With the main reason that the Season had come to a close, mother allowed Eliza and her lady's maid, Arabella Swinton, to stay with me until August. She arrived at my house while I was at work, so I wasn’t able to welcome her. Even so, I knew she’d be in good hands with Lottie and Simon. I hope that Arabella gets along with them because this situation is already tough. Especially with the Marchioness’ ball in just two days' time. I had sent her a letter just this morning informing her that my sister was to join me for said occasion. With Eliza having just arrived, it would have been inconsiderate of me to leave her alone when she already wakes up with me gone.

This also hinders the way Cameron and I operate our…business. We will have to find ways around her to still be able to conduct it. Would she be mettlesome? Or would she look for odd things in my study, even though I keep this matter out of my own home? I pray that she at least pretends to stick to societal norms while staying with me, though I highly doubt that.

I was supposed to have a meeting after work today to discuss tonight with Cameron, but since I have a guest, I arrived home around 1 pm. Eliza lounged in the Drawing room, engrossed in a book, with Catherine seated comfortably at her feet. In her light blue dress, she appeared so at ease, a world away from the stress of the party. I wonder if being under our parents' roof was really that hard for her.

“Have you had luncheon yet, sister?” I called out to her.

She looked up from her book with a look of surprise, “No, Ezra. I have not. Do…you want me to join you?”

“Only if you want to.” 

“Well, I believe Lottie has made up food for the both of us. Would be a shame to let it all go to waste.”

“A shame indeed. Shall we?”

 

I started for the dining room as Eliza got up from the loveseat. Plates and glasses of lemonade had already been placed. In the middle of the table were premade sandwiches, freshly baked rolls, and a sampling of fresh fruits.  Simon waited for Eliza to sit down so he could push her chair in.

"How've you been, Ezra?" she asked me as Simon sat down a bowl of pea soup.

"I'm doing well, thank you. How about you?" I took a sip of my lemonade.

"I’ve been quite well. Arabella has taken the time to unpack all my belongings, making everything feel like home. Plus, Lottie has been helpful throughout the process." She paused thoughtfully, savoring the warmth of the soup as she lifted a spoonful to her lips. After a moment of reflection, she gently set the spoon back down, "Ezra.." her voice started to teem with excitement, "The Marchioness' ball is fast approaching. Have you given any thought as to what you might wear?"

I glanced up from my plate, giving her a confused look. After receiving a look from her that I couldn't describe, I realized she was waiting for my answer. "To be honest, Eliza, fashion isn't exactly something I'm interested in. Just giving me a singular glance can tell you that. A simple black suit would suffice, I'm sure."

She covered her mouth and gave a slight chuckle, "Oh, Ezra, you can't possibly attend such a grand event in your usual attire! This is the Marchioness we're talking about, who is well-known for her extravagant parties and impeccable taste. You must make an effort, dear brother."

I sighed and sat back in my chair. "You make a good argument, but I'm afraid my wardrobe lacks the kind of...finery required for such an event." I took a sip of my lemonade before continuing. "Perhaps Simon could assist me in finding something more to your liking. He always seems to know the proper attire for any occasion."

Her eyes lit up instantly, "How about I offer some assistance? I have a few creative ideas that could enhance your style. After all, I wouldn't want my twin brother to be the least fashionable gentleman at the ball."

A warm smile crept up on my face, something that hadn't happened due to my sister in years. "That would be lovely, Eliza. I would appreciate your help. Besides, I wouldn't want to disappoint my dear sister after she so graciously agreed to endure my company for a few months."

We shared a laugh before she stated, "Don't be silly, Ezra. I'm thoroughly enjoying my time here and I'm really looking forward to this ball. It's been ages since I've had the chance to dance and socialize without Mother breathing down my neck." She paused, her gaze turning thoughtful, "Besides, I have a feeling that this ball might hold a few surprises."

My eyebrow raised, "Oh? What makes you say that?"

She reached over and patted my hand, "Just a hunch, dear brother. Just a hunch."

After our meal, I went up into my office to open up the letters that had been received while I was away. One from my mother and one that had no return address, meaning it was from Mr. Bennett. After reading his letter, I wrote my own to Cameron stating where we needed to go that evening. Then I read the letter from my mother, which was just enquiring about how well Eliza was settling in and stating how quiet the house was without her. In my reply was reassurance that Eliza was well and settling in just fine.

I sealed the letters and walked down to find Simon, who was just passing into the morning room to deliver a refreshment to Eliza. Once he had finished his task, he took my letters and set out to drop them off. Stepping into the room, I grabbed a book off the shelf and sat down to relax a little. Eliza sat on the chaise lounge across from me, peering up from her book. The sunlight from the window behind her turned her dark brown hair into golden strands.

