Timeless(7)

Behind her, someone cleared her throat, and Alexandria stood, turning around.

The girl in black stood there, a tight smile on her face.

Alexandria glared at her. "What the hell were you thinking? Why did you do that? You scared the bejesus out of me." She folded her arms, waiting for an answer.

"Bejesus, really?" she asked, taking the rose from her lapel and twirling it in her hand.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? What do you want? Did you really try to kill yourself just now?"

"You know all the questions are going to be really annoying, really fast if we are going to reside together? And no, I was not trying to kill myself. The thing is, I've never been afraid of heights. I was in the circus, once, you know. A trapeze artist, in fact, so I am quite adept at landing on my feet from a great height."

"Annoying? Reside together? What are you talking about?"

"Just for your information, repeating everything I say is going to get really annoying, too. Now, let's try this again. This is a boarding house, is it not?"

Alexandria's arms dropped to her sides. "Well, yes. That is the plan. But—"

"But nothing. It is either a boarding house or it is not. The sign in the town centre said it was, so here I am. Do you have an available room in this boarding house of yours?"

Alexandria nodded. "I do. I have one room, but—"

The girl in black glared at her.

"Yes. I have a room," Alexandria said.

"Good," the girl in black said, toying with an antique silver cross hanging on a long chain around her neck. In the center gleamed a blood red, heart-shaped ruby. "I will take it immediately. My name is Nina Rosenberg."

"Nice to meet you," Alexandria said with a questioning look. "My name is—"

"I know who you are," Nina said, dismissively. After a short moment she added. "It was on the advertisement. I don't suppose you would be kind enough to show me to my room. I am quite exhausted, and this sunlight is not conducive to my health."

"You're exhausted. I'm a wreck, thanks to you and your parlour tricks."

Nina said nothing. However, Alexandria did notice a look of regret on the girl’s face.

"Very well. This way, then," Alexandria said, leading the way to the front door. "Were you really a trapeze artist?"

"Yes, honestly," Nina replied, warming to the lie, imagining the life of a trapeze artist in a travelling circus. She would have been so good at it, she thought, until she tired of it.

"Oh, do you have any luggage?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," Nina said, pointing up to the roof. "Should I climb back up and get it?"

"Absolutely not," Alexandria shot back. "I don't think I could survive another stunt like that. And just for future reference, the roof is off limits."

"I can't promise you that," Nina mumbled under her breath.

"Pardon?" Alexandria said. "I didn't quite catch that."

"No more roof," Nina said jovially, her fingers crossed behind her back.

"I'll get the suitcase."

Alexandria spun around, her mouth popping open when she saw Bran. He wore a crumpled white shirt, which looked like he'd just stolen it off someone's clothesline, although it did not prevent him from looking devilishly handsome. Why did he have to look so handsome? Alexandria's heart did a double flip in her chest, then she scowled at him, burying a fresh wave of pain before it had time to take root in her heart.

"Hello, Bran," Nina said, twirling around dramatically and adding a curtsy for effect, her skirt sweeping the ground at her feet. "Please don't forget my parasol while you are up there. I don't quite know what I would do without it."

Alexandria looked from Bran to Nina, then back at Bran accusingly. "You two know each other? Never mind. Don't answer that. I don't care, and it really isn't any of my business. Just leave the suitcase on the doorstep when you are done fetching it."

"And the parasol," Nina injected, waltzing over to the front door.

"Alexandria, it isn't what you think. None of this is what you think. I need to explain—"

"Yes, you do. But I don't need to listen, even if I was interested, which I'm not, by the way, so go away ... after you get the suitcase." She turned her back on him, her head held high, and walked into the house. "Come in, Nina," she said, "and I'll show you to your room." Nina smiled sheepishly at Bran from beneath her long eyelashes, and waved.

Bran followed them to the door. "Alexandria, I—"

"I don't want to talk to you, Bran. You can't come in," she said, closing the door in his face.