"Lordy, Miss Chrissi, how much ink did you swim in this morning?"
Elsie's voice rang out from the hallway just as Christina Hale stepped carefully out of her cloak, fingers still smudged faintly with ink. The scent of lavender starch trailed ahead as her maid entered carrying a basin, arms crossed and eyes narrowed fondly.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjti5RgDhy
"I got most of it off," Christina replied with a smirk, flexing her fingers. "Besides, the column's booming. Dozens of letters this week. One poor bride wants to know if her horse should match her carriage ribbons."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJuSPy5UFp
Elsie snorted. "She better hope the horse can spell his vows."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE01iOfn5qV
Christina laughed, the sound light as spun sugar.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLeVsPc0bJ
Her silk skirts whispered as she glided down the grand staircase, her gown catching the golden light from the upper windows. The color—dusty periwinkle with a faint gold thread—made her feel like something from a painted portrait. She didn't mind.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8BOoSlynH
Behind her, Elsie murmured, mostly to herself, "Just once, I'd like one of these grooms to come with a brain instead of boots."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFg5hjsT04
Christina smiled but didn't turn back. The show was about to begin.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0JdPQP2wX
---
"Christina! Come meet our guest—he's interviewing us for that article. Something about colonial shipping."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0E9eHzh8xu
"Oh, it's... a piece on rising shipping lane enterprises," Ethen offered, "for a regional journal. Highlighting Loyalist firms with expanding colonial reach."
Thomas's voice carried easily from the drawing room, warm with the kind of pride that disguised possession.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxDOzzh8Zc
She descended with care, skirts floating behind her like a sigh. A second voice—young, steady—murmured in reply. Unfamiliar.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbVJilx53O
When she entered the tea room, it was already dressed for performance: gleaming porcelain, lemon curls in crystal, silver glinting on linen. The stranger stood as she entered.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlyjT6MP3w
"Miss Hale," he said with a respectful nod. "Ethan Tallmadge. My father runs a printshop in New Castle."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhOkcwHd4u
"A man of ink." Christina returned the nod with practiced charm. "How fitting."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wq0TKECL0
Thomas motioned to the teapot. "Christina's our family scandal. Father bought her a little print shop years ago—thought it'd be a phase. Nothing extravagant, but it kept her entertained."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZVns36f6F
"And profitable," she replied, easing into the chair across from Ethan. "The column—whoever writes it—has paid him back twice over so far."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoyc99WYzj
Thomas chuckled, slicing a lemon with theatrical care. "He splits the earnings. Half goes into a trust Christina can dip into for anything Father won't approve of. The other half's earmarked for her future husband. Keeps the ledger tidy."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yUJTeXxiP
Christina stirred her tea with precision. "Of course. I'll marry well. My dowry will ensure it. Father finds love impractical—like poetry in a warehouse ledger. But I'm still attractive enough to be useful." She looked to Ethan. "Isn't that the phrase?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9oYI6iJZM
He didn't flinch, but his fingers had stilled slightly on the rim of his cup.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXbpvZJrRU
She tilted her head. "Will we be seeing you at the ball this evening?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcIHqghQmn
He met her gaze steadily. "No, I'm afraid not. I've business in Richmond—deliveries to make, contacts to meet. I leave before dawn."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqfYDmODYM
Thomas gave a short laugh, standing to retrieve his coat. "Well, you'll miss quite the ball. Every notable family will be there. A few promising suitors for Christina, too. We must marry her off before she starts forming opinions."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1dTIYncMs
Christina stood with him, gloves already tucked in hand. Her smile was nearly radiant.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFd8hIF7MT9
"Well, Mr. Tallmadge," she said, "may Richmond bring you something... enlightening."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRkgrfDSbW
Ethan rose with them. "Next time I'm in Williamsburg, perhaps you'll show me your shop. Being a printer's son, I'd love to see what others are doing—especially if your anonymous column is that profitable. Might be something my family should invest in."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuplrslz8jT
Thomas smirked. "Careful. She'll have you printing heartbreak and hair ribbons in a week."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21otdnEBYw
But Ethan's eyes stayed on hers. "Still profitable, though. And that's what matters."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0aqRwfAPp
Christina met his gaze with something more practiced than warmth. "Williamsburg," she said, looping her arm through her brother's, "has its own definition of value, Mr. Tallmadge."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuG7qCmTsSa
And just like that, they swept from the room—Thomas full of ambition, Christina full of riddles, and Ethan with the distinct feeling that her ink could leave stains long after it dried.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbenYZpheB3
And just like that, ink met match.
