Between the Pages and Lines

Chapter 13: Cleaning Up the Mess

"Oh my lady,"

Malorie sighed as she surveyed the mess of hair in front of her. Evelyn tried to keep her face straight.

"It was terrible," Evelyn tried to hide a laugh with a cough. "Fell right out the hedge into the pond."

"I see," Malorie muttered under her breath, walking around to the back and beginning the process of removing the twigs from her loose and falling braids. "It must have been quite a tumble."

"Oh it wasn't so bad," Evelyn cleared her throat, nearly choking on her restrained laughter. "I was quick in and out of it so there's that. One might even consider me a winner of sorts."

"Mmmhmm," Malorie mumbled her lips already full of pins. She ran her finger through Evelyn's hair deconstructing the braids. She put the pins on the vanity and sighed. "It will be best to wash the whole of it. I think. A new outfit before dinner should be in order anyway. It really is a lost cause Lady Evelyn. Though your story seems falsified. I wish you would tell me the truth of what happened. If you want to keep your secrets to yourself that is your choice."

"It's not that I don't want to tell you," Evelyn sighed standing up to get her dress untied. "It's just I wouldn't want to get Travis in trouble."

"Lord Williams?" Malorie walked to face Evelyn with concern on her face. Her voice hardened slightly. "He wasn't the cause of your appearance was he? Did he tell you not to tell anyone what happened? I will not allow him to treat you wrongly even if he is your cousin. You need to tell me immediately every that surpassed."

"Oh no," Evelyn said quickly.

She grabbed Malorie's hands in hers. Making sure she was paying enough attention that she wasn't talking.

"He did nothing wrong. Nothing he did was unwanted and uh I mean he was a perfect gentleman. He just happened to be with me... alone with me when I happened to..."

"Fall through a hedge into a pond?" Malorie looked at her face searching it for any tells. "I believe you in some things. I wouldn't think Lord Williams would bring any harm to his cousin. It is fine that you were alone with him, you are only his cousin after all. I wouldn't think anything of it. Though I have been to a few weddings but that's not what we are discussing."

"That's the problem," Evelyn put her hands in her lap. "We aren't really cousins Malorie."

"What," Malorie looked at her, her face twisting in confusion. "But he told me you were visiting because of the long time between seeing each other. You grew up close to each other being cousins and all. Why would he tell everyone you were cousins if it is not the truth? What could benefit from this falsity"

"Well I mean we just....I just... He thought...I...," Evelyn mumbled, regretting telling her the truth already. Taking a deep breath she looked at Malorie pleadingly. "You won't tell anybody will you?"

"No of course not," Malorie laughed as if it was obvious she would.

Evelyn sighed in relief sitting back in the chair. A weight came off her chest and she could breath easily again. Pulling her up to a standing position malorie let go of Evelyn's hands and turned to work on the ribbons on her dress.

"I wonder why you both came up with such an excuse. I have my assumptions of course. I would never judge you for wanting to keep your relationship a secret whatever it may be."

"Thank you," Evelyn sighed as she stepped out of the dress. "I hoped you would be able to understand. I so wish to be able to have you as my confidant."