“No, you've got it all wrong. Ashton's not pressuring me. That's not like him.”
“April, you haven't known him long enough to know for sure.” She avoided my gaze. It was time to back off. “I'm just trying to look out for you, okay?” I took her hand in mine. “You're my sister, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Now, what are you planning to order? Choose whatever you’d like. It’s my treat.”
-Ashton-
Taking Time Off
The next morning, most of the family and staff were absent again. I was surprised at how easy it had been to gain access to the house over the past few weeks. People were often gone or were exactly where I expected them to be, so I could easily avoid them. I had taken quite a lot. My work here was almost done. I'd even thought of an excuse for leaving, so that Mr. Beckett would have little reason to suspect me, even after I'd gone. If I could convince April to leave too, I could count this job as a complete success. I went to Beckett's study and knocked twice.
“Enter!”
“Hello, sir. There's an urgent matter I need to discuss with you.” He nodded to an empty chair, and I sat. “My father has become ill. I just received word last night. He doesn't live in Tkaron, so I'll need to take a few days off to assess his situation.”
“How many days?”
“Four days, give or take. I'll work late tonight and finish what I can so that the yard will be presentable until my return. If I discover that I'll need more time, I'm prepared to call you with my resignation.”
Mr. Beckett pondered this for a few minutes. He rubbed his chin while he thought, then said, “I'll post the position tomorrow, and begin interviews in four days if I don't hear from you. I can't hold your position longer than that, especially at this time of year.”
“I understand, sir. Thank you.”
I was on my way outside when I ran into April. I'd been hoping I would see her before I had to leave. I gently took her arm and guided her into the kitchen. No one else was present. We sat at a small oak table and spoke quietly.
“Have you thought about my offer?”
“Can you tell me a little more about it?”
I had to be careful. I couldn't afford to blow my cover, but I wanted to help her very much. “Only if you accept the position. I urge you to take this opportunity.”
She was quiet, and then said, “I'll need some time to think about it. Would that be all right?”
“Opportunities like this don't last. Can you let me know by the end of today?”
“No, I'm afraid that's not enough time.”
I stood, reached into my pocket and withdrew one of my anonymous business cards. All it listed was a contact number. I picked up a pen from the counter, wrote my name above the number and handed her the card. “If you change your mind, call this number.”
She nodded.
I walked out the back door and headed around the manor toward the front garden. As I turned the corner, I saw a familiar figure at the main entrance. I pulled back just in time. What is she doing here?
-April-
Taking the Blame
That morning, I saw Ashton again. Funny, I thought I'd have to go out of my way to find him. Maybe he'd been looking for me? He pulled me into the kitchen. The chef was at the butcher’s, so we were alone. We sat at a small table by the back window. Sunlight splashed across the table and onto the floor, making patterns. I traced some of the lines with my index finger.
“Have you thought about my offer?” he asked.
“Can you tell me a little more about it?”
“Only if you accept the position. I urge you to take this opportunity.”
I had thought about Keira's advice, and Ashton wasn't telling me much. Since I really didn't know him, it would be a good idea for her to check into his background first.
“I'll need some time to think about it. Would that be all right?”
“Opportunities like this don't last. Can you let me know by the end of today?”
That certainly was high pressure. I was right to wait.
Ashton stood and reached into his pocket. He withdrew a business card, wrote something on it and handed it to me. Then he was gone.
There was a contact number with a very light imprint in the background, a snake striking at a coin. I didn't recognize the logo. What did it mean? And who carried around business cards with no name or title on them? If Ashton knew about a legit job, he should have been able to tell me at least some of the details. I looked at the contact number again. It seemed familiar somehow.
***
The next day, Ashton didn't return to work, or the day after that. I asked around to see if anyone knew what had happened to him.
“Mr. Beckett placed an ad for a new groundskeeper and plans to begin interviews in two days if he doesn't return,” the butler informed me.
“Was Ashton fired?”
“No, his father is sick. Why are you so interested?”
“No reason.”
Had I made a mistake? Maybe Ashton had only been pressing me to make a decision because he knew he would have to leave for a while. Hopefully, he would return.
The butler said, “The Becketts are expecting guests for dinner. Prepare the formal dining room for six. Use the best china and silverware.”
I began by spreading out a pretty white silk tablecloth. Then I looked for the silver candlesticks but was unable to find them. Instead, I grabbed a pair of crystal candlesticks. I took them into the kitchen and washed them in warm sudsy water. I held them up and smiled as they sparkled in the sunlight. I returned to the dining room, inserted some pale green candles into the holders and placed them in the center of the table.
