The Secret Life of Lady Lucinda: A Summersby Tale by Barnes Sophie

Author:Barnes, Sophie [Barnes, Sophie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-11-20T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

* * *

Only a numbing silence surrounded her, as if perhaps her ears had been filled with water. Her feet felt wet and cold, and as she looked down at them, she realized that the ground she stood on was covered in blood. Bending forward, she glanced at the reflection that stared back at her, only to discover that it was that of a child—a younger version of herself.

She gasped then and drew back, her eyes roaming across the vast expanse of emptiness that stretched to infinity around her. There was nothing but her; not a tree or a bird could be seen. She had no idea how she’d gotten there, but she knew that she had to find a way back home. Mama and Papa would be worried about her. But there was so much blood…it was deeper now, almost reaching the hem of her nightgown. With a deep breath, she stepped forward and began to walk, and as she did, buildings began to rise on either side of her until she found herself once again in that awful alley, a scream splitting the silence as a masked stranger appeared before her. “Where are you going?” he asked, his voice dark and menacing.

Swallowing hard, she tried to stop herself from glancing up at the window that she knew she’d find, but her eyes failed to listen, and as she turned to look she saw her mother’s body turn around and fall away.

“You can’t stop me, Lucy. I’m cleverer than you,” the assassin warned as he took a step closer.

She wanted to kill him, but with what? She had no weapon, and besides, she’d promised her mother she’d run. So she did—or tried to at least, but as she spun away and started to move the blood held her back. It was up to her hips now, making it impossible for her to do anything but wade forward. She looked back and saw that he was gaining on her with an efficiency that she couldn’t possibly match, and as she readied herself to start swimming, she felt the chilling grip of his hands upon her shoulders pushing her down. She wanted to scream but found that she couldn’t. Something was covering her mouth…his hand perhaps? In desperation, she started to struggle, but his weight was holding her firmly in place, and she suddenly realized with startling clarity that the dream was gone and that this was real—her very own living nightmare.

“Open your eyes, Lucy,” he told her in a dangerously low whisper. “You and I need to have a little talk.”

Terror sprang to life once more, but she still couldn’t scream—not against the cold, leather-clad hand that was firmly pressed against her mouth. She dared not look, and yet she feared what he might do if she disobeyed him, so she slowly opened her eyes into two small slits, only to come face to face with that awful, black mask—one side shrouded in darkness, the other reflecting the flickering flame of the oil lamp that stood next to her bed.

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