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“The Duke is away from London and I’ve made certain Lizzy May doesn’t get a chance to read those pages.”
Samuel chuckled. “I see I’m about to wed a very cunning woman.”
Ellie arched an eyebrow. “I prefer wily.”
“How about clever?”
“How about your dance with me? One set.”
He dipped his head down, resting his forehead against hers.
“I wish I dared, but only the sightless would fail to see the way I’ll look at you if we do.”
The touch of his skin to hers, even their foreheads, was so very right, instantly soothing her.
“You expect me to endure hours of attending the same ball as you and not dance with you?”
“No. I will come up with a reason to depart. My mother may come with me, or take her chances with Richard escorting her home, if he remains, for like you, I cannot endure an evening so near you without being able to be with you.”
“Where is your brother?” she asked in sudden worry he’d appear. “You left with him.”
Samuel straightened. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze, but his smile seemed forced.
“We quarrelled.”
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yes, well, it was inevitable, I daresay.” His eyes lacked focus for a moment, his thoughts pulling away from her, but then his gaze found hers and he smiled. “You go first. I’ll follow when enough time has passed.” He stood, pulling her up with him.
“Yes. Very well. I’ll go first.”
He still held her hands.
She made no move to pull them away. “I’ll see you soon. In the morning. At half after ten.”
He smiled. “Yes.”
“My hands?”
He looked down. “Oh.” Slowly, as if against his will, he released them.
“Until tomorrow,” she said, and whirled away before she lost the will to do so.
Quick steps took her across the flower garden and through the rose bedecked arch. She didn’t dare look back. Seeing him standing there alone, watching her with that intent gaze, would undo her. She’d be by his side again in moments. Her steps slowed, her feet dragging.
Ellie squared her shoulders and lengthened her stride. She would not turn back.
When she drew near the house, she found the terrace quite crowded, and halted in the shadows of the garden. She had been gone some time, and made no secret of leaving. She raised a hand to her hair. Was she disarrayed? She worried her lower lip with her teeth.
Pivoting, she kept to the shadows and made her way around the side of the house. She tried several windows, the rooms inside dark, but found all locked. Finally, she came to a narrow door. To her relief, the handle turned. She slipped into what looked to be a storeroom. Guided by the lines of light filtering in around the door across from her, she went to it and put an ear to the wood.
Metal and china clanked and an order to slice bread sounded. A kitchen. Ellie looked back the way she’d come, the far side of the storeroom completely dark. Should she return to the night and seek another way in?
The door flew open and her eyes flew wide. A startled kitchen maid gaped at her.
Ellie squared her shoulders. “I seem unable to locate the ladies retiring room?”
The maid stared at her a moment longer. “It’s not in that pantry, Mum.”
