"You cannot find her," one of his superiors said with finality.

"Of course, I should."

"If you want her alive, you will stay put," said the man.

Byron frowned. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Byron, she did not merely give you your freedom." His superior looked him in the eyes. "She gave us the evidence we need to catch the snitch amongst the Leaders."

Byron started to shake his head. "Then the more reason we ought to find her. She can be a witness. If you she truly chose our side, then she ought to prove herself."

"No. We have made a deal with the woman."

"A deal?"

"Yes."

"For what?"

"Your freedom, of course."

-Above and Below

*****

"Do tell us," Ysabella whispered, breaking the silence in the room.

Alex frowned at her and then at Emma who was pacing the room. "Tell ye what?"

"Oh, you know what," Ysabella said, impatient. She grabbed Alex's hand and repeated her question. "Tell us."

Alex's shoulders dropped as she sighed. "Yer brothers called fer the man."

"Yes, we know that. We saw him enter and exit the manor. Tell us why."

"Te talk, 'cors."

"Alex," Emma said, stopping beside her sister. "We know Ralph tells you everything."

"Nae, he don't."

"He does because if he does not, he knows the consequences."

Alex scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Yer brothers asked him questions."

"About who?"

"Wynne," Alex said. "Hastings. Ye know him."

"What did they ask Durley?"

"What happened te Wynne, 'cors. After he was dragged out o' the manor by Durley 'imself."

Emma's jaw tightened. "And why would our brothers care what happened to him?"

"Ye know 'em," Alex said, waving her hand. "They're curious creatures."

"Whose plan was it to call for Durley?"

"Max, I believe."

"And what did Durley tell them?"

At that point, Alex hesitated.

"Alex," Emma said, voice filled with warning.

Alex looked her in the eyes. Emma saw the understanding cross her sister-in-law's face. "Oh."

Ysabella sighed. "She just realized it, Em."

"Yer in love with the man," Alex said with awe. She stepped back and laughed. "Yer in love with a bleedin' Trilby!"

"Hush!" Ysabella and Emma hissed, looking around the bedchamber.

"Aye, aye!" Alex said, chortling and shaking her head. "Oh, Ralph won't like 'tis at all. No, he won't."

"He does not have to know now, Alex," Emma said, stepping closer to her sister-in-law. "Now, do tell us what Durley said."

"He defended Wynne," said Alex. "Told yer brothers the man didn't have any intention o' betrayin' ye. He was tasked by 'is fam'ly, 'tis all. And he betrayed 'em countless times. And that he was punished fer it."

"What else?" Ysabella demanded.

"Durley also said it's best we Everards leave the man alone." She looked at Emma with amusement. "Which I'm quite sure won't happen. When d'ye plan te abduct the man? Will ye need some horses te take ye to Tiny Town?" Alex's eyes narrowed as excitement filled her voice. "I can find a way te distract Ralph. Or Ysa and I can come with ye. We'll tell 'em we're travellin' te Meriwether. Aye, we can do that. Then we'll ask Ned and Barto te grab yer man and tie 'im up as far as Tiny Town."

Ysabella and Emma looked at each other.

Emma considered Alex's plan. It was marvelous, really. It had been done before. But that was not how she wanted to win her man. No, not that way.

So she shook her head and stopped her sister-in-law's rambling by stepping closer to say, "I am going to get him my own way, Alex."

Alex frowned. "Yer way? What? Yer goin' te read 'im a book?"

Emma shook her head. "No, I am going to do it the proper way."

Ysabella and Alex looked at each other and then at her. "There ain't a proper way te win a Trilby, Emma," Alex said.

Emma shrugged. "At the very least, I ought to try."

*****

"Are you here to throw me another copy of The Blower?" Samuel asked after Lawrence left the room.

Stella shook her head.

Compared with their previous encounter, she looked quite her old self. Confident, calm and beautiful.

"I came to tell you that I am going away for a long time." When he raised his brows in doubt, she offered one of her sweet, yet condescending smiles and added, "And I hope you the best."

"You must know, Miss Stella, that I find your statement quite hard to believe," Samuel said after a scoff.

She looked at his state sitting in his winged chair with his injured leg raised on a foot stool. Her eyes returned to his. "I know you are a good man, my lord, and I understand it is difficult to fight for something while everyone else is against you." Again, Samuel scoffed in disbelief. "I merely hope that you will find the perfect balance in your life to elevate your career and make a difference without losing touch of those you hold dear."

