“Oh, not her office. She asked me to bring you to the library.” Allegra stared up at me, wide-eyed and confused. “And like I said, I’m as clueless as you are. In fact, I’m kind of worried.”
What on earth?
Tension settled between us as my concern grew. Allegra seemed anxious. If I had any dignity, I’d tell the sisters where to stuff their cloak-and-dagger games, but honestly, I was bored out of my mind. I’d probably have agreed to listen to one of them read from Proust’sRemembrance of Things Pastat this point.
The castle was eerily quiet. Last summer, it buzzed nightly until one in the morning, but there were fewer guests this month and as we passed the dining room and lounge, they were dark. There was no sign of Wakefield or any of the underbutlers.
“Aria told everyone to finish up for the night at eleven,” Allegra whispered. “She said it’s the quietest week she’s ever seen at Ardnoch.”
“So why the hell is she still here?”
“Hey, that’s what I asked.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m beginning to think she truly is a workaholic. In here.” Allegra pushed open the large, heavy library door and ushered me past her.
Frowning, I strode in.
To an empty room. I spun around. “Where is she?”
Allegra whispered again, “She’s in her office, but she told me to bring you here. I’ll go tell her.”
“Why are you whispering?”
But she left without replying.
Bloody hell.
This was not how I wanted to spend my night.
Liar. You asked for something to change.
I exhaled heavily. How low I’d been brought to find excitement in a clandestine meeting with a woman who hated me for the mere fact that I was born.
The sound of high heels on hardwood made my pulse race. My blood pumped as anticipation filled me. It was emasculating that she could make me feel this way. It really was.
“What do you need at this time of night, Mr. Hunter?” Aria swept into the room, her beautiful face pinched with annoyance.
Indignation riled me. “What doIneed? What the fuck do you mean, what do I need? You’re the one who hauled me from my room to meet me for some mysterious reason.”
Her brows almost met she frowned so hard. “Why on earth would I ask a club member to meet me at midnight?”
A bang filled the room, and we both jumped, startled. Aria whirled around as I gaped at the now closed library door. The snick of a lock turning echoed through the room.
“Allegra?” Aria squeaked.
Then she was running across the room with hilarious difficulty in her tight skirt. She turned the handle, but the door didn’t budge. She pulled harder. Then she slammed her palm against the wood. “Allegra Howard, you open this door right now.”
What the actual fuck?
“No!” Allegra called back. “You’re both going to stay in there until you work out your shit.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Aria yelled.
“Clearly,” I huffed behind her.
She shot me a dark look before turning back to the door. “Allegra, there’s no way out of this library. That’s not safe.”
“I know you’re in there. And I’ll let you out once you two have made nice.”
“What do you mean, there’s no way out?” I strode toward the windows. The estate grounds were lit up outside so I could only make out my reflection in them. They were tall and narrow, and I couldn’t see a latch anywhere. Surely that was illegal?
