Chapter 11
The accelerator was pressed flat against the floor, the speedometer not once dipping below 100 miles. Beside him, Brian clutched the side of his seat for dear life.
"S-Sir, maybe we should slow down?" he squeaked like a terrified mouse.
"No." Noah shifted gears and accelerated further. He told Elisa he'd be there in an hour, and by God he would.
Brian whimpered and started praying.
The countryside was a dark blur on either side of them. Luckily, there were no other cars; they had taken a different route. And while it was longer, few travelers used this road, especially at night.
"Time check," Noah said, his gaze fixed ahead.
"8:14 PM, sir!" Brian's voice was an octave higher than usual. Barely thirty minutes after they set out. The poor lad, but they couldn't take any chances.
Who were those men? Had someone already discovered who the girls were? He had been careful. He told them to be careful. Elizabeth and her sisters. He nearly braked at the thought of them. Did something happen in London?
So many variables, so many possibilities. If it was government, the girls were all but guaranteed to be taken to a laboratory. If it was some arseholes who thought they could break in into an estate, well, it was going to be bloody.
Either way didn't bode well for all of them. Perhaps they should sell the property and relocate somewhere less populated. That would grant them peace for the foreseeable future until…
Until what? Until there were more reincarnated warships?
Within minutes the manor rose ahead. Noah scanned the road, but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. It was empty save for a passing cab that drove in the opposite direction.
He slowed down, eyes and ears straining. Brian was no longer whimpering, and thankfully even he was looking around. When they parked in front of the gate, he was the first one to get off the car.
"Looks clear, sir," he said.
They strode to the gate and waited. The manor was dark, but the light in the living room flickered on and the front door opened. Elisa hurried toward them.
"They left five minutes after Franceska and the girls arrived," she said, swinging the gate on its hinges. Her hands were shaking.
Noah swore under his breath. If that didn't confirm his suspicion, he didn't know what could. "Where are the others?" Noah asked as they strode across the lawn while Brian locked the gates.
"Upstairs, in the study."
They entered the manor and ascended. Inside the study, Noah paused to inspect the occupants.
Drake stood vigil by a window, arms crossed, silent and stiff. She turned as Noah and Elisa strode in. Revenge immediately stood up at attention, as did her sister Royal Oak. Royal Sovereign remained seated, calmly sipping her tea.
"Noah," Drake greeted.
Noah dipped his chin in acknowledgement. "Did they react when they saw you and the girls?"
She pursed her lips. "If they did, they hid it so well. These people are well-trained."
"That's what I'm afraid of," he muttered. He glanced at Revenge. "Elisa said you were followed."
The girl saluted. "Yes, Commander! I—"
"Drop the salute. We're at home. And sit down, you two."
Revenge blushed. She and Royal Oak sat down.
"Now tell me what happened."
She nodded. "It was 1423 hours. I was walking home from work when I noticed two men tailing me. One was around middle 30s, 5 feet and 8 inches tall, medium built, has a crew cut, raven-haired. His companion was younger, 24 to 27, around 5 feet and 4 inches, bald, stocky. They kept a safe distance of twenty yards.
"I thought nothing of it and went home, but they returned on the next day. This time when I was leaving the manor. Called a cab to take me to work, and when my shift ended, they were outside. Again they remained no more than thirty yards."
"Since then, I tried shaking them off, but they still managed to follow me everywhere. Twice I tried to confront them, but they always knew and leave whenever I approach. Yesterday, there were four of them."
As Revenge finished, Noah sat heavily on a nearby chair. "Were any of you also followed?" he asked Drake.
She grimaced and glanced at Royal Oak, who nodded shakily. "I was," she spoke softly. "Also last week. Different people." She shivered. "One approached me and started asking questions."
Noah's eyebrows knitted together as he stiffened. "What kind of questions?"
"Strange ones." The girl sniffled, looking ready to burst into tears. "Where and who my parents are, where I live, even my age."
"Creeps," Royal Sovereign growled as Revenge rubbed their sister's back soothingly. "Who are we dealing with, Commander? MI5?"
Noah shook his head. "We don't got enough intel to presume." he already had an idea, but he didn't want to scare the girls.
