"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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAva8tWNgDEs
"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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAvWzXacDqDh
Elsie snorted. "She better hope the horse can spell his vows."87Please respect copyright.PENANAACxhAB8fGB
Christina laughed, the sound light as spun sugar.87Please respect copyright.PENANAdy4PNJvroV
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAYTubyReyDC
Behind her, Elsie murmured, mostly to herself, "Just once, I'd like one of these grooms to come with a brain instead of boots."87Please respect copyright.PENANAN2FNiltfZQ
Christina smiled but didn't turn back. The show was about to begin.87Please respect copyright.PENANAYBWkHR4O2Q
---
"Christina! Come meet our guest—he's interviewing us for that article. Something about colonial shipping."87Please respect copyright.PENANAwBL5b3XJsf
"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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAu3wCtrlHfn
She descended with care, skirts floating behind her like a sigh. A second voice—young, steady—murmured in reply. Unfamiliar.87Please respect copyright.PENANAagaqBuoO73
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAxN0ZmAc7nX
"Miss Hale," he said with a respectful nod. "Ethan Tallmadge. My father runs a printshop in New Castle."87Please respect copyright.PENANAcYx1vZDVlO
"A man of ink." Christina returned the nod with practiced charm. "How fitting."87Please respect copyright.PENANAiZGuN5HLzK
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAgAEEEjODxH
"And profitable," she replied, easing into the chair across from Ethan. "The column—whoever writes it—has paid him back twice over so far."87Please respect copyright.PENANAuJepSL2vx0
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAmkXD8S0VtR
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?"87Please respect copyright.PENANAiNXFgSLzVm
He didn't flinch, but his fingers had stilled slightly on the rim of his cup.87Please respect copyright.PENANAvsqBol57WR
She tilted her head. "Will we be seeing you at the ball this evening?"87Please respect copyright.PENANADSVecbAEH5
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAHZFF91nPPj
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAgkKCyBCG1Y
Christina stood with him, gloves already tucked in hand. Her smile was nearly radiant.87Please respect copyright.PENANAYM1eD7bx89
"Well, Mr. Tallmadge," she said, "may Richmond bring you something... enlightening."87Please respect copyright.PENANANCDP71Ibu7
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAzWfTbo8pJS
Thomas smirked. "Careful. She'll have you printing heartbreak and hair ribbons in a week."87Please respect copyright.PENANAxCx3NIy8G7
But Ethan's eyes stayed on hers. "Still profitable, though. And that's what matters."87Please respect copyright.PENANAXigMzSDC5F
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAAinljyoMbQ
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAf2Pf7Lubue
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAtKvAr4NEvQ
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAl2WW5XtroM
"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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAdmH467Jaxe
Her gaze slid meaningfully to Christina. "Do be a dear and present him to your sister."87Please respect copyright.PENANAavqMse5yk4
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAcTZjEBMMm1
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAFL6ChhatSK
"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.87Please respect copyright.PENANADbWIfvvTDU
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANA1k37Rh07F7
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANASqKkb1mo3C
---
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAvQJGbVIK4H
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANALt7ivsX9dn
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANA7c4KLz4SLQ
As the dance ended, a flushed young man with soft curls and nervous hands stepped forward, bowing with clear effort.87Please respect copyright.PENANASlCgXd1cI7
"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.87Please respect copyright.PENANACHLXJVtbw0
Before Christina could part her lips, Benedict stepped half a pace forward.87Please respect copyright.PENANAAbg6dr8QUG
"She's otherwise engaged," he said, clipped and cool.