Samuel's brows furrowed as he narrowed his eyes at her, amusement at the back of his mind. "You truly are leaving remarkable parting words, Miss Stella."

She nodded. "Yes, I while keeping myself from strangling you, for believe me, my lord, the urge to do so is still very existent." Samuel chuckled. Her smile faded as she took a breath. "Write amazing articles about us this time."

"Never."

Stella chuckled. Samuel realized it was the first real one from her. "Then do come by and watch us one of these days. And should you ever decide to do so, please do not be late." He merely shrugged. He had no intention of giving false hopes. "One can never appreciate a good story without knowing how it began."

She looked around his study, an image of a woman visiting a man's prison. "Very well, I must bid you goodbye. My real intention was actually to ensure that you are still injured and is capable of physically ruining anything." When Samuel scowled at her, she laughed again. "Goodbye, my lord."

Stella offered a short curtsy and gracefully walked to the door.

Samuel scoffed when he realized he was finally alone again.

And then his lips twitched into a small smile.

*****

Wynne waited in the quiet study.

This would probably be the last he would ever step inside this place.

There were no regrets there, he realized.

When the door opened and Amelia sashayed into the room, looking as though nothing happened, Wynne stood up.

"Oh, do sit down, Peter, my boy."

Wynne's jaw tightened, but he remained calm. He smiled at his aunt and ignored her words, remaining on his feet. "This shall be the last you will see of me. I have no intention of touching any of your furniture again."

Amelia froze and stiffly turned to fully face him. "And why is that?"

Wynne shrugged. "I came to announce that I intend to denounce the Trilby name."

Amelia laughed. "You must be jesting. Are you offended that we punished you for your wrongdoings, dear? We are you only family."

He shook his head. "I do not think so."

Amelia cocked a brow. "Whatever do you mean?"

Wynne reached for something from his coat's inside pocket. When his hand reappeared, he was holding a piece of paper which he handed to Amelia.

His aunt merely lifted her chin and frowned at the paper.

"Do you wish me to read it for you?"

Amelia's brow arched higher. "Is the content of that paper something you hope would prevent us from doing something?"

"Honestly, yes." Wynne said with a smile. "As a matter-of-fact, I do believe this will put a leash on any future actions."

His Aunt scoffed and lifted her eyes at Wynne. "You dare threaten me with a piece of paper?"

"This is not merely a piece of paper," Wynne said, walking to the table where he carefully placed the paper. Turning to face her aunt again, he added, "I found it in the Devitt household. Margaret Everard must not have realized how valuable it is and kept it to be forgotten in her study."

At the mention of Margaret's name, his aunt walked to her table and snatched the paper. She gave Wynne a stinging look before she read the contents.

As his aunt's face paled, Wynne smiled. "Emma Everard might come calling anytime soon," he said, satisfied to see his aunt's shaking hands. "And you will have to be happy to oblige with whatever she demands."

Amelia Trilby's jaw tightened and her hands balled into fists, crumpling the paper in one hand. "I cannot promise what Noah will do, so despite what I may allow the Everards, your uncle might act otherwise."

Wynne dramatically sighed. "Ah, then you have to be prepared. That letter might land in the wrong hands. What you have in your hand is merely one of the many copies I made."

Amelia's eyes flared with hatred and a dash of fear.

"Leave me alone. Leave the Everards alone. Then we shall all remain happy where we are." Wynne made a move to leave. "And dare not attempt to have me killed for the letter is not with me. It shall come out in the open upon my death—or the sudden death of anyone I hold dear." He smiled at his aunt. "You ought to keep us all alive for your own sake."

"You bloody bastard!" Amelia's voice shook with anger. "You dare do this to your own family."

"I am no longer family, Amelia," he said with a taunting smile. "Never have I felt so happy not to be." With no more words to say, Wynne hastily walked out of the manor he had always despised.

On his way to the grand entrance, Vega's voice called out to him from the grand staircase. "Where are you going?"

"Have a marvelous life, Vega," he said over his shoulder. "So long!"

He was free. Finally free.

*****

Wynne arrived in Hastings to find Stella already waiting for him there with a glass of brandy ready for him.

"Everyone is ready for tomorrow's departure," she informed him as he settled in his chair with a sigh. She looked around the room. "I believe I shall miss this place. We have enjoyed many of our games in this room and many others." When he made no comment, Stella added, "It is sad that you let it go."

