Page 63 of Grave Expectations
"France, Italy, or any of a number of countries. Perhaps even America or the Antipodes. The world is your oyster, as they say." He held up a hand when I began to protest. "Hear me out. It would be the chance for a new life for you, a new beginning where no one knows you. No one will come after you because of your necromancy."
"If it's kept a secret, that is."
"I assumed that you would want it that way, considering all that has happened since people discovered it."
I sat back in the chair, disregarding my bustle. I shook my head at him in disbelief. "You don't know me at all. I have no wish to have a new life. I like this one. It has my friends in it, and my fiancé."
Beside me, Seth touched my shoulder. "I don't think it's an offer, Charlie. Not one he expects you to refuse."
Marchbank sipped again, seemingly oblivious to my glare. "Vickers is correct."
I set my cup down with a clatter. "I thought you were the decent one, sir, but I see you are just like them and against me too."
"No," he said with bland indifference. "I am the only one who doesn't want to exile you to a remote island in the middle of nowhere without a hope of escape."
My stomach plunged. Although I knew they wanted to do that to me, and perhaps worse, the thought never ceased to make me feel ill. Sometimes it felt like a thin veil separated my desire for freedom from their desire to hide me, and it would only take a puff of wind to blow that veil away.
"At least with my plan you can have a good life," he went on. "A far better one than you had when you lived on the streets too."
"But not better than this one."
"Are you quite certain of that?"
"Yes! And what of my engagement to Lincoln? I won't leave him. I can't." This last came out on a choke.
Marchbank's unruffled gaze settled on me. "You say you love him, but I don't believe you."
"What!"
"You have placed him in a difficult position. He feels obligated to marry you because he has feelings for you. That's not love, that's manipulation."
"It's not anobligation," I snapped.
"It is, for him. He's not the sort of gentleman who will have a dalliance with a young woman then discard her."
It was very close to what Lincoln himself had said. That I wasn't the sort of girl to keep as a mistress, and that hemustmarry me. I picked up my teacup again and held it tightly. I tilted my chin. "I can't leave him. We belong together."
"Are you sure he feels the same way?"
"Yes."
"He's a man who has been alone his entire life. I'm sure I don't need to lay it all out before you, Charlie. You know he's never had a proper family."
"What are you getting at?"
"He might be infatuated with you now, and seduced by the idea of having a wife and family, but once the novelty wears off, he will return to himself."
"Heisbeing himself, now, with me." It was frustrating that I felt compelled to defend Lincoln and my own reasoning. I thought I didn't care about Marchbank's opinion, or that of any of the committee members. It seemed I was wrong. "I've brought out a different side to him. A better side." I sounded so arrogant, yet Ihadto believe it, otherwise that meant Marchbank was right. And if he was right, then I should leave Lincoln for his own good.
"Old habits are hard to break. People don't change overnight," he went on.
There was certainly some truth in that. Lincoln struggled to involve me fully in ministry business, despite our numerous discussions about it. Even in the note he'd left this morning, he'd told me he was going out, but not where.
But he would learn and change. He simply needed time to adjust, and I could give him that. I must remember not to push him so much in future and allow him to adapt to being in a relationship at his own speed.
"I see you're giving some serious thought to what I'm telling you," Marchbank said.
"I'm not leaving him. That's final. Gus, please see Lord Marchbank out."
