"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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKiUhgaRYc
"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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCbXrDS733
Elsie snorted. "She better hope the horse can spell his vows."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3AjmkkPtW
Christina laughed, the sound light as spun sugar.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRMRm7Zq2h
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMdbGoAvg7
Behind her, Elsie murmured, mostly to herself, "Just once, I'd like one of these grooms to come with a brain instead of boots."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLET89QntVH
Christina smiled but didn't turn back. The show was about to begin.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWutHmB6bc
---
"Christina! Come meet our guest—he's interviewing us for that article. Something about colonial shipping."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQVwt12Bp1
"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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewk9J3GnHu
She descended with care, skirts floating behind her like a sigh. A second voice—young, steady—murmured in reply. Unfamiliar.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQJ0pLivMw
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPCfasMJYQ
"Miss Hale," he said with a respectful nod. "Ethan Tallmadge. My father runs a printshop in New Castle."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreC0yCNBSP
"A man of ink." Christina returned the nod with practiced charm. "How fitting."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG89EnpgFuD
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTXEzuLBHz
"And profitable," she replied, easing into the chair across from Ethan. "The column—whoever writes it—has paid him back twice over so far."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyyMWEi0m5
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBH5mSiov3
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?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCN89K9MEAD
He didn't flinch, but his fingers had stilled slightly on the rim of his cup.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIQHwjyQVA
She tilted her head. "Will we be seeing you at the ball this evening?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8XtWZMHaT
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyhn9aVCvj
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVamXKFzY0M
Christina stood with him, gloves already tucked in hand. Her smile was nearly radiant.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkI5OUQO8OI
"Well, Mr. Tallmadge," she said, "may Richmond bring you something... enlightening."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmy6LTfQ98H
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJA6eQuJMC
Thomas smirked. "Careful. She'll have you printing heartbreak and hair ribbons in a week."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1ZVd9Y8PH
But Ethan's eyes stayed on hers. "Still profitable, though. And that's what matters."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95n3gAjitA
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNm6ZNdmV5P
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfzHrbeBmO
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKfiPibWNH
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHU0jsvhwrz
"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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnlAXN8wX3
Her gaze slid meaningfully to Christina. "Do be a dear and present him to your sister."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TLNbDvhlH
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqe2f4Ig7ZK
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KKYiK8wzJ
"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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgCYFtljw5
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznEdbv1Ynh
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFwLN1VzrO
---
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGp27mw5yj
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBvsl5JlTh
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQNrlOW2WS
As the dance ended, a flushed young man with soft curls and nervous hands stepped forward, bowing with clear effort.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGurKTqt8v
"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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSU2IwI6J5i
Before Christina could part her lips, Benedict stepped half a pace forward.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDqoJq26OM
"She's otherwise engaged," he said, clipped and cool.
The young man blinked. "I—I didn't realize. My apologies."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2F3pBj9qE
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpA9NjI3naf
---88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhShu2Dh2sx
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1NPomdkT7
"Amherst," a voice called. "By God, I thought you'd ducked the candlelight."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHa20BsT5qP
A uniformed officer approached—braided epaulets, boots dusted faintly with travel. His face was lean, eyes sharp.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIVrjEVG6Z
"Winslow," Benedict greeted, clapping his shoulder. "Did they drag you out of the field with promises of cake and coquettes?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9Qvc2yHA4
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJ4nOIZeCD
"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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiQ3H05kUF
Benedict scoffed. "A woman? Scribbling secrets between embroidery threads?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdQLQaRvUC
"They think she's using a local business," Winslow said. "Maybe a shop or press. Gossip as cover for messages. Clever work."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmtX1sLfCk
Christina widened her eyes with perfect concern.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5NvLKCtRb
"Oh my," she said softly. "A woman doing all that thinking? I couldn't imagine being clever enough to scheme like that."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDyA0jy73e
Winslow chuckled.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3YE7HkboX
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?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdqRW3Ao41
Winslow blinked—then smiled. "Yes, Miss Hale. Arguably the most dangerous kind."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqPh2VdIT3
She laughed, lilting and warm. "Only if the punch is too sweet."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvP0msDUTo
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNa6bb7ufcB
She smiled, and filed it away.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2EcTBPoJ4
---88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8AonznJmv
The orchestra struck the opening notes of another waltz—slower this time, ceremonial. Benedict extended his hand with a stiff smile. "Shall we?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ukJnppsBS
Christina hesitated just long enough to make it a choice—then nodded. "Of course."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfSPsR8P9w
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZSMwVoHH9
When the music faded, he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Miss Hale. I look forward to... future conversation."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuyCiqvpd5
"And I," she replied, with a smile that gave nothing away.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3CAnuaJzQ
As Benedict disappeared into the crowd, Thomas reappeared at her side, offering his arm.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthJSv1yyYZ
"Well?" he asked under his breath, all pleasantness dropped. "Was he attentive? Appropriately impressed? Considering a formal call?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVpf72FBEg
Christina didn't answer at first. Her fan hovered slightly above her corset.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nteyeQjoT
"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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9IE0bMTOZ
