Page 75 of Beyond the Cottage

“Fine, I suppose.”

He unlocked the door and hauled it open. They hustled down the corridor, toward his office.

“Where’s Jonas?” he asked.

“Hiding, I think.”

Naturally. Ansel almost wished his cousin had simply jumped ship—Seven would have been better off.

“Who was the man in the red cloak?” she asked, trotting beside him. “He wouldn’t speak to me.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“No. He frightened me is all. Who is he?”

“Gretta’s friend.” In this context, the word tasted vile.

They reached his office, and Ansel opened the safe.

“We should never have held her captive,” Seven sighed. “We deserve to go to jail.”

“Maybe, but that isn’t going to happen to you.” After pocketing a few bills, he divided a thicker stack between two envelopes. He handed one to Seven. “Take this and go. The police will come soon, and I don’t want you here when they arrive. Before you go, distribute this among the remaining pixies.” He hesitated. “Don’t leave through the back. Pack quickly, and get out as soon as possible.”

“What about Jonas?”

Ansel felt his jaw tic. He could already picture his cousin’s pocket fat with Seven’s envelope. “He’s free to do as he pleases. More importantly, so are you.”

“What will you do?”

“I’m going to the capital with Gretta.”

Despite the circumstances, a smile played at Seven’s lips. “Miss Hacker has forgiven you?”

“No.”But I intend to work on that.“She’s going to introduce me to a potential investor.”

Seven’s smile broke into a grin. Besides working for the dust farm, she’d been his lab assistant. If the senator invested, Ansel would owe her a great deal more than what that envelope contained.

“I’ll maintain my mailing address in Antrelle,” he said. “Whenever you’re settled, send me a message with your contact information.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “And you’ll reach out to me if you ever need help.”

She looked at their joined hands. “So our business is truly over?”

Her forlorn expression tugged on his gut. While he and Seven had more of a professional relationship than a personal one, saying goodbye made him realize how fond of her he’d grown. When Jonas had brought her in, she’d been timid and self-conscious, but she’d transformed over the years. She added competent stability to their operation, warmth to the dank facility. And whatever fear she held for this new chapter, Ansel knew to his core that Seven would find her way.

“We’ll meet again,” he said. “I’m sure of it.”

With a lukewarm smile and a stiff nod, Seven tucked the envelope in her dress pocket.

Chapter 27

Gretta strolled into the private train car Philip had sprung for. The red wallpaper and gleaming gilt fixtures hurt her eyes, but after the swamps, it was the most wonderful train car she’d ever seen. It had two sleeping chambers and its own bathroom. Privacy and hot water.

Ansel would get the chaise lounge in the parlor. It was upholstered in pink satin and barely seated two comfortably. She smirked as he looked it over.

With a shrug, he dropped his duffel bag and case of repellent beside his new bed. The train whistled and lurched into motion.

They’d been lucky to make it on time. Gretta had spent an hour at the police station trying to convince the cops they had pixies stranded in their swamp. They’d nodded and yes ma’ammed her before offering assurances they’d look into it. Which meant she’d have to have Nat send somebody, and that could take days.

Brand was going to kill her. She’d have to think of some way to make it up to him.

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