"Do we tell Elizabeth about this?" Elisa asked.
"No. They might return here prematurely. Whoever these people are, they already suspect that we are hiding something. We don't need to raise that suspicion even more than we already have." He glanced at Drake. "You're right about separating them."
She sighed. "That's the issue, though. I may be wrong. What if they are already spying on Elizabeth and her sisters too?"
Noah took a deep breath at that. London, heart of the British government. If they were indeed the ones who sent these men, the Queen Elizabeth sisters were in danger. "If we tell them to return, we'd just confirm everything."
"If we don't, and no one is there to watch over them…" Drake let the implication hung in the air.
"They aren't helpless, Drake."
"That's precisely what I'm worried about." She uncrossed her arms and lifted her hand, folding her fingers. "Our strength is unmatched, and we have capabilities no ordinary humans possessed. They might do something they don't intend."
"Elizabeth and her sisters know when to control themselves." He had witnessed it before, whenever their inhuman strength was required. "They won't do anything that would endanger their real identities."
"You can't say that in the face of a difficult situation." She stared at him intently. "You served in the SBS for two years. You should know this."
His eyebrows furrowed harder. His time in the SBS wasn't filled with fond memories. "They aren't SBS," he said firmly. "They, you, are just girls. Women."
"Girls with the power of ships." She sighed. "You can't deny what we are capable of."
No, he couldn't. Noah fell silent. What should they do? Both roads seemed to lead with the same destination: discovery. The alternatives weren't much better; confronting those men would likely escalate into a conflict—the very thing they were avoiding. Contacting the authorities would just result in a lot of questions they weren't ready to answer.
It was Elisa who spoke first. "I will go." All eyes turned to her. "I can probably find an inexpensive apartment near where they are staying at."
Noah considered her suggestion. Elisa was the only logical choice; she was their sister, and no one would suspect anything if she look for work in London. There was only one issue. "No one will be left here to watch over Revenge and the estate."
His sister grimaced. "I know, but we don't have much choice. Well, you can send Brian over to—"
"I will not leave Brian alone with anyone of them," he said flatly. He could imagine a lot of ways that could go wrong.
"It's all right, Commander," Was Revenge blushing? "I-I can take care of myself."
"I will not leave you alone while there are strange men outside prowling the estate like wolves."
His tone was calm, but it carried the authority of his rank. Revenge fell silent, bowing her head in submission and mumbling an apology.
He turned to Elisa once more. "You don't need to stay long. Just watch over them for a few weeks until this is resolved."
"All right. But how are you going to resolve it? Sooner or later these strangers will get bolder." Her gaze flicked to Revenge. "You may be strong, Renee, but if the worst happens, you could be facing four men."
"I've faced worse." Her eyes were firm and defiant.
"I know. But—"
"P-Pardon me." Royal Oak raised her hand like a student in class. "M-May I put in a suggestion?"
Elisa smiled. "Of course, dear. What is it?"
She swallowed nervously. "Well, if Revenge will be alone here, why don't I and Royal Sovereign stay here as well?" She looked at Drake, her eyes pleading. "Just until Elisa returned."
The armored cruiser hesitated. This situation was the very thing she had been trying to avoid, but Noah also advised her that it would be best if the girls stayed together. They were sisters, after all. And they were still adjusting to their new lives as humans. The emotional support they would provide to each other would help them.
Finally, she sighed. "All right. But be careful. They might react differently when they learn that all three of you are staying here."
"Thank you." Royal Oak beamed, and the smiles on her sisters' faces were enough to soften Drake's expression.
"When can you leave?" Noah asked Elisa.
She thought for a moment. "I'll still have to inform Samson. Perhaps the day after?"
He nodded, and stood up. "It's getting late. Go to sleep. Tomorrow, we'll discuss how we'll deal with this."
"Yes, Commander," the Revenge sisters chorused.
###
Noah barely slept, his dreams plagued by armed men storming the manor and taking the girls away to some dark laboratory, where their screams echoed across the metallic walls.
When morning arrived, he immediately went to the window, pulling back the curtains by an inch to peer at the street. It was empty, but not for long. They would be back.
