Chapter 2
The air was bitter. I shivered as a sharp winter breeze tugged at my skirts. I was dressed in black mourning clothes. Robert had found a few gowns Marietta had kept at Uncle Valentine's.
I shivered again, not because of the weather.
"Emily?" Robert whispered from the driver's seat, "Are you ready?"
I had been so long since I'd done this before, once before. But it was simply; all I had to do was act, and act well, or we'd be arrested.
I nodded my response, pulling a tiny black lace veil over my puffy eyes. Tonight I wouldn't have to fake my tears; I wouldn't have to conjure any memory. Tonight's sadness didn't need help.
"I'll be right here, waiting." Robert sounded nervous.
"Alright," I replied, stiff.
I felt my body start to move towards the awaiting body holding the lantern. I felt his eyes watching; Robert's eyes watching.
"Hello," I said, trying my best at sounding the ever-sad cousin, "You…you have my cousin, Jacob?"
I shivered; I didn't stop myself, it would only help convince the man of how upset I was. I needed to appear upset; he wasn't the man from before, Robert and Uncle Valentine's friend. But maybe this is whom they dealt with now.
"I do ma'am," He motioned me over to the side were two boxes sat.
Wait. Two? Robert said I was picking up one cousin.
My chest tightened and I struggled to retain my composure.
"Mr. Jacod Bartlebee," He pointed to the box closest to us, "And you have the paperwork?"
"I do," My voice came out a dull whisper.
He eyed me cautiously for a moment, before taking the paperwork from my shaking hands.
"I'll just be a moment," He said casually, tipping his hat.
I nodded. Dull. Frozen. Scared.
"Ho!" A man, running towards us from the gate, shouted.
He stopped, turning, coming to stand at my side. The man running wasn't Robert, but he had a very familiar quality.
"Hi there," He said, a bit too cheery for our surroundings, "My name's Justin Achers, William there was mah brother."
My head spun, I knew that name, both those names. And he would certainly know me. I ducked my head, praying the veil would envelope me. He could ruin everything.
He tossed some papers at the man, who harrumphed and trudged to the building.
"Poor Bill, he nevah saw the fellah coming," He shook his head, turning his attention to me, "Oh but mah apologies, you're tha relative of tha poor fellah aren't yah?"
"I was his cousin." I said quietly, trying to disguise my voice, not very well.
He nodded solemnly. And then the realization struck him like fireworks strike the sky on the Forth of July.
"Emily?" He asked, shocked. "Is that you."
I raised my head, staring him straight in the eye. How was I going to get out of this?
"Hello." My voice answered, weakly.
I shivered. I was so cold from so many things tonight.