"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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldzZRSK13w
"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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBn8tmpmpC
Elsie snorted. "She better hope the horse can spell his vows."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQehiYjDD3
Christina laughed, the sound light as spun sugar.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkU7Z41D6n
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jLSjMFpMN
Behind her, Elsie murmured, mostly to herself, "Just once, I'd like one of these grooms to come with a brain instead of boots."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6zRFYi6Mr
Christina smiled but didn't turn back. The show was about to begin.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYvLzIFba4
---
"Christina! Come meet our guest—he's interviewing us for that article. Something about colonial shipping."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZBhoxrHGW
"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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTOwkfz8sQ
She descended with care, skirts floating behind her like a sigh. A second voice—young, steady—murmured in reply. Unfamiliar.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60fHEw5v9f
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8LfIuFW83
"Miss Hale," he said with a respectful nod. "Ethan Tallmadge. My father runs a printshop in New Castle."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKFkJh4meJ
"A man of ink." Christina returned the nod with practiced charm. "How fitting."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm419WLFKbW
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9UikerYcH
"And profitable," she replied, easing into the chair across from Ethan. "The column—whoever writes it—has paid him back twice over so far."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMJu8jBGYE
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0QyhiJjwx
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?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbw09HKdMn6
He didn't flinch, but his fingers had stilled slightly on the rim of his cup.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlG0XAn3cP
She tilted her head. "Will we be seeing you at the ball this evening?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchMvyJXAjz
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpksan8pdcT
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTWI3QwTu2
Christina stood with him, gloves already tucked in hand. Her smile was nearly radiant.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhA2nOn8GA
"Well, Mr. Tallmadge," she said, "may Richmond bring you something... enlightening."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3zWLB1D6X
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLG2SKxo6VW
Thomas smirked. "Careful. She'll have you printing heartbreak and hair ribbons in a week."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLYsgx3NGJ
But Ethan's eyes stayed on hers. "Still profitable, though. And that's what matters."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fiXCp1oYP
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gWqCB6h9u
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUs2fO63Tdi
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrLmgOTR7W
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSdiccKvVa
"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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8h6dAIkyaF
Her gaze slid meaningfully to Christina. "Do be a dear and present him to your sister."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmYv58g5tl
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lxL9gqQhS
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakj9PbVRpR
"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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYOGEshXtN
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NQq4LGkGX
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfJiQ1P8pz
---
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDMdJilg9B
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnhBcOY10r
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksCoNno7VX
As the dance ended, a flushed young man with soft curls and nervous hands stepped forward, bowing with clear effort.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gSIfYiN4c
"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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVT134xCo23
Before Christina could part her lips, Benedict stepped half a pace forward.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jEc3xZb2Y
"She's otherwise engaged," he said, clipped and cool.
The young man blinked. "I—I didn't realize. My apologies."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8JZjGh8lh
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEi3D3FjWN
---22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZ7OZue7DJ
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIb6Q2oDvFz
"Amherst," a voice called. "By God, I thought you'd ducked the candlelight."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTL3icGVzbK
A uniformed officer approached—braided epaulets, boots dusted faintly with travel. His face was lean, eyes sharp.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SU3yMNfqJ
"Winslow," Benedict greeted, clapping his shoulder. "Did they drag you out of the field with promises of cake and coquettes?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOy1REvggKm
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKmZ9nsywA
"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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iDnQtipT6
Benedict scoffed. "A woman? Scribbling secrets between embroidery threads?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2dC9uc0qB
"They think she's using a local business," Winslow said. "Maybe a shop or press. Gossip as cover for messages. Clever work."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84Hz2ur0yw
Christina widened her eyes with perfect concern.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs51vBTV9s9
"Oh my," she said softly. "A woman doing all that thinking? I couldn't imagine being clever enough to scheme like that."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOsP85ybYm
Winslow chuckled.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpKmEh8hbb
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?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGY0wY5tQB
Winslow blinked—then smiled. "Yes, Miss Hale. Arguably the most dangerous kind."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFuS1AvD03
She laughed, lilting and warm. "Only if the punch is too sweet."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAeTyvceR5
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eIhe3nUGS
She smiled, and filed it away.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lCrfk79ip
---22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmh1Yywjf3
The orchestra struck the opening notes of another waltz—slower this time, ceremonial. Benedict extended his hand with a stiff smile. "Shall we?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUbjdqV3vw
Christina hesitated just long enough to make it a choice—then nodded. "Of course."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJvy2oa6Ip
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgJormK4Yh
When the music faded, he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Miss Hale. I look forward to... future conversation."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jJMA4Z0Lx
"And I," she replied, with a smile that gave nothing away.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1kZ6fkgK0
As Benedict disappeared into the crowd, Thomas reappeared at her side, offering his arm.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6HFGzV8Y6
"Well?" he asked under his breath, all pleasantness dropped. "Was he attentive? Appropriately impressed? Considering a formal call?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lvYyKg3qA
Christina didn't answer at first. Her fan hovered slightly above her corset.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cIREbN4tv
"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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpxIM9muWp
