The Dark Between (38 page)

“You
are
clever, Elsie. The Chlorodyne may have dulled your senses, and it most certainly has compromised your confidence.” His eyes softened. “But you have a fine brain, my dear. Any brain needs using, however—the more you exercise it, the stronger it grows. How fortuitous that we live in a city teeming with excellent tutors!”

Elsie opened her mouth to protest, but her uncle held up a hand.

“Perhaps we might prevail upon Kate to join you in this tutoring. What do you think? I’ve racked my brain trying to think of ways to keep her at Summerfield without injuring her pride.”

Elsie considered the notion and found herself warming to it. She and Kate facing this tutor together? It sounded almost companionable. “But how would we convince her?”

“I’ll leave that up to you, my dear. Consider it your first assignment.”

Elsie found Kate in the library, moving books from a wooden cart to a high shelf. For such a small creature, she heaved each book with great determination.

“Kate?”

The girl whirled around. “You startled me. Everything echoes in this building.”

“I’ve just been with my uncle. He asked me to give you this.” She held out the gold watch.

Kate’s eyes widened. After a moment she extended a hand and took it. “My father’s watch.”

“The one you gave Billy. The police must have found it on the boy’s body, and they brought it to Uncle when they discovered his name inside.”

Kate opened the watch and traced the inscription with her finger. Then she snapped it shut and slipped it into her pocket, raising her chin to meet Elsie’s gaze. “Did you tell him everything?”

“It seemed safest to pretend I didn’t remember. When, or if, we tell him, we must do it together, don’t you think?”

Kate nodded.

Elsie picked at the ruffle on her sleeve as she struggled for the right words. Kate needed to know the truth about Tec, and there was little time for dawdling. But how best to go about it? She would have to revisit that night when she’d seen Tec’s spirit in the old lab in order to explain his strange alteration. A spirit divided from a living body—it sounded quite preposterous even now. Would Kate merely stiffen and walk away, thinking her mad? They hadn’t spoken intimately since Kate had lectured her. Before Elsie could confide something so bizarre and terrible, she must first break through this wall of politeness that had risen between them.

“I do appreciate what you said to me earlier,” she said softly. “I’ve come to like having you around, even when you’re criticizing my faults.”

The girl snorted. “Not sure what you’ll do without me, then.”

“I don’t
want
to do without you!”

“The work here is nearly finished,” Kate said with a shrug. “I’ll be moving on before long.”

“Not if I have something to say about it.”

“I can’t fix things for you any more than your young men could.”

“I don’t
want
you to fix things. I know I must do that myself. But is it wrong to need your friendship? I need both you and Asher, but he can’t stay in a ladies’ college. The students will return soon enough.”

“
You
should join the college,” said Kate. “Then you’ll have heaps of friends. Perhaps that’s even better than family, at least in your situation.”

“I’m considering it. And you could join with me.”

Kate dismissed the notion with a wave of her hand. “That’s not my sort of thing at all. I’m too young, anyway, and haven’t had any schooling for years.”

Elsie laughed. “Neither have I, for all practical purposes. We shall need a tutor. By the time you’re old enough to enroll, we’ll both be ready.”

“I can’t afford a tutor. I must find a new scheme, and then I won’t have time for schooling.”

“Let me help.”

Kate shook her head. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do. I really do. But I refuse to be beholden to you.”

“Why? I owe you
my life
,” Elsie cried. “How do you think that makes me feel? That debt may never be settled.”

Kate opened her mouth … and then closed it again.

“Listen,” Elsie said breathlessly. “If it’s a new scheme you want, I have the perfect one. My parents are always trying to force some sour old spinster on me as a paid companion.
You
can be that companion.”

Kate’s only reply was another snort.

“No really, Kate, think of the freedom we’ll have. We’ll serve as each other’s chaperone. We’ve made a good team so far, don’t you think?”

Kate held her gaze but did not speak.

