“You were – magnificent,” Tesara said slowly. “I could not have believed it was you, until I saw your eyes.” A bit of almost humor came into her voice. “And Father’s handkerchief.”
Yvienne put her hand on her sister’s. Tesara’s hand was warm and she went to draw back her own cold hand, but her sister took hers and began to rub it.
“It was you at the Kerrills too? The Gentleman Bandit, I mean? And all the other times?”
Yvienne nodded, and then, because she knew her sister couldn’t see her in the dark, she managed. “Yes.”
“Were you frightened?”
“Not really. The first time I didn’t really plan it. But they were more frightened, and it just worked out.”
“We can’t take it back, can we?” Tesara said. “You and I – we’re really in it now.”
“We’ve always known we were playing dangerous games,” Yvienne said.
“Yes,” Tesara said, but she sounded lost in thought. She kept rubbing warmth into Yvienne’s hand. “But this is far too dangerous, Vivi. If you’re caught…”
“I won’t be,” Yvienne said. She could tell her sister’s expression in the dimness. “Uncle is right. I know how to get in and out, and I only pick the houses on the Crescent that I know have a back way out.”
“Bosh,” Tesara said, flat. “Everyone’s luck runs out. That’s the first rule of a gambler. You need to stop before you get caught.”
I can’t stop. The thought hammered at her. I tried. But it was intoxicating to be out at night, in the guise of the Gentleman Bandit, surprising her victims and robbing them senseless. She felt remorse afterwards, especially if it was someone she knew. But in the moment, Yvienne was a predator of the night, and she relished all of it – the stealth, the attack, and the flight into the darkness, down to her sea cave.
“And what about you?” she snapped back at her sister. “You don’t have to stop cheating them at cards?”
“At least I won’t be thrown into gaol!” Tesara cried. “Or worse! Hanged!”
“Shh!” Yvienne hissed at her.
They were both silent, listening for sounds that they had woken their parents. After a moment Tesara continued, in a whisper.
“You know you have to end it, Vivi. This is too dangerous. I was the distraction, to be sure, but it was for you to find out evidence against the Guild. Not for this.”
The accusation hit home. Yvienne had nothing to say. There was a muted chime from the parlor as the mantel clock sounded the hour. Four o’clock. Mathilde would be coming any minute. She could not find them in the kitchen. As one, the girls sighed.
“Come on,” Tesara said, standing and pulling Yvienne to her feet.
They made their way upstairs and to bed. They settled in, warming up under the threadbare blanket. In the darkness, Tesara spoke first.
“Promise me, Vivi. Promise me you’ll stop.”
Yvienne felt the tears leak from the corner of her eyes. I want to stop, she thought. I need to stop. She opened her mouth to promise her sister, to assure her she was done with the Gentleman Bandit, struggling to voice the words she knew would be a lie. After a moment, Tesara rolled over, turning her back to her sister.
One last job, Yvienne told herself again. One last one, and then I’ll stop.
Chapter Fifty-Six
“Where is Tesara?” Alinesse grumbled at breakfast, pouring the coffee.
“Still abed, Mama,” Yvienne said, wishing she were right beside her.
It was another rainy morning as Port Saint Frey’s changeable weather took a turn for the worse. Yvienne and her parents sat cozily over breakfast porridge, eggs, ham, bacon, and waffles stuffed with cream and peaches. Yvienne had stumbled downstairs because she knew her parents would roust them out of bed, but as far as she knew, Tesara intended to sleep the day away.
“Goodness, how late did you girls stay up?” Alinesse asked.
“I don’t know. Late.”
The sound of tromping footsteps made them look up, but it wasn’t Tesara who was that heavy-footed. Uncle Samwell grunted something and slouched into his chair, pouring coffee for himself.
“What’s your excuse?” Brevart muttered, barely looking up from the Gazette.
“Your daughter,” Samwell said. “Your daughter has single-handedly put a monkey wrench in the works of the best deal I’ve ever made. Where is she, by the way? Do you know what she has been up to?”
Icy anticipation gripped Yvienne’s heart.
“What on earth are you talking about, Sam?” Alinesse said, all irritation.
“Merciful heavens!” Brevart shouted, sitting back in his chair with his eyebrows straight up into his hairline. He smacked the newspaper with the back of his hand. Even though she had been half-braced for it, Yvienne still felt a jolt.
“Brevart!” Alinesse exclaimed. “What on earth–”
“‘The tranquility of the gentle city of Port Saint Frey was rudely broken again last night with another attack on one of the most respected and wealthy trading houses, House Iderci. The guests of the Idercis were cruelly overwhelmed by the same Gentleman Bandit, this time who took one gentleman hostage and forced a young scioness of a not-to-be-named fallen House to gather up purses and deliver them to the masked evildoer. She was forced to perform an act of even more dreadful proportions when she was made to stand as a human shield between the bandit and any would-be defenders.’”
Brevart looked up at all of them. They stared back.
Samwell grunted, reaching for a waffle and folding it over, stuffing half of it in his mouth. “Told you,” he said, through a mouthful. “The Colonel told me all about it when the whole thing was over.”
There was dead silence. And then Brevart pushed back his chair so violently that it fell over and made for the doorway. One after another they followed, Yvienne pausing to pick up his chair, and the entire family trooped out of the dining room, past a startled Mathilde, and thundered up the stairs. They crowded onto the narrow landing. Alinesse rapped sharply on the door.
“Tesara! Wake up!”
“Young lady, come out at
