☆ ᴡᴀᴛᴛʏꜱ 2024 SHORTLISTER!! ☆
A tragic misunderstanding. A murder. A secret. An unlikely partnership. A spirited countess and an enterprising racketeer.
~~~
Manchester, England. May 1925.
The Roarin' 20s. An era of glamor, decadent parties, jazz mus...
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꧁ The Diary of Rose Sinclair ꧂
༺ 23rd of May, 1925 ༻
As predicted, William is angry.
The past two days have elapsed in a state of tension and pregnant silence. I feel as though I exist inside a frosted glass box, only able to see fleeting silhouettes and catch snippets of muffled, hushed conversations, but unable to interact.
I've hardly seen William since the benefit. He comes and goes quickly and silently, a perpetual foreboding glower fixed upon his face. His brothers have been in and out, as well. As has Elijah. And several men I do not recognize. When here at the house, they assemble in William's study, the door shut soundly against intruders. After the benefit, William declared war on Mr. Gallagher, and their behavior does indeed feel like preparation for battle.
The ominous phrase he uttered about Flanders Fields haunts me. I must inquire regarding its meaning.
I briefly ran into Elijah on his way through earlier today, and he introduced me to his friend Archie, the “youngin” he told me about during our dance. He is young. Looks like a boy. And has the carrot-orange hair and smattering of freckles one would expect from an “Archie.” We had barely exchanged a word, however, when they were beckoned away.
As I'm uncertain what to do while away from the refugees, I've been spending a great deal of time with Teddy. We've drawn pictures, played with his blocks and wooden horses, read stories (currently Jack and the Beanstalk), and had “pirate adventures” in the garden. Thus far, we've exhumed no buried treasure, but Teddy seems to enjoy having me as a companion, and if possible, Miss Pimms enjoys it more.
“Never been a nanny to a child who didn't need minding,” she remarked to me the evening after the benefit. “Getting paid to watch a child while I'm not watching him seems wrong. But it ain't like Mr. Mercer can't afford it.”
I love my time with Teddy, but I cannot help feeling restless. There must be something more I can do, yet I have no idea how to approach William. He's hard to read. More so when he's angry.
I'm anxious regarding what may come to pass. If William's reputation is to be believed, it will be no small thing.
Rose
꧁ ༺ ~ ~ ~ ༻ ꧂
The sun had set by the time Rose finished writing in her diary. She tip-toed down the staircase, ears perked for any sound of raised voices. All was quiet.
Walking through the main hall and foyer to the parlor, she noticed that the door to William's study stood ajar. That had not been the case since prior to the benefit.
She peeked through the curtains to inspect the drive out front. No additional vehicles. All of William's brothers and other visitors must have left.
Rose swallowed, ill at ease. If they weren't here, where were they? And what troublesome business were they getting up to?