Breakfast was quiet, and most conversations were done in soft tones. He barely ate, his mind racing with possibilities and contingencies. If the worse did come to pass, they would have to flee. But where? France was nearby, but the the British government would have already alerted them. Sea voyage was out of the question, unless they could bribe someone to take them.
And after that? The Atlantic? Or perhaps they could find another ship to take them to the States. Duncan, his friend. He had connections. He could help them lay low, at least for the time being.
He filled his lungs with air, rubbing his temples. Six reborn ships, seven if he counted Drake, and they were already having this much problem. What would happen if more arrived?
"You are worried," Drake said, sipping her after-meal tea. She sat opposite him.
"Aren't you? You're the one who said we shouldn't let the girls stay together."
"Only because I know they would attract attention." She sighed. "Which is happening now anyway."
Noah stood up and strode to the living room, dark and foreboding with all the curtains drawn. His brows beetled. It was as good as confirming their watchers' suspicion, but he couldn't think of anything else to prevent them from spying inside the manor.
He checked the streets again. Still nothing. Where were they?
"See anything?" Drake had followed him.
He shook his head, then pulled the curtain closed and sat heavily on the couch. Drake stayed by the window. "What are the girls doing?" he asked.
"Helping Elisa pack."
"And Brian?" He told him to maw the lawn, but the familiar whirring sound was absent.
"He went to buy groceries an hour ago. I believe he should be… Ah, there he is."
As Drake went outside to open the gates, Noah clasped his hands in front of him, eyes cast to the table. The problem was determining the identity of their watchers. If only he could discover it, he could plan better. Knowing the enemy, after all, was half the battle.
The door swung open, and Drake strode in with bulging grocery bags nestled in her arms. Brian trailed behind her with more bags, and a pristine white envelope.
Noah took one look at it, then at Drake's ashen face, and his heart went cold. He leapt to his feet. "Brian, what is that letter?"
"It's addressed to you, sir." He handed him the envelope.
The British Royal Navy seal gleamed as sunlight momentarily struck it. With trembling fingers, Noah broke it and read the letter. He read it twice, his heart racing. Then he looked at Drake.
"What does it say?" Her voice, surprisingly, remained calm.
Exhaling slowly, Noah answered, "It's a summons from the Navy Board."
###
The first day of October brought a mild rain shower.
Elizabeth sighed as she held her umbrella aloft. She had woken late, so her sisters had gone ahead to the campus, leaving her to make the journey alone. In a bloody rain!
It was just a short trip, less than ten minutes, but it might as well have been an hour in this weather. The worse were the puddles; her raincoat wasn't enough to shield her legs from—
A cab drove past, and she drank rain water.
J
"Watch where you're going, you bloody arsehole!" she screamed as she spat the water in her mouth.
Her raincoat was soaked, as were her shoes. Her clothes, thankfully, were unharmed. But the bag took the worse damage, flowing like a waterfall.
She blinked back the anger rapidly, and inhaled. Keep calm, assess the damage, fix whatever needed fixing. Just like in a naval engagement.
Hurrying under the shade of a nearby tree, she opened her bag. "Fuck," she said, both aloud and in her head. The books were drenched, but nothing that an hour of hair dryer couldn't fix. It was a good thing she left the pager back in her room or that would have been unsalvageable. And her pen was still usable,
Her notebook, however, were a total loss, the smudged ink indecipherable,
"Fuck." An entire week of notes, gone instantly because of some bloke who couldn't even watch where he was driving!
Throwing her notebook on to the ground would solve nothing, so she continued to the campus, bag and raincoat dripping. The rain had subsided by the time she arrived, though the sky remained dark.
She nearly slipped on yet another puddle by the front entrance. There were several booths that the school had erected for students to take off their raincoats before going inside, or to dry out any belongings. She left her bag and books, but threw her notebook into the trash. Hopefully, she could find Valiant or Warspite to ask for a spare.
Or Evans. He did say he wanted to help. It would be rude to refuse such an offer in her time of need. Well, whoever she see first would suffice.
The hallways were bursting with conversation. Empty-handed, Elizabeth strolled to her first class, her eyes darting around. There! A mop of curly hair heading left.