“I wouldn’t think of you as my servant, if that’s what you’re afraid of,” Elsie said quickly. “I just meant to arrange a salary for you, so you wouldn’t feel like you were taking
my
money. When I tell my parents I’ve arranged for a companion and a tutor, they’ll be
grateful
to have me out of the way and doing something meaningful.”

The girl still did not speak.

“Kate?”

“It’s very decent of you to make the offer,” Kate finally said, her tone severe. “I’m inclined to take it, but only if you agree to one condition.”

“What is it?”

“Starting tomorrow, we decrease your Chlorodyne dose a little each day until you don’t crave it anymore. And together we will work on controlling your episodes so you have some choice whether or not to go to … that place.
And
you will not run off in the middle of the night with the next handsome man who smiles at you.”

Elsie smiled. “You’ve given
three
conditions.”

Kate raised a threatening eyebrow.

“All right, all right, I agree to your conditions,” Elsie said with a smile. “Are you satisfied?”

The corners of Kate’s mouth lifted. “I suppose so. For now, anyway.”

Elsie thought she might come near—to take her hand or even offer an embrace—but Kate’s eyes darted to the shelves instead.

“I must finish my work. There’s another cart to shelve, and I’d like to get through the day without Freeman scolding me.”

“I could help.”

Kate shook her head. “I’d rather do it myself. I’m actually
going to miss this library when I’m done.” She trailed her hand along the shelf before turning back to Elsie. “See you this evening?”

“Actually, there was something else—”

“Poole,” cried Miss Freeman from across the room. “Are you
quite
done visiting? We still have much to do before we lock up for the day.”

Kate grimaced. “I’d better get back to it.”

“We’ll talk more tonight,” said Elsie, ashamed by her own relief.

Tonight
, she reassured herself.
I will tell them both tonight
.

Elsie left the library with a lighter heart. The tangled threads of her life
were
sorting themselves out, weren’t they? She’d settled matters with her uncle quite satisfactorily. And not only was she on more intimate ground with Kate, but she’d actually convinced the girl to stay at Summerfield.

Asher was another matter. Perhaps she could have handled that conversation more delicately, but the old Elsie would have been so afraid of hurting feelings that she would have let him continue to hope. That was much worse than a blunt refusal, wasn’t it? Kate was right—she
had
strung him along. She’d enjoyed the attention, had even encouraged it at times. But now that was over, and he knew it. If it was possible for true friendship to thrive between a woman and a man, she hoped she could have that with Asher.

Once she’d told them everything, once they’d found Tec and somehow helped him, she would be free of Simon. Surely those visitations of warmth and tenderness would fade, and he would haunt her no longer.

She made her way back to the Gatehouse through the garden, pausing to gaze at the blackened shell of the old lab. She’d avoided it for days, but soon she must work up the courage to
retrieve her camera. She’d nearly braced herself to do so when she heard someone calling her name.

“There you are, Miss Elsie,” Millie said rather breathlessly, withdrawing an envelope from her apron pocket. “You have a telegram. You weren’t in your bed, and I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Elsie took the envelope. “I was at the library, talking to Kate.”

“Well, I’m glad to have delivered it.” Millie eyed the envelope expectantly.

Elsie fought the urge to hide the thing behind her back. “Millie, would you mind bringing tea to Aunt’s office? She works such long hours without a break. I’d like to surprise her with some refreshment and company.”

“Of course, miss.” Millie nodded slowly, making a poor job of hiding her disappointment. “I’ll do that now.”

Elsie slipped the envelope into her pocket and took her time returning to the Gatehouse. Her heart thudded as she climbed the stairs to her room. Once safely inside with the door shut, she sat in front of the mirror. With trembling hands she applied her penknife to the envelope and pulled out the thin piece of paper.

The telegram was from Paris, dated the day before. The sender’s name was left blank, but her heart leapt at the words.

SOMEHOW I FEEL YOU WITH ME.

With great concentration, Elsie returned the paper to the envelope and placed it in the drawer with her unopened bottles of Chlorodyne.

She was not insane.

And Simon was
alive
.

