"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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXE5QmdJq4f
"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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAL4omMTWDZ
Elsie snorted. "She better hope the horse can spell his vows."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYemUuEEn2
Christina laughed, the sound light as spun sugar.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCv9yaOC0Ib
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenrRdzwXCF
Behind her, Elsie murmured, mostly to herself, "Just once, I'd like one of these grooms to come with a brain instead of boots."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMvoc5bvFL
Christina smiled but didn't turn back. The show was about to begin.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoAeClw7kv
---
"Christina! Come meet our guest—he's interviewing us for that article. Something about colonial shipping."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLd4wdKOJp
"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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0fMsEI0bW
She descended with care, skirts floating behind her like a sigh. A second voice—young, steady—murmured in reply. Unfamiliar.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzj1b36McyK
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7r9Wv5O95
"Miss Hale," he said with a respectful nod. "Ethan Tallmadge. My father runs a printshop in New Castle."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXN5aHxzdjq
"A man of ink." Christina returned the nod with practiced charm. "How fitting."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVUAbVy9OX
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZNgTFFql3
"And profitable," she replied, easing into the chair across from Ethan. "The column—whoever writes it—has paid him back twice over so far."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuub5vudLev
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCX0low9pP9
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?"23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IJUy9jQjk
He didn't flinch, but his fingers had stilled slightly on the rim of his cup.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmyC9iy9gY
She tilted her head. "Will we be seeing you at the ball this evening?"23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2L6uUdKCvW
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oekmpyxeP
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPf63ScWdph
Christina stood with him, gloves already tucked in hand. Her smile was nearly radiant.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNhR2Z8EzS
"Well, Mr. Tallmadge," she said, "may Richmond bring you something... enlightening."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2twH92MmGY
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9vCZRtHl9
Thomas smirked. "Careful. She'll have you printing heartbreak and hair ribbons in a week."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnDAnAg4DG
But Ethan's eyes stayed on hers. "Still profitable, though. And that's what matters."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4CxPiI0vB
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9NGxy7anS
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSGBL1erwZ
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyEsyLJd1N
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhSXETJIjt
"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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZbC6JqJmp
Her gaze slid meaningfully to Christina. "Do be a dear and present him to your sister."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjyurrmvKA
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKAQUwPuX3
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXK7HK27Wf
"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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSjVoKAeoQ
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbOxb4jBBt
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2WGhBVDll
---
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPwydxsSba
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYWmI8E4qR
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTc5KD0ySM
As the dance ended, a flushed young man with soft curls and nervous hands stepped forward, bowing with clear effort.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFksblUMB8g
"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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbDxHIU3Uy
Before Christina could part her lips, Benedict stepped half a pace forward.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2EEIGySs3
"She's otherwise engaged," he said, clipped and cool.
The young man blinked. "I—I didn't realize. My apologies."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZKavP8gcN
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB68OIMAV1z
---23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8Czmz6hLu
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6Wzgo9MUb
"Amherst," a voice called. "By God, I thought you'd ducked the candlelight."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelEkQMDIu6
A uniformed officer approached—braided epaulets, boots dusted faintly with travel. His face was lean, eyes sharp.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGxRWGjHR4
"Winslow," Benedict greeted, clapping his shoulder. "Did they drag you out of the field with promises of cake and coquettes?"23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQT7DjKuZ6T
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzx5nAMC6mW
"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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqekNQsERrb
Benedict scoffed. "A woman? Scribbling secrets between embroidery threads?"23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAuQwAd4qm
"They think she's using a local business," Winslow said. "Maybe a shop or press. Gossip as cover for messages. Clever work."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRG96Mgnj5A
Christina widened her eyes with perfect concern.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtE4n2ZgRg
"Oh my," she said softly. "A woman doing all that thinking? I couldn't imagine being clever enough to scheme like that."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKQe3zkogU
Winslow chuckled.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LGpfvvPVw
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?"23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4Ulyq8dnU
Winslow blinked—then smiled. "Yes, Miss Hale. Arguably the most dangerous kind."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssQ7aNW59b
She laughed, lilting and warm. "Only if the punch is too sweet."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NEiY6824i
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyN9DDRh9eI
She smiled, and filed it away.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzI4LYen6dq
---23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCzegYPCzc
The orchestra struck the opening notes of another waltz—slower this time, ceremonial. Benedict extended his hand with a stiff smile. "Shall we?"23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrngPbR3sj
Christina hesitated just long enough to make it a choice—then nodded. "Of course."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuylPeE9PM
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpXyXk4mIX
When the music faded, he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Miss Hale. I look forward to... future conversation."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YvfyKId6k
"And I," she replied, with a smile that gave nothing away.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF76fMzP2OW
As Benedict disappeared into the crowd, Thomas reappeared at her side, offering his arm.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQbqZ4IHys
"Well?" he asked under his breath, all pleasantness dropped. "Was he attentive? Appropriately impressed? Considering a formal call?"23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1BQg82EQj
Christina didn't answer at first. Her fan hovered slightly above her corset.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAmWDAXy4a
"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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaI2FVPQ2Lv