The young man blinked. "I—I didn't realize. My apologies."87Please respect copyright.PENANAT2PIlNaQ0O
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAPxLkkJxcXu
---87Please respect copyright.PENANAcvvDeszioB
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAwpYOmUHxBE
"Amherst," a voice called. "By God, I thought you'd ducked the candlelight."87Please respect copyright.PENANAADbq3ikkov
A uniformed officer approached—braided epaulets, boots dusted faintly with travel. His face was lean, eyes sharp.87Please respect copyright.PENANAzN8QveFF8L
"Winslow," Benedict greeted, clapping his shoulder. "Did they drag you out of the field with promises of cake and coquettes?"87Please respect copyright.PENANA9Xdr3ZNFFW
87Please respect copyright.PENANAQxIUiWx9Hg
"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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAv5NNPoczf7
Benedict scoffed. "A woman? Scribbling secrets between embroidery threads?"87Please respect copyright.PENANAXt1TFwgeKz
"They think she's using a local business," Winslow said. "Maybe a shop or press. Gossip as cover for messages. Clever work."87Please respect copyright.PENANAUO6ILRg7ZC
Christina widened her eyes with perfect concern.87Please respect copyright.PENANAvtwlDuUHX2
"Oh my," she said softly. "A woman doing all that thinking? I couldn't imagine being clever enough to scheme like that."87Please respect copyright.PENANAGI3xvblOHY
Winslow chuckled.87Please respect copyright.PENANABlioxMQZGD
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?"87Please respect copyright.PENANAtQcc4bTbu0
Winslow blinked—then smiled. "Yes, Miss Hale. Arguably the most dangerous kind."87Please respect copyright.PENANAevkhTmIcib
She laughed, lilting and warm. "Only if the punch is too sweet."87Please respect copyright.PENANAkt1nHm61rt
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANA6UQvGgJWc7
She smiled, and filed it away.87Please respect copyright.PENANAKaSnTl6os9
---87Please respect copyright.PENANAnToU60JFhY
The orchestra struck the opening notes of another waltz—slower this time, ceremonial. Benedict extended his hand with a stiff smile. "Shall we?"87Please respect copyright.PENANAmQFXj0uFvV
Christina hesitated just long enough to make it a choice—then nodded. "Of course."87Please respect copyright.PENANAR82fzKw0kk
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANA6pAm9OI1OO
When the music faded, he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Miss Hale. I look forward to... future conversation."87Please respect copyright.PENANA7A8CtSNWRM
"And I," she replied, with a smile that gave nothing away.87Please respect copyright.PENANAvxcq765Aav
As Benedict disappeared into the crowd, Thomas reappeared at her side, offering his arm.87Please respect copyright.PENANAgjhwL670ec
"Well?" he asked under his breath, all pleasantness dropped. "Was he attentive? Appropriately impressed? Considering a formal call?"87Please respect copyright.PENANA86hs3KSYMI
Christina didn't answer at first. Her fan hovered slightly above her corset.87Please respect copyright.PENANAcPMfqkJZn2
"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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAxkvC1DLLla
Thomas sighed, already tired of nuance. "None of that matters."87Please respect copyright.PENANAViYJFpDbL4
She looked up at him sharply.87Please respect copyright.PENANAD6SmzQjI0s
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAHXp7fuxZnK
Christina's jaw tightened, but she kept walking.87Please respect copyright.PENANAEPrMT5PP1x
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."87Please respect copyright.PENANApp24gv7IM6
Thomas didn't reply.87Please respect copyright.PENANAnYJL8wNpXw
He didn't have to.87Please respect copyright.PENANAoUzLXoAA3W
---87Please respect copyright.PENANAg8tG6tmK96
As they reached the edge of the ballroom, Thomas adjusted his cuff and leaned in, his voice low and clipped.87Please respect copyright.PENANAty5LVV0IEo
"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."87Please respect copyright.PENANArdQ92N3iUU
Christina didn't hesitate.87Please respect copyright.PENANA1BpGCCCzF4
"Home," she said, already turning. "I've played the part tonight. I'd rather not repeat my lines."87Please respect copyright.PENANApWOndIk6CR
Thomas raised a brow but said nothing more.87Please respect copyright.PENANAHbCn5DyTw7
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAqBeZW4DKXQ
---87Please respect copyright.PENANAVM2sdL3kcE
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAe5l60VuMGO
"You know this is for your good, Christina."87Please respect copyright.PENANAXH4gsD0CYx
She didn't look at him.87Please respect copyright.PENANAe5TQeVb3Jv
"You don't want to end up an old maid," he continued. "Benedict Amherst is well connected, tasteful, wealthy—"87Please respect copyright.PENANAJPKksv9I2Q
"Ambitious," she supplied, still watching the window.87Please respect copyright.PENANABphikLtdwe
"You could do far worse. He's interested in you, and if you marry him, the Hale name will be set for decades."87Please respect copyright.PENANAW1hMXkqXRi
She turned then. Slowly. Calmly.87Please respect copyright.PENANA5P58gWUiQ0
