Miss Bolton stepped into the room, slamming the door shut behind her with as much force as she could. I took a step back, panic building in my chest. Mr Turner scrambled to his feet despite the pain he was no doubt in. He shot across the room to the window, the furthest point from Miss Bolton. The fire burned.

Silence weighed heavily over the room.

I eyed the closed door behind Miss Bolton, hopeful that someone had heard the door slam. It had been over ten minutes since I left the kitchen. Someone should have noticed, at least I hoped they would. They wouldn't have just left me.

"No one is coming, if that is what you think," she said. "I met one of the servants on their way here and cut them off. They will not come looking for you for a while, at least."

"They'll notice something is wrong."

"I doubt it. I can be rather persuasive."

Miss Bolton laughed, throwing her head back as though she had made the best joke imaginable. She stepped a little closer towards me, her eyes narrowing. I took a small step back, wary that she was blocking the only real exit from the room. Across the room, Mr Turner tucked himself as close to the window as he could.

"So, you are the reason Mr Turner refuses to court me. I must admit, I thought you would be prettier. Then again, not everyone has good taste." A smile spread across her face. I'm joking, of course. You are not his precious Sarah."

Mr Turner frowned, but he kept his head directed towards the floor and his body pressed against the glass. Even from the other side of the room, I could see his body shaking with fear at just being in the same room as her.

Miss Bolton turned to look at Mr Turner. "You're pathetic, cowering in the corner like some girl. If you had just been a man, I would not have to resort to such actions. You bought it on yourself."

"Leave him alone. He turned you down. That isn't a crime."

"Perhaps not, but refusing me for a servant certainly is. A servant is nothing, useless. They do not even deserve to breathe the same air we do. Jacob knows that I am the only person for him. He just needs to accept it."

Anger surged through my chest. "You can't beat someone into liking you!"

"Hm, I suppose so, but I can show him what will happen each and every time he refuses."

Miss Bolton made to take a step towards Mr Turner, forcing him further against the glass. One wrong move and he would go crashing through it. Nearby, the fire flickered despite the chill that hung in the air from Miss Bolton's arrival. I eyed the door, muttering a silent prayer that someone, anyone, would come upstairs. The door wasn't locked, after all.

I looked at Mr Turner, realising for the first time why he had been so reluctant to say anything to anyone. Yes, pride factored into it, but so did fear. He was terrified. Terrified of what Miss Bolton would do if she found out he told someone, terrified no one would believe him. The fear gripped him like a vice and refused to let him go.

Pride had only been part of it.

It had been the initial reason why he chose not to say anything, but the fear had quickly taken over. He wouldn't have been the first man, nor the last, to allow fear and pride to rule his life.

"Now," Miss Bolton began, "Your father thinks we are a perfect match, and I am inclined to agree with him. You just need to forget about that floozy of yours."

"I won't," Mr Turner said.

"You know what happens when you refuse me, Jacob."

She raised her hand as if to strike him, but I stepped in front of her before she could take another step towards him. A loud slap sound echoed through the room when her hand made contact with my cheek. My head snapped to the side.

"Stay out of this!" Miss Bolton grabbed my right elbow, her sharp nails digging into my skin, and flung me onto the bed.

"Do not touch her!"

My Turner pushed himself off the window but made no move to approach Miss Bolton. My cheek stung from where she'd slapped me, and my arm ached from where her nails had pierced my skin. I pushed myself off the bed, trying not to make any sudden movements lest she see them.

"Someone has found his voice." She laughed, watching me out of the corner of her eye. "If you agree that I'm a better match than the serving girl, I will leave your little friend alone. If you do not, well, let's just say she may have an unfortunate accident."

"I will never agree with that."

"If you say so." She shrugged. "Lesser men than you have denied me in the past, and you should take note of their absence. Just ask Lily."

"What?" Mr Turner's eyes widened. He looked at me, his whole body trembling and his chest heaving against the bandage.

My mind went blank, my heart thumped against my ribcage, and my breath caught in my throat. I couldn't speak, couldn't think, and I wasn't even sure I was breathing. My body started to shut down. All that walk, all the effort to ensure no one would ever work it out, and she had in a matter of days.

How did she figure it out?

Miss Bolton stared at me with a sly smile. "I knew there was something familiar about you. I just was not sure what it was. Now I do. I knew your brother."

"Lily, what is she talking about?" Mr Turner's voice was small, childlike. I had been the only person he could trust, and that was all about to come tumbling down.

"You do not know? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you have been lied to. Her name is not Lily Rhodes, as she has led you to believe. It's Lily-Rose Clement."

The room fell silent except for the cracking of the flames dancing in the nearby fireplace.

~~~

First Published - March 8th, 2024