Vow of Deception (The Ministry of Curiosities #9)(47)



"We're your family now, Alice. You'll always have a home here, and people who care about you."

She hugged me back. "Thank you, Charlie. Now, the question is, who are my real parents? And where am I from?"

"According to the rabbit, you're niece to the Queen of Hearts from Wonderland." I drew away and gave her my sternest glare. "And no, you are not going there to learn more about yourself, so put that thought from your mind."

"I already have. I'll stay here."

The unspoken "for now" hung between us like a guillotine blade.



* * *



Lincoln returned in time for dinner so we were able to inform everyone together of the visit from Mr. and Mrs. Everheart. A profound silence followed Alice's pronouncement that she was adopted. No one even chewed.

"Someone say something," Alice said, nervously.

"So the rabbit most likely spoke the truth," Lincoln said. "You were once in Wonderland and the queen is your aunt."

Alice nodded at her plate. "It seems that way."

"Bloody hell," Gus muttered.

"You not be from this world?" Cook asked.

"It seems I am from that other realm," Alice said.

Gus studied her anew then waggled his knife. "If I cut you, will your blood be red?"

"Yes!"

Seth thumped his arm. "Idiot."

Gus blushed and apologized.

To my surprise, Alice laughed. "It's absurd, isn't it? Don't worry, Gus, the same questions that are going through your head have already gone through mine. As far as I am aware, I am physically like all of you. I don't shift shape as Harriet does, and I can't set things on fire like Mr. Langley. I am quite normal."

"Perhaps Wonderland is just like here," Seth said.

"Except for talking rabbits," Gus said pointedly.

"You must want to go with the rabbit now," Lincoln said, focusing on his dinner again. "But I urge you to reconsider. We know nothing about Wonderland, and it seems as though you would be immediately placed on trial if you went. We don't know if their justice system is a fair one or not. I insist you stay here."

"We've already discussed it," I told him. "Alice agrees."

"I'm not leaving," she assured him.

"Good," Seth said. "Because I would have to insist on coming with you and I don't want to miss the wedding."

"Seth!" Lady Vickers cried. "You are not traveling to strange places, so put that from your mind immediately."

He picked up his glass and saluted her. "You traveled to a strange place."

"There are no talking rabbits in America."

We discussed the fortification plans as well as what Lincoln had learned from his informants. Unfortunately, it amounted to very little. Lady Harcourt had visited Swinburn in the evening and stayed the night. This morning, he'd gone to his club. The duke was already inside, as was the MP, Mr. Yallop. They'd emerged separately an hour later. Harriet visited Swinburn in the afternoon and left a short time later. As to the rest of Swinburn's pack, they'd gone to their various places of employment as they usually did, although the Ballantines remained indoors. They rarely left their residence nowadays, preferring to keep a low profile after angering the royal family.

"And Gawler's pack?" I asked. "What are their movements?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," he said. "They're also spying on Swinburn, but they don't have the numbers to watch the entire pack. They all have jobs to go to. If they don't work, they don't eat."

Lincoln and I volunteered to wash the dishes after dinner. Seth and Lady Vickers assisted us to carry the plates and glasses into the scullery. As we left the others behind, she said to Seth, "She is certainly not a candidate for marriage now. She's not even human."

"Mother," he said on a sigh. "She is human. She's just not from this realm. Anyway, I don't care. If anything, it has only made her more intriguing. She is, after all, related to royalty. Don't you want me to marry a princess?"

His mother stopped in her tracks to gawp at him. We left her behind.



* * *



"I like doing the dishes with you," I told Lincoln when we found ourselves alone in the scullery.

"Why? Because I do this?" He flicked water at me.

"Very mature."

He grinned so I dipped my hand in the water as I leaned in to kiss him. Then I slid my wet hand down his cheek. I pulled away and smiled. "Now we're even."

He looked at the pail of water sitting by the door.

"Don't you dare!" I cried, passing him a stack of dirty dishes to keep his hands occupied.

"So why do you like doing the dishes with me?" he asked.

"We don't get time to talk in private much lately. This forces us to take the time."

"You want to talk to me? About anything in particular?"

"Yes, as it happens."

"Alice?"

"No."

He stopped washing the plate and looked at me. "Is this to do with Lady Vickers telling you what to expect on our wedding night?"

"No! It's about what you were doing today. Did you only speak to your informants?"

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