The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason Read Free Book Online

become more ragged. He was gentle and quick, and with one swift, neat movement, he dipped the needle into and through the top lip of skin at her navel. Eustacia handed him the vis bulla and, with a quick pinch, he slipped it into place.
    The silver cross felt cold resting in her navel, but the pain from the piercing was already waning. Aunt Eustacia made the sign of the cross over Victoria’s belly, and then she buttoned up her gown. The other participants said one more prayer, and then they filed out of the room, silent, leaving Eustacia and Victoria alone.
    â€œThere,” her aunt said. “This gift is given you in recompense for your life of dedication and the sacrifices you will make. As long as this amulet of strength touches your skin, you will be physically strong and quick to heal. Your movements will be swift and powerful; your mind will be sharp and clear. It does not make you invincible, nor does it make you immortal.”
    She helped Victoria to sit up and drew her into her arms, embracing her with surprising strength. “Wear it well, Victoria, and go with God as you do this work.”

+ 3 +
    Miss Grantworth Miscalculates
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    â€œOur lovely debutante has scored the attention of the most elusive bachelor in London!” squealed the Duchess of Farnham in a decidedly unduchesslike tone as she poked over the tray of tea treats. “Rockley could not take his eyes off her all night at the Roweford dinner party!”
    â€œHe was on her card a second time, but Victoria disappeared for some ridiculous reason and he could not claim the dance,” Melisande complained. She lifted her favorite, a blackberry scone, and scooped clotted cream over it. “He appeared quite disappointed. I could not find her anywhere, and when she came back, she told me some foolish story about helping one of the other girls look for her cloak.” Tsking, she took a genteel bite of the scone, dabbing at the cream that clung to the corner of her mouth. “I reminded her that her only concern ought to be landing a good husband…and these other girls are nothing but competition!”
    â€œWas that not the night that Mr. Beresford-Gellingham disappeared?” asked Petronilla, eyeing the plate of tea cakes and biscuits mistrustfully, as if one were about to leap into her hands and force its way down her slender throat. “That is the third incident in less than a month.”
    Winifred, the duchess, had forgone Melly’s technique of nibbling in favor of the one-step process; thus her mouth was full of lemon-basil biscuit, and she resorted to nodding vehemently. When she swallowed and washed the last dry crumb down her throat with tea, she said, “He disappeared and has not been heard from since. No one seems to have a clue as to where he has gone off to.”
    â€œAnd those horribly disfigured people with the Xs on their chests,” Melly said. “Left to die near the wharves! I cannot imagine what sort of man or beast might be causing such devastation.”
    Petronilla leaned forward, her blue eyes sparkling and her voice low. “There is only one thing that can cause that kind of destruction. Vampires!”
    Winnie jerked back in her seat and inhaled a mouthful of biscuit crumbs that set her to coughing. Her chins and jowls wobbled and trembled as she stared bug-eyed over the rim of her teacup.
    â€œDon’t be ridiculous, Nilly,” Melly told her. “Despite my mad aunt’s propensity for carrying holy water and pressing garlic on anyone who will take it, there is no such thing as vampires. You have been reading too many gothic novels.”
    â€œSurely the Bow Street Runners would stop them if there were vampires,” Winnie managed to choke out. “Perhaps I ought to consider wearing my cross again.”
    â€œThe Runners couldn’t stop them,” Petronilla told her calmly. “Vampires have superhuman powers. They are stronger than the strongest