“Here,” Sarah handed Henry a ring, “Does it fit you?”
Henry hesitated before reluctantly trying the ring on, and it fit snugly. “Is this for our married couple charade?”
“Yes.”
The ring felt peculiar on his finger, an added weight not just to his hand but also to his heart. He shook off those thoughts, realizing he had to wear it for the sake of his survival.
Henry observed the ring, noting its craftsmanship. “Did you spend a pretty penny on this? You ought to have saved the money for the fare.”
“Oh, no,” Sarah quickly replied, shaking her head. “I didn’t buy it. It’s a family heirloom, my parents’ wedding bands. This one belonged to my father.”
“Ah, I see.” Henry examined the ring again. It didn’t seem antiquated; rather, it looked well-maintained. If Sarah were to pawn it, she could likely acquire a grander house and more luxurious furnishings. However, sentimentality seemed to override any such thoughts.
“If it makes you uneasy, you need only wear it when we step outside or when appearances demand it,” Sarah suggested, noticing Henry’s discomfort. She didn’t want to coerce him into an uncomfortable role; that would only arouse suspicion if he couldn’t play his part convincingly.
“Of course.” Henry was about to walk away, but he noticed that Sarah was fidgeting while still standing her ground.
“Is there something you’d like to say to me?” he inquired.
“Uhh….” Her head hung low, avoiding his gaze. Her thumbs fidgeted, and she seemed hesitant to open her mouth. After a few moments of silence and observing her uneasiness, she finally spoke, still avoiding his eyes. “I’m keeping something from you.”
Henry’s eyes widened. His mind immediately went to the worst possible thoughts. Did she report him to the Colsarian authorities? Or did she accidentally reveal that she’s harboring a Consehannon soldier at her home? Should he plan his escape before it’s too late?
Trying to remain calm, he sternly asked, “What is it?”
She lifted her gaze, looking into his eyes as she spoke, “Do you promise not to get mad at me?”
Henry’s eyebrows furrowed. What could she possibly be hiding that would anger him? Did she really turn him in? Perhaps there’s a reward system here, and she stands to gain something by capturing a Consehannon soldier. What if those rings came from that, and she’s lying about them being from her father?
“I can’t promise that,” Henry answered sternly.
Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat as she hung her head low again. She had been debating whether to reveal her other reason for helping him and asking him to stay for a while. Mr. St. Claire had seen him already, and he hadn’t bothered her for a while, nor had her coworkers. She didn’t have to tell him about that, but it didn’t feel right to keep things from him. Using another person as a means to an end didn’t sit well with her.
She was like her mom, who had lied to her dad and left. She didn’t want to be like her.
Despite initially appearing cold and ruthless, this soldier turned out to be kind and genuinely pure. He did many things around the house even though she didn’t ask him to. He deserved to know the truth, and Sarah trusted that telling him now would be appreciated by him.
“It’s about the fella who frequents the house,” she began, and Henry listened intently. Daisy was already fast asleep in her room, so Sarah felt comfortable delving into this now. “He ain’t just a regular customer at our shop. He’s been after me, asking me to marry him.”
Henry nodded in understanding, encouraging her to continue. Though he had already pieced it together, he wanted to confirm the truth from her.
“But I want him to cease his pursuit, for I have no intention of marrying him,” Sarah continued. “Yet, he’s persistent, tough to shake off. So, I told a little fib, claimed my husband hails from a foreign land, thinking he’d halt his advances. But he won’t believe me.”
“So, you wanted to give him proof that your husband is real and alive,” Henry interjected, and Sarah nodded.
Upon hearing her confession, Henry sighed in relief. Truth be told, he had expected her to ask something significant in return for her kindness. At least she wasn’t betraying him or anything of the sort. It was a hidden agenda within the kindness, and strangely, he found it more agreeable. By fulfilling her condition, he would leave without feeling indebted. He wouldn’t be burdened by the sense of having to repay her kindness, as her actions weren’t entirely altruistic.
However, something in her story left him puzzled.
“Why not just accept his proposal?” he asked, and Sarah turned to him. “Wouldn’t you and Daisy have a better life if you married him?”
Sarah’s eyes widened with panic, as if Henry had just relayed the most terrifying tale, and she shook her head vigorously. “I’d sooner live on the streets with Daisy than marry that man.”
Henry pondered the man who had been observing the house, nearly every day since he arrived. Was he also watching before Henry got there?
“I know he’s not entirely a bad person, but his personality isn’t something I admire,” Sarah explained. “Daisy and I are better suited to a simpler life rather than one of luxury. And I’ve seen sides of him that wouldn’t set a good example for my daughter. But he just won’t take no for an answer.”
“Guess he’s quite smitten with you?” Henry shrugged, not one to provide much insight into matters of romance, having never been in a romantic relationship or courted anyone himself. Though, he did have a crush during his high school days.
Henry swore he saw Sarah visibly cringe at his words.
“Oh, please, Henry. I swear, it ain’t genuine affection. He just wants to possess me. Like I’m something he owns. I won’t stand for it.”
Henry nodded, understanding her sentiments. He respected how Sarah knew what she wanted and wasn’t willing to yield to a man just because he showed her affection.
“So that’s where I come in?”
“Exactly,” Sarah nodded. “I need you to convince him to cease his pursuit because there’s no way I’m marrying him. If it gets him to stop, so be it. I’m desperate at this point. My coworkers have become more unbearable since he started pursuing me, even my boss. The neighborhood can’t stop gossiping about me, saying things I don’t want Daisy to hear. So please, Henry, I won’t stop you from making your escape, but help me in my own predicament.”
Henry stared at her, and it felt like an eternity before he sighed and finally spoke.
“Well, I’ve already agreed to the cover we settled upon, haven’t I?” Henry replied. “And there’s nothing I can do but wait until we have the funds to get me to the port in Viscardia. Besides, I don’t want to be burdened by debts before I depart. It’s only fair to settle the score with you through a favor.”
“So, it’s really alright?” Sarah sought confirmation. “You’ll help me drive away my suitor?”
“Yes,” Henry agreed. “But we must craft the detailed narrative of our cover. We need to think of plausible answers, as they’ll grow suspicious if our responses differ.”
“Good thinking. I’ll fetch some pen and paper for us to jot down notes.” Sarah went to one of her drawers and retrieved a small notebook and a pen.
“Right, we need to come up with a name,” Sarah said while writing in her notebook. Henry sat across from her at the dining table. “Obviously, we can’t use your real name, can we? Your surname practically screams Consehannon, so we should fabricate a false identity.”
Sarah tapped the pen’s tip on her chin, contemplating.
“James,” Henry muttered quietly.
“Hmm?”
Henry sighed, repeating once more, “James. That’s simple enough to remember. It could work for me.”
“Ohh, okay. James it is.” Sarah wrote down the name on the notebook with a smile, “Then your surname would be Blythe.”
“Blythe?” Henry’s eyes narrowed. “Where did that come from?”
Sarah waved her hand dismissively, “It’s nothing. It’s just the surname of my favorite character in my Viscardian novel, Blythe.”
“You’re naming me after your favorite fictional character?” Henry asked, and Sarah chuckled in response.
“What? I find the surname beautiful!”
“What if they ask about our different surnames?” Henry questioned.
“I already have an excuse for that. I’ll jot it down here so you can take note of it.”
They continued to discuss more details about their faux marriage and relationship, striving to make the story as plausible as possible.