Page 113 of Haunting the Deep

What if I challenge this place more? Could it tear the fabric of the spell? Maybe even break it? “Mollie, we need to go outside, somewhere that’s secluded. I want to tell you a few things and see if…Actually, no. Where’s my aunt?”

“In the lounge.”

“Perfect,” I say, and grab the lock on the door. I pause. “Before we go, can you promise me something?”

“What?”

“Can you promise me you won’t let anyone, especially the Alexander Jessups on this ship, drag me off against my will, no matter how reasonable they seem?”

Her eyes widen. “What an incredible thing ta say. Like I would allow anyone ta drag ya off fer any reason.”

“No matter how conflicted you feel.”

She waves her hand at me, like I’m getting more ridiculous by the minute.

Good.

Ipull Mollie up the stairs as fast as she’ll go and out onto the deck. There are people dressed in heavy coats milling about, enjoying the night. I speed-walk toward the lounge. Twenty feet from the door I stop and grab Mollie’s arm.

“Mollie, I need you to think about what happened on the night of April fourteenth, 1912. It was something important. Something sad.”

She blinks at me. “Miss? The fourteenth?”

“Do you remember?”

Her brows furrow.

“TheTitanicsank,” I say.

“Miss! What an awful thing ta say!”

Did I imagine it or did the temperature drop a tiny bit more?

“Your name is Mollie Mullin. You’re from Ireland. Your family owns a general store in Clarinbridge. You told me that.” I scan my surroundings, looking for Matt.

“Aye.”

“But you didn’t leave them to become a maid. You ran away with the guy you loved, a barman in your family’s store. Your parents didn’t approve, and so you planned to elope to America. Your brother chased you. But you and your fiancé got on theTitanic.You listed yourselves as brother and sister. Denis and Mary Lennon.”

“Denis Lennon,” she says. “Denis Lennon.” Something in her face shifts. “Why do I know that name?”

Mollie shivers. The temperature definitely dropped that time.

I take her hand and push open the lounge door before the crew butler can do it. He raises an eyebrow at me.

“Miss, why do I know the name Denis Lennon?”

I pause. How long has she been separated from him, forced to play some role the Jessups designed for her? I soften my voice. “Think about what I said about how you ran away. Do you remember running? Do you remember getting on theTitanic? How it struck an iceberg? You were in steerage, Mollie. You weren’t my maid.” I take a breath. “You and Denis…died together.”

Mollie looks startled. I know the fog of Matt’s spell, how disorienting it is and hard it is to fight through.Damn you, Matt. You can’t do this to people.

In the lounge, Henry, Hammad, and Mr. Stead are with my aunt and the other women near the fireplace. They laugh and smile and drink. The Jessups, though, are noticeably absent.

“Samantha!” Aunt Myra beams and beckons me to join them. The whole group turns to acknowledge me as we approach. “That ring! Henry, do you see that ring? Tell us the whole story. Do not spare a detail.”

I look at my hand. I forgot all about that charade of a proposal.Shit.I turn to my uncle and steady my voice. “How are you feeling, Uncle Harry?”

He smiles. “Exceptionally well, dear niece.”