“Excellent,” Olivia whispered. Then she casually inserted herself back into the conversation between Constance and Mr.Ringwell. In a matter of minutes, she had convinced Constance to join the next dance with her childhood friend.
When the music started, Thel took Olivia’s hand, and they followed Mr. Ringwell and Constance.
The group split into two lines. He hooked his elbow with Olivia’s and spun, kicking his heels in tune to the beat. Unlike Constance, Olivia did not allow her joy to show on her face. The small smile on her lips did not reflect in her eyes, and he caught her twisting her head around at the end of their final set. Only when they stopped and bowed to each other did he realize why.
Constance was no longer on the dance floor.
He searched for her golden head amid the sea of guests but could find neither her nor Mr. Ringwell. How had she vanished without him noticing?
Olivia clutched his arm without him offering it. “Do not make a fuss,” she said. “Stroll with me. She could not have gone far.”
He squeezed her hand and did as she suggested, walking fast enough that no one interrupted them, not meeting the gaze of anyone who glanced his way. To do so would be to invite discussion.
They had completed half a rotation of the room when he spotted Constance’s golden head out of the corner of his eye. She stood in a dark alcove next to a disheveled man in a silver-and-black-striped jacket.
“Wait,” Olivia said. “Let me talk to her first.”
He glanced at Olivia, then back to his daughter. Even from a distance, he could tell she was uncomfortable. Whatever was going on couldn’t be good.
Olivia squeezed his arm. “Trust me, Thel.”
“I’ll give you five minutes,” he said, even though he felt certain Constance needed rescue, not a lecture. “As long as he doesn’t put his hands on her.”
Nothing would stop him from strangling any man who dared assault his daughter.
“Thank you,” she said. Then she maneuvered through the crowd toward Constance, who was suddenly alone. He searched the room but could not find the man to whom she had been speaking. When Olivia reached Constance’s side, they tilted their heads together, and the tension in his shoulders eased.
Then a footman crossed his path, and when he could see Constance again, Olivia was not with her.
He shoved through the crowd as politely as he could and grasped his daughter’s shoulder. “Where did Olivia go?”
“Lady Allenchased after the man who was talking to me. When he saw her, he ran.” She pouted. “He said he had a message, but he ran before he could give it to me.”
Thel suppressed the growl rising in his throat. “We will discuss this when we return home.” He placed Constance’s hand on his arm and kept his steps light, not wanting to attract attention, even as his instincts screamed at him that something was wrong.
They exited onto the terrace, and a chilly wind blew past, ruffling Constance’s curls. She gave a quiet shriek and slapped her hands to head.
He searched the grounds until he found Olivia near a pergola. She was struggling with the man who had been speaking to Constance.
He dropped his daughter’s hand and leaped down the steps three at a time, his vision focused on Olivia. He thrashed through the greenery and made it in time to find Olivia standing over a man sprawled on the ground on his stomach. The neckline of her bodice was askew, and her hair was in disarray, but otherwise, she was whole.
He itched to pull her into his arms and confirm with his hands that she had no injuries, but she was scowling and had her fists raised.
The prone man rose on his elbows. Olivia kicked him in the stomach, eliciting a moan.
“What happened?” He positioned between her and the prone man. If the bastard so much as twitched, Thel would be on him.
Olivia swept a hand along her disheveled hair. “I asked him what he wanted with Constance. He wouldn’t answer. I pressed him, and he attacked.”
“Heattacked? How did you—”
“I sought out training in how to defend myself after the late earl passed.” She gulped, then looked at her hands. “He wanted Constance, Thel. Not me. What if she had followed him?”
A wave of cold washed over him. That was not a scenario he wanted to envision. He had been out of society long enough that he’d forgotten how dangerous it was for young, unmarried women. He was too used to country balls, where everyone present had known each other since birth.
He folded Olivia into his arms. Both she and Constance were safe. For the moment.
The fallen man rolled onto his back with a groan. Thel nudged Olivia behind him and crouched down to get a better look at her attacker’s face. “What was your plan?”