–––
The ballroom shimmered under the gentle glow of numerous candles. Music wafted from a string quartet tucked in the far corner, each note mingling with the subdued hum of refined conversation and laughter. Christina, her periwinkle gown and gold accents catching every stray beam of light, moved with poised deliberation across the polished floor, escorted by her ever-watchful brother, Thomas.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHc90T58bCu
Before they reached the center of the room, a graceful figure in exquisite rose-hued satin appeared from the throng—a lady whose presence bespoke her status as one of the evening's hostesses. It was none other than the governor's wife, Mrs. Ashbury. With a warm smile and an assured nod, she gently steered Thomas aside for a brief private moment.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjhP4uMC44
"Thomas," Mrs. Ashbury murmured as they strolled a side corridor draped in velvet, "it is my pleasure to introduce Mr. Benedict Amherst. His name has sparked no small amount of admiration in our circles."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllfLwHkqBG
Her gaze slid meaningfully to Christina. "Do be a dear and present him to your sister."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCN6OeEHlo
Thomas's smile barely touched his eyes. "Miss Hale—Mr. Benedict Amherst. He hails from Norfolk, and has made rather a name for himself in maritime trade. A connection the Hale family would, I think, find... familiar."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQY2cjPbNqm
He gestured broadly, as if casting a net made of expectations.
Benedict stepped forward. Tall, with measured grace and eyes that carried a hint of quiet calculation, he bowed slightly. "Miss Hale, it is an honor. I've heard that your reputation extends beyond mere beauty—into realms of enterprise and letters. I trust our acquaintance tonight shall be most enlightening."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8SWLVprwl
"Mr. Amherst, how flattering. One hopes that a woman's wit might occasionally rise to meet her reputation. In my experience, ink and ingenuity are often the most underestimated forms of capital."
Mrs. Ashbury interjected lightly, "Indeed, Miss Hale. And it is my hope that the finest qualities be brought together tonight." Her tone was both encouraging and commanding, a reminder that even in this world of grand orchestration, every meeting was carefully arranged.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PZ81IP4oz
Thomas offered a small, satisfied smile as he took a step back, allowing the conversation to settle between Christina and Benedict. The ambient murmurs of the ballroom swirled around them. In that brief exchange, the seed of intrigue was sown—each word measured, each glance weighted with potential. Christina's eyes glinted with the unspoken challenge of a woman who was as much a puzzle as she was a promise, while Benedict's steady gaze showed that he, too, was captivated by the prospect of what may lie beneath the flawless surface.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqpLV42Nqc
As the orchestra resumed a sweeping waltz, the trio moved together toward the dance floor—a deliberate and graceful progression into an evening where alliances were forged and reputations, like ink on fine paper, were destined to leave their mark.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvpCQqb8tZ
---
The waltz soared, its rhythm deliberate and delicate—exactly the kind that demanded practiced grace and a partner who understood tempo like a contract. Benedict led well, but not gently; his hold was firm, his gaze intent.
"So," he began smoothly, "your brother claims your little printshop is becoming quite the sensation."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9di6kdeic
Christina's smile softened without sweetening. "Only among the ribbon-obsessed and the heartbroken. But yes—the column earns its keep."
"And your father allows this... enterprise?"
"He takes his half," she replied, voice light. "It was his gift to begin with. But the shop is mine, legally. The deed bears my name."
Benedict's steps didn't falter—but she felt something shift in the flex of his arm. "For now."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIXizpi7PM
She tilted her chin. "There's a clause in the marriage contract. The property and profits remain with me. Permanently."
A pause.
"Very forward-thinking," he said, evenly.