I finally spoke up after a minute of her staring, "What is it, sister?"

"Who were those letters to?" her face was still mostly hidden by her book.

"Just to our mother who was asking about you and to our cousin stating stuff that isn't your business." I turned the page in my book and continued to read.

She huffed and tried to focus on her book again, but I could sense she was agitated, perhaps bored, and wanting to get in on something exciting. Well, this wasn't going to be that thing. I would never let anyone in on this, and I especially wouldn't even tell her about it. As soon as she realized I wasn't going to give in to her glares of disapproval, she left the room and went upstairs. 

I sat there reading, watching the sunset, listening to the match being struck as Simon lit the candles. It was so very peaceful after the long day of work, where the environment was so loud I barely knew how I got anything done. There was nothing like being wrapped up in a good book with your dog at your feet. I heard Eliza descend the stairs, but she didn't walk into the room I was in. She turned left and went into the Drawing room. It was just then that Simon came up to me and told me that dinner was ready. Closing my book, I stepped over Catherine and put it back on the shelf before making my way through the drawing room and into the dining room.

 

The table was dressed exquisitely. At its heart lay a succulent leg of mutton, glistening with flavor, elegantly surrounded by vibrant salads that whispered of fresh gardens. Piles of rich, creamy cheese added a touch of decadence, while a delightful cherry pie, with its golden crust and glistening fruit, promised a sweet ending to the meal. In front of Eliza, and in front of where I would be sitting, were bowls filled with rich, velvety chestnut soup.

"Good evening, Eliza." I said as I sat down and breathed in the scent of Lottie's hard work.

"Good evening to you too, Ezra." her tone was off like she was still miffed about me not telling her what the letter to Cameron was about. She even slurped her soup.

We sat in silence while eating our first course, which was soon cleared away with mutton taking its place. After a few bites, Eliza finally spoke again.

"I was thinking about going into town tomorrow and doing a little bit of shopping. I'd be taking Arabella with me, of course." she didn't even look up from her plate.

"You're perfectly able to do whatever it is you wish while you're here, Eliza. So long as it's nothing that would disgrace our family. I don't think Mother could take that blow." I cut myself another bite of mutton before speaking again, "Also, I have some business to attend to after dinner. Don't wait up for me. It might be a long night."

"Business? At this hour?" she raised an eyebrow skeptically.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, "It's...complicated. Just business, you wouldn't understand."

"Try me," Eliza persisted, her tone hardening, "We're family, remember? You used to tell me everything."

I sat down my cutlery a little harder than I intended to, "This doesn't concern you, Eliza. Leave it alone."

She threw her napkin on the table, stood up with force, and stomped out of the room and up the stairs. I sighed and rubbed my forehead. If this is how it's going to be all the time when I need to head out at night, I don't think I'll be able to handle it. Also, I felt bad for Lottie who had spent all day in the kitchen working on this meal which was sure to go to waste at least a little bit. Sitting in silence for a while, I finally summoned Simon over to me.

"Can you please go fetch Miss Swinton for me?" 

"Of course, Sir. I shall return with her momentarily." he bowed and headed to the servant's quarters.

As the dining room door opened once more, a striking figure emerged. A young woman in her early twenties stood there, captivating in her simple dark red gown, which was neatly accented by a white apron adorned with delicate lace trim. Her raven-black hair was artfully styled under a white cap, contrasted with her emerald-green eyes. 

She came up to my right side and curtsied, "You needed me, Sir?"

"Can you please take a plate up to Miss Eliza? I don't want her going hungry or this food to go to waste."

"As you wish, Sir." she winked at me and I saw her eyes dart back to the door where Lottie stood with a serving tray, no doubt because Simon already knew what I was going to ask of Arabella.

For a split second, I saw a look of jealousy, or perhaps anger, flit across her face. She came up to the table and started to load small plates with salad, cheese, and a slice of pie and one big plate with a piece of mutton. Lottie shoved the tray at Arabella with a smile on her face and Arabella tentatively took it. I don't think she thought Lottie was capable of being even the slightest bit mean, just like me. Lottie curtsied and strode out of the room back towards the servant's quarters. Arabella followed suit in the opposite direction, leaving the dining room, moving through the drawing room, and heading up the stairs. I didn't blame her for not taking the servant's stairs up, for I wouldn't want to be in the path of Lottie's rage either.