"Evans!" she called.
Green eyes swiveled to her, widening in surprise. She hurried forward. "Hey," he greeted with a smile. Then he frowned. "Where's your bag?"
She grimaced. "I left it in the drying booth. It's soaked, including my notebook. Have you got a spare one?"
"Yes. But it's not empty."
"It's all right. I just need to write everything down before I forget them completely."
"All right then. Hang on." His frown deepened as he rummaged inside his bag. "Hang on. Did you say everything? Everything in your notebook?"
Fuck. "Uh, yes?"
He looked at her intently, and she could tell that his mind was working as hard as ship boilers at top speed. "That's an entire month of notes," he said slowly.
"I have excellent memory." Not a lie, but it was also inaccurate; she had near-perfect memory. Valiant's was perfect, though.
He still looked confused, but thankfully he didn't press the matter further. He pulled out a thick notebook bound in smooth black leather. As she reached for it, he said, "It's going to cost you."
She retracted her hands immediately. "No, thank you."
"I'm kidding! Here." He offered the notebook again, smiling.
Elizabeth stared at it for a moment, waiting for another condition. She would leave if she ever heard one again; she would rather ask a professor than Evans at this point.
When none came, she snatched the notebook away. "Thank you," she said curtly. "I won't be long." And she vowed not to take longer than necessary.
He shook his head. "Those are my old notes from last year, so I don't use it often. You can take your time. And you can tear of the pages if you have to."
She grunted, but mumbled her gratitude and strode past him. The next time, she would buy a waterproof notebook and a waterproof bag.
Finding her classroom, Elizabeth sat down on her seat. She arrived ten minutes early, but the room was already half full, and the chatter echoed in the vastness of the room. She opened the notebook.
Neat, elegant scripts filled the white pages, mostly organized, though there were some that were placed randomly. She inspected it for a full minute, marveling at the handwriting.
MacQuaid Hotel… Coastal or urban?… Comfortable but inexpensive (not too cheap!)
She snorted, and flipped to an empty page to start writing her notes. At least he was sensible.
The class soon began. Her books were still wet, but the professor was kind enough to lend her one for that lesson. By the end of it, she had already filled five pages.
Lunch was spent with eating and more note-taking. The words and information flowed to her pen's tip as easily as if she had just read them that moment. Drake said she had been the same, allowing her to acquire her various degrees faster than ordinary humans.
"Where did you get that?"
Elizabeth looked up. Valiant stood in front of her with a frown, a sandwich in one hand. Elizabeth shrugged and went back to her writing. "My notebook was ruined because of some idiot driver. I had to ask Evans for a spare."
Valiant sat down. "You could have asked me or Edith."
"I couldn't find you two. Besides, there was no time." Elizabeth paused to revise a line. "Where's our sister, by the way?"
"I don't know. She's probably with Watson again."
Elizabeth sighed. She didn't mind it, but hopefully Warspite would heed her warnings. "Let her be. As long as she doesn't hurt herself or anyone." She looked at Valiant. Her sister had her chin propped with one hand, chewing on her sandwich. "How's your study group?"
Valiant rolled her eyes. "I left them for a while. Do you know that they couldn't even write a report without my assistance?" She shook her head, her twin tails swaying. "Horrible. I couldn't believe they were even accepted here."
"Not everyone is as intelligent as us, Val."
"No. Their grades are actually good! But they didn't have to be lazy about that report."
"Do you feel uncomfortable with them?"
"I'm happy with them," she admitted with a sheepish smile. "Ynez might be a little loud, and Catherine keeps on babbling about her latest boyfriend, but they are my good friends."
Elizabeth studied her. It was still Valiant, her sister, but somehow there was something different about her now. Less obnoxious, perhaps. Still annoying sometimes.
Was that really the effect of their new life? They had friends back in Hampshire, but nothing had changed until they began studying. And though she couldn't say yet how much this would change them, she was glad that they could live well as humans.
Her gaze returned to Evans's notebook. "Do you have a spare notebook?" she asked Valiant.
"Yes."
She nodded. Her previous notes were almost completely replicated, but she already used up a fourth of the black notebook's remaining pages. She didn't want to use more.
