"Lordy, Miss Chrissi, how much ink did you swim in this morning?"
Elsie's voice rang out from the hallway just as Christina Hale stepped carefully out of her cloak, fingers still smudged faintly with ink. The scent of lavender starch trailed ahead as her maid entered carrying a basin, arms crossed and eyes narrowed fondly.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M5wOdGVSK
"I got most of it off," Christina replied with a smirk, flexing her fingers. "Besides, the column's booming. Dozens of letters this week. One poor bride wants to know if her horse should match her carriage ribbons."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfhKFgXxgM
Elsie snorted. "She better hope the horse can spell his vows."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9E5YoRpftU
Christina laughed, the sound light as spun sugar.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIqmGz8F4o
Her silk skirts whispered as she glided down the grand staircase, her gown catching the golden light from the upper windows. The color—dusty periwinkle with a faint gold thread—made her feel like something from a painted portrait. She didn't mind.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxJ5clIHug
Behind her, Elsie murmured, mostly to herself, "Just once, I'd like one of these grooms to come with a brain instead of boots."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZAgA9fmTj
Christina smiled but didn't turn back. The show was about to begin.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOVcAAq7Hv
---
"Christina! Come meet our guest—he's interviewing us for that article. Something about colonial shipping."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfprhrS0qkl
"Oh, it's... a piece on rising shipping lane enterprises," Ethen offered, "for a regional journal. Highlighting Loyalist firms with expanding colonial reach."
Thomas's voice carried easily from the drawing room, warm with the kind of pride that disguised possession.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm814QrPlFj
She descended with care, skirts floating behind her like a sigh. A second voice—young, steady—murmured in reply. Unfamiliar.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP61d7Ksfzw
When she entered the tea room, it was already dressed for performance: gleaming porcelain, lemon curls in crystal, silver glinting on linen. The stranger stood as she entered.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7Gv67ELKs
"Miss Hale," he said with a respectful nod. "Ethan Tallmadge. My father runs a printshop in New Castle."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10tXkpGrlu
"A man of ink." Christina returned the nod with practiced charm. "How fitting."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJW8f0YehT
Thomas motioned to the teapot. "Christina's our family scandal. Father bought her a little print shop years ago—thought it'd be a phase. Nothing extravagant, but it kept her entertained."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySAyQljzkf
"And profitable," she replied, easing into the chair across from Ethan. "The column—whoever writes it—has paid him back twice over so far."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcD8ygMMLx
Thomas chuckled, slicing a lemon with theatrical care. "He splits the earnings. Half goes into a trust Christina can dip into for anything Father won't approve of. The other half's earmarked for her future husband. Keeps the ledger tidy."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXExXucMv6U
Christina stirred her tea with precision. "Of course. I'll marry well. My dowry will ensure it. Father finds love impractical—like poetry in a warehouse ledger. But I'm still attractive enough to be useful." She looked to Ethan. "Isn't that the phrase?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBp5Dl35Ucx
He didn't flinch, but his fingers had stilled slightly on the rim of his cup.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIATpu3FB5
She tilted her head. "Will we be seeing you at the ball this evening?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiSWo3bunn
He met her gaze steadily. "No, I'm afraid not. I've business in Richmond—deliveries to make, contacts to meet. I leave before dawn."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsCGjBznBB
Thomas gave a short laugh, standing to retrieve his coat. "Well, you'll miss quite the ball. Every notable family will be there. A few promising suitors for Christina, too. We must marry her off before she starts forming opinions."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgkRTNyJEz
Christina stood with him, gloves already tucked in hand. Her smile was nearly radiant.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeKSrf62Nr
"Well, Mr. Tallmadge," she said, "may Richmond bring you something... enlightening."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBm8tJpUYv
Ethan rose with them. "Next time I'm in Williamsburg, perhaps you'll show me your shop. Being a printer's son, I'd love to see what others are doing—especially if your anonymous column is that profitable. Might be something my family should invest in."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDLPTpBeVE
Thomas smirked. "Careful. She'll have you printing heartbreak and hair ribbons in a week."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhAO1Ae9XM
But Ethan's eyes stayed on hers. "Still profitable, though. And that's what matters."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83PsI5bcQR
Christina met his gaze with something more practiced than warmth. "Williamsburg," she said, looping her arm through her brother's, "has its own definition of value, Mr. Tallmadge."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ynw0v1HlG
And just like that, they swept from the room—Thomas full of ambition, Christina full of riddles, and Ethan with the distinct feeling that her ink could leave stains long after it dried.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99clW90yPT
And just like that, ink met match.