"No. You would be."87Please respect copyright.PENANArBCIrAIO2b
Thomas blinked.87Please respect copyright.PENANA0mhQGBnYJU
Christina's voice didn't rise. It didn't need to.87Please respect copyright.PENANA9fB70aoRFX
"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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAY7p8ad0Si8
Her gloves were in her lap now, neatly folded.87Please respect copyright.PENANAz4l2z7p6s1
"Who I marry elevates you. Every handshake, every investment—every child I produce will carry your legacy. Not mine."87Please respect copyright.PENANAu8S6FCqObm
Thomas shifted uncomfortably, suddenly unsure of the upholstery.87Please respect copyright.PENANAEce23JkNUn
"So," she said, still quiet, "the next time you parade me through a ballroom and call it charity, try saying thank you instead."87Please respect copyright.PENANA6VrmiHOPXG
He opened his mouth.87Please respect copyright.PENANAWRUWSBfSzk
She didn't let him speak.87Please respect copyright.PENANAA8OjAFSrXS
"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."87Please respect copyright.PENANAaMLtC5FwKx
The rest of the ride passed in silence.87Please respect copyright.PENANAHDccNMP9z6
And as they reached the glowing drive of the Hale estate, Christina smiled faintly.87Please respect copyright.PENANAVfUJux1Xx3
"I'll do my part," she murmured, stepping down. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm a Hale, after all."87Please respect copyright.PENANAblJyIHo4Ic
---87Please respect copyright.PENANA8Rf2X0cAGV
The Hale estate slept.87Please respect copyright.PENANAbbCrdSSOOl
Its windows dimmed one by one, shutters closed against the moonlight. The hallways hushed, the servants' footsteps stilled. Somewhere, a candelabra guttered into silence.87Please respect copyright.PENANAVgafaNWbcY
And Christina Hale slipped out the kitchen door with a ribbon-wrapped parcel and purpose in her step.87Please respect copyright.PENANAB2DAMkny4G
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAGNo9ibIsZf
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAF3OyQCQ4jb
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANArukIbMmSuO
She slipped the parcel onto the table and unwrapped it: a velvet-bound notebook, ribbon-tied ink, and the latest letters she'd collected.87Please respect copyright.PENANAskT2yeoR4E
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAuWhpEf2tZi
Dear Miss Ginny,87Please respect copyright.PENANARqslTThH5L
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANACCqMRWPWvh
To whom it may concern,87Please respect copyright.PENANAYBcLbWZqwC
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAYU6Yt1KZdl
But her fingers didn't move.87Please respect copyright.PENANAw7p2LNzBsQ
What you're about to do, she thought, they'd call treason.87Please respect copyright.PENANAw6WrCyAXDd
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANACMVVHRnFko
And she was a Hale.87Please respect copyright.PENANA1LttkXpIte
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANA3ZTOS1hGCI
But what if this was loyalty? Not to a crown. Not to a name.87Please respect copyright.PENANAOcH7WNyDOT
To a life. To a girl she'd never met. To someone being hunted for secrets—and the silence that would let it happen.87Please respect copyright.PENANAGlVCuhS4Qz
What if someone's daughter was about to die because everyone else stayed quiet?87Please respect copyright.PENANAmhtxETSDSY
Her hand moved.87Please respect copyright.PENANArZgPNfZ5Fe
She slid the two sheets into the stack.87Please respect copyright.PENANAYgE4Zga9I1
And just before pulling the impression lever, she whispered aloud, as if the press might understand:87Please respect copyright.PENANARHykl1gNE3
"This isn't disloyalty. This is witnessing."
---
She returned just before dawn.87Please respect copyright.PENANAgUAaNnpvDP
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAZtaXpqEMWW
Upstairs, her room was unchanged—lace curtains, soft woolen quilt, a porcelain brush untouched since dusk.87Please respect copyright.PENANArZ5SDnrDJQ
She washed her hands in a basin too cold to calm her.87Please respect copyright.PENANAL3ITi7j8nQ
The ink didn't fully lift.87Please respect copyright.PENANAa0YQQfd1yh
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.87Please respect copyright.PENANAA894zIrx5v
Instead, it felt like waiting.87Please respect copyright.PENANAcTMd7nXbvo
What if they find the column? What if someone sees beneath the name "Ginny"?87Please respect copyright.PENANA56hXTEQ31R
She turned onto her side, tucking the blankets around her ribs. Her throat ached. Her breath wouldn't settle.87Please respect copyright.PENANAeHOQty7u5J
She loved her family.87Please respect copyright.PENANAF59A0VB0w5
But she had done the right thing.87Please respect copyright.PENANA33hr2KTZ5v
Hadn't she?87Please respect copyright.PENANAODu2M8Au4s
She closed her eyes, but the question curled into the dark with her, quiet and sharp as ink on the inside of a glove.87Please respect copyright.PENANAecP65q0fY8
Who are you becoming, Christina Hale?87Please respect copyright.PENANAoLKPWgGbog
And deeper still—87Please respect copyright.PENANASrdxtLV3I4
Can you ever become someone else... and still be a Hale at all?87Please respect copyright.PENANAc89rmw9wnF