Sorry for the long absence. I was at the Renaissance Faire this weekend. If you want to see pictures, I put a few up on my DA page. (Link's in my profile.)

"Ann!" I cry again, when she doesn't respond. "What have you done?"

She shakes her head sadly. Her desolation makes me wish I could comfort her, but her betrayal has me cold. Felicity is frozen beside me, eyes narrow as she regards Ann.

"You betrayed us," Felicity hisses, loathing consuming her voice.

"No," Ann begs. "I was trying to –"

"Do you think I care?" Felicity spits angrily. She takes my arm and leads me away, yanking roughly on my wrist. As we disappear around the corner, I dare one last glance at Ann.

She's gone.

-- -- --

In the carriage, Felicity and I debate furiously.

"She betrayed us Gemma! She's dangerous!"

"I know, Felicity," I say through gritted teeth. "But now we don't know any more than we did before. We could have at least learned something from her about Circe!"

Felicity shakes her head, sighing in exasperation. "She wouldn't have told us anything. She's one of Circe's creatures now. If anything, she would have fed us lies to throw us off course."

"She's not one of her creatures. She's still Ann," I insist.

Felicity's gray eyes are stormy as she regards me darkly. "No. She's not."

I sit back with an angry sigh. Nothing I say will persuade her, and she will not sway my opinion. Felicity looks out the carriage window, eyeing the gray sky dismally.

-- -- --

Once I arrive home, I go straight to my bedroom.

"Did you make any purchases, Gemma?" Grandmama asks as I pass the sitting room.

"No."

I continue up the stairs, hoping that Grandmama does not insist on interrogating me about my day of "shopping." Fortunately she is absorbed in her needlepoint, and I am free to pass, unharrassed.

I fall onto my bed, ignoring the stays that jab my sides. To think that Ann has turned against us… it's almost inconceivable. I can't believe that she would join with Circe for the sake of vanity. And Tom… I'd known that Ann admired him, but I did not think she was so besotted that she would sell her soul for him. And even after all that, Tom won't acknowledge their relationship.

I sit bolt upright, nearly cracking my head on my bedside table in the process.

What about Tom? Is he in danger?

I leap to my feet and pace my bedroom nervously. I've half a mind to hail a cab and go straight back to Bethlem, just to be sure that nothing has happened to him. But it is impossible. Grandmama would never let me out without a chaperone, and I won't likely convince her to come with me to the asylum just to visit Tom.

As I turn back to my bed, ready to collapse in helpless defeat, I spy a folded parchment on my bedside table. With a cry of consternation, I snatch the thing up and rip it open. It would really just be a the perfect end to an unbelievable day if Circe had somehow managed to get into my house.

But the script is not in her hand. I sigh in relief and sink shakily onto my bed. It is Kartik's penmanship hastily scrawled over a bit of dirty parchment.

Gemma,
I'm sorry about what happened. I can explain later. I have been following Mr. Middleton. Meet me as usual.
Kartik

I reread the note several times before tucking away with the others. What did he mean, 'he can explain?' Was his abandonment a ruse? It doesn't seem likely, considering the fit he threw when I confessed to Simon's proposal.

I groan at the memory. I'd almost managed to forget that I was engaged to Simon. There was absolutely no way of wriggling out of it, without eternally sullying my reputation. Kartik had to understand that.

I shake my head harshly, trying to clear my thoughts. There is no use in worrying over it – I won't have any definite conclusions until I meet Kartik.

-- -- --

Midnight comes sooner than I expect. It helps that I fell asleep for three hours. Unfortunately, I fell asleep in my corset. My ribs cry out in agony when I sit up in the darkness, and realize that midnight is near. I gasp in pain, but I have no time to loosen the stays. Forcing myself to breathe quietly, I sneak into the hallway and back to the carriage house, as I did so often before.

Kartik is waiting right inside the door. He steps out of the darkness as I enter, frightening the life out of me. Before I can scream, he covers my mouth, pulling me against him. Instinctively, I bite his hand. He hisses in pain and releases me. I spin away quickly, turning to face him with a scowl.

"What was that for?" Kartik demands, rubbing his hand.

"There was no need to manhandle me," I say defensively.

Kartik smiles wolfishly. "You liked it before."

A hot blush suffuses my cheeks, and it's all I can do to hold his gaze. "Excuse me, sir," I snap primly. "What is it you wanted to see me for?"

Kartik's grin widens at my business-like tone. "A few things actually, but I suspect that one of them is rather unwelcome at the moment."

I know what he's insinuating, and it only makes my blush deepen. "Will you please just get to the point?" I sigh, trying to sound unflustered.

"The Order and the Rakshana used to be lovers," Kartik starts bluntly.

"Yes, well – er…" I trail off, embarrassed.

"Does 'the Caves of Sighs' mean anything to you?"

"Yes," I answer, poorly concealing my mortification.

"The Rakshana and the Order have an understanding – Rakshana guardians and Order Preistesses are naturally drawn to each other."

"Why?"

"Nobody is certain – though it's likely to do with the magic of the Realms."

I cock my head, embarrassment forgotten as I struggle to understand what he's getting at. "Why are you telling me this?"

