Phantoms In Philadelphia (Phantom Knights Book 1)

by Amalie Vantana

  ***

  Three days had passed since rescuing George, and neither Jack nor my mother would let me leave the house due to the state of my face. I had a scratch across my right cheek, and my left eye had a black circle around it.

  Jack came to me last night to tell me that he had gotten George to tell him about Guinevere. She had only come to see him after Nicholas could get nothing from him. She assured him that he would not be harmed. There was always a man there to guard him, but they never hurt him other than when he tried to escape. They provided food and books for him to read, but they would not tell him what they were going to do with him. Then, Guinevere arrived with the news that he would be moved soon, and that was when we attacked.

  I had told Jack a short version of the truth, leaving out my little chat with Guinevere. Jack was displeased, and he did not want me to go anywhere out of the house without him, Leo, or Jericho. There would be no more rides through the woods where Levitas could attack, and Jack was going to stay with me until he was convinced I was safe.

  As I went downstairs to partake of breakfast, I found my mother and Jack there before me. Mother cringed when she saw my face, the same as she had done every day since it happened, but there was nothing I could do, and I was not going to hide in my chamber until my eye healed.

  I had only just sat down and taken a bite of food when Arnaud entered the room and announced, “Mr. Madison has called to see Miss Elizabeth. I have shown him into the parlor.”

  We turned to stare at Arnaud. Andrew? In the house? I could not believe it to be so. When he stared back impassively, I rose in one swift motion, my hand moving to my hair and my eye as I stared at the door. The pain assaulting me was stealing my ability to breathe.

  “She will be there directly,” Mother said for me.

  Arnaud bowed out of the room, and once the door shut, Jack laughed. “He has come again.” He sounded too triumphant, but I could not find the words to ask what he knew. I looked from Jack to the door, but could not get my legs to move. What was I going to do? I could not allow him to see me with a black eye.

  Mother walked around the table to me. After securing some loose strands of my hair in place, she placed a hand on my shoulder. “We know not why he has come.”

  “Oh, yes we do,” Jack retorted but was ignored.

  “He could simply be paying a morning call. Go to him. Act yourself and all will be right.”

  I looked at the door again. “What of my eye? I cannot allow him to see me like this.”

  “Tell him a horse kicked you,” Jack instructed unhelpfully.

  “You must decide what you want him to know. Now, courage my daughter.” She gave me a little push, and my legs finally moved.

  Outside the parlor door, I gave my skirt a shake, took one deep breath, and opened the door. Andrew was standing by the window but turned smiling—until he saw my eye. The smile faded and within a few heartbeats he was before me. His hand came up to cup my cheek. My eyes closed as a dull ache that had been my constant companion since the moment he left, melted away.

  “My darling, what has happened?”

  Tears burned my eyes, but I would not allow them to fall. Slowly, I met his gaze. As I searched his eyes, they told me everything I needed to know.

  “I had an accident, but it is nothing serious,” I said though my voice was deeper than usual. I could not take my gaze from his.

  He smiled intimately, and I was lost. His head lowered; then his warm lips touched mine ever so lightly, like the first stroke of a brush against a canvas.

  He pulled back, clearing his throat. “I am going about this all wrong.” He smiled sheepishly. “I had it all worked out. Come.” He led me to the sofa. Once I was seated, he knelt down before me, and I had to bite my lip and focus on Andrew to keep the burning tears from falling. All that was going through my mind was this could not be happening to me.

  “I owe you an apology, Elizabeth.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes, one that is long overdue. I believed a lie, which, in my blind folly, led me away from your side. The more distance separated us, the more convinced I was that by your side is where I belong. Now and always. Can you ever forgive me for being a fool? For leaving you without a word, and treating you with such disregard?”

  Jack had told me about General Harvey, and in a way, I could understand why Andrew believed him. General Harvey was known to be a friend of my family. If anyone would know, it would be he.

  “You have my forgiveness, Andrew.” I thought he might kiss me again, but he only breathed a long sigh before kissing my hand.