"I've always liked being ahead of the press run," she replied with a pleasant shrug.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP741xlaAOg
As the dance ended, a flushed young man with soft curls and nervous hands stepped forward, bowing with clear effort.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyHVD7ptze
"Miss Hale," he stammered, "if you're not already—might I have the next dance?"
He was respectable, but modestly born. His collar was slightly wilted.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3SOfyGnUM
Before Christina could part her lips, Benedict stepped half a pace forward.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtOfhp45Q3
"She's otherwise engaged," he said, clipped and cool.
The young man blinked. "I—I didn't realize. My apologies."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmDabkRNJT
Benedict didn't answer. The boy turned, crestfallen, disappearing into the crowd.
Christina glanced up at her partner. "Was that necessary?"
His smile didn't reach his eyes. "He's beneath your station."
"I see," she said quietly.
She didn't say more, but her expression smoothed into something unreadable—beautiful, courteous, and distant as the moon behind lace.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwj0gKQUtUk
---46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYvlZY8LUt
They moved to the punch table, where crystal bowls gleamed and laughter floated like perfume. The sting of citrus and crushed berries filled the air.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReA98UdyFn
"Amherst," a voice called. "By God, I thought you'd ducked the candlelight."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJEhYZBGQb
A uniformed officer approached—braided epaulets, boots dusted faintly with travel. His face was lean, eyes sharp.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdavkfa3qMq
"Winslow," Benedict greeted, clapping his shoulder. "Did they drag you out of the field with promises of cake and coquettes?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbHFfX4HEE
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBC1AVHcW2B
"I needed both," the lieutenant said with a half-smile. "But I came for news."
He lowered his voice, glancing at the gathered crowd. "Word is there's a Continental sympathizer operating here in Williamsburg. Not a soldier. Someone quiet. Possibly a woman."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaSPEASufc
Benedict scoffed. "A woman? Scribbling secrets between embroidery threads?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7JkY5FJbJ
"They think she's using a local business," Winslow said. "Maybe a shop or press. Gossip as cover for messages. Clever work."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1P6sJ3sZQc
Christina widened her eyes with perfect concern.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFEnNrvNTz
"Oh my," she said softly. "A woman doing all that thinking? I couldn't imagine being clever enough to scheme like that."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOK9KJlrAl
Winslow chuckled.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidDq0iK01U
She turned her gaze to him, soft and silken. "I'm quite lucky, you know. Born into the right family. I'll find a charming husband, plan a luncheon or two, maybe name a spaniel after a virtue. That's the best kind of life, isn't it, Lieutenant?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwtb6eC0bW
Winslow blinked—then smiled. "Yes, Miss Hale. Arguably the most dangerous kind."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWncfANp0Wv
She laughed, lilting and warm. "Only if the punch is too sweet."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOPPXjym7F
The men returned to their low murmurings. Christina took a slow sip and looked out across the crowd—memorizing names, faces, uniforms, and a single whispered port city she'd overheard.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2x0IWgfEY
She smiled, and filed it away.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WDV7YYSxy
---46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6P2v7SSKP
The orchestra struck the opening notes of another waltz—slower this time, ceremonial. Benedict extended his hand with a stiff smile. "Shall we?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1HUdfS5K6
Christina hesitated just long enough to make it a choice—then nodded. "Of course."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTmM0KYh4B
They danced without words for the first half. His form was impeccable, his focus unwavering, yet she noticed it now—the way his jaw tensed when he wasn't speaking, the calculated grip of his hand at her back.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ieZM4SxZv
When the music faded, he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Miss Hale. I look forward to... future conversation."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi221zlTMBO
"And I," she replied, with a smile that gave nothing away.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2EKDICpZC
As Benedict disappeared into the crowd, Thomas reappeared at her side, offering his arm.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMk7YzIHXY
"Well?" he asked under his breath, all pleasantness dropped. "Was he attentive? Appropriately impressed? Considering a formal call?"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6IrZrw0SX
Christina didn't answer at first. Her fan hovered slightly above her corset.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuepFpOA6CX
"He asked thoughtful questions. But not about me. Not really. About the shop. About my dowry. And when I corrected him on ownership, he didn't like it."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXU1oR36V6H
Thomas sighed, already tired of nuance. "None of that matters."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xxT4te7Yb
She looked up at him sharply.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtKDEPjM4J
He added, "You're not marrying someone for their tolerance. You're marrying for the ledger. And he's right—those boys who stumble over their collars and ask for dances like favors? They're beneath you."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VnsR2Nb88
Christina's jaw tightened, but she kept walking.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lKQkp2zzm
Only when they reached the edge of the ballroom did she murmur, "I'd rather be underestimated by an honest man... than tolerated by one who wants to amend the terms."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVvw8qsA0h