"That is why you found yourself in such a compromising position with Mr. Middleton. He knew about the connection between Rakshana and the Order. He was exploiting it."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, it's not your fault, Gemma."

"So… you've forgiven me? Just like that?"

"I was never angry with you," he says sheepishly. "I assumed that Middleton had pushed himself on you. I pretended to be angry with you because I was afraid you would interfere if you knew I was going to go kill him," he informs me idly.

"Kill him! Kartik, no!"

"See. I knew you'd interfere."

"You're not a murderer," I say desperately. "Tell me you haven't done anything to him!"

Kartik sighs. "If I had, perhaps you would stop mooning over him."

"I'm not mooning over him!" I snap. "I'm worried about you – what if you were caught? What would I do? How would I…" I trail off, embarrassment rising again.

"Gemma," Kartik declares with a melodramatic hand to his heart, "I didn't know you cared!"

"Stop it," I swat at him, rolling my eyes. "You know I care. Right?"

Kartik grows serious. "Yes. I do." He paused, fidgeting with the knife at his waist. "And… you know that I care?"

For the first time, I think I see Kartik blush. I smile, and resist teasing him mercilessly. "Yes," I say softly.

Kartik is gentle as he reaches his hand behind my neck, and presses a soft kiss against my lips. "I'm glad you're safe," he murmurs as he pulls away.

"Me? I've only been swanning around the city with Felicity," I say off-handedly.

Kartik kisses me again. "I know what you've been doing."

"What?" I whisper.

"I've been following you."

"You – what? You've been spying on me!"

"Gemma."

"You always know what's happening, and you completely leave me in the dark! I'm the supposed High Priestess, yet I'm always the last to know something!"

Kartik shushes me, careful to keep his fingers away from my teeth. "Gemma – you'll wake your family."

I lower my voice, but not my temper. "You have to stop doing that. Stop being so secretive and mysterious – it doesn't help me any!"

Kartik smiles. "You think I'm mysterious?"

"Kartik!"

"Alright. No more secrets." He raises his left hand and lays his right over his heart.

"Good," I say, mollified.

"Shall I tell you a secret?" Kartik asks, looking mischievous.

"What?" I eye him apprehensively.

"I know how to unlace a corset."

"Kartik!" I cry, color flooding my face again.

He tries to look suitably chagrined, but he can't help the smile that stretches his mouth. "I'm sorry," he says insincerely. "It was terribly uncouth."

"Yes, it was." I nod primly. An unpleasant image occurs to me – Kartik unlacing another Emily's corset. "Where exactly did you learn this little trick?" I demand.

Kartik's grin widens. "Jealous, are we?"

"No. Perhaps I'm concerned about your soul. Promiscuity is a sin, sir."

Kartik bursts into laughter. I rush forward to shush him, pressing my finger against his lips. His laughter fades and his eyes grow serious as he catches my hand. He presses of soft, slow kiss against my knuckles.

"I don't need to unlace a corset to figure it out. It's not terribly difficult, Gemma."

"Yes, but…" I struggle to focus as Kartik turns my hand and presses a kiss against the pulse at my wrist. "When have you had occasion to even see a lady's corset?"

Kartik pulls me close, leaning his forehead against mine. His messy curls tickle my cheek. "Don't be angry, Gemma."

"Why would I be angry?" I ask blithely, trying to keep the anger from my tone.

"Because I've seen you undressing."

I jump away from him, crossing my arms protectively over my body. "Beg your pardon?!"

"I've always looked away before…" he trails off sheepishly.

I wonder at the small sense of flattery I feel, which is slowly overwhelming the outrage.

"You're very beautiful, Gemma."

Flattery wins. But I make a show of being affronted. "A gentleman would never spy on a lady while she's undressing!" I chide him.

Kartik looks up sharply. "Ah, but therein lies the problem. I'm not a gentleman, my dear. Far from it."

He closes the distance between us quickly, pulling me against him. A small gasp of delighted scandal escapes me. "Kartik?"

"A lady would never rendezvous with her Indian coachman in the middle of the night."

"True," I concede, slightly breathless by his proximity.

"Then we're agreed?" Kartik spins me away gracefully.

"Agreed on what?"

"You should return to bed before you do something you regret."

I am careful to hide my dismay behind a façade of apathy. "Fine," I say dully, brushing past him.

Kartik catches my arm and swings me back to him. In a breathless moment, his mouth is on mine and he's kissing me as he did before the Simon debacle. My hands rise over his chest, up the back of his neck and tangle in his hair.

"Okay." Kartik breaks away breathlessly, his eyes wild as he searches mine.

"Okay?"

"Goodnight, Miss Doyle."

"Goodnight."

-

Back in my room, I find another note. How did he manage to get one up here while… I shake my head. Why bother wondering? Kartik and all his mysterious ways. I smile bemusedly as I slide my finger under the seal and open the note.

My smile falls away as I read. This note is not from Kartik.

Dear Miss Doyle,
There will be a cab waiting at the corner tomorrow morning just before sunrise. I will meet you there. If you do not come, and come alone, things will not end happily for darling Ann.
Yours truly,
Hester Asa Moore

Bwa hahaha! There're about 2-3 chapters left to Old Secrets. But don't cry for me, because I've already got a new fic planned. Please review.