  “You have lifted a great burden from my heart, as your brother did when he granted his permission that I may try to win you.” Andrew took both my hands in his, and then, after a few focusing breaths, said, “Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more, men were deceivers ever; one foot in the sea and one on shore, to one thing constant never.”

  Sweet saints above.

  “Then sigh not so, but let them go, and be you blithe and bonny, converting all your sounds of woe into Hey nonny, nonny.”

  He would not dare. Oh, but he would and he had. Wait until I get my hands around Jack’s neck!

  “Sing no more ditties, sing no more of dumps so dull and heavy; the fraud of men was ever so, since summer first was leavy. Then sigh not so, but let them go, and be you blithe and bonny, converting all your sounds of woe, into Hey nonny, nonny.” Andrew ended and raised my hand to his lips.

  A crow of laughter came from the other side of the door, and Andrew’s head turned to look. He was confused, and I could not help but feel sympathy for him. Tossing a smug look at the door, I put my hand behind Andrew’s head and pressed my lips to his. He did not react for a whole second, but then he leaned nearer. Once I broke the kiss, Andrew looked at me in a daze.

  “I should quote poetry more often if that is what I am to receive.”

  I placed my hands against his cheeks. “No, my dear, I do not need flowery words, I need only you.”

  “Elizabeth Martin, will you marry me?”

  My flutters were returned, and I sighed in my complete and utter happiness. “Yes.”

  Andrew kissed my hand and sat beside me. We held hands as he told me about how excited his family would be.

  The parlor door opened, and my mother and Jack entered. “Let impropriety rule thy heart, and it shall rule thy ways,” Jack announced.

  I glared at Jack as Andrew and I rose. “It is perfectly acceptable in a betrothed couple, brother dear.”

  “I took your advice, John. I made my way with what haste I could,” Andrew looked into my eyes, “and have found myself at last.”

  Mother came toward us with her hands held out. “Such glad tidings. Welcome to our family, dear Andrew.”

  Andrew took Mother’s hands while I moved toward Jack. He took a step back. I smiled and put every ounce of sinister in it that I could. “That poem was a dog’s trick.” I hugged Jack, whispering against his ear, “I shall repay you one day.”

  “I shall make Leo stand sentry over me while I sleep,” Jack retorted then laughed as he kissed my cheek.

  After hugging my mother and receiving her exclamations of joy, Andrew led me to the window.

  “I have a gift for you. Look out there.”

  Rather amused, I looked. Outside the house, a groom was walking a pure black horse around the drive.

  I turned to stare at Andrew. “You have brought me a horse?”

  “Not just any horse, but a lovely creature bred on my family’s land.” Andrew placed his hands on my shoulders as we both looked out the window. “With her spirit, she and you will suit magnificently.”

  We all walked outside to see the animal. She was a lovely creature as Andrew said, and I was so pleased with the gift, that I smiled like a child receiving their first pony.

  “What is her name?” I asked, as I stroked her mane.

  “That I leave to you, my dear.” Andrew took his leave a few minutes later, but informed
me that he was returning for dinner per Mother’s invitation.

  After Andrew had gone, Jack and I took the horse to the stables. “The poetry was a dark trick,” I informed my brother, before laughing. I was in a complete state of bliss, unable to be upset.

  Jack chuckled, looking positively gleeful. “So it was, but no less than he deserved for leaving you like he did.”

  “Jack, you must forgive Andrew. I have.” Jack remained silent, so I nudged him.

  He did not look at me as he replied. “Now that Andrew has come forward it would be best if you left the Phantoms now, before any danger can come to you.”

  I halted, turning to stare at him. “Jack, you are not serious.”

  Grabbing my hand, Jack moved us forward. “I am, dear sister. Andrew needs never to know about our work, but if you choose to tell him, I would rather you were not still working when you break the news to him.”

  He wanted me safe. He had always wanted me safe and protected, but I could not give up because I now had the future I craved; I owed more to my father, to my team. “Once we have Levitas, then I shall leave the leading of the Phantoms to you,” I said with decision, and this time Jack was the one to stop. He began to protest, but I halted him. “This is what our father would want,” I started to walk on, but paused, looking over my shoulder at him, “and it is not open for discussion.”

  Chapter 30