Thomas sighed, already tired of nuance. "None of that matters."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvvGXG4dAZ
She looked up at him sharply.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbMtsXcL68
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElQmKQIKOH
Christina's jaw tightened, but she kept walking.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttdz2H8XP7
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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevcnKzAEuz
Thomas didn't reply.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCCWJ9zTbY
He didn't have to.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhcsjiTEEa
---22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNW2Zy6hyU
As they reached the edge of the ballroom, Thomas adjusted his cuff and leaned in, his voice low and clipped.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7Z4vgSlAJ
"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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zacUuK2ZY
Christina didn't hesitate.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEJTZrHFAc
"Home," she said, already turning. "I've played the part tonight. I'd rather not repeat my lines."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HULdd3Dt4
Thomas raised a brow but said nothing more.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46reYuhYiO
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6ChVwJFbS
---22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoISE7IpFWe
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8b8WzUF30Y
"You know this is for your good, Christina."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6hpg6rHQ6
She didn't look at him.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojVHOb2bMe
"You don't want to end up an old maid," he continued. "Benedict Amherst is well connected, tasteful, wealthy—"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOQ41bf9VJ
"Ambitious," she supplied, still watching the window.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQv7CfJimUz
"You could do far worse. He's interested in you, and if you marry him, the Hale name will be set for decades."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3QAoAtsDr
She turned then. Slowly. Calmly.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOBb3Jq9d9
"No. You would be."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTraDSalyXZ
Thomas blinked.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPK2CSjENCi
Christina's voice didn't rise. It didn't need to.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDdPAgUkh8
"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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57SS5JCXvE
Her gloves were in her lap now, neatly folded.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGIFHvrBc4
"Who I marry elevates you. Every handshake, every investment—every child I produce will carry your legacy. Not mine."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBK8WDgpkL
Thomas shifted uncomfortably, suddenly unsure of the upholstery.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmy708QmOWM
"So," she said, still quiet, "the next time you parade me through a ballroom and call it charity, try saying thank you instead."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzycvDhAwHH
He opened his mouth.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk4WChE4v7
She didn't let him speak.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaAVGOv41V
"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."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78Re3G5I6w
The rest of the ride passed in silence.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfDJaZ01ob
And as they reached the glowing drive of the Hale estate, Christina smiled faintly.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEm3sLY7XYD
"I'll do my part," she murmured, stepping down. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm a Hale, after all."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2KH2JsGq7
---22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVCSs16cQU
The Hale estate slept.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRPlDzwEk0
Its windows dimmed one by one, shutters closed against the moonlight. The hallways hushed, the servants' footsteps stilled. Somewhere, a candelabra guttered into silence.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBSxxdXCvW
And Christina Hale slipped out the kitchen door with a ribbon-wrapped parcel and purpose in her step.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13d2nCTGen
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaYo7KNw5I
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdC6XS3aPQ8
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DJoiEAUuj
She slipped the parcel onto the table and unwrapped it: a velvet-bound notebook, ribbon-tied ink, and the latest letters she'd collected.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06Ee47B1RJ
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡardYSCPVIQ
Dear Miss Ginny,22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTSqztlCjM
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVu9e0SOpTb
To whom it may concern,22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcIc0zEHyq
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHtw8VBL2G
But her fingers didn't move.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtep992Wmub
What you're about to do, she thought, they'd call treason.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDUqeKm9RY
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5wjyTrn61
And she was a Hale.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHY1z1IZXV
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9X47mVU0sA
But what if this was loyalty? Not to a crown. Not to a name.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCoAE0Ws9s
To a life. To a girl she'd never met. To someone being hunted for secrets—and the silence that would let it happen.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4Q3bbtz4s
What if someone's daughter was about to die because everyone else stayed quiet?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrMWPUIBuv
Her hand moved.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXEoGbbMp7
She slid the two sheets into the stack.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTWAoaUHmi
And just before pulling the impression lever, she whispered aloud, as if the press might understand:22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sUoWt9TwB
"This isn't disloyalty. This is witnessing."
---
She returned just before dawn.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwag18CDAG
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxD2IxZgDpw
Upstairs, her room was unchanged—lace curtains, soft woolen quilt, a porcelain brush untouched since dusk.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UKp6r8Dld
She washed her hands in a basin too cold to calm her.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxpyYVOR2Q
The ink didn't fully lift.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJMliKeZy4
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.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfrc5bteoW
Instead, it felt like waiting.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05knX2EEw5
What if they find the column? What if someone sees beneath the name "Ginny"?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9Z0QLZ8nr
She turned onto her side, tucking the blankets around her ribs. Her throat ached. Her breath wouldn't settle.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvawGWLR4L
She loved her family.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuc6M9YYSy
But she had done the right thing.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQhBL12q0B
Hadn't she?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FQMZI7PpD
She closed her eyes, but the question curled into the dark with her, quiet and sharp as ink on the inside of a glove.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJopDIhCLUl
Who are you becoming, Christina Hale?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbBa4V7lsI
And deeper still—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhU3O5C4bf
Can you ever become someone else... and still be a Hale at all?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVxVanK48j