Thomas sighed, already tired of nuance. "None of that matters."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEeSuYbawZ
She looked up at him sharply.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfisQQTQde
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPoSfw5RkH
Christina's jaw tightened, but she kept walking.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5JnS9hVRi
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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvT58XM5j9J
Thomas didn't reply.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmq75jUOmD
He didn't have to.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡou8OzNg07q
---88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNkamfBK3Z
As they reached the edge of the ballroom, Thomas adjusted his cuff and leaned in, his voice low and clipped.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWOH2Fx7Bd
"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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuT0P5E94o
Christina didn't hesitate.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7R9RjrE8n
"Home," she said, already turning. "I've played the part tonight. I'd rather not repeat my lines."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVPZIoVS2y
Thomas raised a brow but said nothing more.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TdZp1y6po
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4Ev7U2PCt
---88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bDsuHhMwD
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gLISoX9Q4
"You know this is for your good, Christina."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKb3PnHkRS
She didn't look at him.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1s9PhfWDoV
"You don't want to end up an old maid," he continued. "Benedict Amherst is well connected, tasteful, wealthy—"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmArHRFbui
"Ambitious," she supplied, still watching the window.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfk72E64DNF
"You could do far worse. He's interested in you, and if you marry him, the Hale name will be set for decades."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oMP0Vs34c
She turned then. Slowly. Calmly.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0mfSJFR1g
"No. You would be."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWs7wd9bhMh
Thomas blinked.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFOAAE2lt5
Christina's voice didn't rise. It didn't need to.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyme7zTihU
"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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8klzoxaVM
Her gloves were in her lap now, neatly folded.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12dmmGNo4B
"Who I marry elevates you. Every handshake, every investment—every child I produce will carry your legacy. Not mine."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnliM36Cmor
Thomas shifted uncomfortably, suddenly unsure of the upholstery.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqX2UWjRXN
"So," she said, still quiet, "the next time you parade me through a ballroom and call it charity, try saying thank you instead."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjar6lrheI
He opened his mouth.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI401viT0BU
She didn't let him speak.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZm5fpA1hh2
"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."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpC1ZuDTjp
The rest of the ride passed in silence.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpe6cWl9kH
And as they reached the glowing drive of the Hale estate, Christina smiled faintly.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILdncnXM0g
"I'll do my part," she murmured, stepping down. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm a Hale, after all."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcLU6KAsE0
---88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dtbHtaJJg
The Hale estate slept.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhoVdoiy6J
Its windows dimmed one by one, shutters closed against the moonlight. The hallways hushed, the servants' footsteps stilled. Somewhere, a candelabra guttered into silence.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcqy8MlR4L
And Christina Hale slipped out the kitchen door with a ribbon-wrapped parcel and purpose in her step.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRzSZ99bDs
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcSc23yzHe
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5m98KVuvM
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwkMbnSJiY
She slipped the parcel onto the table and unwrapped it: a velvet-bound notebook, ribbon-tied ink, and the latest letters she'd collected.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpw3CdSzkut
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGi9oSNRkRJ
Dear Miss Ginny,88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAzzk4Gf4y
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡib450wZDvp
To whom it may concern,88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpRZMUWc4i
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXOOdzj7xz
But her fingers didn't move.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpFpIOeeP6
What you're about to do, she thought, they'd call treason.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLzdwRIGlR
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKiIwCZ9Ud
And she was a Hale.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngADZInFN6
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByq838kjd9
But what if this was loyalty? Not to a crown. Not to a name.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTNQsO9eRV
To a life. To a girl she'd never met. To someone being hunted for secrets—and the silence that would let it happen.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90qkH6lMxh
What if someone's daughter was about to die because everyone else stayed quiet?88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDn8fh2Ijs
Her hand moved.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBtwaKgZit
She slid the two sheets into the stack.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXJeReB0DL
And just before pulling the impression lever, she whispered aloud, as if the press might understand:88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mPvmbthye
"This isn't disloyalty. This is witnessing."
---
She returned just before dawn.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOcAPKWata
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdk3uSz1QjD
Upstairs, her room was unchanged—lace curtains, soft woolen quilt, a porcelain brush untouched since dusk.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwswXT9h9R
She washed her hands in a basin too cold to calm her.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90llB03Xfw
The ink didn't fully lift.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTA7CpXRL0u
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.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2AgTohrrs
Instead, it felt like waiting.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡde5TPK8LDw
What if they find the column? What if someone sees beneath the name "Ginny"?88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHubJbEIe1
She turned onto her side, tucking the blankets around her ribs. Her throat ached. Her breath wouldn't settle.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1hSDXyLM9
She loved her family.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9T6eJyTmq
But she had done the right thing.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFuT67zNYc
Hadn't she?88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1APiVnk8o
She closed her eyes, but the question curled into the dark with her, quiet and sharp as ink on the inside of a glove.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVBAV0h9EY
Who are you becoming, Christina Hale?88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpG9YGh7eW
And deeper still—88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zN186nUCu
Can you ever become someone else... and still be a Hale at all?88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbycvIb5UV
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