The Sinner

Scarred

pon in

ied in her mother's arms. "I shall never marry that boy, Mama!

. Little Cressida Belverst was indeed causing a scene amongst the crowd in the weekend Haverston party.

with such girls, Belinda," her mother

ut

daughter. Just look at her!" her mother hissed with a horrified look, sh

ith. Well, until she was pushed into the pond and came crying to cause a scene. Belinda wan

oid Cressida, she t

*

ed pacing before McKenzie Haverston and turned to face him as he sat on her old leather

the couch seemed rather too small for his big form. H

d you f

r sister gave me

said with impatience

to think like you when I arrived aboveground. Where would you go? Wh

e..." she muttered more

inda. They are not very common features even above

Haverston was mocking her. He had not said anything to indi

and down. Yet she did not see the same glimmer of admiration in them as the men she had encountered here abovegroun

r here, nor did she care what he thought of her und

d to burst out but they stopped, merely giving her eyes an extra gleam. Even unconsciou

a very tiny second she wondered where he acquired it. A

mise. She had tried to hang on to it, but the hope had slowly died and went to s

brothers, all of them never liked such parties, even the rake brother, Adrien. She had merely seen him from a distance and until now she was at awe how strong

ly," he informed her. She waited for him to provide more de

went to her kitchen and fi

inda. As soon as possible," he

t there was a chance that she could come back without fear that the passage guards would kill her if she would-as what he

s in her life here that she never wanted for herself. She knew in her heart that she belonged in the Town. B

t there was a touch of something promising like fun and adventure, like laughter and wit

crinkled whenever she lied. She had managed to cover that one flaw by pretending to rub on it with the back of

en up until recently when I gave them word of your possible banishment here. They are now looking into the case once more. I am certain that your banishment aboveg

ment and cause her such immense pain still. McKenzie Haverston had just slapp

for your anger. After all, you were forced to take up a

ound her situation aboveground pitiful that he reconsidered her source of anger,

employment?" It took all her con

nd cleared his throat. "I

it that my employment is rather distasteful to s

nnoyance. "I refuse to ju

tared at him over the rim of her cup as she sipped her coffee. There was no po

able degree, she replaced her cup on the counter an

and some trusted members of the League, I am the only one who knows you were sent here. Asking anyone

he was utterly and completely shocked when the two men who took her forced her through a passage. One mom

know of the passages," he answered. "And it wou

it, she said, "Very well, your secrets are safe with me. I am going out to

ome head. "I do have a more comfor

e felt someone was watching her! But she had to

voice filled with warning. The gall of this man! Did he mea

"I am leaving now to get food. It would be best if you l

*

back. Your sister is rather adamant that you return with me," Mc

ther sensitive nose for she had been rubbing on it twice now. "They do not judge me here as much as they did underground and I quite enjoy the freedom. You

bloody ready to go back underground where his life awaited him. Before he entered the apartment building where he managed to rent a room at, he looked over his

knew the streets better t

ed. He had spent his days watching her every move since he found her. It had been a lucky search, he thought. The drawing lady Trilby provided did not quite justify the

relief for having been finally found. He had imagined she would immediately and

e such a life. She may not have the same luxuries she had five years before her great scandal in the Town, but her sister would provide for a comfortable life for her in

r than what

emembered the face of that bloody bast

nally dawned. He knew she took her food from a small and cheap restaurant nearby and he anticipated that she would soon be goin

e repentant than angry. Most ladies who committed such debacle as lady Belinda Carrington did would have already come down on their knees by now. He wondered then if the lady w

, and the things she had done to Mary, the wife of his brother Adrien, he could

diminished even until now, but she was still the same woman he wa

ke her home. Once that was done, he'd gladly let her

him away from his thoughts. He recognized it immediately and jumped in alarm. From a dis

imbed out, facing Belinda's direction. "This is turning out to be a bloody, dratted even