And he was a vampire warrior planning to lead her mother to punishment. He would undoubtedly abduct Ellie as well if he knew the truth about her.
But he didn’t know. Not yet, anyway.
If she was addled enough to fall for someone honor-bound to hunt down her loved one, well, that was her problem. She didn’t mind his mischievous run as the most infamous rake in ton history. She didn’t even mind that he was a vampire.
Now that her true nature had been revealed, she could scarcely fancy a human, anyway. More important than all those logical truths was one illogical fact: She was half in love and falling fast.
And she was never going to see him again.
Ellie’s shoulders slumped. She’d never enjoyed running away. Although now that she knew the truth and couldn’t agree more with her mother’s rationale, her body and her heart still rejected the idea of leaving this man without a second thought. Without a second chance.
If she was going to be on the run for the rest of her life, then she must make the most of this weekend.
She squeezed his hands. “May I beg a favor?”
He smiled. “Anything.”
“Wait until tomorrow.” Hope bloomed when he didn’t immediately respond. “Please,” she added for good measure.
His brows lifted, but his voice was good-humored as he said, “Why do I feel like this is a terrible idea?”
“Because it is,” Ellie answered honestly. “And so is the part where I come to your chamber after nightfall.”
He started. “When you what?”
She took a deep breath. “The house party will end tomorrow afternoon. Everyone will go his or her separate paths. If we’re to part ways forever, perhaps we can at least have tonight.”
Before he had a chance to respond, the music room door swung open, and Miss Breckenridge stepped inside.
“Get away from her!”
Cain dropped Ellie’s hands and sprang to his feet, but not before Miss Breckenridge landed a few good whacks with her parasol.
“I’m leaving, I’m leaving.” Sidestepping Miss Breckenridge’s attacks, he managed to trade places with her at the door and shoot Ellie a meaningful glance over Miss Breckenridge’s head. “I’ll be in the conservatory if you need me.”
“She won’t need you,” Miss Breckenridge shot back. She slammed the door in his face, then rushed to inspect Ellie’s neckline. “Are you all right? Did he bite you? What on earth possessed you to enter a room alone with him?”
“He didn’t bite me,” Ellie assured her, before her predilection for honesty forced her to add, “...on the neck.”
Miss Breckenridge stared at her in horror. “What? When? Are you a vampire, too? Oh, this is a horrible mess, a horrible, horrible?—”
“Forget I said that,” Ellie interrupted wearily, rubbing at her temples. “Forget anybody said anything about vampires in the first place.”
Blessed silence fell... until the noiselessness became more eerie than relaxing.
Ellie lifted her fingertips from her temples and glanced up at Miss Breckenridge, only to find her erstwhile benefactress staring blankly at nothing.
“Miss Breckenridge?”
With a start, her hostess snapped out of her fit. “Miss Ramsay! What are you doing in the music room? You should be abed. May I walk you to your chamber?”
Ellie stared at her for a moment before she realized she’d just Compelled her client to forget their agreement. Now she’d never earn those fifteen pounds... and now she could better understand her mother.
Mama loved her, and Ellie hadn’t given her a chance to explain. Perhaps she’d never meant for Ellie to forget her father. Ellie sighed. Perhaps it happened in a moment too quick to have been prevented. And once it was done, it was done, leaving her only with regret.
And a daughter.
Chapter 11