Thomas sighed, already tired of nuance. "None of that matters."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ruEPFMlXZ
She looked up at him sharply.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCaPNGo28i
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0ZWmvjYMo
Christina's jaw tightened, but she kept walking.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBHV2V2KMv
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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCENEprjRB
Thomas didn't reply.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLa2FYuvHRJ
He didn't have to.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKxZXRD404
---23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWl8MNbHry2
As they reached the edge of the ballroom, Thomas adjusted his cuff and leaned in, his voice low and clipped.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXqA8Y6oNV
"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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVghiDoUgr
Christina didn't hesitate.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuLAjPeVZf
"Home," she said, already turning. "I've played the part tonight. I'd rather not repeat my lines."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdo62oQTUL
Thomas raised a brow but said nothing more.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SnapmL3U9
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz528oRSLRW
---23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUGO09D2ge
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0c5xPkald
"You know this is for your good, Christina."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYTt0euHUP
She didn't look at him.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzS2FvK1k1a
"You don't want to end up an old maid," he continued. "Benedict Amherst is well connected, tasteful, wealthy—"23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6qfjGKj1H
"Ambitious," she supplied, still watching the window.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0St7LACPWc
"You could do far worse. He's interested in you, and if you marry him, the Hale name will be set for decades."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZE5PDDfefm
She turned then. Slowly. Calmly.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0JqxUyNC0
"No. You would be."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMtreHbYu1
Thomas blinked.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUDjXDWUZw
Christina's voice didn't rise. It didn't need to.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZuWxuIvpN
"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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6F41AM42Oo
Her gloves were in her lap now, neatly folded.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFVmrNzlHj
"Who I marry elevates you. Every handshake, every investment—every child I produce will carry your legacy. Not mine."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsE4inCoTu
Thomas shifted uncomfortably, suddenly unsure of the upholstery.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17P2M0PvMQ
"So," she said, still quiet, "the next time you parade me through a ballroom and call it charity, try saying thank you instead."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9L1vxtFMN
He opened his mouth.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCwve0n4c5
She didn't let him speak.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJsx7H668f
"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."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WixZyXCDg
The rest of the ride passed in silence.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZZuG67NYT
And as they reached the glowing drive of the Hale estate, Christina smiled faintly.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXBsABvPvP
"I'll do my part," she murmured, stepping down. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm a Hale, after all."23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnLoEY1oq7
---23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xLloIOeci
The Hale estate slept.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDcSyKQucf
Its windows dimmed one by one, shutters closed against the moonlight. The hallways hushed, the servants' footsteps stilled. Somewhere, a candelabra guttered into silence.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxaFlLq7Iz
And Christina Hale slipped out the kitchen door with a ribbon-wrapped parcel and purpose in her step.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCS02tmOIx3
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtUEIDdkqX
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlKwvRcUMX
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTw7A1Ur1b
She slipped the parcel onto the table and unwrapped it: a velvet-bound notebook, ribbon-tied ink, and the latest letters she'd collected.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdA7P4mf4hD
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjBnJ3pBVM
Dear Miss Ginny,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSizIirIxg6
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltrhfFz0cF
To whom it may concern,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRobabTwB4g
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Y97TPptYz
But her fingers didn't move.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvaClYWEk0
What you're about to do, she thought, they'd call treason.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVzRb5X7rA
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFwpUaHFUj
And she was a Hale.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyETA20aKnP
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmO83ObCOR
But what if this was loyalty? Not to a crown. Not to a name.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNLMxOz6GA
To a life. To a girl she'd never met. To someone being hunted for secrets—and the silence that would let it happen.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdirjLy6faT
What if someone's daughter was about to die because everyone else stayed quiet?23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQ88pScGtu
Her hand moved.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yPkU2RNEX
She slid the two sheets into the stack.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IWyny6K9N
And just before pulling the impression lever, she whispered aloud, as if the press might understand:23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pBKx1Xmw7
"This isn't disloyalty. This is witnessing."
---
She returned just before dawn.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZQQ7n4Ge1
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8BGI0S8kB
Upstairs, her room was unchanged—lace curtains, soft woolen quilt, a porcelain brush untouched since dusk.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPS1RcIzhb
She washed her hands in a basin too cold to calm her.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSF08IeWuy
The ink didn't fully lift.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVXX7hTuuK
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDREcoNACeL
Instead, it felt like waiting.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjJ4orloA3
What if they find the column? What if someone sees beneath the name "Ginny"?23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLIz1gyaOO
She turned onto her side, tucking the blankets around her ribs. Her throat ached. Her breath wouldn't settle.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcquXHdU7Uq
She loved her family.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Oq3wr0Trb
But she had done the right thing.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIontMi8iO
Hadn't she?23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycfSqRIZDV
She closed her eyes, but the question curled into the dark with her, quiet and sharp as ink on the inside of a glove.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgemWkEFpEf
Who are you becoming, Christina Hale?23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAaN4B0Qse1
And deeper still—23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPzcIgcz7j
Can you ever become someone else... and still be a Hale at all?23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2pJYzrxjT