So she removed the used pages with a scissor and wrote two words on the fresh one.
Thank you.
Satisfied, she closed the notebook and grabbed Valiant's spare, tucking the pages inside. Hers was smaller, so an inch was sticking out at the bottom, but it would have to do for now.
"So what do you plan to do on your birthday?"
Elizabeth frowned. "Was that…?" This month. Of course! How could she have forgotten?
"It's been a year," she murmured. A year after she had washed up ashore, a year after Noah had taken her under his care. Then her sisters arrived, and more reborn warships. Now they were in London, studying at a university and making friends.
Had it truly all happened in just a year?
"We could go out," Valiant suggested. "You, me, and Edith. Just the three of us."
"It's on Wednesday next week." Elizabeth lowered her pen. "We can't skip classes, and we'd be too exhausted in the evenings."
"On Sunday after that, then?" Valiant finished her sandwich, then added, "Our birthdays are so close together. We could celebrate on the same day and save money."
"Do we really have to celebrate though?" She winced as her sister gave her an affronted look. Perhaps she had phrased it the wrong way.
Valiant said slowly, "A birthday is meant to be celebrated, sister. Just like most ordinary people would."
"I know that," Elizabeth muttered. But they weren't ordinary people. They weren't born from the womb of a mother; they couldn't even be mothers. Celebrating birthdays seemed like an insult to those who were born naturally.
But Valiant didn't care about that, and neither did Warspite. She had no right to stop them from doing whatever they wanted.
"I'll think about it, but you and Warspite should have fun even if I don't celebrate mine."
"But you will come?" Valiant pressed.
Elizabeth nodded with a smile. She could do that much for her sisters.
"Yes. Of course, I will."
###
The next day, she decided to return Evans's notebook. But first she needed to find him—she looked everywhere, but it seemed he was nowhere in the school. So after encountering Macy on the way to class, Elizabeth enquired about his location.
"You don't know?" she said with surprise. "He skipped school today because he got sick." The girl sighed. "I told him to bring an umbrella yesterday, but as always, he wouldn't listen."
"Oh." Elizabeth hesitated. He was annoying, certainly, but he did help her. "How is he?"
"Staying at his flat, no doubt. Why? Is there something you need from him?"
"Uh, well…" Elizabeth fingered the strap of her bag. Why was she hesitating? She was just returning a notebook. With a sigh, she pulled it out from her bag. "I borrowed this from Evans. Could you return it to him, please?"
Macy's gaze flicked to the notebook, lingering on it for several seconds before returning to her, eyes gleaming with amusement. She smiled. "I'm sorry, but I still have a project to finish. I could tell you his address, though. It's not far. You can give it to him later after school."
That was not going to happen. "I c-can just leave it to you—"
Macy shook her head and began rummaging inside her bag. "Oh, no, no. I'll be really busy later to visit him." She wrote the address on a strip of paper and handed it to Elizabeth. "He likes spinach soup, by the way. I would greatly appreciate it if you could buy a bowl for him."
Now she was running errands? "But—"
"Well, I'll be going now. Tell Evans I said hello!"
Elizabeth could only gape in bewilderment as Macy walked away with a smirk.
###
By 5 PM, she found herself standing in front of a plain blue door with a bronze plaque bearing the number "312". In her right hand, she held a bowl of spinach soup, still steaming hot and fresh from the pot not ten minutes ago.
She knocked on the door, then smoothed the wrinkles in her shirt. Her hair. She had forgotten to brush it. And she should have changed her clothes. Hang on, why was she even thinking of these things?
The door opened, and Evans peered through the crack. Elizabeth smiled. "Hi."
His eyes widened. "Elizabeth?"
"I forgot to return your notebook." She extended it toward him, along with the bowl. "And Macy said you were sick, so I—ah, she told me to buy spinach soup for you."
His eyebrows rose. "Macy?" For a moment, he seemed confused. Then he sighed. "Of course, she would send you." He shook his head, sniffling and wiping her nose with a handkerchief. "Sorry, but I don't want to get closer. It's a bad case of cold. Must be the weather."
