Page 45 of Zenith
Perhaps she was right, but love did strange things to people, and I was not impervious. I’d acted rashly just as Edward and Rivers had. Each of us had been impulsive and emotional.
“If you will listen, I shall tell you all of it,” I said to Adele. “You put yourself into a precarious position obtaining this evidence, and I admire the trust you have placed in me without knowing my circumstances.”
“I have told you, Jane,” she retorted. “I do not like it when a man raises his hand to a woman. Rivers deserves whatever he gets. I do not need to know the rest of it.”
She attempted to wave me off, but I told her the full story from the beginning. It took some time to regale her with the comings and goings, but soon, she was brought up to speed and fully installed into the fold.
“Edward is stubborn,” I said. “He has all but submitted to his fate, but I do not want to let Blanche win. I have been attempting to piece together enough evidence to implicate her.”
“I like your thinking,” Adele said. “If he goes down, then so does she. She has committed many crimes. Do you think the police would have interest? Or do you plan to blackmail her into silence?”
Blackmail? Yes, I suppose that was what I was attempting. I was stooping to Blanche’s level by acquiring proof of her treachery to use against her, and my heart twisted. Did I have to become the thing I despised in order to save the man I loved?
“I do not like it, but what else am I to do?”
“Don’t worry, Jane,” Adele proclaimed. “It is an admirable thing to fight for those you love.”
Edward’s words came back to me then, as clear and sharp as if he’d only just whispered into my ear.If someone means to mortally harm you, you must fight, Jane, and if you will not, you must allow those who care for you to go into battle in your stead.
* * *
Adele remained at Thornfield, reluctant to go.
The hotel was full of life, the spirits of the ragtag group of men and women I called family raised considerably.
Edward still lingered in darkness, waiting for the axe to fall over his neck, and nothing anyone did could change his disposition. Not even when we lingered alone, did a smile pass his lips.
Then a week after I went to see Georgiana, she paid me a visit, bringing another spirit into the dampened manor.
“Oh, Georgiana!” I exclaimed when I met her in the gallery. “It is good to see you. Are you well?”
“As well as I can be,” she replied.
“That is good to hear, cousin.”
“Jane, I have it,” she said, grasping my hands. “I have your evidence.”
My heart soared, and I hugged her tightly—a rather uncharacteristic move on my behalf—ecstatic something was finally working in our favor. Perhaps we would have half a chance at thwarting Blanche after all.
“Truly?” I asked.
“Yes. Have we somewhere private? You must see it immediately.”
Grasping her hand, I led her upstairs to the library, gathering Alice and Adele on our way. They took to my cousin immediately, fussing over the color of her hair quite spiritedly until I had to quiet them.
Sitting side by side on the couch, Alice and Adele opposite, Georgina held up her mobile phone so we could listen to the recording she’d captured.
“Thursday evening? was a charity event, and we met there,” she explained before pressing play. “Blanche has taken me under her wing these last months, I fear, to use me for information.” She glanced at me nervously, and I offered her a reassuring smile. “After I spoke to you, Jane, I thought to question her under the guise of my misplaced anger toward you. I said some things…” ????????
“It is okay, Georgiana,” I said. “I’m sure you only said what you needed to.”
She nodded, then pressed play.
“Blanche?” came Georgiana’s voice from the phone.
“Darling!” Her voice was overexcited with an air of exuberance that bred fakeness. “There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“You have?”
