The Girl Underground

Chapter 25: Words Whispered through Prison Bars

Chapter 25: Words Whispered through Prison Bars

Abigail knew it was a risk to visit the prison that day. She knew that all eyes were watching her, for whatever reason. Her secret had not gotten out yet, Malia was keeping quiet, but with it so known already she feared it would leak through the cracks eventually, so she found herself constantly watching her back.

But she had Roger keeping an eye on Malia, so that much was secure. She knew that he would do what he had to. Lucy could never find out who her real father was. Malia did not know that either, so that was a relief, but if either of them—or, God forbid, both!—found out, it would end in ruins. John would never forgive her. In fact, he would destroy her. He was a powerful man. Abigail hated to admit it, but Malia was a smart woman for getting attached to him.

Smart, yes, but no less foolish. Young girls thinking they could work their way up the ranks by lifting their skirts for every older man who wanted a taste were fools. They were not in short supply, there were plenty of beautiful girls in the world to suit the fancies of these older, more established men. But Malia was a rare beauty, wasn't she? She was a mystery, exotic. It was a thing to either be repulsed or enamored by, and while Abigail had chosen repulsion, her husband had taken the other way.

Leaving her home that day, Abigail brought only Addison, the maid, with her. Everyone else was left to wonder where their mistress was going, for she had a reputation of keeping these things to herself.

"If you breathe a word of this to anyone of your servant friends, I will have you thrown out to the streets," Abigail whispered to Addison as they walked. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes, ma'am," the girl stammered.

"Good."

The girl was about Malia's age and, from what Abigail gathered, a terrible gossip. Abigail didn't know why she brought her along, but she figured people wouldn't ask too many questions about her comings and goings if she had someone with her. She would look more suspicious if she was alone.

Lucky for her, though, there weren't many people in the market this day, which was odd. Summer was coming to a close, and usually that meant that the market was bustling and full of life, but ever since Cromwell's murder, people were treading carefully. Even with Arthur Denning's capture, there was a lot of talk of crimes going on in Lanfore that no one knew about, and perhaps there was more to it than just what they were being told. People were horribly suspicious and intuitive when they wanted to be.

Still, Abigail figured that it worked to her favor. Fewer people asking questions and such. Of course, it would be no small feat to sneak into the prison of all places and have a chat with the one on highest guard, but she had to do it. She had to tell Arthur before he was hanged that Lucy was his daughter. It was something that bordered on moral duty, of sorts. But she was doing it for herself more than anything.

Just in case she could not get into the prison without raising any dangerous questions, Abigail had written a note that she was going to to slip into the cell, and that was where Addison came in. She hoped that she didn't have to do that, she really did want to meet with him face to face, but the way it was currently looking, she would possibly have no choice.

Thankfully, though, by the time she arrived to the doors leading down to the prisons, she saw no one there. She knew the guard who usually stood at duty, Baylor. He was rather dim witted from what she knew, and just as well, such crimes rarely ever happened in Lanfore. Petty thefts and assaults at most. This one was a rare thing, which was why she had expected more people to be on guard. Such an assumption was brought to truth when, just before she stepped closer to the doors, Baylor returned from wherever he had been before.