Ever since she had seen Alexander and me together between the doors, she had taken a special interest in observing my behavior. I felt her gaze on me almost constantly, and when it wasn’t, she watched Alexander. I hadn’t had a chance to speak with him since that morning. Between deterring Lord Kirkham and Octavia, we were always occupied.
The night before, I had started a sheet to mark off the days until the house party was over. So far, I only had three marks. There were still weeks to go. If my only purpose was to deter Lord Kirkham, I would lose my mind before the party was through. I needed to commit myself to another purpose in order to pass the time. My mind wandered to that morning when I had noticed yet another gentleman caller at an early morning meeting with Lady Tottenham. It hadn’t been the same man as before, though they both wore spectacles. Lady Tottenham had offered no introduction to Alexander or to me as the man had walked by. It was certainly peculiar.
Solving that mystery could be a goal of mine. There was also the matter of the overarching ‘game,’ and the mysterious prize Lady Tottenham continued to refer to. My gaze slid to the message on the table. I read the cryptic note again, eyes narrowed in thought.
“Love is blind, and lovers cannot see…” I mumbled to myself. “Open your eyes, see straight through.”
I sat up straight, my legs shooting out in front of me. The blindfold? Was this message a clue of some sort? Perhaps it had been tied to my bed since the day before and I hadn’t noticed. I flopped to the other side of my bed to reach the writing desk. I searched the drawer for the invitation I had received to the first midnight parlor game. The writing looked the same. Both notes were written in Lady Tottenham’s hand.
She seemed to have given me a clue—further invitation to participate in her game. Had everyone received the same clue? Or had she singled me out?
The questions raced through my mind as I sat on my bed. I debated tugging the bell-pull, but I wanted to wait until after midnight. Nothing sounded worse than freeing myself from my uncomfortable dress only to put it back on again.
The minutes rolled by, and the house fell silent. Occasional footsteps in the corridor caught my attention, but I excused them for the servants. I closed my eyes, drifting off for a moment, until a rustling sound caught my attention.
I sat up, catching sight of the letter just as it skittered under my door.
I leaped off the bed and snatched it up from the floor.
Lady Daventry,
You are invited to the parlor at midnight for a special game.You will not be permitted to leave until the game is complete.
Your benevolent hostess,
Lady Tottenham
My heart picked up speed. I folded the note and placed it in the pile on my writing desk. I wouldn’t be permitted to leave until the game was complete? Would I want to? A surge of dread came through my chest. If it was the same group as last time, that would mean that Lord Kirkham would be there again.
I watched the clock on the wall approach twelve. Since I had been late the first night, I didn’t want to be late again. I opened my bedchamber door, sneaking out into the dark corridor. Would the other guests be emerging from their rooms at the same time? I glanced in all directions, noting candlelight under a few of the doors, but darkness under the others. I passed Alexander’s door. Light seeped out from beneath it.
With one hand on the bannister, I hurried down the staircase and made my way to the parlor. A footman stood at attention, his white wig and the whites of his eyes glowing in the dimness. He opened the door, ushering me inside.
The room was flooded with soft candlelight. The furniture had been rearranged. I glanced around in confusion as my eyes adjusted to my new surroundings. At the center of the room, a small card table was covered with a tray of food and tea, a vase of red roses, and a chess board. Two chairs sat across from one another, the chess board between them.
I walked forward with cautious steps, catching my reflection in the silver cream pot. My pale green dress was distorted, my face elongated. The silence of the room was unsettling. A sudden chill raised bumps on my arms. I wrapped them around myself, studying the assortment of food on the tray. Tiny tartlets, rectangular cakes, and savory offerings were stacked on a platter. Steam escaped the tea pot, dancing upward until it disappeared. A few rose petals had been scattered around the chess board.
I had expected to find Lady Tottenham in attendance, but the room was empty. My thoughts wandered back to the riddle that I had found tied to my bed post. I shot a glance at the closed door before rushing over to the sideboard where I had found the bowl of forfeits.
“Found you,” I whispered as I swiped up the blindfold from the day before. I examined both sides of it before holding it up in front of my eyes. I gasped.
There was a note inside the folds of the fabric. It hadn’t been there before, I was sure of it. A few of the words came into focus, but the message was too close to my eyes to read the entire thing. I hurried to unfold it, keeping one eye on the door. No one else had arrived, so I pulled out the slip of parchment and read the words.
If you wish to pass the test
You must stand out from all the rest
Take part in my peculiar feast
And eat no less than twenty-three
I folded the note and slipped it down the bodice of my gown, replacing the blindfold where I had found it. Had she written that clue just for me? Or had others received the same clue tied to their bed posts? I hadn’t the slightest idea, but preventing other people from finding it must have been part of the game. If it was a race, I would have to be the fastest at solving the riddles.
I eyed the tray of small desserts and savories. Was that the ‘peculiar feast?’ I swallowed hard. My stomach was still full from dinner. Was I being tested to see if I could eat twenty-three of the items on the table? That was ridiculous.
I jumped when the parlor door opened, my heart leaping to my throat.
Alexander stood in the doorway. His dark gaze captured mine, a small smile lifting his lips. He gave a slight bow. “Anne.”
