Vow of Deception by C.J. Archer

Author:C.J. Archer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: C.J. Archer

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Lincoln returned in time for dinner so we were able to inform everyone together of the visit from Mr. and Mrs. Everheart. A profound silence followed Alice's pronouncement that she was adopted. No one even chewed.

"Someone say something," Alice said, nervously.

"So the rabbit most likely spoke the truth," Lincoln said. "You were once in Wonderland and the queen is your aunt."

Alice nodded at her plate. "It seems that way."

"Bloody hell," Gus muttered.

"You not be from this world?" Cook asked.

"It seems I am from that other realm," Alice said.

Gus studied her anew then waggled his knife. "If I cut you, will your blood be red?"

"Yes!"

Seth thumped his arm. "Idiot."

Gus blushed and apologized.

To my surprise, Alice laughed. "It's absurd, isn't it? Don't worry, Gus, the same questions that are going through your head have already gone through mine. As far as I am aware, I am physically like all of you. I don't shift shape as Harriet does, and I can't set things on fire like Mr. Langley. I am quite normal."

"Perhaps Wonderland is just like here," Seth said.

"Except for talking rabbits," Gus said pointedly.

"You must want to go with the rabbit now," Lincoln said, focusing on his dinner again. "But I urge you to reconsider. We know nothing about Wonderland, and it seems as though you would be immediately placed on trial if you went. We don't know if their justice system is a fair one or not. I insist you stay here."

"We've already discussed it," I told him. "Alice agrees."

"I'm not leaving," she assured him.

"Good," Seth said. "Because I would have to insist on coming with you and I don't want to miss the wedding."

"Seth!" Lady Vickers cried. "You are not traveling to strange places, so put that from your mind immediately."

He picked up his glass and saluted her. "You traveled to a strange place."

"There are no talking rabbits in America."

We discussed the fortification plans as well as what Lincoln had learned from his informants. Unfortunately, it amounted to very little. Lady Harcourt had visited Swinburn in the evening and stayed the night. This morning, he'd gone to his club. The duke was already inside, as was the MP, Mr. Yallop. They'd emerged separately an hour later. Harriet visited Swinburn in the afternoon and left a short time later. As to the rest of Swinburn's pack, they'd gone to their various places of employment as they usually did, although the Ballantines remained indoors. They rarely left their residence nowadays, preferring to keep a low profile after angering the royal family.

"And Gawler's pack?" I asked. "What are their movements?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," he said. "They're also spying on Swinburn, but they don't have the numbers to watch the entire pack. They all have jobs to go to. If they don't work, they don't eat."

Lincoln and I volunteered to wash the dishes after dinner. Seth and Lady Vickers assisted us to carry the plates and glasses into the scullery. As we left the others behind, she said to Seth, "She is certainly not a candidate for marriage now.

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