Evie

I can’t believe I’m headed back to my father’s house after not even a full twenty-four hours away. It’s so soon, they probably haven’t even noticed I’m gone. Certainly, I’m sure no one’s out looking for me yet.

I had no intention of ever returning to this place. I’d never have even considered it, if not for the man who walks by my side.

While I ate the fish by the lake Gil cleaned his gun and reloaded it. He put his shirt on too, which was disappointing in a way. I don’t think I’ll ever forget how powerful his scarred, muscular back looked when he stood between me and the mountain lion earlier, rifle pressed against his shoulder.

Gil ate the rest of the fish while we walked back to the cave, leaving the dead lion where she lay to feed the scavengers. Taking the food and my clothes with us but leaving the dishes and tools safely inside the cave, we replaced the door and slowly made our way back down the mountain.

We don’t say much. We find we don’t have to. For us, silence fits naturally. It’s only when we near the back edge of my family’s property that Gil finally speaks, reassuring me as though sensing my tension.

“I don’t want you to worry about your family. They won’t mistreat you anymore. Besides, I… I don’t think you’ll be staying with them much longer.”

I wait expectantly for him to say more, but that’s all for now. I wonder what he means, I won’t be with them much longer. Perhaps he’s hatching some scheme to get me hired on as a maid at Mr. Livingston’s house? That would certainly be preferable to my present situation. Although if Yelena comes in as Alexander’s wife, I don’t know that I’ll like it so well. Still, if it means I’ll get to be closer to Gil, and see him every day… Just the thought makes my heart beat faster.

We come to the back door. “Go on inside,” he urges me. “Let your father know you’re back. Tell him you left early this morning to go foraging and lost track of time. I doubt he’ll be too harsh with you.”

“What will you do?”

“I’ll head back to Alex’s place for now. Though first, I’ll…” he trails off, eyes going to the window overhead. I try to follow his gaze, but I can’t see anything. His warm brown eyes return to smile at me.

“Run along, Funny Face. I’ll come see you tomorrow.”

Gil

Yelena watches our exchange from the upper story window. She watched us the whole way up the path too, her glare never wavering from Evie for a moment.

Thought you were finally rid of her, didn’t you? I smirk to myself.

After sending Evie inside I wait against the side of the house. Yelena doesn’t keep me long. Less than a minute later, the door opens, and a delicate slippered foot steps onto the stairs.

Yelena is dressed finely in a lacy cream colored gown with sandy ribbons, almost the same shade as her loosely flowing locks that spill over her shoulders. Her wide gray eyes fall on me and her face lights up with a smile.

Of course I see right through her. She can act her role perfectly as the innocent ingénue who inadvertently steals her elder sister’s love interests with her sweetness and charm, but I know very well she isn’t interested in me in the least. In fact, she thinks I’m so far beneath her, I sense it’s all she can do to keep her eye from twitching as she smiles invitingly at me.

“Mr. Gil, you’re still here.”

“I saw you watching me from the window. Was there something you wanted to say to me?”

“Say?” Yelena cocks her head sweetly. “No, I… I just noticed you coming up the path, that’s all.”

“You noticed me?” I say the words I know she wants to hear, playing along for now.

“Is there… is there something wrong with that?” she asks, looking up at me through her pale eyelashes.

“A man might get the wrong idea, hearing you talk like that.”

“I don’t know what you mean, Mr. Gil.”

“Would you care to take a walk? Just around the yard, I won’t take you out of sight from the house.”

“Oh, I know I can trust you, Mr. Gil,” she says, putting her pale hand out easily to rest on my arm. A subtle possessive gesture, a harmless little touch that probably drives other men mad. I suppose she imagines she’s having the same effect on me.

Yelena walks slowly around the yard, not like Evie’s light, swift strides. It’s an effort to force myself to match her snail’s pace.

“Your arm is so big and firm. I thought this before, Mr. Gil, but you seem really strong.”

I laugh. “Is that the kind of guy you’re into?”

“Of course,” she blinks up at me with perfectly feigned artlessness. “I think all men should have muscles.”

“What other qualities should a man have, then, Miss Stuart? To capture your interest, I mean.”

“Well,” she puts a finger to her lips and pretends to think very hard. “He should be rugged. Stoic and manly. Kind of like… you.”

Just like this, she’ll string me along if I let her, hinting at everything, promising nothing. I’d wondered how a girl as good as Evie got to her age without being snatched up, but I see now how quickly she might be forgotten when her jealous younger sister set her sights on her suitors. How quickly they’d give up on the inexperienced, awkward Evie when Yelena endeared herself to them in this way, and made herself seem so available.

I suppose, for this, I really should thank her. Evie might have married a long time ago without Yelena’s interference, and my chance with her would have passed without my ever knowing.

“You must have noticed I’ve gotten a bit close to your sister recently,” I say.

“Have you?”

“She’s told me a lot about you. About the way you and your mother have treated her.”

Yelena’s gait stiffens.

“Oh?”

“She mentioned the incident about the stairs, and the errand you sent her on that took her to the back of my friend Alex’s shooting range that day.”

“Did she tell you she was in danger?” Yelena laughs. “Evangeline does like to exaggerate. She’s always been jealous of me, I’m afraid it’s made her a bit desperate for attention. She’ll turn even the most harmless prank into such an ordeal.”

“Harmless? On the contrary. You forget I was present at the shooting range that day; I can assure you the situation was incredibly dangerous. And when I think you instigated it deliberately to hurt Evie—”

 Yelena scoffs lightly. “I can’t imagine what you’re talking about. Evangeline and I have a perfect relationship. She is my dear sister.”

“Is that so? That’s good. Since I think Alex would be rather shocked to learn this side of you existed.”

Yelena stops short.

“Are you threatening me right now?”