'Don't look, Lillian. Never look into the eyes of a Sin-Eater, you will be as cursed as he is and will forever languish in darkness.'
Lillian Elmes remembers the warning her mother gave her about the town's Sin-Eater only too well.
How could she n...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Lutwyche Hall, the Hawkstone residence, is a sight to behold on a summer's day when the light hits the red brick aflame and ignites the blush of the cherry blossom trees, but I happen to think that Lizzie's presence is what truly gives the house its personality.
The way she instructs the Hawkstone children is a far cry from the stern demeanour of the governess that taught William and I, who had a face to freeze lakes solid, as opposed to one like my dearest friend, who brings such joy to her lessons.
I watch from the doorway of the schoolroom, attempting to leech as much happiness from this room as I can, for since my unexpected meeting with Percival yesterday, I have felt nothing but a bleak and hopeless cloud hanging over my head that surely seeks to suffocate me. I think I have washed my hand fifty times since he dared to touch me and still, I cannot remove the feeling of repulsion that disquiets my heart. I have not yet told Mama and Papa of his behaviour, mostly because I fear Papa's reaction may set off a chain of events that even the entire Naval force could not do battle with. While they may have felt pressured into accepting Percival's apparently generous offer before, they – like myself – did not know of the man he hides beneath his harmless exterior. Even Mama, in all her efforts to avoid scandal, would not allow such a match if she knew the truth. As much as I would dearly like to expose him and rid myself of him, I fear what he will expose my family to, should I reveal who Percival Baker really is.
And who is he really?
Despite his apparent offence at any accusation of wrong-doing, I am still not convinced Percival is not the person responsible for the necromancy inflicted upon Mr. Hawkstone and Mrs. Smallman. He certainly appears to have a vendetta to drive Daniel not only from the town, but straight into the hands of the Church. Of course, he may just see him as a rival and wish to vanquish and ruin him, and yet, what if he is something more? What if he is infinitely more dangerous than anyone would ever imagine? What if he is a monster?
'Okay, children, I would like you both to continue reading until I say to stop,' Lizzie says, and Ada and Arthur dutifully do as they are instructed. They might be little beasts at times, but it is rare that they disobey their governess. With their heads tucked inside their books, Lizzie joins me in the doorway, pulling me into the corner of the room.
