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“His wife falling from the tower of their ancestral home is not evidence enough?”
“I don’t believe he pushed her.” Sophia would not believe that. Not for a second.
“Nor do I,” Perkins said quickly.
“Then why on earth are we having this conversation?”
“Because someone did push her. She did fall from the tower.”
“You don’t think she could have tossed herself from the turret?”
“Not very likely, since she was confined to a wheeled chair. She could barely move herself from the bed to the conveyance.”
Sophia’s gaze shot up to meet his. She had heard none of this. Not once had anyone mentioned that the late duchess was disabled. “What was her ailment?”
“That’s not common knowledge.”
“Of course, it’s not.” Sophia drank the last of her punch and passed the glass to a waiting footman. “Nothing about the Duke of Robinsworth is common knowledge.”
“One thing is well known, Miss Thorne. He’s dangerous. Do take care around him.”
Sophia nodded. What more could she do? It wasn’t as though she would be alone with the duke any time in the near future. Her mission had been given to Claire.
The next set began and no one came to claim Sophia for a dance. Sophia was relieved. But the music began to steal her wits.
“Are you all right, Miss Thorne?” Captain Perkins asked, taking her elbow in his palm to steady her.
“The music,” she said, raising a hand to rub her temple.
“Would you care to walk with me to the card room? I’d like to check on my sister. The last time I saw her, she was heavily involved in a game of whist.”
She tucked her hand into his arm and inclined her head. They started down the long corridor, but as they walked farther toward the noisy, voice-packed room at the end of the passage, Sophia heard a melodious voice coming from a nearby room. “Who is that?” she asked of the captain.
He inclined his head toward the sound and concentrated. “Sounds like Lady Ramsdale, maybe?” He shrugged. “I’m not certain.”
“Lady Ramsdale sings?”
“Like a songbird,” the captain said. “She has the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard.” He shook his head. “But she only sings by special request for special guests. It’s rather rare to hear her break into song in this type of setting.”
They continued down the corridor toward what Sophia assumed must be the music room, and the words become clearer and clearer, as did the tone. It struck her heart like an anvil strikes metal. Like the kick of a horse. Like the tick of a clock that ticked at her very being. Like Ashley’s music. She inhaled deeply and tried to steady herself.
The captain stepped to the side and motioned for her to precede him into the room. She did so, skirting around the room to stand in the rear. There were fewer than a dozen people in the room, but it seemed crowded. Sophia let the sound of Lady Ramsdale’s voice wash over her, closing her eyes as the lady hit the high notes, feeling them all the way to her soul. In that moment, it was almost as though a piece of her cracked into two pieces.
Unfounded tears suddenly burned the backs of her lashes, and she found it nearly impossible to commit to a full breath. She blinked hard and studied the woman standing beside the piano. Lady Ramsdale’s auburn hair tumbled from her upsweep to tease her bare shoulders. Bare shoulders that were riddled with freckles. Freckles she obviously didn’t feel the need to hide. She had them across the bridge of her nose as well. Her nose was narrow and her cheekbones high. She looked quite fae, truth be told.
Sophia’s lungs began to burn with every inhale. She laid a hand on her chest and tried to steady herself. But the lady’s song was tantamount in her mind. Then Lady Ramsdale reached one hand to adjust the pewter comb that held her hair in place, and as she adjusted, Sophia thought she saw the edge of a pointy ear present itself from behind her hair. Lord Ramsdale was beside her in a trice, adjusting her comb and patting her hair back into its place. She smiled softly at him, a wicked little smile that made him blush. She ran a fingertip slowly down his upper arm. He shot her a playful look and stepped away from her.
She continued to sing, never breaking her stride, the music rising and falling over Sophia like water over the falls. And just as harshly. Her knees began to tremble. She reached out one hand toward Captain Perkins as a tear traced a hot path down her left cheek. But suddenly, the captain wasn’t there. Sophia stumbled into a hard object. She looked up, her vision blurred by her tears, and saw the man she needed. The only one she needed.
“Ashley,” she said aloud. The music in the room stopped. Every eye turned toward them.
“Sophie,” he said, his brow furrowing as he caught her to him. “What’s the matter?”
She stretched her arms about his neck and held on, but her arms quivered under her own weight, and her knees refused to support her. She collapsed against him. He swept her up into his arms and looked down into her face.
“Sophie,” he cried, his voice harsh and jarring. “Tell me what’s wrong?”
He lowered his face close to hers, as though he could give her the breaths tha
