The Lady Who Sinned

IV. The Scarred Haverston

Once upon a Town...

Tommy was her first love. They were both seven when they met. He would not show himself in the main rooms, but he was always around with his mother, a servant in the manor, always following her everywhere until his father arrived to take him home.

Belinda would play with him if her mother was not around. They would go to the library, where they would read books.

He asked her if they were friends.

'Of course, Tommy, we are.'

He had dreams. He wanted to be a doctor. Or a farmer. Or an inventor. He wanted to be many things. And she dreamed, too. And later, as they got older, her dream was to be with him.

*****

She sat before him atop his horse. He wanted to thank her when she pulled up her hood, muting the smell, but McKenzie was not ready to spite the woman. He already made a big mistake when he carelessly disregarded her claims during their first meeting.

As they traveled down the road, his horse hesitant in the darkness, he wondered what happened to her. There were too many questions.

Where did they take her? How did she get back? Who took her?

Did she deserve this?

He did not know the woman, never even talked to her. McKenzie was not spared from the stories about Belinda Carrington. His sister-in-law, Cressida, had the strongest opinion. Belinda had stolen secrets from Mary in the past and threatened her with them, even exposing one for the Town Herald to publish in its gossip columns. She tried to extort money from Mary when she could not have enough, but that bit was still an ongoing debate within their little family. Mary did not believe Belinda did it willingly, but Adrien and Cressida were fast to say that Mary was simply too good to think the worst of anyone.

McKenzie never bothered with the tedious and vile things women in the Town did, but he was inclined to judge when his family had been wronged. Cressida and Mary were family, and he would not wish for them to be bothered by rumors spread by one such as Belinda Carrington.

"Will my father go to prison if it's proven he has made an illegal transaction to banish me aboveground?"

She had been silent since they started their journey that her question surprised him. "Yes," he replied.

She did not speak again until the lampposts lit up, signaling another day. Up ahead, the village of Oakley was yellow, rousing from sleep.

"They're heading to Wickhurst," she spoke again. "The men following me."

"Who are they?" he asked.

"I don't know. They can be anyone. But I don't want them to go to Julia," she said.

"I will send my men and make certain your sister is made aware."

"Thank you." And then she added, "I need a new dress."

"And food?"

"That's a given, sir."

And he provided just what she wanted. The moment they reached the tavern in Oakley, Belinda disappeared into her room, where her food and bath were waiting. McKenzie paid a servant to assist his friend with any type of clothing she needed, and also to send a messenger to Marsden for the two Guards he left behind. And then he, too, rested.

*****

Belinda knew her father was not foolish. He may be careless and impetuous in a game of cards, but his reputation, his status, was too great for him to ruin. If her suspicions were right, he might never get caught because he would do anything to preserve his place in society.