Addy clung to her sister, hating that they’d been pulling apart the last few days, and hoping desperately that Elise would never find out how butterflies danced in her stomach whenever she was with the man they all hated. “When I’m with him, it’s hard to see that he’s a monster. I know he is, of course I do, but . . .” But what? She liked the attention? She liked the way he looked? She liked the way she felt special when she was with him? It all sounded pathetic, even to her own ears, now. “It’s hard to remember that when he’s so different with me.”

“Men can be like chameleons sometimes,” Elise murmured. “He’s probably well versed at being charming when he has to be, and maybe you’ll never see the other side of him, but you need to remember how quickly things could escalate if he ever finds out what we’ve done. He could go from sweetheart to monster before you have so much as a whisper of warning.”

Addy breathed in the scent of her sister and stole her warmth, still folded into her arms. And not for the first time, she wished their mother were still alive, so Elise could just be her sister instead of having to be the one in charge.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN CATE

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CATE

“I can see her coming along the path.”

Cate was waiting for Elise to return, anxiously packing some supplies they might need along the way for their little trip. She wasn’t sure yet where they were going, but she’d wrapped some dried fruit and a slice of bread, and filled a container with water. Then she’d added in a flashlight in case they didn’t make it home before dark.

“You’re all jittery,” Jack said, sitting up in bed. “You’ve been making me dizzy with all that pacing.”

Cate laughed. “Sorry. I just had this strange feeling that she wasn’t going to come back.”

“It’s not unusual to feel that way, Cate,” Jack said somberly. “There are enemy soldiers stationed everywhere around here, and fighting could break out anywhere. There could still be pockets of British soldiers waiting to take a stand.”

Cate didn’t tell him that she firmly believed any of those pockets would have been found and killed by now.

“Promise me you’ll be careful?” he asked.

“If you promise me to keep resting while I’m gone,” she replied.

“What, did you think I might leave the house for a stroll or take Adelaide to a dance, perhaps?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m serious, Jack. It’s a miracle you’ve survived all this, so please just be careful. The longer you stay in bed—”

“I know, I know,” he said, throwing his hands in the air. “I promise I’ll follow orders.”