I had only learned that Miles was on his way back to England by speaking with my eldest brother. Miles hadn’t answered any of my letters, which didn’t surprise me in the slightest. I hated to hope that Miles had become rich in India, but if he had spent the money he stole from me and made no profit with which to repay it, I would be in dire straits. And so would he. Surely Anne wouldn’t want to court him if I made his teeth resemble Lord Kirkham’s.
I let out a frustrated sigh. My expectations associated with being a barrister had never been foolish. All I wanted was to build a list of clients who could trust me, gain a reputation I could be proud of, and earn enough money to make a comfortable and modest living. I dreamed of purchasing my own small house, my own horses, and providing a home for a wife and children. My aspirations weren’t driven by greed. My heart whispered what it wanted, and I listened. Those humble requests weren’t out of reach if I could make my way back to York with the two hundred pounds Miles had stolen. At the moment, I hadn’t a sixpence to scratch with.
I stood and stretched my back. It was too early for breakfast. My stomach rumbled. Lady Tottenham’s party was already training my body to expect more food. I had been accustomed to living off much smaller portions, so I would enjoy it while I could.
Exploring the house in the early morning seemed like a better way to pass the time than agonizing over my finances. I adjusted my cravat in the mirror before stepping out into the corridor. The staircase was just outside the door to my room, the polished wood of the bannister gleaming in the morning light. A maid stood at the base of the staircase, dusting every inch of it.
I made my way to the ground floor, passing by the dreaded parlor. Memories from the night before flashed through my mind.
I had been officially invited to the second midnight parlor game. Those in attendance had consisted of myself, Mr. Hatcher, Mr. Lymington, and the twin Colborne sisters, Octavia and Victoria. We had played Lady Tottenham’s version of the game “rhymes with rose.” Each of us had been required to write a flattering poem for our partner using only words that rhymed with rose. It hadn’t come as a surprise that Miss Octavia had been assigned to be my partner.
Since the game of buffy gruffy the day before, she hadn’t left my side. During nine pins, during dinner, and then during the midnight game. I needed to convey the message that I was not at the party to find a match, but that was difficult when Lady Tottenham was observing my every move. Her words about sending people home if they broke the rules of the game had been troubling. Ihadto stay, but I couldn’t entertain a budding attachment with Miss Octavia. It was a delicate situation. Kissing her on the cheek had been an obligation, but she had somehow taken it as a token of affection. Lady Tottenham seemed to have chosen Miss Octavia for me, and she would continue pushing us together at every opportunity.
From the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of white fabric. The nearby drawing room door creaked closed. I pivoted in that direction. What the devil was that?
I glanced down the corridor before walking slowly toward the door. I turned the knob, but was met by resistance from someone inside. I turned the knob harder. “Is someone there?”
I glanced down the corridor. Heavy footfalls came from the parlor, but the corridor was still empty.
Someone was behind the drawing room door. My curiosity overthrew my manners. I rattled the doorknob.
The footfalls down the corridor grew louder. Who else was awake? I watched for the person to come into view, but then the drawing room door swung open toward me.
Anne’s eyes, wild with panic, met mine. She waved me forward before tugging the door closed behind me. I blinked against the sudden darkness. We were not in the drawing room. We were in the small space between the outside door and the inside door. With such thick walls, a space was afforded for servants to wait, unseen, before entering a room to wait upon the family. The space between the inside door and outside door was only the width of the doorway itself, with a maximum depth of three feet. A small amount of light filtered under the door from inside the drawing room, but the outside door led to the dim corridor.
I laughed in surprise, but Anne shushed me.
I wouldn’t complain about being trapped with her in what was essentially a closet. I was simply surprised she wanted me there. My eyes adjusted to the dimness.
“I’m sorry!” she whispered. “I-I didn’t want him to hear you.”
Her features slowly came into view. Dark brows, panicked eyes, white gown. She looked terrified. My stomach clenched against another bout of laughter. “May I venture a guess who you’re hiding from?”
Her brow contracted into a scowl. “This is not a laughing matter,” she hissed.
“Would you rather I be serious?” I erased the smile from my face, drawing an inch or two closer. I studied each of her features in turn, ending with her lips. I had no choice but to flirt with her after she had tugged me into a dark closet.
She stepped back, coming in contact with the wall. “Stop!” she said in a harsh whisper. “We must be quiet. Lord Kirkham is in the corridor.” She caught her breath. “He has been following me.”
“Is the drawing room occupied? Please don’t misunderstand, I would love to stay between the doors with you, but?—”
“I don’t know,” she interrupted before I could finish. “The inside door is locked.”
“So there is no escape until Lord Kirkham is gone.” I smiled down at her, and she seemed unsure of where to look.
Her gaze settled on my cravat. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“Unfortunately? You’re the one who abducted me.”
She scoffed. “I did notabductyou. You were about to reveal my hiding place.”
“It’s a bit obvious.”
“Obvious?” She gave me a steely glance. “Just like how you cheated in the game yesterday.”
A slow smile crept over my mouth. Buffy Gruffy. “You cannot blame me. I’m not the one who chose a transparent blindfold.”
“But you chose me.” She narrowed her eyes. “And then you asked such…specific questions about my time in London, knowing full well why I’m here.”
