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As usual, God had his ears stuffed with beeswax. The voices of my aunt and fiancé approached from behind at the speed of two galloping horses.
‘Oh, Mr Fitzgerald! I am so sorry! I should have known something like this was going to happen. Lilly has always been such a wilful child!’
‘Surely, Mrs Brank, you do not think she left by choice? I just announced our engagement, and she was clearly bursting with joy! Why would she wish to leave?’
Just then, the two of them brushed past me. I could see the expression on my aunt’s face. No matter her faults, my aunt knew me well. In answer to Mr Fitzgerald’s words, she gave only a tactful silence.
The exit wasn’t far ahead now. Only a few steps. I started counting positive numbers again.
Ten steps.
Nine.
Eight.
My aunt and Mr Fitzgerald reached the exit. I ached to catch up to them, to go faster, to run like the wind - but I knew that I couldn’t. I could still feel the steely gazes from behind the curtain on my neck and knew that the moment I started to move faster than average, they would see through my disguise, and grab me.
Nice and slow, Lilly. Nice and slow.
Seven steps.
Six.
Five.
Four.
It would be over soon. I just had to hold out a little longer. A tiny little bit longer. Outside, I could hear my aunt and my fiancé discussing my mysterious disappearance. In an effort to keep myself from breaking into a run, I focused on their voices.
‘I can’t believe she went out on her own, Mrs Brank - not considering the way I know she feels about me! Something must have happened, someone must have taken her! I should never have left her alone. As her betrothed, her safety is my responsibility!’
‘Um…yes.’ There was hesitation in my aunt’s voice. I could see she probably found the idea of my having to be forcibly dragged from Morty’s side because of my mad, passionate love for him not quite convincing, but thought it impolitic to point this out to him. ‘You are probably right. Maybe you should look for her.’
Three.
Two.
One.
‘You are right, Mrs Brank. I will!’
Out!
I blinked in the darkness of the night for a moment. When my eyes slowly became used to the gloom, I could make out the stocky form of Morty a little way away, gazing left and right in search of his lost future bride. My aunt was standing a bit closer to the door, only feet away from me.
Quickly, I turned to the left and headed down the street, away from the house.
Don’t let them see me, don’t let them see me, don’t let them see me…
‘Where could she have gone?’
‘I don’t know, Mr Fitzgerald.’
‘I can’t see anyo - oh, excuse me! Sir! Sir, have you seen a girl? About your height, with shoulder-long brown hair, and-’
I broke into a run.
*~*~**~*~*