Chapter 42

Wednesday morning dawned with the promise of clear skies and a last gasp of summer warmth. Kate settled next to Asher on her favorite garden bench. They basked in the sun, watching Elsie wander in the orchard.

“Hard to believe we could have such a beautiful day after all the recent horrors,” Asher murmured. “You’d expect rain and gloom, wouldn’t you?”

Kate inhaled deeply. “It’s still warm, but you can smell autumn in the air. By next week it’ll be raining every day. Soon enough we’ll be bundling up against the cold.” She turned to Asher. “Did you write to your father?”

“I did.”

She waited for him to elaborate, but he held silent. “Well?” she prompted. “Shall you be returning to America or staying with us for a while?”

Asher turned to her, his face solemn. “Neither.”

Why does he tease me so?
She repressed the urge to stomp on his foot.

A grin spread over his face. “I can see the indignation boiling behind your eyes, Kate. Before you unleash your tongue,
let me explain. I’m traveling back to Rye to stay with my uncle for a time. I wired him on Monday and received his reply this morning.”

Kate must have done a poor job of masking her dismay, for he nudged her playfully. “You know I can’t stay at Summerfield, not once the students return. Since I can’t afford to take lodgings in Cambridge indefinitely, it’s time I was on my way.”

Panic quickened her pulse. “But we
will
see you again, won’t we?”

“I’ll be back in December for examinations, and in the meantime I won’t be that far away.”

“You know Rye might as well be the moon to me. I’ve never left Cambridge,” she muttered.

“I suppose it would seem a world away to you, in that case. But I’ll return in four months.”

“How will you fill your days? Will your uncle tutor you?”

“He’s found me a mathematics coach, and I shall study classics on my own, though Uncle says he’ll supervise.” Asher chuckled. “He’s such an old hermit—I think he’s afraid I’ll trespass on his writing time, and yet he’s so keen to do right by his brother’s son.”

“You’ll be near the sea,” Kate said wistfully. “You must write and tell us all about it. Do you promise?”

He nodded. “I shall be bored stiff down there. Prepare to receive
stacks
of letters.”

When he leaned back and closed his eyes, she took advantage of the opportunity to study his profile. He looked tired and worn, older than when she’d first met him at the Summerfield gate. His hair was in need of trimming, and the recent sun had made his freckles more pronounced. In that moment he seemed steady and wise. And even though he would never be more than a friend—love was for fools, after all—she had to
admit he was handsome in a boyish, American way. She wanted to reach up and smooth the furrows from his brow. Instead she savored the friendly warmth of his arm as it casually rested against hers.

It would be lonely at Summerfield—
she
would be lonely—without him.

She turned away reluctantly, spotting Elsie in the orchard. The girl was hurrying along the path to the old lab.

“Elsie, where are you going?” Kate called.

“To look at the ruined building.”

“Be careful!” shouted Asher, giving Kate a sidelong glance before closing his eyes again. “It’s probably good for her to face it.”

“Do you think she’s all right? Should I go to her?”

“She needs time to herself, out of her bedchamber,” he said, eyes still closed.

“I wonder …” Kate trailed off, uncertain.

Asher turned to her, his eyes so blue that her heart contracted. “Go on.”

“I wonder if Elsie’s not telling us the whole truth.”

Kate saw it then—the tightening in his cheek, the shadow that came over his eyes. He still cared for Elsie in
that
way.

“I don’t know,” he said after a moment. “But I trust her. Still … if you need me, send a wire. I’ll take the first train back, no matter what.”

Kate smiled. “It’s a comfort to have you as a friend.” She took his hand and squeezed it. They sat quietly for a moment as Kate tried to be content with what Asher had told her. In the end, however, she couldn’t help herself. “Were you kind to your father in your letter?”

He held her gaze. “I wasn’t unkind.”

“You two must learn to forgive each other, you know. What if something were to happen, and you hadn’t yet made amends?”

“Don’t worry, I was quite civil. In time, he and I may come to an understanding.”

“Good,” she murmured, settling back against the bench to enjoy the sunshine.