–––
The ballroom shimmered under the gentle glow of numerous candles. Music wafted from a string quartet tucked in the far corner, each note mingling with the subdued hum of refined conversation and laughter. Christina, her periwinkle gown and gold accents catching every stray beam of light, moved with poised deliberation across the polished floor, escorted by her ever-watchful brother, Thomas.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl2hqdWxs6
Before they reached the center of the room, a graceful figure in exquisite rose-hued satin appeared from the throng—a lady whose presence bespoke her status as one of the evening's hostesses. It was none other than the governor's wife, Mrs. Ashbury. With a warm smile and an assured nod, she gently steered Thomas aside for a brief private moment.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPxWytit1v
"Thomas," Mrs. Ashbury murmured as they strolled a side corridor draped in velvet, "it is my pleasure to introduce Mr. Benedict Amherst. His name has sparked no small amount of admiration in our circles."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiE89PEZTOd
Her gaze slid meaningfully to Christina. "Do be a dear and present him to your sister."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvxqohpbM1
Thomas's smile barely touched his eyes. "Miss Hale—Mr. Benedict Amherst. He hails from Norfolk, and has made rather a name for himself in maritime trade. A connection the Hale family would, I think, find... familiar."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4JCCAhkM8
He gestured broadly, as if casting a net made of expectations.
Benedict stepped forward. Tall, with measured grace and eyes that carried a hint of quiet calculation, he bowed slightly. "Miss Hale, it is an honor. I've heard that your reputation extends beyond mere beauty—into realms of enterprise and letters. I trust our acquaintance tonight shall be most enlightening."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsndi7msCM
"Mr. Amherst, how flattering. One hopes that a woman's wit might occasionally rise to meet her reputation. In my experience, ink and ingenuity are often the most underestimated forms of capital."
Mrs. Ashbury interjected lightly, "Indeed, Miss Hale. And it is my hope that the finest qualities be brought together tonight." Her tone was both encouraging and commanding, a reminder that even in this world of grand orchestration, every meeting was carefully arranged.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡin9v0ZO5nl
Thomas offered a small, satisfied smile as he took a step back, allowing the conversation to settle between Christina and Benedict. The ambient murmurs of the ballroom swirled around them. In that brief exchange, the seed of intrigue was sown—each word measured, each glance weighted with potential. Christina's eyes glinted with the unspoken challenge of a woman who was as much a puzzle as she was a promise, while Benedict's steady gaze showed that he, too, was captivated by the prospect of what may lie beneath the flawless surface.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvD8T56odnT
As the orchestra resumed a sweeping waltz, the trio moved together toward the dance floor—a deliberate and graceful progression into an evening where alliances were forged and reputations, like ink on fine paper, were destined to leave their mark.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIdTQG7WTt
---
The waltz soared, its rhythm deliberate and delicate—exactly the kind that demanded practiced grace and a partner who understood tempo like a contract. Benedict led well, but not gently; his hold was firm, his gaze intent.
"So," he began smoothly, "your brother claims your little printshop is becoming quite the sensation."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRE2W5khyL
Christina's smile softened without sweetening. "Only among the ribbon-obsessed and the heartbroken. But yes—the column earns its keep."
"And your father allows this... enterprise?"
"He takes his half," she replied, voice light. "It was his gift to begin with. But the shop is mine, legally. The deed bears my name."
Benedict's steps didn't falter—but she felt something shift in the flex of his arm. "For now."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaomPCRCkiL
She tilted her chin. "There's a clause in the marriage contract. The property and profits remain with me. Permanently."
A pause.
"Very forward-thinking," he said, evenly.
