A String of Lies (The Hands of Fate Book 3) by Elizabeth Blake

Author:Elizabeth Blake [Blake, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
Published: 2024-07-02T00:00:00+00:00

The smile that hung about Ginevra’s lips when she finally entered the downstairs kitchen felt as though it were somehow weighed down at the corners. It took a ridiculous amount of focus to keep the thing in its place. Most of the troupe was still awake, laughing, and jumbled together near the woodstove in the corner.

Fossie was pouring tea. Mister Hamden was entertaining Nicole and Anna with a joke that he had told so often that Ginevra knew it by heart. Beside him sat their guest of the evening, Casey Ryan, whose entire face seemed to light up the moment Ginevra entered the room. He scrambled to his feet and retrieved a chair for her, placing it between himself and the wall. Mister Hamden looked up and offered her a reassuring smile.

Her cheeks colored all over again at the thought of what her friends had just witnessed upstairs, but she swallowed roughly and went to join them. The rest of the group was chattering loudly enough that their conversation could be somewhat private, and so she lowered her voice as she spoke to Casey Ryan. “Thank you. It’s good to see you, Mister Ryan. It’s been far too long. I must thank you again for the flowers, and…apologize for the scene upstairs. You must think me⁠—”

“I think you an accomplished violinist, and a worthwhile friend,” he murmured. “Although, I am sorry to have…brought such unfortunate news to you. But I would not want to see such an accomplished young woman taken for a fool.” His blue eyes searched for and snatched at her own, and he reached for her arm and gave it a small squeeze. “You deserve far better than anything that man could ever offer you.”

Not normally a crier, it alarmed Ginevra somewhat when her eyes abruptly filled once more. She turned her face to the wall and swiped at them, and Casey Ryan patted her on the shoulder. “Shall I get you a cup of tea?”

“Pour a bit o’ whisky in it, Casey,” Mister Hamden instructed, and when Casey Ryan had sprung to his feet and bounced across the room he bent to Ginevra. “Bit of fire to meld your broken heart back together, missy,” he whispered.

Ginevra offered him a tremulous smile.

No one else was paying them any mind. She took a deep breath and looked around slowly. Fraught with difficulty though her first few weeks at the Blackbird Theatre had been, Ginevra could not deny that here, amongst these people, she felt a bit of peace. Despite the fact that one of them might very well be a murderer.

Her mind returned to Margaret as Casey pressed a hot cup of tea into her hands, and she glanced around for Emma, noticing for the first time that her friend was not present. She raised her voice and spoke to Fossie. “Has Emma retired already?”

Fossie looked around. “Must have done.”

“No, I’m here!” Emma’s voice echoed out of the hall that led to the women’s rooms. She was smiling and carrying a basket of washing on her hip, her hair all done up in a rag.

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