*Sterling*
I don’t remember drifting off to sleep, but when I open my eyes, I don’t see any of the men about and am certain they’re gone, because what I do see is a silhouette of Frannie behind a screen.
She raises an arm high over her head and strokes her other hand along it. She is washing up, I deduce. I can see only the shadow of her, but it’s enough for me to realize she no longer wears a dress. My body tightens painfully… nowhere in the vicinity of my wound… as her hands move along her shoulders, lowered…
“I’d close those eyes again if I were you.”
I jerk my head to the side to discover my worst nightmare sitting there. Swindler’s gaze bears into me.
“It would be unfortunate if Grimley misjudged the seriousness of your injury, and you were to suddenly expire on the spot. Franni