"I've always liked being ahead of the press run," she replied with a pleasant shrug.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmrHidRUKe
As the dance ended, a flushed young man with soft curls and nervous hands stepped forward, bowing with clear effort.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWE9Jt5OFW
"Miss Hale," he stammered, "if you're not already—might I have the next dance?"
He was respectable, but modestly born. His collar was slightly wilted.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NJ2ohqi8B
Before Christina could part her lips, Benedict stepped half a pace forward.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyz9Pkn8oC
"She's otherwise engaged," he said, clipped and cool.
The young man blinked. "I—I didn't realize. My apologies."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rNl0pVI3U
Benedict didn't answer. The boy turned, crestfallen, disappearing into the crowd.
Christina glanced up at her partner. "Was that necessary?"
His smile didn't reach his eyes. "He's beneath your station."
"I see," she said quietly.
She didn't say more, but her expression smoothed into something unreadable—beautiful, courteous, and distant as the moon behind lace.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dNHsitADu
---28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrq9sQlaa5z
They moved to the punch table, where crystal bowls gleamed and laughter floated like perfume. The sting of citrus and crushed berries filled the air.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZ6uvqE78w
"Amherst," a voice called. "By God, I thought you'd ducked the candlelight."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPlzC0c3Qs
A uniformed officer approached—braided epaulets, boots dusted faintly with travel. His face was lean, eyes sharp.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9m8FwiLr3
"Winslow," Benedict greeted, clapping his shoulder. "Did they drag you out of the field with promises of cake and coquettes?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtwAohsTQy
28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBJqQavKMS
"I needed both," the lieutenant said with a half-smile. "But I came for news."
He lowered his voice, glancing at the gathered crowd. "Word is there's a Continental sympathizer operating here in Williamsburg. Not a soldier. Someone quiet. Possibly a woman."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqV1UWFgA0F
Benedict scoffed. "A woman? Scribbling secrets between embroidery threads?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtw8IcAKHg
"They think she's using a local business," Winslow said. "Maybe a shop or press. Gossip as cover for messages. Clever work."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhac1kirebb
Christina widened her eyes with perfect concern.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNuAGv8sAv
"Oh my," she said softly. "A woman doing all that thinking? I couldn't imagine being clever enough to scheme like that."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ltnq0fqn4
Winslow chuckled.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWm44yvjPhA
She turned her gaze to him, soft and silken. "I'm quite lucky, you know. Born into the right family. I'll find a charming husband, plan a luncheon or two, maybe name a spaniel after a virtue. That's the best kind of life, isn't it, Lieutenant?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6dxwFdCZJ
Winslow blinked—then smiled. "Yes, Miss Hale. Arguably the most dangerous kind."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5qUjI1zvK
She laughed, lilting and warm. "Only if the punch is too sweet."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28QxAi3dXA
The men returned to their low murmurings. Christina took a slow sip and looked out across the crowd—memorizing names, faces, uniforms, and a single whispered port city she'd overheard.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IgzmTcuhW
She smiled, and filed it away.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeAiV9jf98
---28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoULudSH1q
The orchestra struck the opening notes of another waltz—slower this time, ceremonial. Benedict extended his hand with a stiff smile. "Shall we?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLNfqx7G6A
Christina hesitated just long enough to make it a choice—then nodded. "Of course."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8NwOw86w9
They danced without words for the first half. His form was impeccable, his focus unwavering, yet she noticed it now—the way his jaw tensed when he wasn't speaking, the calculated grip of his hand at her back.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9X2HHXKzS
When the music faded, he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Miss Hale. I look forward to... future conversation."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWUbAHQcth
"And I," she replied, with a smile that gave nothing away.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLFODeYJ51
As Benedict disappeared into the crowd, Thomas reappeared at her side, offering his arm.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8otcie2HOh
"Well?" he asked under his breath, all pleasantness dropped. "Was he attentive? Appropriately impressed? Considering a formal call?"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5J48oExgwG
Christina didn't answer at first. Her fan hovered slightly above her corset.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNZAfDVEAm
"He asked thoughtful questions. But not about me. Not really. About the shop. About my dowry. And when I corrected him on ownership, he didn't like it."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqVPW6Io3i
Thomas sighed, already tired of nuance. "None of that matters."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYOC0U8kWr
She looked up at him sharply.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJluJIt5mO
He added, "You're not marrying someone for their tolerance. You're marrying for the ledger. And he's right—those boys who stumble over their collars and ask for dances like favors? They're beneath you."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwzyl77b5s
Christina's jaw tightened, but she kept walking.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKuf8icXMW
Only when they reached the edge of the ballroom did she murmur, "I'd rather be underestimated by an honest man... than tolerated by one who wants to amend the terms."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNvdSEcj9D
