Days later, Ellie had everything she needed.

But not where she needed them to be.

The challenge now was how to go back belowground.

She barely slept as the old man stayed a few more days aboveground.

All she could do for now was wait.

-Above and Below

*****

As much as she wanted to go back to Ulric, Emma realized that it was best she stayed away for a while and give Wynne enough time to recover and herself to organize her thoughts.

To only way she found best to do so was put everything she knew in perspective and she did just that for the next days that followed. She wrote and drew everything she knew about Wynne and the incidents that occurred before and after Emma discovered his true identity.

She placed marks on things unknown to her, perhaps because they could only be explained by Wynne himself or other people like Samuel, her brothers and Margaret.

Her sister may have shared her relationship with the League, but Margaret never discussed in full detail what she had been working on. Just like how they knew Fiona was a Trilby, but how she was rescued or the events that happened prior to her rescue, were never discussed. The same could be said for Maxine, Samuel's sister. They knew her mother was a Trilby, but Emma was not aware how far Maxine had gotten close to that side of her family when she discovered her identity. Maxwell never shared anything, nor was he willing to discuss it. Even the full story of Aurora Randolph was a blur. She had disappeared from Wickhurst and later died, leaving behind a daughter.

As she stared at everything she had come up so far, Emma realized how ignorant she had been—still was. There had been too many things going on and she was left in the dark.

All she was told was that the Trilbys were the enemy.

But who amongst them, truly?

Any woman could say that the Everards were rakehells. Yet she knew well enough that most of her brothers were never such. Could one truly define an individual by the family they belong to?

Could they judge Wynne because he happened to be a Trilby?

She knew that her argument could enlighten her family, but not now when they were this cautious for the truth still remained that any of the Trilbys could be the enemy.

Emma stood and looked down at the large parchment on the table.

Wynne saved Samuel.

That was one of the facts she could say with confidence.

But why would Samuel lead others to believe otherwise?

*****

With one last thing to do, Emma went to the bedchamber Faye and Fiona shared in the Everard manor.

In merely a few days, the children and their parents would be bound to Devonshire.

"Aunt Emma!" Faye said, beaming at her as she brushed Fiona's hair.

"Hello, darlings," Emma said, sauntering into the room. She smiled and then hesitated.

The girls looked quite happy. Any sign of stress from the fire was no longer in evidence. If she wanted to talk about that night, she had to be very careful. If she made one wrong move, Margaret would never allow her near the girls.

"Are you ready for Devonshire?"

"Yes!" Fiona said, voice filled with excitement. "Mother said we can visit the village. And Aunt Agatha's school, too!"

"Famous!" Faye added.

Emma put on a sad face. "I will miss you. Terribly so."

"You can come with us!" the girls chorused.

"I would have to stay," Emma, retorted with a smile. "But I might consider spending a few months in Devonshire if the two of you can manage to be good girls."

"Of course, we are," said Fiona.

"Because you have your guardian angels watching over you, yes?" asked Emma.

Faye stopped brushing Fiona's hair and nodded dreamily. "Yes, of course," the girls said in unison. "Our guardian angels will be quite disappointed if we fail to be in our best behavior," added Faye.

"I have been practicing fencing to work more on my balance," said Fiona. "I encourage Faye to do so. She had a hard time when our angels rescued us."

"She did?"

"Yes, of course. She was shaking. But then, she was not feeling well."

"And how did your angels help you again?"

"They must have been shy to show us their wings so we had to climb from the second landing on our own. They helped us, of course. They dragged the cabinet and we used it to climb down."

"That was very courageous of you. Did you cry a lot?"

"Of course, but the angels told us we were safe," Fiona said, putting a ribbon on her hair. Faye helped her secure it with a pin.

"But one of them burned his hand," Faye murmured as she placed another pin on Fiona's hair.

Emma frowned. "He did?"

"Yes, when he touched the door handle. But it must not have hurt," Fiona answered. "Surely he healed fast. They were strong, see?"

"Oh, I wish to have seen them as well."

"Oh, we did not see them in full," said Faye. "They covered their faces."

Fiona giggled. "We told you, Aunt Emma, they were shy."

Faye's face fell for the first time. "They told us they would be behind us but they disappeared."