Next, I took a crystal vase and pair of garden sheers out back and prepared a pretty tulip centerpiece. As I passed through the kitchen on my way to the formal dining room, I saw that Lewis was already preparing the salad. I removed the china dishes from the display case in the far corner of the room and set out the dinner plates first, with salad plates placed neatly on top and coffee cups on saucers placed in the upper right. I carried the dessert plates to the kitchen so Lewis could prepare them for later. He joined me in the dining room and dished up the salad while I pulled open the top drawer of the buffet table and removed some pale green silk napkins that matched the candles perfectly. I folded them in a pretty design and placed one next to each plate.
I returned to the buffet table and pulled open the bottom drawer. The best silverware was missing. I pulled open the side cabinets. The silverware was nowhere to be found.
“Lewis, have you seen the silverware?”
“No, but you best get a move on.” He returned to the kitchen.
I stood and looked around the room carefully. Was anything else missing? I noticed an empty pedestal in a corner. What had been there? It was a small statue, the head of a man. It was gone too. Also there was an empty nail on the wall where a small painting had once hung.
I checked the time. Lewis was right, the guests would arrive shortly, but I had enough time to inform Mrs. Beckett. I walked up to the master bedroom and knocked lightly on the door.
“Enter!” boomed Mr. Beckett's voice.
Oh no! I pushed the door ajar and saw Mrs. Beckett finishing the knot on Mr. Beckett's tie. They both looked at me.
“Is the dining room ready, dear?” asked Mrs. Beckett.
“That's what I came to talk with you about.”
“My dear,” said Mr. Beckett. “Our guests will be here any minute. If there's a problem, you'd best remedy it quickly.”
“Yes, sir.” I fled downstairs and retrieved the second best silverware from the kitchen. Then I finished preparing the dining table and returned to the kitchen to await further instructions.
Nothing out of the ordinary happened during the meal. However, later that night, after their guests were gone, Mr. Beckett requested my presence in his study. I felt sick.
“You wanted to talk with me and my wife earlier. I think I know what about. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“What? I just wanted to report that the silverware was missing. That's why I set out the second best set.”
“That's not all that has gone missing.” He paused. “I see that doesn't surprise you.”
I hung my head. “No, sir. I noticed a few other items were missing when I set up for dinner today.”
“I expect you knew they were gone long before that, and I'll expect you to return everything by tomorrow morning.”
I looked directly at him and said, “But, I don't have them! I don't know where they are!”
Lance Beckett strode toward me. He gripped me by the neck and pulled me forward so my face was mere centimeters from his.
“Then you will find them.” Violently, he threw me to the ground.
I turned and tried to brace myself but cried out as the corner of my right eye glanced off the wooden arm of a chair. I hit the floor hard. Snap! What was that? The belt slapped across my back. I screamed in agony, but he didn't stop. He struck again and again. Tears streamed down my face and soaked the carpet beneath me.
Then Lance Beckett grabbed my upper arms and spun me around. His eyes bore into me. I had never seen him so irate, yet he seemed to be studying me. Was he deciding how to kill me?
Quietly and slowly he spoke. I felt his breath brush over my face. “She must be mistaken. There’s nothing special about you,” he sneered, “and now that you owe me for all that was stolen, she will never have you. I don’t care how high and mighty she is. Until your debt is paid, I...own...you.”
What's he talking about? Who is SHE?
But I had no more time to wonder about it. He took me then and all rational thought flew from my mind. Never before had he been so brutal. When it was over, I couldn't walk. It was painful just to stand.
Mr. Beckett grabbed me by the arm, lifted me and escorted me to my room. The door clicked shut, and the outer lock slid into place. I turned to the corner and threw up.
-Keira-
The Lake
We began our holiday at dawn. A grey hazy sky gradually brightened, turning yellow and finally, blue. We experienced little traffic along the way – some service trucks, semis transporting goods and military vehicles, very few cars.
When we arrived, rays of mid-morning sunlight fell upon the lake and made the ripples sparkle like diamonds. The falls roared in the distance. I'd never imagined anything could be so beautiful! Even the rustic cabin was perfect. We spent the day alternately talking and resting peacefully to a backdrop of birds twittering and wind soughing in the trees.
The first night, after we climbed under the covers, I leaned in for a kiss, but Guy gently pushed me back. He studied me intently for a few minutes.
“Something is different.” His finger brushed against my face just over my left eyebrow where I'd been nicked by a knife. “Didn't you have a small scar there?”
“Yes, and I'm sure I still do.”
“It must be the lighting. How did you get it?” he asked.
“One of my marks grabbed a brass letter opener. Fortunately, my knife was bigger.”
Guy moved down and kissed my left shoulder. That scar was covered now, but he was aware of it.
“What about that one?”
“It was my first.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I don’t really like to think about it.” I pulled the blankets up under my chin and began to turn away.
“Please?”
I sighed. “It happened shortly after I turned 16. A man I was staying with burned me with his cigar. He'd laughed and told me he was branding me. He said I belonged to him. A few nights later, after he fell asleep, I made sure he understood that no one owns me.”
Guy stared at me. I could sense his thoughts, but he remained silent.