Thomas didn't reply.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtgeGHfBMn
He didn't have to.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLlhykCu7O
---28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAcwhMbZq3
As they reached the edge of the ballroom, Thomas adjusted his cuff and leaned in, his voice low and clipped.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxW4kTQ1Mve
"Well, you can dance with one of the other eligible bachelors," he said, scanning the crowd, "or we can go home for the night. Your call."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1R8HGsrYdS
Christina didn't hesitate.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe373VNK5St
"Home," she said, already turning. "I've played the part tonight. I'd rather not repeat my lines."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpv8WpIKyv
Thomas raised a brow but said nothing more.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrEvdrW6WF
By the time the carriage pulled away from the glowing estate windows, she was staring out into the dark—counting how long before the hallway lamps would dim. Before the servants retired. Before the city drifted into quiet, and the only sound left in the world would be the turning of a press.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSK89ZObiZE
---28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszTb54zxL4
The Hale carriage rattled softly through the narrow brick streets, lanterns casting pale gold shadows against the velvet interior. The night had quieted, but tension settled thick between brother and sister.
Thomas exhaled through his nose and broke the silence.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhNlX8HAcU
"You know this is for your good, Christina."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwU9OBFj2CI
She didn't look at him.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MEr2sVCdJ
"You don't want to end up an old maid," he continued. "Benedict Amherst is well connected, tasteful, wealthy—"28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFbJmD64i6
"Ambitious," she supplied, still watching the window.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAvRiTcbni
"You could do far worse. He's interested in you, and if you marry him, the Hale name will be set for decades."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkgChn5ihx
She turned then. Slowly. Calmly.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIV5LWGueLB
"No. You would be."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PF5IjTmve
Thomas blinked.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNymJYQZJ1
Christina's voice didn't rise. It didn't need to.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEO2c9ej3k
"I don't get a penny from the shipping side of Father's estate. When he dies, every ship, every ledger, every crate marked with Hale goes to you. Not me."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZ27xlfbwp
Her gloves were in her lap now, neatly folded.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyeBM8g4EN
"Who I marry elevates you. Every handshake, every investment—every child I produce will carry your legacy. Not mine."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVtbBjF9Xl
Thomas shifted uncomfortably, suddenly unsure of the upholstery.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoB7FGCGN9C
"So," she said, still quiet, "the next time you parade me through a ballroom and call it charity, try saying thank you instead."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHenE5pHYH
He opened his mouth.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1Et7xTCDK
She didn't let him speak.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1aFSarKdx
"You may be the next Sir Hale," she finished, folding her hands. "But it's who I marry that makes you more profitable. Not me."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Q7TuaNHdo
The rest of the ride passed in silence.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ11D0f0N7f
And as they reached the glowing drive of the Hale estate, Christina smiled faintly.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqN3XBcsxcn
"I'll do my part," she murmured, stepping down. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm a Hale, after all."28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhl0bKfDCWJ
---28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiPn0wPd02
The Hale estate slept.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wnXEFF0ak
Its windows dimmed one by one, shutters closed against the moonlight. The hallways hushed, the servants' footsteps stilled. Somewhere, a candelabra guttered into silence.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18J2Qn90hY
And Christina Hale slipped out the kitchen door with a ribbon-wrapped parcel and purpose in her step.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1dNmsNwRN
Her slippers barely kissed the bricks as she moved—skirt hem pinned, curls tucked into the hood of a charcoal cloak. No jewelry. No paint. Just breath and silk and the weight of knowing.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡza07aCtRa6
The city was different at 3:18 a.m.—all soft echoes and old smells. Yeast and salt, the faint iron of the port. She let herself into the print shop with a key she'd had cut by a locksmith who once asked no questions.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYbU4vvRbt
Inside, the air was cold but loyal. She didn't light every lamp. Just the one she needed. The press loomed in its corner like a silent sentinel, the plate waiting for her next breath.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBniXPquOW7
She slipped the parcel onto the table and unwrapped it: a velvet-bound notebook, ribbon-tied ink, and the latest letters she'd collected.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHhlU2LU9W
But she had written this one herself, by candlelight in her room, waiting for the household to sleep. Should she print it? Should she throw it away? She didn't know what to do.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDbp9N8tn4
Dear Miss Ginny,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfumnclZJZ
To whom it may concern—
Somewhere in the shops or homes of our quiet Williamsburg—our city we like to think is far from the world's turning—a name is being whispered. A possible spy against the English crown.
