Page 72 of The Starling and the Hatter

“Good idea.” And it was. Her idea made sense and it was certainly for the best. So despite my desire to run my hands over her shoulder blades and down her back, despite the way my mouth watered at the thought of finally, truly being able to kiss my Elise, I shoved all of that down and just gave her a hug, trying to lend her my strength.

She hugged me in return, and when she pulled back, her “Thank you” was effusive and heartfelt. Then she took my hand and we left our solitary corner of the maze.

After a few turns, Elise’s shoulders started to relax. “How long do you suppose it will take us to find our way out?” she asked, her mouth almost pulling up in a smile.

I shrugged, grateful to see her worry eased, if only temporarily. “I suppose it depends on how big it is.”

Two fire dancers ran by us, too preoccupied to answer when I called out, “Do you know the way out?”

After two more turns, we saw someone step out into the path before us, looking one way, then pulling out a pocket watch before turning our direction.

“Robert,” Elise said in surprise.

I resisted the urge to curse. The last thing we wanted or needed right now was Robert.

He looked a bit startled and then grinned and sauntered our way. “It’s White, remember,” he said, tapping the side of his nose. “Must keep the persona, after all.” He pulled a deck of cards from his pocket, fanned them out, turned them this way and that and then returned them to his pocket.

“Yes, of course,” Elise said, sounding distracted. “I’m surprised you’re here already.”

“When I heard you’d gone, I thought, why not come as well? Good thing I did.” He straightened his vest in a preening gesture. “You could have told me the duke likes to pick favorites.”

“Um…” was all Elise said, clearly not following the conversation.

White frowned. “Is everything well?” he asked with a pointed look at our joined hands.

Elise’s hand twitched in mine, and for one awful moment, I thought that she was going to drop my hand, embarrassed to be caught by White. Instead, she just gripped my hand all the more firmly and my chest expanded with pride. “We’re fine,” she said.

“Well,” White went on as he pulled his infernal pocket watch out again. “Best find your way out. We don’t want to be late for the grand feast.” He tucked it away. “Congratulations on being selected by the duchess.”

“And you,” Elise said politely. “Do you know the way out?”

He threw a thumb over his shoulder. “That way, I believe.”

“Thank you,” Elise said and immediately walked in that direction. “Best of luck tonight.”

“We’ll both be marvelous, I’m certain.” He waved a gloved hand and was soon out of sight.

I looked down at Elise as we walked the path at a more sedate pace than before. Finally I could keep my mouth shut no longer. “I know he’s your friend, but I can’t seem to like that man.”

She gave me a sad smile. “I’m not certain what to think of him either.” Her face pulled down in a frown.

“Does he know how wary you are of your brothers?” I asked, remembering all too well the way he had defended their actions when I’d brought up their ill treatment of Elise.

“Yes.” She sounded tired.

“And he probably saw them here,” I said, trying to prompt her into saying what I did not want to say. “They are hard to miss, and the duke himself pointed them out.”

“Yes.”

“And yet…”

She sighed. “He showed no concern for me.”

I let out my own sigh, glad that she recognized it. I would not have relished the idea of pointing it out myself. “I’m sorry, Elise.” I lifted her hand and kissed the back of it, gratified when she looked up at me with light in her eyes and a soft smile on her lips.

She looked forward and gave a little shrug. “He is not what I thought he was. Oh, look!” She pointed. “That looks like the way out.” She hurried her stride, and we both stepped out of the maze and onto a large swath of grass where a troupe of acrobats and jugglers were doing tricks and playing games.

One of the young acrobats—clearly a child of acrobatic parents who no doubt had been born and bred for the stunts—ran up to us after we’d been watching for a few minutes. “Will you play with us?” she invited, her belled anklet tinkling as she walked.