“Excuse me, but I must go see to Miss Sutherland,” Fredrick said with a slight bow.
He didn’t wait for their responses before he headed towards the veranda. Once he stepped outside, he saw no sign of her. Or Clarissa. Where in the blazes could they be?
Had they taken a walk on one of the many paths that lined the expansive gardens? He let out a groan. It could take a while to search for them, and he didn’t have time for that.
He didn’t want to miss the waltz, but it appeared to be inevitable. As his eyes roamed over the gardens’ grounds, an uneasy feeling came over him. It was a feeling that he had learned to trust, but he wasn’t sure what it meant.
Fredrick started down one of the paths, hoping he would come across Emilia and Clarissa sooner rather than later.
The moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale glow over the gardens. Emilia sat on a bench in the rear of the gardens where it was more secluded. She wanted to give Clarissa some privacy as she swiped at the tears that were falling down her cheeks. The leaves rustled softly in the breeze and the occasional chirping of crickets filled the air.
“I’m sorry for my display of emotions,” Clarissa said in between sobs.
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Emilia responded.
Clarissa looked over at her. “We both know that isn’t true. I am ruining your ball.”
Emilia placed a comforting hand on Clarissa’s sleeve. “You are doing no such thing,” she insisted. “I am happy to be here with you.”
“You are very kind,” Clarissa said, wiping away another tear.
Emilia gave her a knowing look. “You would do the same thing for me,” she remarked. “Now, what has you so upset?”
Clarissa looked up at the night sky, as if searching for an answer among the stars. “I wasn’t prepared for the harsh comments that were directed at me, but I suppose it was inevitable.”
“Now it is my turn to apologize,” Emilia said.
“Whatever for?” Clarissa asked, looking bemused.
“Perhaps it wasn’t wise for me to invite you to the ball, given your recent change in fortune,” Emilia admitted with a sigh.
Clarissa shifted on the bench to face her. “But I wanted to be here to support you.”
“You did?” Emilia asked.
“I did,” Clarissa confirmed. “That is what sisters are for, is it not?”
Emilia smiled broadly. “It is.”
Calvin’s voice emerged from the darkness behind them. “What do we have here?” he asked, his tone cold.
Turning towards Calvin, Emilia saw that he was holding a pistol, and it was pointed at her.
Emilia rose. “What are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Calvin asked. “I am here to kill you.”
“But why?”
Calvin laughed dryly. “When you die, everything that you have will become ours, and we will finally be free of you.” He paused. “What did you think would happen when you made us your beneficiaries?”
“I did so because we are family,” Emilia said.
All humor left Calvin’s face. “We are not family,” he spat out. “It was just a fantasy on your part, making it so easy to manipulate you.”
Emilia shifted her gaze towards Clarissa. “Surely you are not a part of this?”
Clarissa’s expression was one of indifference. “I am not your sister, and I never will be,” she replied as she went to stand by her brother. “I just said precisely what you wanted to hear.”
