started up the dock steps toward Emily.
 
Miss Dinah silently stepped around Emily and watched from behind Jude as the tension mounted.
 
Mr. Annesley had only a moment to note that Miss Worthing remained in good health, though shocked beyond pale; her skin becoming a map of veins and muscles.
 
He hadn’t seen her like this since she returned from Landhilton, and yet she did not scream or faint, merely gazed upon her would-be captors with a hardness unexpected in a lady.
 
She warned them, in her own way, that she would not go quietly, that they had perhaps chosen wrongly when deciding a mere woman would be no trouble.
 
Emily would lose of course, in a battle of strength, but no one in the area would be able to doubt that she needed aid.
 
It halted their steps enough for Mr. Annesley to make his proclamation.