She nodded. "My brother got one too not long ago."
"Is that so?" He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well, would you mind if you just place those on the table over there?" He opened the door wider and pointed at a polished study table.
Elizabeth swallowed. Her heart thundered in her chest. She was just going to stay for less than a minute. Why was she nervous?
"Elizabeth?" he asked.
She shook her head. "It's nothing."
Evans stepped aside to let her pass. As she did, she couldn't help her eyes wander around. A plush dark blue couch was pressed against the right-hand wall, the pillows arranged neatly in a row. The kitchen counter was spotless and gleamed in the light.
She didn't expect it to be this clean. Even the desk, strewn with notes and textbooks, which Evans had managed to arrange in an orderly fashion without making it look like the desk of a mad scientist.
Even Warspite's desk, the most meticulous out of the three of them, wasn't like this.
And there was the smell, something sweet and refreshing. Chamomile? She glanced around until she found the source: a steaming tea cup sitting by the desk.
Placing the bowl on an empty spot and the notebook on top of a stack of papers, Elizabeth stepped back and… her stomach grumbled, loud enough to fill the room. She froze. She had not eaten since lunch, and she had been planning to, but she only had enough money to buy the spinach soup.
The silence dragged on. Perhaps it was a mistake coming here!
"So, uh, do you want something to eat?" Evans asked slowly. "I've got some leftover pizza…"
She took a deep breath. Hunger was indeed the bane of everything. Smiling sweetly, she turned to him and said, "Yes, please."
###
They ate in silence.
The mushroom and cheese pizza was good, and so was the soft cushion of the couch she sat on—a far better seat than the school chairs she had been sitting on every day. Or perhaps she was really just starving and exhausted.
Evans sat at his desk, sipping his soup while reading a book on advance business management. He had not spoken since he had offered her food, and neither had she save for a simple "thank you" when he brought her the plate with the pizza.
And it was better that way.
She surveyed the room while she ate. She didn't think he was a minimalist; there was barely a fancy decoration on the walls, save for a painting of a sailing ship journeying along the English channel. There wasn't even a TV, but there was a shelf dominated by books where it would have been. A room for an intellectual.
"Thank you for returning my notebook," he said suddenly.
Elizabeth looked at him in surprise. He was smiling at her. Heat flooded her cheeks, and she averted her gaze. "It's nothing," she mumbled. "I actually have to apologize because I was late in returning it."
"It's all right. I did tell you to take your time." He paused. "Anyway, what happened to yours? You said it was ruined?"
She sighed. "Some stupid bloke drove on a puddle in front of me. I was able to save my textbooks, but not that one."
He winced in sympathy. "Let me guess: it was a cab driver."
"Oh, it was! You'd think that making a living here in London would teach them some manners, but no! It seems they have made it their mission to cause as much hassle to pedestrians as they could as long as they earn money! And no one is even doing anything to discipline them! Why, if I was…"
And so her rant continued. When she finished, a great weight seemed to have been lifted off her chest. That… felt actually good. Really good. Who knew all she needed was to release her frustrations?
But then the embarrassment swiftly followed. To her horror, Evans was smiling. "W-What is it?" she demanded, averting her gaze.
"Nothing. It's just… You look cute when you're annoyed."
"O-Oh!" Her cheeks were scorching now. "W-Well, I guess I'd take that as a-a compliment. But it's really awful, right?"
He chuckled. "Yes, it is. In fact, I—"
Evans stopped as an explosive cough tore from his throat, not unlike the one Noah had made. His body body shook as it went on.
Elizabeth leapt to her feet. "Water! I'll fetch you some water!" She hurried to the kitchen, filled a glass, and returned to him. "Here!"
He drank greedily. She stepped back, watching Evans drain the glass in one draught. He gasped. "I'm sorry, but I believe you should go. It's getting worse."
"Have you had it checked up already?" she asked in concern.
"Two days ago." He sniffed, wiping his nose with his handkerchief. "Doctor said it's just a cold. All I need is rest and some pills."
"Then I guess I should really leave." She glanced at her plate. "Thank you for the pizza."
He nodded, standing up to open the door for her. "Thank you for the soup, and for returning my notebook."