Thomas didn't reply.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaB9RtB7uw
He didn't have to.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHV6stTQKHO
---46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwgRtcqFL7
As they reached the edge of the ballroom, Thomas adjusted his cuff and leaned in, his voice low and clipped.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iOBMysUK1
"Well, you can dance with one of the other eligible bachelors," he said, scanning the crowd, "or we can go home for the night. Your call."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuyFOzaanM
Christina didn't hesitate.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfINekhOkbc
"Home," she said, already turning. "I've played the part tonight. I'd rather not repeat my lines."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIXevbWaBy
Thomas raised a brow but said nothing more.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RfZGx3dgZ
By the time the carriage pulled away from the glowing estate windows, she was staring out into the dark—counting how long before the hallway lamps would dim. Before the servants retired. Before the city drifted into quiet, and the only sound left in the world would be the turning of a press.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JRYYCjX2K
---46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQisOc7HqO
The Hale carriage rattled softly through the narrow brick streets, lanterns casting pale gold shadows against the velvet interior. The night had quieted, but tension settled thick between brother and sister.
Thomas exhaled through his nose and broke the silence.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRixOYtaMXN
"You know this is for your good, Christina."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUtYepXwuO
She didn't look at him.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0xdZE1pTc
"You don't want to end up an old maid," he continued. "Benedict Amherst is well connected, tasteful, wealthy—"46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8elAnupGGr
"Ambitious," she supplied, still watching the window.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEW27Ckfh1Z
"You could do far worse. He's interested in you, and if you marry him, the Hale name will be set for decades."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZWT2cxGcE
She turned then. Slowly. Calmly.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Uz9M0FA2L
"No. You would be."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBM3PLBrhW
Thomas blinked.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavP3ega6ML
Christina's voice didn't rise. It didn't need to.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTGFLcTLMG
"I don't get a penny from the shipping side of Father's estate. When he dies, every ship, every ledger, every crate marked with Hale goes to you. Not me."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpyk3cfvt6
Her gloves were in her lap now, neatly folded.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqvVzE5bpV
"Who I marry elevates you. Every handshake, every investment—every child I produce will carry your legacy. Not mine."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIksCJon44r
Thomas shifted uncomfortably, suddenly unsure of the upholstery.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEX9dD3UdsG
"So," she said, still quiet, "the next time you parade me through a ballroom and call it charity, try saying thank you instead."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlige1El9Be
He opened his mouth.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisD06cEeRV
She didn't let him speak.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwQRbdowqt
"You may be the next Sir Hale," she finished, folding her hands. "But it's who I marry that makes you more profitable. Not me."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnvKTZcreZ
The rest of the ride passed in silence.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu209rbJP3t
And as they reached the glowing drive of the Hale estate, Christina smiled faintly.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwP47W2Hmo3
"I'll do my part," she murmured, stepping down. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm a Hale, after all."46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCid9obImD
---46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03KeIBv9Wn
The Hale estate slept.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdEOI624wR
Its windows dimmed one by one, shutters closed against the moonlight. The hallways hushed, the servants' footsteps stilled. Somewhere, a candelabra guttered into silence.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQwVk1xBoF
And Christina Hale slipped out the kitchen door with a ribbon-wrapped parcel and purpose in her step.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TDj2cxf1W
Her slippers barely kissed the bricks as she moved—skirt hem pinned, curls tucked into the hood of a charcoal cloak. No jewelry. No paint. Just breath and silk and the weight of knowing.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJslnC71dJ
The city was different at 3:18 a.m.—all soft echoes and old smells. Yeast and salt, the faint iron of the port. She let herself into the print shop with a key she'd had cut by a locksmith who once asked no questions.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnlpz73ta7
Inside, the air was cold but loyal. She didn't light every lamp. Just the one she needed. The press loomed in its corner like a silent sentinel, the plate waiting for her next breath.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLfDbthD67
She slipped the parcel onto the table and unwrapped it: a velvet-bound notebook, ribbon-tied ink, and the latest letters she'd collected.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IW0vXygEk
But she had written this one herself, by candlelight in her room, waiting for the household to sleep. Should she print it? Should she throw it away? She didn't know what to do.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrFbU87ASg
Dear Miss Ginny,46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mIBh85wEH
To whom it may concern—
Somewhere in the shops or homes of our quiet Williamsburg—our city we like to think is far from the world's turning—a name is being whispered. A possible spy against the English crown.
