William’s grasp on Amelia’s hand was tight, and he pulled her roughly as they stumbled through the smoldering debris and tight groups of panicked people. She struggled at first, tugging on him and trying to go back, wanting to check on Derek. But there had been people with him, and she’d seen the physician heading in that direction. He would be fine. Probably.
With her free hand she tried to keep her skirts from snagging on the uneven path. People were scrambling. All around them there were shouts and cries and scuffles breaking out. With everyone streaked with dust and sweat it was hard to tell which class of people the person next to you belonged to.
“We’re going to the opera house, stick close,” William said, and let her go. He pulled his sword free from its caned scabbard and held it at the ready. Amelia used her recovered arm to cover her mouth and nose against the smoke as they picked their way across the city, barely noticed.
The fires hadn’t yet reached the opera house. The mid-afternoon sun was beating down on it, and it looked strangely bright against the pillars of smoke rising up behind it. There was a carriage out front and Nathan was hurriedly tying several small suitcases to the roof. When he saw them his face split into a manic grin. He hopped down and rushed over, gathering Amelia into his arms and holding her tightly against him.
“You’re okay,” he breathed into her ear.
“Oh course she is,” William said from behind her. “She had me.” He sheathed the sword back into the cane and gripped it at the middle, holding it like a weapon even though the deadliest part was covered over.
Nathan let go of her and reached around to clasp William’s hand. “Of course. Will you come with us?”
“No. I need to double back and find Edmund. We may have work to do yet.”
“Into the stables with you then,” Nathan said. “Take a horse. I’m sure you’ll be doing whichever one you pick a favor. No doubt the flames will eventually reach this place.”
“No doubt, go,” he said. “We’ll catch up with you on the road.”
“Until then,” Nathan said. He put his arm around Amelia’s shoulders and turned her toward the carriage. “You look worried, my dear. Not all is lost. There’ll be fire for a while, but then we’ll come back, stronger, and put it back together the right way.”
“I’m not worried about the city,” Amelia said. “I know we’ve done the right thing for the city.”
“What then?”
Amelia climbed into the carriage. She didn’t want to answer, but he looked up at her from the door with his own worry and she couldn’t bear to weigh on him as well. “Derek,” she said. “He was hurt. A stray bullet.”
“He’s alive?” Nathan asked quietly.
Amelia nodded, trying not to give over to fear and exhaustion.
“You really do love him, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she said. “That was never in doubt. It just isn’t that kind of love.” Nathan pulled away and closed the door. She leaned her head out of the window as he placed his foot to climb into the driver’s bench. “Nate,” she said. He hesitated, keeping his eyes on the seat. “He gave us his blessing.”
Nathan paused for a moment more and then pulled himself up into the seat. Amelia sat back against the rear of the carriage and closed her eyes. He would be okay. They would all be okay.
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Date: 2011-11-11 03:25 pm (UTC)William’s grasp on Amelia’s hand was tight, and he pulled her roughly as they stumbled through the smoldering debris and tight groups of panicked people. She struggled at first, tugging on him and trying to go back, wanting to check on Derek. But there had been people with him, and she’d seen the physician heading in that direction. He would be fine. Probably.
With her free hand she tried to keep her skirts from snagging on the uneven path. People were scrambling. All around them there were shouts and cries and scuffles breaking out. With everyone streaked with dust and sweat it was hard to tell which class of people the person next to you belonged to.
“We’re going to the opera house, stick close,” William said, and let her go. He pulled his sword free from its caned scabbard and held it at the ready. Amelia used her recovered arm to cover her mouth and nose against the smoke as they picked their way across the city, barely noticed.
The fires hadn’t yet reached the opera house. The mid-afternoon sun was beating down on it, and it looked strangely bright against the pillars of smoke rising up behind it. There was a carriage out front and Nathan was hurriedly tying several small suitcases to the roof. When he saw them his face split into a manic grin. He hopped down and rushed over, gathering Amelia into his arms and holding her tightly against him.
“You’re okay,” he breathed into her ear.
“Oh course she is,” William said from behind her. “She had me.” He sheathed the sword back into the cane and gripped it at the middle, holding it like a weapon even though the deadliest part was covered over.
Nathan let go of her and reached around to clasp William’s hand. “Of course. Will you come with us?”
“No. I need to double back and find Edmund. We may have work to do yet.”
“Into the stables with you then,” Nathan said. “Take a horse. I’m sure you’ll be doing whichever one you pick a favor. No doubt the flames will eventually reach this place.”
“No doubt, go,” he said. “We’ll catch up with you on the road.”
“Until then,” Nathan said. He put his arm around Amelia’s shoulders and turned her toward the carriage. “You look worried, my dear. Not all is lost. There’ll be fire for a while, but then we’ll come back, stronger, and put it back together the right way.”
“I’m not worried about the city,” Amelia said. “I know we’ve done the right thing for the city.”
“What then?”
Amelia climbed into the carriage. She didn’t want to answer, but he looked up at her from the door with his own worry and she couldn’t bear to weigh on him as well. “Derek,” she said. “He was hurt. A stray bullet.”
“He’s alive?” Nathan asked quietly.
Amelia nodded, trying not to give over to fear and exhaustion.
“You really do love him, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she said. “That was never in doubt. It just isn’t that kind of love.” Nathan pulled away and closed the door. She leaned her head out of the window as he placed his foot to climb into the driver’s bench. “Nate,” she said. He hesitated, keeping his eyes on the seat. “He gave us his blessing.”
Nathan paused for a moment more and then pulled himself up into the seat. Amelia sat back against the rear of the carriage and closed her eyes. He would be okay. They would all be okay.