She passed by him without a word, then stopped just outside his room. What was she doing? She should be going on her way. But he was sick, and it would be rude to just leave like this.
She turned around just as he was about to close the door. "Get well soon, Evans."
Their eyes met. Surprise flickered on his face, then his smile returned, radiant and divine. "Thank you, Elizab—"
"Just call me Liz."
One eyebrow rose. He chuckled and nodded. "All right, Liz."
He closed the door, leaving her to contemplate what she had just said.
###
The next day, she brought him another bowl of spinach soup. It was just a gift. A token of gratitude for lending her his notebook. Besides, the flat was along her usual route.
She had not stayed long. But she didn't have to; he was doing better than yesterday, and her heart soared with relief.
A day passed. She didn't see Evans. Her assignments were brutal, and she spent the rest of the day researching about the history of the first hotels. If only Evans was there to help her, she could have finished them a lot faster.
On Friday, she woke up late again. It was happening a lot since October started, but there was no point in mulling over it. The assignments kept coming, and she had to spend most nights staying up well after midnight.
Breakfast was a simple fare: egg sandwich. She didn't have time to head for the café. Besides, it was better to save the money for lunch.
After a swift meal, she went to the door and opened it.
Evans smiled. "Good morning," he said cheerfully.
It took Elizabeth a full five seconds to process what she was seeing. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes wide. He seemed back to his healthy self, at least.
He shrugged. "I was going to ask if you'd like to head to the campus together. As… thanks for visiting me and buying the soup."
Heat flooded her cheeks. "It's nothing. You lent me your notebook, so it's the least I could do."
"I know. That's why I want to thank you."
She twisted the doorknob, careful not to break it. She could say no, but Evans would certainly insist. She got no time to refuse and enter a discussion about it.
"All right. I guess we could do it." Just this once, but she didn't add that.
She wasn't even sure she wanted to.
Their walk to the campus was brief and silent. The weather was clear, thankfully; she didn't have to wear her rain coat. But despite the balmy morning, Evans wore his cotton jacket.
"Aren't you feeling hot in that?" she blurted. It was the first that crossed her mind. Compared to her who chose a simple blue shirt and white skirt, Evans was dressed for winter.
He plucked at the jacket's sleeve. "Actually, I do. But you know how cold it is at the classrooms." He paused, then added, "This was a gift from my brother."
"Oh, where is your brother?" Elizabeth sidestepped a passing cat.
"Handling our family business in Wales."
"You're Welsh?" For the first time, she looked at him intently. There was indeed a hint of his ancestry; his skin was a light shade of olive. But in everything else he looked very much a native of England.
"Half. My Mum is Welsh. My Pop is half Irish, half British, so you could say I belong in three countries and culture." He shrugged. "But I was born here, so I am a British."
"So am I."
The campus loomed ahead. A steady stream of students poured into the entrance. They waited until there was a break in the crowd before pushing onwards.
Evans followed her. She had expected hm to go his own way to his class, but by some unspoken consent they headed to her class together.
Elizabeth ignored the pounding of her heart. This was just his way of thanking her. It didn't mean anything.
She stopped at the door and faced him. "You better go to your class," she said. "You'll be late."
He shouldered his backpack. "See you later at lunch?" There was no hesitation in his voice, his warm gaze arresting her. Expectant. Hopeful.
Elizabeth could have refused. It would be easy. But the words, the rejection, died in her throat. She couldn't refuse those eyes. And it was only for today.
She smiled. "Yes, why not?"
###
The next day, she woke early. It was her schedule to prepare breakfast, and by the time her sisters knocked on the door, she was just transferring the piping-hot bacon to the platter.
"What's the occasion?" Valiant asked as she and Warspite entered.
Elizabeth frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You don't usually wake early." They sat down. Valiant prodded a tomato slice with a fork. "And you don't usually prepare food like these."
Bacon, eggs, waffles, some butter, and oof course, tea. "What's wrong with having a good breakfast?" Elizabeth asked.
"Nothing. But you're not usually like this. It's not even 7 AM yet."
"Well, I slept early."
Valiant regarded her silently, then she shrugged and helped herself to the food.
