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Eliza turned to leave, only to find her wrist captured once again in his nored the tiny thrill of awareness that swept through her and watched in consternation as he placed a gold coin into her palm

Her eyes greide as she stared at it before lifting her eyes to aze with alarm

“I need to find her-,” Edward scowled “I don’t know your name”

“Eliza”

“Eliza I need to find Jemima I pose no threat to her; she needs help” Edatched as the girl paled and sat back down on the stool with a thump She seemed to buckle inwards under his declaration and he briefly wondered if she was going to faint on him

Eliza knew she should continue with her bravado and deny any knowledge of Jemima, but the worry and stress of the past few days drove her to seek his help

“Do you knohere she has gone?” Her voice tre place to show feminine weakness but couldn’t stop the fear that had been steadily growing since Je There had been no note of explanation, nothing

Eliza had h to ask Jemima’s room-mate where she was, only for her fears to be fuelled when her rooht she had gone to bed; the nexther bed was empty and it was evident it hadn’t been slept in Nobody had seen or heard from her since

“No We know she was here until a feeeks ago but she has vanished I need to find her”

“Why?” Eliza stared at the gold coin in her hand before quickly tucking it away inside the collar of her dress, casting a furtive glance around the room in search of witnesses “What do you ith her?”

“You do know of her” His conviction rang absolute as he studied her Leaning back against the hard chair, he let the silence settle about the for when after a few tense an to shift uncomfortably on the stool

Eliza looked into his dark eyes and took in unwavering deter anywhere, and she considered neither would she until he had some answers But Eliza had learnt from the past few months that life – people – could be cruel, and she had lost her faith in the goodness of human nature Whatever the reasons he wanted to find Je suspicion it was for his own interests – not hers

Ignoring the shiver of awareness, she returned his unwavering stare

Edwardher chin He had hoped that by irl – woman – was no fool and had clearly decided to play hiame He mentally smiled, and wondered just how far he could push her He didn’t hesitate to change his gah hie

“We think she has gotten herself into so out of it A friend of ently, relishing her resistance