 

Since Cameron won't be here with the carriage for a little while longer, I decided to finish my meal. Plus, I couldn't let all of this food go to waste. That's just money going into the compost pile. And, oh, how my taste buds savored every bite. I've mentioned it countless times, but I'll keep repeating it: Lottie truly knows how to make delicious meals. Simon came up to me and informed me that the carriage had arrived as I was wiping my mouth on my napkin. Thanking him, I set the napkin on the table and got up to go meet my cousin at the door. 

"Hello, dear cousin!" Cameron greeted me with enthusiasm.

"Sorry, Cameron. I'm not in a conversational mood."

"Did you and Eliza fight or something?"

I stepped into the carriage, "Yes. We did. And she almost let Lottie's hard work go to waste on top of it."

"You have such a soft spot for that one.." he took his seat across from me, "This will all blow over and things will be well again. I'm sure of it."

This time the carriage ride was mostly quiet, with Cameron talking about anything he could to try and get my mood up. It worked a couple of times, but I always ended up back in a sour mood. All I wanted was for this to be over and for me to be back home and in my bed. Who knows how much longer I can keep doing these late nights when work is so early in the morning?

Thankfully, we were only going to Mayfair to get one Alfred Baldwin who, of course, died of pneumonia. Mayfair was just a 40-minute carriage ride from London, so the journey wouldn’t take long. As we moved along, the world around us was cloaked in shadows, with only the soft glow of the moon illuminating our path. Above, the sky stretched endlessly, a deep navy blue filled with countless stars that twinkled like diamonds scattered across velvet.

When we got to our destination, we did our usual routine of finding the grave together before we both got to work on digging. With this being a graveyard instead of a large cemetery, it did make the job more difficult. Harder to hide that you're digging up a fresh grave when you're essentially in the heart of the town and can be easily seen. Still, the work needed to be done and so we got to digging.

At three feet down, I started to break out in a sweat. Dark clothes and a long coat in the summer do not make this job easy. Setting aside my shovel, I took my coat off and flung it out of the hole. It was Cameron's staff who did the laundry anyway, so I wouldn't be making more work for Lottie when I inevitably got my white shirt dirty. Cameron soon followed my example as he was more covered in sweat than I was.

When we finally reached the coffin, sweat was dripping off me, but that thunk signified that the work was almost over. Cameron stood on it and climbed out of the hole, throwing me the rope, and started laying out the tarp. I wound the rope around the coffin and tied several knots. After I was done, Cameron extended his hand and helped me out. We started pulling on the rope to get this poor man back above ground, albeit against his will. And his will was mighty as the coffin and himself were heavy. Knowing pneumonia patients, they often became quite skeletal at the end. So, how this man weighed so much is beyond me. We did eventually get him up and out and upon looking into his coffin found several heavy stones, no doubt the only way this family could afford to keep their loved one safe from people like us. This was the first time we'd encountered this measure, so it was unpopular. Alfred, himself, wasn't as heavy as we previously thought. Cameron got him ready to be wrapped in the tarp as I got started on filling the grave back up. Once everything was done, we both had to transport the body back to the carriage. The strain was immense, our boots digging into the soft earth as we trudged along the path. At the carriage, Cameron swung open the trunk while I positioned Alfred’s tarp-covered form. With a grunt, we hoisted him into the trunk, carefully arranging him to ensure there’d be no shifting during the ride.

 

As Cameron opened the carriage door, a voice rang out, “Well, well, gentlemen. Fancy meeting you here.”

“Eliza! What in God's name are you doing here?” I sputtered, my face turning pale.

“I could ask you the same question, dear brother,” Eliza retorted, her voice laced with sardonic amusement. “Though I believe I have a fairly good idea. Please get in so we may leave.”

We cautiously entered the carriage and sat across from her. If I thought I was sweating before, it was nothing compared to now. How much had she seen? How long has she been in here? How did she even get here?

Cameron spoke up first as the carriage took off, "Eliza, my dear cousin, it seems you have caught us at a rather... inconvenient moment." His voice was smooth and controlled.

"Oh, I'm sure it is," she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Tell me, gentlemen, is this how you spend your evenings? Digging up corpses and...doing whatever it is you do with them?"

My shoulders slumped as shame washed over me. We were caught and the realization that Eliza now knew my dark secret filled me with a sense of dread. Not having full trust in my sister yet, I had no idea what she would do with this information. Would she turn us in? Hold it over our heads and use it as blackmail? I dared not to meet her gaze and stared at the floor. Cameron, on the other hand, saw this as an opportunity.

“Eliza,” Cameron began, his voice low and conspiratorial, “what if I told you that this…endeavor…could be mutually beneficial?”