"Probably to tend to the other angel who burnt his hand," Fiona said to Faye.

As the girls carried their conversation further, Emma took a long shaky breath.

Things were starting to fall into place.

She felt the threat of tears behind her eyes and she blinked, forcing herself to smile.

"Well, then, I believe they must still be watching over you," she told the girls, walking closer. "Would you like me to do your hair, Faye?"

"But you are terrible at it, Aunt Emma."

"Oh, yes. Then what say the both of you to a game of chess?"

The girls sighed in disappointment.

"Pies?" Emma tried again.

Faye and Fiona looked at each other.

"I will not tell your mother," she added.

The girls grinned and eagerly nodded their head.

"Then we must hurry," she said, leading the way to the kitchen.

*****

"Dear, have you been visiting dear Samuel?" Lady Alice asked one morning as they broke their fast.

Emma saw how everyone's eyes turned to her, Maxwell in particular. She blinked and cleared her throat. "I am meaning to call on him this afternoon, Mother."

Their mother nodded. "Do that, dear. The poor man must feel bored. The Theobalds had already left Buford."

Although their mother was no longer talking about the marriage, probably because she thought it was not amongst her priorities at the moment, Emma still felt terribly awkward.

How could she tell her family that she had broken off the engagement?

"Maxine can go with Emma," Maxwell offered, eyes on Emma.

Suddenly Emma felt suspicious. Did Maxwell know? She knew that he was too perceptive, more than necessary, in fact.

"Yes, I can accompany you, Emma," Maxine said, giving Emma a smile. "I was with Samuel yesterday afternoon and by his state, I am certain your presence can make a difference. He has been rather silent and withdrawn."

"I can go on my own," Emma said. "Thank you for the offer, but I would rather be with him alone this afternoon."

"Perfect then!" Lady Alice said, clapping her hands together. "But do take the carriage, Emma. I do not feel comfortable with you running about Wickhurst on foot."

Emma caught Maxwell's gaze and she quickly looked away to give her mother a reassuring smile. "I shall."

*****

Emma stood in the middle of Samuel's doorway for quite some time, watching him as he wrote in his bed, ignorant of her presence.

He seemed like the Samuel she always knew, always engrossed in his craft. But there was something different about him as well.

Squaring her shoulders, Emma cleared her throat.

Samuel looked up and for a second his eyes were blank, as though he was still in his little world. And then he sat straight, surprised.

"Emma!" he said, his eyes traveling to the space behind her.

"I came alone, but Maxine sent some biscuits."

He did not respond and waited until she took one more step into the room.

Emma took a long breath and locked her eyes with Samuel's. "I came to ask you questions and I beg that you answer them honestly, Sam."

She saw the panic cross his eyes for a moment before he composed himself and nodded. He set aside his writing articles and faced her with a determined look on his face.

"What else did you lie to me about, Sam?" she asked.

She saw the confusion in his eyes. "I did not lie to you, Emma."

"Then tell me the things you kept to yourself."

His face turned taut. "You said you did not want to know what happened that night."

"Perhaps I do," she said, lifting her chin. "Perhaps I merely did not want to know because somehow, deep in myself, I knew nothing happened, Sam."

Samuel turned his head to the side, looking at nothing in particular, and scoffed. "You passed out after we drank half a bottle of brandy. You had been quite mellow then and I came to be there for you to cry on. And when you had had enough spirit, you started to get undressed. And then you passed out." He looked at her straight in the eyes. "Nothing happened, Emma."

Her jaw tightened. "You made me believe otherwise."

"I was planning to tell you when we woke up but your brothers arrived and everything went fast afterwards. I barely had enough time to remember the details of the night when I was dragged to be beaten by Maxwell and Ralph. And the next thing I knew, you have agreed to be engaged."

"You could have said something."

"I was afraid!" he said, eyes flaring with anger. He hated confessing he was capable of fear. "I was afraid you would hate me for having placed you in such a difficult position. I was hesitant to tell you the truth, which was why I had been distant. I spent my time with work to take away the guilt."

"You could have spent it wisely by telling me the truth!"

"And have you walk away from me?"

Emma stumbled back with an incredulous look on her face. "You were afraid I'd walk away?" she asked in disbelief. "Samuel, can you not see? I eventually did!"

