Page 46 of Til Death Duke Us Part
When she pulled herself out of the grave and onto the grass, she looked at the yellow morning—fresh and foggy. And she looked at herself—grimy and worn. She set off for home, dragging her heavy heart behind her.
In the corridor outside her room, a door flew open, and Sarah popped out.
Persephone lurched back with a yelp, her hand flying to her heart. “You scared me.”
“Yer jumpy this morning,” Sarah said, eyeing Persephone from head to toe. “And in no state for company. Dirt in every crevice.”
Persephone rubbed her cheek, looked at her fingers—smudged. “Can’t help it. Good thing I don’t have calling hours right now.” She huffed a laugh.
“No? Then why are there two fancy folks waiting for you in your room?” Sarah nodded to the door across from hers.
“Two… What do you mean?”
“Mr. Hoskins brought them up, let them in.”
The landlord had let strangers into her room? Perhaps… “Was one of them the same man you saw me with last week?”
“No, not him at all. An older couple. Musta been alchemists. The man didn’t wear gloves.”
“Odd.”
“Yell if you need me,” Sarah said right as a baby’s wail split Persephone’s ears. Sarah grimaced and slunk back inside her room, closing the door.
And Persephone faced her own door. Who…? She inspected her trousers, her man’s shirt—all of it past dirty. Nothing for it, though. The mystery must be solved without a bath.
A bath in a large copper tub in a tiled room with a fake fire flickering nearby.
She slammed the door on that image. She wouldn’t think of Victor anymore. Couldn’t.
Setting her chin high and shoving her shoulders back, she opened the door.
And found her mother and father sitting side by side, teetering on the very edge of her rickety bed.
Her mother jumped up. “Darling.” She held her arms out wide as if she would wrap Persephone in a hug, but she reeled back at the last moment, lips peeling back to show her teeth. “Ah. You are… How did you get so…?”
“You’re a damn mess, Persephone.” The bed squeaked as if taking a last breath as her father stood. “Did you fall in a mud puddle? Where have you been? Why are you wearing men’s clothes?”
“Working. That’s where I’ve been. It’s why I wear this.” She dusted some of the dirt off her trousers. Tried to.
“No more! No more!” Her mother patted the air around Persephone’s shoulders. “You don’t have to work anymore, darling. And I have no desire to know what that work is.”
“Of course I have to work. What—” Persephone pinched the bridge of her nose. “What are you two doing here?”
“Sit.” Her father nodded toward her bed.
And lacking anything else to do, Persephone obeyed.
“No, do not sit!” Her mother yanked her up. “We’re leaving now.”
“We should talk through some things first,” her father said.
“Here?” The word a screech. Her mother looked panicked. “I’ll not stay here a moment longer. We’re going home now that we have Persephone.”
Persephone freed herself from her mother’s grasp. “I am home.”
“No, no, no. Manchester, darling. We’re returning to Manchester.” Her mother locked their arms together and dragged her toward the door. “Forget all these… things. We’ll get you new clothes and new… everything as soon as we can.”
“Are you trying to take me with you?” Persephone tried and failed once more to free herself.
