“I know why you’re here, but I don’t understand it.” My jaw tightened. “You are wasting your time.”
Her eyes flashed with anger, and she opened her mouth to speak again. Before she could, we both froze. The footfalls in the corridor echoed closer. We stood perfectly still for several seconds. Thankfully, they passed, fading in the direction of the staircase.
Anne released an audible breath. “He must have assumed I went back to my room. Do you think he went upstairs?”
“It does sound that way.”
Her shoulders relaxed, the panic fading from her expression.
“You do realize you owe me a favor,” I said.
“For what?”
“Helping you hide.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t help me at all.”
“That doesn’t matter. We’re hiding partners now. If the time comes that I need to hide from Octavia, you must be on my side.”
Her brows shot upward. “You wish to hide from Octavia? You seem to enjoy her attention.”
I cast her a skeptical look. “What could have given you that impression?”
She shrugged. “You remained by her side the entire day.”
“Sheremained bymyside. That doesn’t mean I wanted her there.”
Anne crossed her arms, raising her chin to meet my gaze. “Well, you didn’t discourage her flirting.”
“But I didn’t flirt back.” I leaned closer. “I would prefer to save such endeavors for you. You seem to enjoy my attention.”
A laugh of disbelief burst out of her. “What could have givenyou thatimpression?”
“Lord Kirkham is long gone,” I said in a quiet voice, “yet you have made no move to leave our hiding place.”
I was momentarily distracted by her scent—flowers—and something sweet like molasses sugar. Her eyes were layered and deep as they searched mine. I drew a step closer to her, but she was already up against the wall.
Her dark lashes fluttered downward, hiding her eyes from view. She was silent for a heartbeat, but then she pushed against my chest with two fists. “Only because you’re in my way.” She slid past me and grabbed the doorknob of the outside door.
A flood of light came into the space between the doors, but not from the direction I expected.
Anne and I whirled around at the same moment. The inside door to the drawing room was wide open, and Lady Tottenham stood just beyond it. The blue ruffles of her dress climbed up her neck, devouring her chin in fabric. She blinked in surprise. Her serious expression shifted to a grin saturated with intrigue. “My, oh, my.” She clucked her tongue. “What have I stumbled upon?”
I searched my mind for any excuse, but Anne stepped forward before I could speak.
“I was hiding,” she said in a quick voice. “Mr. Holland—er—well, he found me.”
Lady Tottenham stared blankly in her direction. “I was having a private meeting in the drawing room. Were you spying on me?”
I glanced beyond her shoulder where a gentleman with gray hair stood, spectacles on his nose. He wasn’t one of the other guests—I had never seen him before.
“No, no, of course not,” Anne said with an innocent smile. “I—I…” her voice trailed off. The flush on her cheeks was condemning her.
“We weren’t aware that it was you in the drawing room, my lady,” I said. “We didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting.”
Lady Tottenham’s lips pursed into a circle. “It would seem I was the one who so rudely interruptedyourmeeting.” Her eyes darted between us. The awe and excitement on her face was unsettling.
“No—” Anne and I said simultaneously.