I decided to answer his unspoken question. “I didn't kill him. I simply took a few of his fingers and told him they belonged to me. I figured it was a fair exchange. That's when I began making a name for myself. After that, anyone who hurt me paid for it.”
Guy took my right hand and turned my arm to reveal the scar left from when I'd tried to take my own life. Even I could hardly see it. Funny, I thought it was more noticeable.
“I can guess what happened here. Do you want to talk about it?”
I shook my head, and he kissed that one too.
“May I see the others?”
I sat up, turned and lifted my t-shirt.
“There's nothing here.”
“You can feel them.”
He ran his fingers over my back. “Yes, there they are.” His warm soft lips kissed each scar in turn.
***
The next morning we drove closer to the falls. Their raw power was a beauty beyond words. We drove back in silence, and then ate a picnic lunch in front of the cabin. Afterward, we lounged on a blanket on top of soft pine needles and discussed the ballet we'd attended a few days ago, my first ever, when I remembered something from weeks ago.
“Guy?” I asked lazily.
“Yes?”
“Eberhardt told me that you chose your name. What does it mean? Why did you choose Guy?”
He propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at me. “I needed a new identity, for the Resistance.”
I nodded.
“So I did some research. I wanted my name to reflect who I was, my new role. I read somewhere that the name Guy may come from the ancient word “guie,” meaning guide or leader. That was exactly what I wanted, to guide people to safety.”
“And Bensen?”
“It means warrior.”
“Ah, and you're fighting the whole world.”
He laughed. “Sometimes it feels that way.”
-Guy-
An Evening at the Lake
That night, after a light dinner, I asked Keira if she'd like to go for a walk. This had been, by far, the most relaxing holiday I'd ever been on. Along the way, I paused to grab the blanket from the porch railing. Then we strolled along a path toward the lake. I reached for Keira's hand and gently laced my fingers through hers.
The path we followed wound through the woods and into a small glade. We continued on. Pebbles crunched underfoot as we neared the lake and found a large flat stone upon which to sit. Keira helped me spread the blanket on the ground. Then we sat and listened to the wind blow through the pine trees. We watched as black and white geese flew in a low V and settled onto the surface of the water. Keira leaned against me, and I rested my arm around her shoulders.
“They're beautiful! It's all so beautiful. I had no idea being away from the city would be like this. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“Shhh...” I whispered. “Just enjoy it.”
I pointed to the orange tinted sky. As the sun settled over the water, and the noise from the geese subsided, stars appeared and new noises began.
“What is that?” She sounded surprised and curious, not fearful.
“Those are frogs. It's their mating season.”
“Oh, really? Are you trying to tell me something?” she teased.
“Only that those are frogs, and it's their mating season,” I replied seriously.
“They don't sound like frogs.”
“Not all frogs say, 'Ribbit.' Those are grey tree frogs.”
“I like their call. How do you know so much anyway?”
“Education, experience and curiosity.”
“Does it bother you that I have less education and very different experiences than you?”
“No, does it bother you?” I'd been learning a lot about Terene lately, precisely because of our differences.
“A little, I guess. Yes. April and I were talking about this recently. I told her I think it's wrong that some children have so little while others are given so much. She seems to think it's just the way
of the world and that we have little to no control over our lives.”
“April?”
“Yes, my sister, April. I'd like you to meet her when we get back.”
“You've mentioned her before. Is she anything like you?”
“No, not at all! We don’t even look alike. Scott and I have Dad's darker coloring, and April looks more like Mom. Her hair is long and straight and the color of honey, the color of mine right now. She's every bit the youngest. Scott and I were able to protect her from a lot, so she's usually more optimistic than me and more naïve.”
A grain of concern began to sprout in my mind. “What does she do?”
“She's a maid at the Beckett estate. When I first met you, I used some of her information to try to reel you in.”
I stared at the lake for a long time after that. What were the chances? I still had my arm draped over Keira’s shoulders. She tilted her head back and kissed me gently on the cheek, but I didn't respond, couldn't respond, not how she was expecting me to.
“Keira, there's something I have to tell you.”
She pulled away. “That doesn't sound good.”
I turned to look at her in the ever deepening night. “You don't want secrets, right?”
“Right.”
“I should have told you earlier, but I didn't realize the connection until just now. It's about my latest job for the Resistance.”
“Guy, what is it?”
“I've met April, and she's not as naïve as you think. None of the female servants at the Beckett estate are.”
Keira held still and waited for me to continue.
I sighed. “I've been working there for the past three weeks.”
“You're the new groundskeeper?”
I nodded. April must have told her.
“Ashton?”
“Yes. Now that Oren is dead, I needed a new alias.”
“April told me about you. Has anything happened between you two?”
“What? No!”
“She really likes you,” she explained. “Wait. What is going on at the Beckett estate? What do you mean about April not being naïve? Do you mean like what happened to the last nanny?”
“That's exactly what I mean.”