“I am in awe,” she breathed. “Are they in that book?”
He looked left and right, then leaned down to whisper, “They are,” in her ear.
“I would like to listen to some of your poetry,” she said with steady voice, as if she had no idea he’d just given her the exact information she so desperately wanted.
“And you shall, my dear Miss Carlow. I will do a private reading only for you.” He leaned in, his lips brushing her cheek.
If someone asked Beth what the show was about, she’d have no idea, only that she kept her eyes on the stage, clapped when required, and answered any questions sent her way.
It is within my reach.
Mr. Valentine was attentive, touching her knee and leaning into her body. She didn’t tense or empty the entire contents of her stomach over him, even though she wanted to. Instead, she behaved like a besotted young woman, and all she could think was that if she got that book, it could be over.
It was nearing the close of the second act when something had Beth turning away from the stage to look at a box. There were not many seated in there, four guests in total. One of the men had theatre glasses focused her way. A chill swept through her as the glasses lowered. It was Justin Logan. She was suddenly filled with cold icy fear.
She’d known, of course, he was in London. Known he would be keeping an eye on her, as he’d told her so, but it had still been a shock to see him. She returned her focus to the stage.
The pressure in her chest tightened, and it became harder to draw air into her lungs.
Beth managed to stay in her seat for the remainder of the first act, but as soon as it finished, she rose. The guests were chatting in her box, and Mr. Valentine had moved to speak with someone else.
“I shall return shortly, Mother.”
“I will come with you.” Her mother looked concerned.
“Mary is outside. I shall be but a few minutes; there is no need for you to accompany me,” she lied. She had become quite adept at doing that in the last few years.
Hurrying outside, Beth made her way through the guests. All she could think about was fresh air, filling her lungs with the stuff to stop this tightness.
“Are you well, Miss Carlow?”
“I am, Lord Ryder, thank you.” She nodded but kept moving. Walking along the edges, she searched for an exit. Finding a door, she got it open and slipped through and was soon walking along a dark hall. It was colder in here, which told Beth she was close to finding her way outside.
A hand pulled her left and into the shadows, and then everything was dark.
Chapter Seventeen
“I’m going to mingle,” Nathan said to his family.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, Gabe. I just want to stretch my legs,” he said with a smile. “Fret not.”
“Me, fret?” He looked shocked at the very thought.
“You do fret about them,” Dimity said. “Basically, you wish they would all simply conform to your every whim, as that would make your ability to control them and their movements far easier.”
“I do not want to control my family,” Gabe gritted out, his brows lowering as all around him his family scoffed. “I don’t,” he muttered as Nathan left the box laughing.
He’d seen Beth seated in the royal box with Valentine. Why was she spending time with that man? He was not titled, and yes, he had the king’s ear, which gave him power, but his wealth was not great, that Nathan knew of.
Has she changed so much?
That discussion with his brothers about the Carlow family had disturbed him. Ripped the blindfold from his eyes and made him think back to the events of that year she left him. Was there more to Beth’s behavior than he’d realized?
“Are you enjoying the performance, Mr. Deville?”
“I am, Miss Fellows.”
