Page 74 of When the Duke Met His Match

Something about it pulled on her emotions, aware of everything he put on the line for her. Still, Odette was grateful he didn’t give up on her. She didn’t know where she would be without him.

“Do you wish you had been?” she asked, afraid of his response.

An amused look moved across his face. “Not at all. It doesn't seem to matter because we managed to get in without an invite.”

“That is well and good, but I believe you have missed my point.”

“If you meant to ask me if I miss being one of these people, then it is a more complicated answer. Do I miss the comforts and ease of living? Perhaps. Do I miss the finicky customs? Certainly not," he answered. "But no comfort in the world is worth more than your presence in my life. I would rather be a faceless man in a crowd than be a member of the ton and not have you.”

Her heart squeezed from his words, and she continued to follow his steps. His sincerity always seemed to put her in a wordless stupor.

Theophilus kept his eyes on her while they danced, crisscrossing with the partners next to them, only to put their hands together once again. “Don’t get too distracted,” he gently warned her with a whisper. “It won’t be long now.”

A flicker of panic sparked within her chest. “What am I to do once the dance is over?”

“You must continue to dance with the others like you’re meant to be here and keep a lookout for the rebels.”

With her mask on, it was the perfect opportunity since most of the ton would be trying to guess her identity too. She wouldn’t look odd for prying or asking revealing questions.

It made her nervous, afraid of being found out. She was worried for Theophilus’ safety, yet there was no other choice. She couldn’t turn and run even if the odds were stacked against them. She knew what she needed to do.

Nodding, she let him know they were in it together. She would do her part for the greater good.

The orchestra played out the final notes of the song, to which the dancers stilled, then offered a brief bow to their partners.

Odette lowered herself into a polite curtsy while Theophilus returned the sentiment with a deep nod. Holding it for a moment, a breath away from one another, he whispered, “Best of luck, my dear.”

Cheeks warm from the proximity, she took a deep breath. “To you as well.”

His grin flashed in her mind as he stood to his full height and turned to find Eric somewhere in the crowd.

She swallowed back her concerns and tried her hardest to maintain her composure.

Theophilus was in the army. He will triumph, she reminded herself, allowing one last look in his direction.

Focusing on the crowd of people around her, Odette had a task to complete, and she wouldn’t let him or the king down.

Chapter Forty

ODETTE

A fresh onrush of stress coursed through Odette’s chest as she stood there, looking for potential partners who could be the rebels in hiding. She tried to look for anything suspicious in their clothing, such as concealed weapons or small indicators of their French loyalty. But with the gentlemen dressed as highwaymen and pirates, it was difficult to discern.

“Good evening,” a man murmured from behind her, to which she whizzed around, causing her dress to flare around her.

Surprised that she was nearly face-to-face with him, save the inch taller she was in comparison, she forced a small smile.

With his arms behind his back, he looked up at her through his mask, shaped like a bird’s face and painted a golden yellow. His clothing was tattered and ripped in an exaggerated fashion to suit the event, and he wore a thread around his head tied with colorful feathers beneath a floppy hat.

“To you as well,” she returned, startled by the intensity of his eyes despite the mask covering the rest of his face.

“I don’t believe I’ve seen you before,” he said pensively, doing a full sweep of her attire.

Odette nearly squirmed beneath his gaze but forced a cordial expression despite the fear winding tightly in her belly.

She couldn’t help but wonder if her part of the plan had already collapsed.

Then he chuckled. “However, with these masks, there’s no telling who you might be. Perhaps I have danced with you many times before. Shall we put that theory to the test?” he asked, putting his palm out for her.