She bolted away from him and grasped his arms. “There’s a rodent in here! We must get out!”
“There is no rodent, Miss Weatherby.” At least he hoped not. He had nothing against the furry little animals, but he’d prefer not to see one. Or feel one crawling over his body.
“Something moved.”
“I’m afraid that was me.”
She blinked again. “You w-were hiding in here? But why?”
“The same reason you were, I imagine. However, I don’t recall you being involved in the game.”
“Ugh! Indira. I will strangle her. She hates the game and pleaded with me to help her find the other children.”
“She admitted as much to me the other day. But that doesn’t answer my question. Why are you hiding in here?”
“Someone is hiding under the staircase leading to the dais in the ballroom. Indira wanted me out of sight so they wouldn’t know she was cheating.”
“Ah. I suspect the person hiding there is my daughter, Cassandra, who led me here. And I also suspect your niece and my daughters have colluded to put us together. Especially considering the door is locked.”
She blinked again as if his words had finally registered. “You were playing hide and seek?”
With a shrug he wasn’t sure she could see, he said, “I decided to take your advice and be more playful with mychildren.”
“Yo-you did?”
“I did. But it appears to have backfired on me like a poorly loaded pistol.”
“Are we really locked in here?”
“It would appear so. But allow me to try again.” He rose and, after trying the knob again, banged on the door. “Cassie! Indira! This is not amusing. Let us out!”
Giggles sounded outside the door.
“Damnation, girls! Open this blasted door!”
“Sir, your language!”
Cold reality hit him in the face, more suffocating than the chilly waters of the lake—which coincidentally also involved the same petite redhead trapped in the room with him.
Perhaps the fates were telling him something.
His only hope for salvation would be if the girls themselves opened the door and he and Miss Weatherby could exit without being noticed by another adult.
Or if an adult discovered them, he could have the good fortune of it being either Grey or Lady Miranda. Surely, either of them would return the favor and remain silent? Grey in particular owed him.
He turned, finding himself pressed against Miss Weatherby. When had she risen and stood behind him?
Impossibly warm, enticingly soft. His breath trapped in his lungs as the heady scent of sweet pea eased into his nose and sent his mind spinning. An overwhelming desire to wrap his arms around her and kiss her senseless surged through him. The confined space was driving him mad. With more force than he expected, he swallowed the lump in his throat. “I suggest you step back, Miss Weatherby.”
“Oh. Of course.”
Why did her voice sound shaky?
Was it fear or was their closeness affecting her as well?
Before he could ponder it further, she obeyed, taking her delicious warmth with her. But just as suddenly, a crash sounded behind her, and her arms flailed. She grabbed the first thing she could find to steady herself.
Which, unfortunately, was him.
