Senseless

July 28, 1882 - Merritt

Hanny slid past them and hurried to me. "Are you all right?"

I nodded.

"What on earth has happened here?" I turned and found Lizzie standing in the hall. She was fully dressed from her day out with a lacy cream gown, matching gloves and clutch. Her hat was only recently unpinned and was resting in her hands. She finished pulling off her gloves and set all items on the small side table before she walked to where I stood with Hanny. Her palm found my check and she sighed. "Darling, you look ghastly. What has happened?"

I closed my eyes. "She keeps telling me that I killed them and I know I didn't."

Lizzie glanced around the small walkway where everyone was gathered. Rosie was clutching a still bleeding Desmott as if she was a frightened child. Lizzie, always the perfect lady, waved a hand dismissively at the broken glass at out feet. "Come now, everyone into the parlor. I shall call Mrs. Zanderfield to clean up this mess and we shall have tea." She ushered me towards the parlor, pausing only to gather the bandages that I had dropped. I tried to take them from her but she shook her head, "No need, I can handle it from here."

Hanny grabbed Lizzie's wrist and pulled her back so the two of them were walking a few steps behind me. Hanny spoke first, "I sent word to Gabe—"

"Yes, I know. I received a worrying phone call from my husband. I assumed that, out of respect for my home, you might have turned the gentleman away while my husband and I were out."

"He was insistent."

Lizzie sighed. "I am insistent."

"What has Gabe told you?"

"Enough for me to know that having Leviathan here is dangerous. Dangerous for us and most certainly dangerous for her."

"But she came to—"

Lizzie hushed her and lowered her voice even further so that I had to strain to hear them over my own footfalls. "We both know why she came. But she is not prepared for that."

I stopped in my tracks and turned back. "May I ask what you're talking about?"

Both girls halted and exchanged a look. "Nothing to be concerned about." Hanny said.

I chewed my lip and shook my head. "You said Desmott was dangerous." Something else occurred to me and I added, "You called him Leviathan. But supposedly he does not go by that name."

Lizzie swallowed, "I was only saying that the gash on Mr. Desmott's neck looked dangerous. As for the name, he introduced himself as Leviathan when he first came here with you."

I felt in my soul that neither statement was true, but I did not argue, neither did I try to reason with them. Rather, I turned on my heels and joined Desmott and Rosie in the parlor. She was still cuddle up next to him, looking at me as if I were some monstrous being sent to destroy her.

"Now, Mr. Desmott," Lizzie began, her expression full of a concern that did not appear entirely genuine. "I shall have a look at you neck and send you on your way. Last we met, my husband was quite set on your not returning here—"

Desmott interrupted her, his tone sharp. "I am interested in speaking directly to your husband. Where exactly is he?"

"He is away on business."

"And yet he somehow received news of our interaction."

Lizzie straightened her already impeccable posture and leveled her gaze on him. "I did not say he wasfar away on business, merely that he is indisposed and will not be here for some time."

I spoke before I could coerce my tongue into silence. "Where exactly is Gabe?"

Desmott's mouth quirked up on one side, the ghost of a pleased smile. "Yes, Mrs. Farley, I am sure your husband would not object to speaking to me man to man."