The Sinner

“"You are a Town Guard." "That is not a secret." "Then I do have a case for you," the lady said. "I wish to find my sister." "What is the nature of her disappearance?" If it was a simple disappearance, anyone could directly come into the Grand Guard Hall and file for the case. But with this woman's efforts, it was either a case that would cause a scandal or a petty, foolish one which was getting too rampant nowadays. He had been getting useless cases being presented to him by crying single ladies and their mamas in their poor attempt to get his attentions. Even a Town Guard could not be saved from the desperate single ladies still out in the marriage mart. "She had been banished," came the lady's reply. "I am sorry to tell you that we do not handle banishment cases. No matter how you may feel that your sister has been wronged, the law does not-" "I know of the law. I would not have come here if I knew I would not get your help." Ah, so she was confident he'd help her. McKenzie scratched at the scar across his right brow, a habit when he was getting impatient. "And why would you think I would take a banishment case?" he finally asked. Honestly, if this was another single chit who wished to trick him into marriage, he would throw her out of the house for having wasted his time. She finally pulled her hood off her face to reveal a beautiful lady with flaming red hair. Her cheeks were high and finely formed, her chin pointed and her eyes dark blue. She looked vaguely familiar and he quickly searched his memory for a name. He was quite good at memorizing faces and giving a name to them. Carrington. She was a Carrington. She talked of banishment and if his memory served him right, Belinda Carrington had been banished out of Willowfair five years past. Emmett Carrington had two daughters. This must be the other one. She did not know her name but he soon would. "I am Julia Carrington, now lady Trilby," she said, sparing him the trouble. Her face was too serious, her stand too stiff. He had heard of her recent marriage to the youngest Trilby son. "As I have said, Mr. Haverston, I wish that you find my sister, Belinda. You must know about her for her disappearance had caused a great scandal five years past." "And I have told you, lady Trilby, that a banishment case is not-" "The banishment is not unlawful, Mr. Haverston," she interjected, her blue eyes looking straight at him. "But where she was banished to is," she finished. McKenzie finally allowed a frown. "Where she was banished to?" Julia Carrington-Trilby's face tightened but McKenzie was certain that she was fighting back tears. "She was banished aboveground."”