"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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp20bSC5MlH
"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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToqjILIawi
Elsie snorted. "She better hope the horse can spell his vows."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclf8ivu09M
Christina laughed, the sound light as spun sugar.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtPsZ8yd3s
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKJ3lnazeG
Behind her, Elsie murmured, mostly to herself, "Just once, I'd like one of these grooms to come with a brain instead of boots."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Qxl25YTNm
Christina smiled but didn't turn back. The show was about to begin.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjsdiPMowW
---
"Christina! Come meet our guest—he's interviewing us for that article. Something about colonial shipping."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fcAkMJXsD
"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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YmQe0lnzy
She descended with care, skirts floating behind her like a sigh. A second voice—young, steady—murmured in reply. Unfamiliar.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtNwJhVQy9
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRa4qTqKOv0
"Miss Hale," he said with a respectful nod. "Ethan Tallmadge. My father runs a printshop in New Castle."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9wU4CUTpc
"A man of ink." Christina returned the nod with practiced charm. "How fitting."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuLLXfe9Jj
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHmqVJ3lqW
"And profitable," she replied, easing into the chair across from Ethan. "The column—whoever writes it—has paid him back twice over so far."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCfuZMJ9ON
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMyf8bJZwI
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?"94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveUrbWsC7s
He didn't flinch, but his fingers had stilled slightly on the rim of his cup.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiUXt9BSjF
She tilted her head. "Will we be seeing you at the ball this evening?"94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKfoC2tMGn
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmkqKzCZYN
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkzGp03pXF
Christina stood with him, gloves already tucked in hand. Her smile was nearly radiant.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyyWQcjAUt
"Well, Mr. Tallmadge," she said, "may Richmond bring you something... enlightening."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAk24PbsAq
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAOnw0aIxg
Thomas smirked. "Careful. She'll have you printing heartbreak and hair ribbons in a week."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWURGkitAh
But Ethan's eyes stayed on hers. "Still profitable, though. And that's what matters."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnxhMaSkAs
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRugPWs1jfW
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4elfSsvB6
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYgccvvVuo
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6JybCGMMA
"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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewoV6nJfkP
Her gaze slid meaningfully to Christina. "Do be a dear and present him to your sister."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXB2Szfe0Gw
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96VFiSYwlH
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtoCOdXTJA
"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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9napjuIA3
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYTCXyRr0V
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatRll1rv0X
---
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNizFvjzCrF
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAN3N23alq4
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvMkrhr3rr
As the dance ended, a flushed young man with soft curls and nervous hands stepped forward, bowing with clear effort.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCLepYAaKx
"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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UlC5D0Vow
Before Christina could part her lips, Benedict stepped half a pace forward.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwSRuKYhYe
"She's otherwise engaged," he said, clipped and cool.
The young man blinked. "I—I didn't realize. My apologies."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDM7qmDesih
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9qRaDDQgg
---94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsoYu4icg8
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFDJO93dJZ
"Amherst," a voice called. "By God, I thought you'd ducked the candlelight."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKBPaca1qC
A uniformed officer approached—braided epaulets, boots dusted faintly with travel. His face was lean, eyes sharp.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHeBoN9ecz
"Winslow," Benedict greeted, clapping his shoulder. "Did they drag you out of the field with promises of cake and coquettes?"94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwY2WdpwzzJ
94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqO0qmPbIVw
"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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilFQbGLHfg
Benedict scoffed. "A woman? Scribbling secrets between embroidery threads?"94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6j9dXgMRK0
"They think she's using a local business," Winslow said. "Maybe a shop or press. Gossip as cover for messages. Clever work."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9hjCekf0I
Christina widened her eyes with perfect concern.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3AcMviVxH
"Oh my," she said softly. "A woman doing all that thinking? I couldn't imagine being clever enough to scheme like that."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUMIyCNoXT
Winslow chuckled.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWS8SmyRvUt
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?"94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaELJRLl0Tz
Winslow blinked—then smiled. "Yes, Miss Hale. Arguably the most dangerous kind."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlboqTkjsM1
She laughed, lilting and warm. "Only if the punch is too sweet."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGiPCaQ35L
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvCVeGgd6o
She smiled, and filed it away.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA19A7elvrG
---94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZlFoMAnXR
The orchestra struck the opening notes of another waltz—slower this time, ceremonial. Benedict extended his hand with a stiff smile. "Shall we?"94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXccwJTPUP5
Christina hesitated just long enough to make it a choice—then nodded. "Of course."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjATetyaLVN
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76d4piYjY0
When the music faded, he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Miss Hale. I look forward to... future conversation."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7tEhFwtIq
"And I," she replied, with a smile that gave nothing away.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUH6Ftv8m4
As Benedict disappeared into the crowd, Thomas reappeared at her side, offering his arm.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvvWvq33kO
"Well?" he asked under his breath, all pleasantness dropped. "Was he attentive? Appropriately impressed? Considering a formal call?"94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzyQoo8nno
Christina didn't answer at first. Her fan hovered slightly above her corset.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDv5eh0Ehg
"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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvsUHxAeez
Thomas sighed, already tired of nuance. "None of that matters."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuqHwyGueF
She looked up at him sharply.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YeThlbhNh
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6SwCCcz7g
Christina's jaw tightened, but she kept walking.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2fAO4uz9A
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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JL8ThEXxZ
Thomas didn't reply.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1ddxX0KUa
He didn't have to.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqK9elNLMbH
---94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgZXhXKcRQ
As they reached the edge of the ballroom, Thomas adjusted his cuff and leaned in, his voice low and clipped.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI8xZuylSx
"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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡql2UUKZWyy
Christina didn't hesitate.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKOQTgjXRz
"Home," she said, already turning. "I've played the part tonight. I'd rather not repeat my lines."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABwjlAcvaK
Thomas raised a brow but said nothing more.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9YgCxIIyq
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9bCOASqlD
---94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VYrPCYsg8
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBu0ZwuYMG1
"You know this is for your good, Christina."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAFWG8NUUd
She didn't look at him.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp25YNMY1bS
"You don't want to end up an old maid," he continued. "Benedict Amherst is well connected, tasteful, wealthy—"94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKLTE21OEC
"Ambitious," she supplied, still watching the window.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuBUNhouQW
"You could do far worse. He's interested in you, and if you marry him, the Hale name will be set for decades."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUUme4b5Qd
She turned then. Slowly. Calmly.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WYqnlTJmU
"No. You would be."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4E386rUhh
Thomas blinked.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5IYS0bP7e
Christina's voice didn't rise. It didn't need to.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxh8ZcrriCU
"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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwguaKa20S
Her gloves were in her lap now, neatly folded.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtylhGw0Gj3
"Who I marry elevates you. Every handshake, every investment—every child I produce will carry your legacy. Not mine."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRgBbqzesh
Thomas shifted uncomfortably, suddenly unsure of the upholstery.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEMRQcMquz
"So," she said, still quiet, "the next time you parade me through a ballroom and call it charity, try saying thank you instead."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsn6AWhADDP
He opened his mouth.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LAKH4gj7d
She didn't let him speak.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZ5GmXTSzF
"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."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gXV75NgiS
The rest of the ride passed in silence.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOv3o5ySm6R
And as they reached the glowing drive of the Hale estate, Christina smiled faintly.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUgMJk3eEm
"I'll do my part," she murmured, stepping down. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm a Hale, after all."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQqWjMZ2Z0
---94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWFgb4hAMW
The Hale estate slept.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMI9KymHHp2
Its windows dimmed one by one, shutters closed against the moonlight. The hallways hushed, the servants' footsteps stilled. Somewhere, a candelabra guttered into silence.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMyLcPxVnV
And Christina Hale slipped out the kitchen door with a ribbon-wrapped parcel and purpose in her step.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Kobwki0TT
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7HLZMDOSm
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3547hdvJ2
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9KykrMDQe
She slipped the parcel onto the table and unwrapped it: a velvet-bound notebook, ribbon-tied ink, and the latest letters she'd collected.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHviVDmfo0v
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfXbRBAlRE
Dear Miss Ginny,94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gqF67VH3r
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAEO95a0JV
To whom it may concern,94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqh7UH5tpw
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUinvmw1no
But her fingers didn't move.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvsP3pmma6
What you're about to do, she thought, they'd call treason.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqXL12Ys7b
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUR6aLrmIlq
And she was a Hale.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnq2WQeUxRZ
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IEdjQUDuE
But what if this was loyalty? Not to a crown. Not to a name.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykDgmimCbR
To a life. To a girl she'd never met. To someone being hunted for secrets—and the silence that would let it happen.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5C7XJrz8Q
What if someone's daughter was about to die because everyone else stayed quiet?94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZU64dEpK78
Her hand moved.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRnUIBOd4Q
She slid the two sheets into the stack.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoK8ym14EIu
And just before pulling the impression lever, she whispered aloud, as if the press might understand:94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7d9zj3wBQG
"This isn't disloyalty. This is witnessing."
---
She returned just before dawn.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvY1PuZbFw
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbekhY0ypoQ
Upstairs, her room was unchanged—lace curtains, soft woolen quilt, a porcelain brush untouched since dusk.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUasVJkcum0
She washed her hands in a basin too cold to calm her.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlzxecNNQG
The ink didn't fully lift.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGygJl5irW0
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.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4LM5xgccS
Instead, it felt like waiting.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNHRO7dA8d
What if they find the column? What if someone sees beneath the name "Ginny"?94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX943jvBK0O
She turned onto her side, tucking the blankets around her ribs. Her throat ached. Her breath wouldn't settle.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlCorNprm9
She loved her family.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8HzyE1ITj
But she had done the right thing.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFoC4r6srV
Hadn't she?94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMNsuXQNvS
She closed her eyes, but the question curled into the dark with her, quiet and sharp as ink on the inside of a glove.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbFCA3zhfJ
Who are you becoming, Christina Hale?94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1wVtZICok
And deeper still—94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRQ35r8GeW
Can you ever become someone else... and still be a Hale at all?94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Uo5DXaOGv
