A Gift For Guile by Alissa Johnson

Author:Alissa Johnson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2016-07-04T21:00:00+00:00

Twelve

Esther grew increasingly nervous as they made their way down Rostrime Lane. Samuel had offered to take her inside the first houses they visited that afternoon, but she’d declined. There was little point in asking questions to which she already knew the answer. She’d wait until they reached number twenty-three.

Surprise, and even a hint of relief, mingled with her nerves when that one house finally came into view. She pulled up her veil for a better view out the window. It didn’t look nearly as foreboding as she remembered. The result of seeing it in daylight, no doubt. Eleven years ago, she had come at night, and the street lamps had cast long, malevolent shadows over the brick and turned the portico pillars into a set of glowing fangs.

The old brick building looked rather cheerful now. The shutters had been painted a deep blue recently, the walk was swept clean, and there were vibrant pots of flowers on either side of the front door.

Still, when the carriage pulled up in front, her heart began to race, and her stomach rolled.

She hated this house. Cheerful or not, merely looking at it made her feel ashamed and afraid.

Samuel hopped out and held out his hand. “Will you join me?”

Yes. Say yes. Take his hand and go inside. “I’ll wait, thank you.”

“Are you all right? You look a bit pale. Is it your throat? Are you—?”

“I’m perfectly well.” She was a perfect coward. “Go inside. There is nothing amiss with me, I assure you.”

“If you’re certain…” Clearly, he wasn’t certain. His keen eyes searched her face a moment longer before he reached out and carefully pulled down her veil. “We’ll take a rest after this house.”

Might as well, she thought. They likely wouldn’t need to go into the next house after Samuel spoke with the occupants of number twenty-three. “If you like. Go on, Samuel.”

A part of her hoped he would ignore her and hop back into the carriage. Maybe if he stalled a bit she would, in time, gather enough courage to join him.

It was too late. Samuel took one last look at her and closed the door. Moments later, he disappeared inside the house alone. There was nothing left for her to do but wait, and berate herself.

This is why she had come—to confront her past and atone for this mistake. She’d planned this for months. Yet here she was, hiding away in a carriage.

How could she hope to face her father if she couldn’t even face an old house he’d owned years ago?

“Coward,” she whispered into the empty carriage.

It didn’t disagree.

Sick at heart, she turned away from the window and waited for Samuel’s return.

Twenty minutes later, he climbed into the carriage looking rather pleased with himself. She lifted her veil and did her best to paste on an eager expression. Difficult, when she already knew what he was going to say. Mr. George Smith did not live at number twenty-three Rostrime Lane. He’d not lived there in over a decade.

“A Mr.

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