I do not know who they are. But loyalist households are murmuring, and the circle is tightening.
Could you imagine? Betraying your country in such a way? What would you do, Miss Ginny? What should someone do, if they suspect something?
— A Concerned Citizen
She took a clean sheet. Dipped the quill.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCBSPqzWsX
To whom it may concern,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2o97288TZA
If your information is correct, then the war is far closer than many of us would like to believe. And if that is the case—it could be anyone. Anywhere. A shopkeeper. A scholar. A guest at the last ball.
My advice to you is this: stay vigilant. Be careful where you go. Be careful who you're with.
What is whispered in a safe room today may echo loudly in a courtroom tomorrow.
— Your friend,
Ginny
She stared down at the typeset reply signed Your friend, Ginny, the press oiled and ready to run.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOIbCCKuxc
But her fingers didn't move.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBHIAHSVos
What you're about to do, she thought, they'd call treason.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQcQ0rhC9C
Thomas. Father. Every guest in that ballroom. Every man who clapped Benedict Amherst on the back. To them, this wasn't journalism. It wasn't morality. It was betrayal.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMMkmzK5jK
And she was a Hale.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIVwYG0zhI
She pressed her palm flat against the pressplate, feeling the cool metal bite against her skin. She thought of the family crest above the study door. Of her father's voice, crisp and tired: We don't trade in whispers, Christina. We trade in goods. In loyalty.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvxOG5aIcT
But what if this was loyalty? Not to a crown. Not to a name.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjo7Fpl7t7
To a life. To a girl she'd never met. To someone being hunted for secrets—and the silence that would let it happen.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKa3IQLi3G
What if someone's daughter was about to die because everyone else stayed quiet?28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXS0ORXiWSN
Her hand moved.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVZy4SAQ3q
She slid the two sheets into the stack.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmpvMnfQS9
And just before pulling the impression lever, she whispered aloud, as if the press might understand:28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwPXkG1pbz
"This isn't disloyalty. This is witnessing."
---
She returned just before dawn.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY92wFGJNjy
The Hale estate was still and shadowed, the windows dulled with morning fog. No one stirred as she slipped inside. Her slippers were damp, the hem of her cloak scented with ash and ink.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vgDh6TaMa
Upstairs, her room was unchanged—lace curtains, soft woolen quilt, a porcelain brush untouched since dusk.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8b5erhZxE
She washed her hands in a basin too cold to calm her.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlANWzlc7D5
The ink didn't fully lift.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiZ08tCnUD
She crawled into bed with her gloves tucked beneath the pillow and her fingers still stained, heart still echoing with the sound of type striking plate. It should have felt like safety.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3bc54l9gM
Instead, it felt like waiting.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuimsouhw1
What if they find the column? What if someone sees beneath the name "Ginny"?28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89q0u7vz9L
She turned onto her side, tucking the blankets around her ribs. Her throat ached. Her breath wouldn't settle.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOdHaMx30A
She loved her family.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXboV5TWzp
But she had done the right thing.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0opRE1k8Bz
Hadn't she?28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IfrakpRj3
She closed her eyes, but the question curled into the dark with her, quiet and sharp as ink on the inside of a glove.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4DYrc3EUB
Who are you becoming, Christina Hale?28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2YR8kTrZv
And deeper still—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtfOyuXbhD
Can you ever become someone else... and still be a Hale at all?28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPtVt8lE8m
