Thanks to the endless reminders and dire warnings from a visibly sweating Doyle, I’m late seeing my parents that evening, and instead of taking the long way through the castle to their wing, I cut through the more populated corridors. My footsteps are silent as I move through the hallway, but when I turn a corner, I hear a sharp gasp.
“Stop!”shrieks Maisie from the other side of a heavy wooden door. It’s cracked open, and I rush over, ready to put an end to whatever’s going on when—
Maisie starts to laugh. Confused and alarmed, I peer through the doorway. She’s sprawled out on the scarlet sofa, trying to squirm away as someone with slicked-back blond hair mercilessly tickles her sides.
Ben.
“Admit it,” he says. “I won that race.”
“Never!” she declares, laughing so hard now that it sounds like she might be crying. “You were—a nose behind—and—you—know it!”
“Do I?” says Ben, and I can see his wide grin from my vantage point. “Because I also recallyouand Isla taking off half a beat early, which would mean Rory and I more than made up the distance—”
“Are you—calling me—a cheater?” says Maisie, trying to sound serious as she smacks his hands away. “Because I—would—never—”
At that exact moment, she glances straight at the door—and at me. Her laughter dies in her throat, and even Ben’s tickles don’t draw them out of her. Instead, her eyes go from the color of the summer sky to icy pale, and I step out of view, exhaling softly.
“What?” says Ben, and I can sense his gaze through the thick wood.
“Nothing,” says Maisie. “Just one of the maids. Is it dinnertime yet? I’m starving.”
“Ought to be,” says Ben. “Do you want to—”
“Will you check? I’ll only be a moment.”
He huffs. “While I’m at it, would you like me to fetch you some tea and biscuits? Coffee, perhaps, or should I draw you a hot bath?”
I hear a soft thump that sounds a lot like a pillow. “Don’t be an arse. I’ll be in the dining room in a minute.”
“Whatever you say, Your Royal Highness.” Ben’s footsteps echo through the room, but just as I’m about to duck behind a sweeping velvet curtain that’s probably as dusty as Constance’s opinions on social etiquette, I realize he’s heading the other way. There must be another exit, and thankfully Ben chose the one that doesn’t lead directly to me.
What little luck I have runs out, however, when Maisie clears her throat. “Are you going to show yourself, or should I expect all my conversations to now be fodder for eavesdropping?”
Gritting my teeth, I step into the room and close the door behind me. “I wasn’t eavesdropping. I heard you screaming.”
“Iwasn’t screaming,” she says. “Maybeyou’venever had family to horse around with, but I—”
She stops herself before she can finish that thought, and I do my best to let her blistering comment roll off me, even though it hit home.
“I wasn’t screaming,” she repeats herself stiffly. “I’m fine. But thank you for your concern.”
“Sure,” I say, the word clipped, and I nod toward the other door I can now see. “Has he let anything slip? Anything useful?”
Maisie narrows her eyes. “If he had, I would’ve been open and honest with you, unlikesomemembers of this family.”
I wince. “I’m sorry—I really am. If I could have looped you in—”
“And who, exactly, was stopping you? MI5? Because the last time I checked, the crown ranks somewhere above Agent Singh. I can keep secrets—”
“This secret could’ve gotten me and Kit killed,” I say. “This has nothing to do with your pride, Maisie. We didn’t tellanyonebecause we couldn’t risk them letting something slip. Not just you, all right? Not even my mom knew. And you were spending so much time with Ben—”
“I’ve been spending time with Ben becauseyoutold me to,” she hisses. “You told me to keep him close and convince him that he’s back in my good graces, and that’s exactly what I’ve done. Now you’re punishing me for playing my part?”
“I—of course not. I wanted to tell you. If there was any way I thought you could’ve helped—”
“You never gave me a chance, did you? You’ve no idea what I could’ve accomplished.”
“I—” I bite my lip. “You’re right. I’m sorry, and I’m asking for your help now. We didn’t find anything on Ben in Oxford,which means unless Guy Fawkes is willing to talk, we have no way of proving Ben’s involvement. Which means—”