"What are you trying to say, Stella?" he asked wryly.

She shrugged, settling herself in the chair across from his. "I was merely wondering why we are going away. Ulric was perfect."

"This had always been our dream—to travel and perform."

She looked at him as she sipped from her glass. There was a quiet stillness while she took her time to taste her drink and swallow. "Do not be like your father who drove away the woman he loved because he was afraid of what she could do to him. And do not be an even bigger fool to run away from a woman because you are afraid she would do the same as your mother."

"I have no time for this," he said. "I would appreciate it if you go and prepare for tomorrow."

Stella sighed with resignation. "I am your friend, Wynne. I will always be. I have always believed in you and I believe I always will. I merely wish you find the courage to be happy."

"Says the woman who can barely manage a genuine smile," he retorted.

"At the very least, one of us ought to be happy," she countered.

Wynne's smile did not reach his eyes. "Loneliness needs company, my friend."

Stella simply shook her head and raised her glass. "To a great lonely journey, then."

Wynne raised his glass. "To a great journey."

*****

Emma stared at her brothers as they all stared back at her as though she was an unknown entity they just discovered.

Since Benedict was soon to leave for Devonshire with Margaret and her family, she had decided to gather all five Everards brothers in one room and make her announcement.

"Well?" she asked, looking at each of them. "Any words?"

The silence was almost deafening, but so was the resounding, "No," from Levi, Nicholas and Ralph.

"You are bloody crazy!" Ralph exclaimed. "Insane, Emma! Insane!"

"Why? Because I want someone you do not agree on?" she asked with a challenge. "Society have disagreed on the women you chose to marry and yet you are all happily married. Why can I not be with someone I love?"

"The difference, Emma, is that the women we chose loved us back," retorted Nicholas. "Yours is simply from a family who can never be trusted."

"Have you not talked with Durley? Has he not told you the truth about Wynne?"

"We do not care what Durley tells us."

"Then why bother call for the man!"

"It was Maxwell's idea," Ralph said. "Nothing is changed. The man had been lying to us all along. He could have died in the hands of his family and we would not have cared!"

"He saved the girls from the fire!"

"A fire which should not have happened if he truly wanted to save us!" Nicholas countered.

Emma felt helpless. She could tell them about Samuel, but it was not her truth to reveal. She would not paint someone badly just to save someone else.

She looked at Maxwell who had remained silent throughout. He merely stared back at her without a word. Bloody hell, he was still weighing things. In fact, he must be thinking she was stupid to have chosen to tell the brothers this soon.

Emma stared at Benedict. Her brother looked at her and sighed. "I do not approve of your choice, Emma."

Emma tightened her jaw and stiffly stood from her chair. "Very well, then."

Ralph narrowed his eyes. "You are accepting our decision?"

She pretended to think. "Yes."

"And you shall comply to it?" Nicholas added as she walked out the room.

Emma did not reply.

"Emma Grace!" Nicholas shouted.

"Ben! Do something!" she heard Ralph say.

"She's a bloody Everard. She will do something crazy," Nicholas added. "Go get her, Levi."

"Why the bloody hell would I—"

"Just do it!" Nicholas and Ralph shouted.

Emma quickened and steps until Levi caught up with her in the staircase.

"Emma, come back to the parlor. Now," Levi ordered."

Emma stopped and turned to look down at her brother. "Levi, do you remember the promise you gave Ysabella and I years ago? A debt you have to pay?"

Her brother almost paled as he remembered and shook his head. "That was naught but childish—"

"Because of us, you managed to get Tori," she reminded him. "I wish to claim your promise now."

Levi stared at her in disbelief. "Surely you cannot expect me to oblige with—"

"Then I am greatly disappointed," Emma said, her voice tinged with hurt. "Tell the rest to worry not for I will not climb out my window and run away tonight," she said as she turned to continue up the stairs.

"Emma—"

Ignoring Levi, Emma rushed up the last remaining steps.

"Well?" Ysabella and Alex asked the moment she barged into the room.

Emma looked at the two women. "Initial plan failed."

The two ladies dropped their shoulders in disappointment. Alex sighed and walked over to Emma. "Plan B, then?" she asked, voice filled with excitement.

Emma nodded. "Plan B. I will have to do it on my own."

Ysabella and Alex jumped to their feet and rushed to the door. "Plan B it is!"