My head whipped up and I gave him a repulsed look, "Cameron, I don't think that's a good-"

Eliza cut me off and raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. “Oh? Do tell.”

Cameron continued, “With you by our side, acting as our decoy, Ezra and I would be free to pursue our…extracurricular activities without arousing suspicion."

“You’re proposing that I become your alibi? Your shield against the prying eyes of society?”

“Precisely,” Cameron replied, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of admiration and apprehension.

Eliza pretended to ponder his offer. “And what, pray tell, would I gain from such an arrangement?”

“Freedom,” Cameron stated simply. “Freedom from your parents’ watchful gaze, freedom to pursue your interests, and freedom to experience life on your terms. We can provide you with the means to escape the gilded cage that society has built around you. We already split the payment, so what's to say we can't split it into thirds?”

"Eliza," I began, my voice laced with concern, "This is no game. It's too dangerous."

Eliza fixed me with a steady gaze. "Don't underestimate me, brother. I'm more capable than you think." She turned to Cameron, "So, how much are you paid for this?"

Cameron clasped his hands together, "£66.60 per body. So £33.30 each. With you in on it, that would be about £22 each. Which is nothing to sneeze at. If you were to save that money, you could easily go do whatever it is you wished."

 

There was a moment of silence as she thought about it, her hands seemingly doing math. All I could think about was how this was not a good idea, but also a good idea. Sure, it would help us. Who could possibly think of chasing after graverobbers when a damsel in distress was calling out for help or a lady mourning a loved one at night who needed consoling? A distraction would be a good implement, but my very own sister? Did it really need to be her? Of course it did, she found us out. This would put her in so much danger and I'd be a dead man if our parents found out I let her do this.

“Very well,” Eliza said, her voice firm and resolute. “I accept your proposal. But let us be clear: this is a partnership of convenience, nothing more. I will play my part, but I expect you to uphold your end of the bargain. I will have my freedom, and you will have your secrecy.”

Still shaken by Eliza’s discovery, I looked at my sister and cousin with a mix of bewilderment and concern.

Cameron, sensing my unease, clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Don't worry, Ezra, everything will be fine. Eliza’s a smart girl. She understands the stakes. We’ll work together, and we’ll all get what we want.”

Eliza, her eyes locked on mine, offered an enthusiastic smile. “Indeed, brother. We’ll all get what we want.”

The ride home didn't warrant enough time to come to terms with Eliza joining our criminal crew. There was no way to stop her or change her mind. She was very headstrong and once she made her mind up on something, the only way you could stop her was by either throwing her behind bars or putting her in the grave. You could already tell she was fascinated by this underground trade by the time we got to Mr. Bennett's surgery and dropped off the body. She and Cameron got to work counting the money and dividing it while I just sat in the carriage, forcing my mind to come to terms and accept Eliza as a "business" partner doing stuff she ought not to even know about.

 

When we got home, Simon, like usual, met us outside. A flash of confusion was on his face when he saw Eliza step out of the carriage with me.

"Bribed the driver to let me sit with him before they departed." She explained as she walked past him and into the house.

I politely asked him to get me a change of shirt before I turned to Cameron, a concerned look still on my face. "Is this a good idea?"

He thought momentarily and rubbed his chin, "On one hand, yes. On the other hand, it's just another risk. I'd say let's give it a go and if it doesn't go as smoothly as usual, we pay her off and she doesn't join us again."

Simon had returned with a fresh shirt and I took off my waist coat and the soiled shirt, handed it to the footman, "You mean you'd pay her off. Who knows how much she'd ask for?"

"True, Cousin. Very true. We'll just have to wait and see." he shut the carriage door, "Put on a shirt before someone sees you."

I chuckled and pulled the clean shirt over my head. "Goodbye, Cameron. Hopefully, this doesn't end badly for all involved."

As I turned around to head inside, the old carriage groaned as it rolled forward, its wooden wheels creaking in protest against the uneven ground. The rhythmic sound of horse hooves echoed through the air, striking the packed dirt with a steady, resolute beat. Heading up the stairs and down the hall, a warm glow spilled out from underneath the door to  Eliza’s room, casting a soft light that flickered gently across the hallway. Sighing and shaking my head, I opened my bedroom door and started dressing down. After removing my boots, knee breeches, and stockings, I made my way over to the wash basin to get as much dirt off me as possible without having to wake Lottie to boil some water for a bath. The cool embrace of the water caressed my warm skin, offering a refreshing contrast that sent a shiver of relief through me as a gentle breeze from the open window brushed over the newly dampened patch of my body. This was much needed after a night like tonight. Now if only my head could ease up with the concern and calm down so that I might actually get some sleep.