I do not know who they are. But loyalist households are murmuring, and the circle is tightening.
Could you imagine? Betraying your country in such a way? What would you do, Miss Ginny? What should someone do, if they suspect something?
— A Concerned Citizen
She took a clean sheet. Dipped the quill.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOeyBTkixC
To whom it may concern,46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OaErZ5G9m
If your information is correct, then the war is far closer than many of us would like to believe. And if that is the case—it could be anyone. Anywhere. A shopkeeper. A scholar. A guest at the last ball.
My advice to you is this: stay vigilant. Be careful where you go. Be careful who you're with.
What is whispered in a safe room today may echo loudly in a courtroom tomorrow.
— Your friend,
Ginny
She stared down at the typeset reply signed Your friend, Ginny, the press oiled and ready to run.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBAJ70plX0
But her fingers didn't move.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHT5p047s7
What you're about to do, she thought, they'd call treason.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpJXIAn5iD
Thomas. Father. Every guest in that ballroom. Every man who clapped Benedict Amherst on the back. To them, this wasn't journalism. It wasn't morality. It was betrayal.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RlvzTng8J
And she was a Hale.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5868XOH0v
She pressed her palm flat against the pressplate, feeling the cool metal bite against her skin. She thought of the family crest above the study door. Of her father's voice, crisp and tired: We don't trade in whispers, Christina. We trade in goods. In loyalty.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mZaoFNMp2
But what if this was loyalty? Not to a crown. Not to a name.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTkMhlUBiQ
To a life. To a girl she'd never met. To someone being hunted for secrets—and the silence that would let it happen.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7NzMY5XpF
What if someone's daughter was about to die because everyone else stayed quiet?46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTvwlf0w6v
Her hand moved.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNIi2odifP
She slid the two sheets into the stack.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cYWIk3Igm
And just before pulling the impression lever, she whispered aloud, as if the press might understand:46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0J1Jvh3meV
"This isn't disloyalty. This is witnessing."
---
She returned just before dawn.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnYAh5kVkr
The Hale estate was still and shadowed, the windows dulled with morning fog. No one stirred as she slipped inside. Her slippers were damp, the hem of her cloak scented with ash and ink.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghi8eXtpdL
Upstairs, her room was unchanged—lace curtains, soft woolen quilt, a porcelain brush untouched since dusk.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefWi3aMesR
She washed her hands in a basin too cold to calm her.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VAdzjs4zq
The ink didn't fully lift.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fV833K4rS
She crawled into bed with her gloves tucked beneath the pillow and her fingers still stained, heart still echoing with the sound of type striking plate. It should have felt like safety.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyhG2cLM9v
Instead, it felt like waiting.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cv1VCs2Fw
What if they find the column? What if someone sees beneath the name "Ginny"?46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFKsUiN3nc
She turned onto her side, tucking the blankets around her ribs. Her throat ached. Her breath wouldn't settle.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEGjeP4xQu
She loved her family.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPOdRLVttI
But she had done the right thing.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRR105hyXN
Hadn't she?46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcda4HiyWm
She closed her eyes, but the question curled into the dark with her, quiet and sharp as ink on the inside of a glove.46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9M1droB3fg
Who are you becoming, Christina Hale?46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWkVnXyGfo
And deeper still—46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjJ6mp45bV
Can you ever become someone else... and still be a Hale at all?46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchuSarm6xp
