Misleading The Marquis

27 - Gina Marie

"There was a child," Caroline whispered the words low, her face stricken in true sadness over the information, "When she died... she was with child..."

"Bane's?" Gina asked, her voice a hoarse whisper, no other part of her body could move just then. Caroline blushed and covered her mouth before shaking her head.

"Oh my goodness, Gina! Ladies do not discuss such things!" she insisted desperately, shaking her head even harder.

"Caroline, I beg you- " Gina sputtered, crying all the harder now, she reached out for her friend's hand, waiting, heart torn and numb.

"The child was not Bane's..." Caroline began hesitantly, "It's - it wasn't p-possible..." Caroline stumbled over the words and Gina understood immediately.

"Malcolm was the one in love with her..." Gina said, Caroline nodded profusely, probably just grateful she didn't have to explain any further.

"So that night... Malcolm lost both Cora and the child?" she surmised quickly, running her hands against her face, trying to absorb the horrific truth, "And Bane... it was suspected that Bane...?"

"Well... it would make sense, my dear," Caroline offered quietly, "To marry a woman only to find her... unchaste, with child... your own brother's at that... people say he suffered an episode of the Dark Saint, and killed her."

"No," Gina denied it squeezing her eyes tight against the suggestion, "No, he wouldn't -"

"Oh dear," Caroline crooned, "I can see I've upset you - oh dear -" she wrung her hands, "I shouldn't have - oh - I knew I shouldn't have -"

"No, no, Caroline, please," Gina waved her off, hurrying to collect herself, "I was the one who asked... I came today because... well there's been strange things happening at the Castle and I thought maybe - well I don't know what I thought."

"What kinds of things?" Caroline asked softly, and Gina took a sip of her cider, wishing it was a bit stouter now.

"Black roses left in front of my bedroom door, someone's tried to kill me a few times now... I- I - don't know..."

"You don't think it's Lord Bris-"

"No!" Gina waved her hands emphatically and shook her head, "No - he's - it wouldn't be - no... no, it's something... someone else..."

"And you thought whoever killed Cora, might be trying to kill you too?" Caroline suggested, Gina nodded, swallowing hard.

"But Bane wouldn't do that," she insisted, feeling more lost than when she'd arrived.

"My dear, have you considered..." Caroline trailed off, biting at her lip in anxiety.

"Say it - please," Gina begged again, feeling tired and worn beyond explanation.

"Well, if you're quite certain it is NOT Lord Brisbane... have you considered that it might be... revenge?"

"Revenge for Cora's death..." Gina murmured quietly, then stared into the weak flame of the grate in front of her.

"It is so strange that Malcolm has returned," Caroline posited, "Everyone in the neighborhood thinks so... that there must be a reason for it..."

"And it's me?" Gina asked, "He's come to kill... me?"

"If Lord Brisbane is as enamored as the rumors say - then wouldn't that be the right kind of revenge, my dear?" Caroline pointed out, "A heart for a heart if you will?"

"Oh Caroline..." Gina breathed, feeling sick to her stomach.

"You look faint - can I call for -"

"Whiskey," Gina ordered, covering her face with her hands as she leaned back into the worn armchair, more of her limbs falling numb as her world began to spin.

"Of course!" Caroline squeaked, jumping up from her seat to fetch it. Of course they wouldn't be able to afford a house maid, Gina chided herself for ordering her friend around... perhaps she was becoming too spoiled as a Marchioness.

Malcolm.

Was Malcolm trying to kill her? Was it even a possibility to be considered...? Hadn't Bane accused him... when he gathered everyone together in the library two days ago... hadn't he announced his suspicions then? Gina felt fear grip her in the stomach, worse than any kind of airship had ever done.

"Here you are my dear," Caroline had returned with a thimble's worth of weak looking drink. Gina swiped it down quickly... it tasted as if there had been water added to stretch the mixture. Nevermind... there was plenty to drink in Bane's library...

"But why the roses?" Gina heard herself asking, then she looked to Caroline for an answer just as quickly.

"It doesn't match anything that I know of Malcolm Sefton or Cora," Caroline admitted with a shrug, wringing her hands together as she took her seat once more.

"Black roses... for the black rose death..." Gina murmured, mind racing, picking at puzzle pieces, trying to understand it.

"There's never been an illness like that on the mountain, dear," Caroline explained gently, "The doctors say it has something to do with the pure air and the running water... something about the sickness won't sit in the blood of the locals I suppose."

"No black roses?" Gina repeated, then a twinge of a thought came to the back of her mind, a horrible, cold little thought, "Are Cora's parents still in the area?" she asked next.

"Umm, yes I believe so..." Caroline answered, sipping at her cider once more, her sweet face screwed up with worry at the retelling of the horrible history, "Why?"

"You said they were good doctors?" Gina asked, sitting up straighter, gathering her things in a hurry to leave.

"Y- yes - but, dear, I don't see why -" Caroline began, nearly choking on her beverage.

"Thank you Caroline - this has been most helpful - but I must go," Gina explained rushedly standing and heading for the door.

"But - but - you're not going to actually visit them are you?" Caroline shrilled, her face stricken with the horror, the impropriety... Gina probably should've been more hesitant too.

"Thank you for the cider."