Warspite took a bite of the bacon. "This tastes good, sister."
Elizabeth beamed. "Of course it is! I learned from the best!" After all, Elisa had drilled into her the right way to cook bacon, making it tender yet crispy every time.
Breakfast was swift. They were already dressed for school, so it should be easy to leave once they finished. But as Elizabeth shouldered her bag, someone rapped on the door..
Warspite frowned. "Who on earth could—"
Her heart thundering in her chest, Elizabeth rushed to the door and carefully swung it inward.
Today, he was wearing a simple shirt and jeans. "Good morning." Evans peered over her shoulder. "Oh, am I interrupting something?"
She shook her head, throwing the door wider. "We just finished eating. Would you to come inside? I've got some leftovers."
"Maybe not." He checked his watch. "Classes will start soon."
Elizabeth whipped her gaze to the wall-mounted clock, ignoring her sisters' dumbstruck expressions. Ten minutes before seven. Drat.
"I already ate," he added.
"Splendid!" Elizabeth glanced at her sisters. They had not moved an inch from their seats, even when Evans sent them a wave. She returned her gaze to Evans. "Well, I guess my sisters aren't finished yet."
He nodded, gesturing to the hallway. "Shall we?"
###
As always, they went their separate ways upon their arrival. But by lunch, Evans had invited her again. Elizabeth didn't refuse. Somehow, the thought of doing that seemed rude. And Evans was paying for the meal; as Valiant once said, it is free food.
She talked sparsely, yet Evans didn't seem to mind. He entertained her with stories of his childhood; how he often wanted to sail the ocean when he was a child, the days he and his family spent on international trips, the one time he fell off a horse but brushed it off and requested to ride it again.
After lunch, they separated once more, only to reunite in the afternoon when everyone else was leaving. Her sisters had gone ahead, but Elizabeth waited by the entrance, knowing that he would come.
He did, and just like in the mornings, he escorted her to Sunny Lodge first, rather than stop at his flat. They walked in silence. Or at least, there was silence between them. Elizabeth's heart was pounding like a drum.
It was always like that for the past few days.
When they arrived, Elizabeth bid her customary farewell and turned away, hoping that Evans wouldn't notice her crimson cheeks. But she had only taken a step when his fingers brushed hers.
A tingle surged through her body. Not like the one she felt with Drake. This was more acute, more… intimate. She could feel his warmth in just that brief contact alone. So she faced him again, hoping he would not notice the sweat in her palms.
"Liz?" he said.
"Yes?"
"Well…" he hesitated, shifting nervously where he stood. A far cry from his usual confidence. "I'll be busy this weekend."
"And?"
"And all of next week too."
"Okay."
"But not all of next week! I mean—"
"Just tell me what you want to say, Evans," she said, smiling faintly.
He drew a deep breath. "Do you have something to do on Sunday next week?"
"None. Why?"
"Well, if you have nothing to do, I was hoping we could go out and eat. I know some place. And it's not that expensive."
She chuckled as she cast her gaze to the ground, nudging an invisible speck of dust with a foot. "You're asking me on a date." A statement; she wasn't dense.
"Well, no. But… It's just… I…" He sighed and nodded. "Yes. Yes, I want you to go on a date with me."
Her heart wanted to burst from that. A date. Evans was asking her on a date. She bit lightly on her lower lip, clasping her hands behind her back as she swayed gently in contemplation.
On one hand, it was just a date. On the other hand, it was a request for a date, with all the implications it held. Noah told her to make friends, to live life as a human, unbound by her past life—a life of flames and gunpowder.
Well, it was worth a try.
She lifted her gaze to his eyes—his eyes that reminded her of forests and rich grasslands. Of growth and prosperity. Of the land she had protected many decades ago.
Smiling broadly, she said, "Yes."
His eyes brightened like the stars, and his smile matched hers. "That's… That's great! I, uh, I guess I'll see you next week? Or no, hang on. I'll see you at breakfast on Monday."
She nodded. "Have a good night, Evans."
"Have a good night, Liz."
Minutes later, when she finally entered her room, Elizabeth inhaled deeply.
And let out a squeal.