"Because you never truly intended to marry me? Were you simply waiting because you wished to know if I have gotten you with babe? And were you going to say no the moment you were certain you are not with one?"

Emma's whole body froze. She could not believe his words. "What has gotten into you!" she shouted, tears of frustration, anger and guilt streaming down her face. Frustration for he was being stubborn. She knew he did not mean what he said and he merely said it out of spite. Anger because she could no longer find any way to help him get back to the man he once was. And guilt because mayhap she was one of the reasons why he turned this way.

"Perhaps there is another reason why you walked away, Em," Samuel said with bitterness. "You love that bastard."

Emma wiped her tears and shook her head. "Does the condescending look mean that you find me just like every woman there is? That with merely a few weeks of pretense, I fell for him? That I did act like any damsel in distress, falling for the man who was spying on us? Are you disappointed that I had a change of heart?" Her answer was enough to convince him that he guessed correctly. Why would she even deny it? "I never had a change of heart, Sam. My affections were never placed on anyone else. He is the first."

Samuel let out a wry, mocking laugh. "Do you wish me to feel guilty over what happened to him?" he snarled. "You are not the first to attempt it, but you are very much welcome." He waved his hand at the door. "Please, go and gather your family and friends and embrace another enemy under your care. And dare not go to me in the future to say I have always been right."

Emma shook her head in disbelief, her vision blurring as more tears flowed. "Samuel," she choked, "perhaps it is about time you gather your own thoughts and opinions. Mayhap then you will be able to find yourself again amongst the rubbles."

When Emma started to walk away, Samuel said, "Are you leaving then? For good? After everything, Emma?"

Emma stopped and turned to face Samuel, her lips forming a small, gentle smile. He was still her dear friend Samuel. She would miss him and their past, but things had changed.

"We are still family, Sam," she said. "Your sister is my brother's wife. Your parents will always be a part of my mother's life and ours. You are forever Ralph's friend and I hope that someday, when things are better, we can like each other the way we used to. But what happened ought to tell both of us that we would have never been good together."

"Then you are willing to go to him? To the man who intended to ruin your family?"

Emma shook her head. Another tear dropped from her eye. "No, I intend to go to the man who left his own to save not just us, but also himself." Emma sniffled and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "Sam, he saved Faye and Fiona from the fire. He saved you. What else do you want?" The anger toward Samuel was no longer there. Perhaps it would always be the case with him. He could do the most stupid things and she would still find it in her to forgive him, just like how she would her brothers.

If he was even surprised that Wynne saved the girls from the fire, he did not show it. Emma sighed. "What happened that night shall remain between us. Our family need not know," she said, speaking of the night that led to their engagement.

"Do you think it would reassure me when I know you are being stupid going to that bastard? You may think otherwise, Emma, but your safety is amongst my priorities."

"My safety fell from your priorities the very moment you convinced me to worm myself into Wynne Hastings' life, Samuel. I do not blame you for it, truly. I agreed to it after all."

"If you go to him, Emma, you will lose me forever."

Emma ignored his words. She had been listening to Samuel for a long time. It was quite enough. Instead, Emma nodded and said, "Go and fight for what you believe is right, Samuel, and know that I support you. But I will not be fighting with you. I simply choose to have my own battles." He scoffed. "I am sorry if I am a disappointment to you, but you barely know what my heart wants. You know how my mind works, but you have no inkling on my heart. You are in love with the idea of me—a woman who can speak and think like you do. A woman of free ideas. But you are not in love with the woman, Sam, for I am so much more than your idea of me."

Emma did not wait for a response.

*****

That night, Emma made up her mind.

She had already confronted Samuel. It drained her energy, but her resolve was still as strong.

If she slept on it another night, she might lose the courage.

And so she decided she had to go to Ulric tonight.

After climbing down her window and running to fetch her horse, Emma felt even more determined. Wynne would have to face her tonight as well whether he liked it or not.

He would not be capable of pushing her away—physically, that is.

But his butler will be, a voice reasoned.

Emma paused from untethering her horse as she considered the butler, her current archenemy.

"Are you going to a late-night tea party, Emma?"

Emma jumped on her feet and whirled around to find Maxwell leaning against the wall, hidden in the shadows.