Page 4 of A Deal for the Duke’s Virgin

“That is the very last thing on my mind, Mother. The Marquess would do well to oblige me.”

She sighed. “Her marriage prospects will be ruined if this escapade gets out, and the Marquess is said to be something of a gossip.”

Christian pursed his lips, thinking. “Then it is possible that the Marquess does not know he’s sheltering Laura.”

“You are jumping to conclusions.”

“Perhaps so, but one thing is certain. I’ll be attending the Marquess’s musical evening tomorrow.”

She blinked. “Christian, my dear, I simply do not understand what you are talking about.”

He stuffed the strange German letters in his pocket and turned to kiss his mother on the forehead.

“Don’t fret,” he said firmly. “Laura is not a fool. I am quite sure that wherever she is now, she is safe. I will find her shortly, and we’ll get to the bottom of all this. In the meantime, stay quiet and calm. We’ll say that Laura is sick, but we’ll wait until she is missed. I don’t want to attract too much attention.”

“I suppose you are right,” Celestia murmured uneasily. “You always were such a clever boy. You could see what should be done straightaway. Your father was like that.”

Christian flinched. “Well, I am nothing like him.”

CHAPTER 2

HAWTON MANOR

There was a very large spider lurking behind the library shelves, crouching at eye level with Thalia. It stared at her with distinct annoyance. She stayed as still as she could so as not to disturb it.

Really, its annoyance was warranted. Thalia was the one who’d come blundering into its home, destroying a painstakingly constructed spiderweb as she shoved herself behind the shelves.

There was barely enough space for her between the shelves and the wall, even if she held her breath. Dust and cobwebs gathered in abundance. There would doubtless be more spiders beyond the one currently glaring at her.

Voices drifted from the hallway outside, the very same voices that had driven her into her hiding place.

“… in here, I imagine. She loves to read. But then, you are not opposed to reading, are you, Mr. Pembroke?”

A male voice grunted absently. “No, assuming that it does not get in the way of more serious pursuits. I daresay that a married woman would have little time for reading.”

The footsteps grew louder. Thalia held her breath as two men entered the library, passing only a few feet away from her hiding place.

They would see her usual chair vacant, with a cooling cup of tea resting on the low table beside it. And, of course, her book with a strip of ribbon to mark her place.

No, she hadn’t used ribbon to mark her place. She had used her dance card.

Foolish, she chastised herself. But then, there were no names on her dance card.

“Oh,” came her brother’s voice, faintly surprised. “I thought she might be in here. I didn’t see her in the ballroom.”

“Is she planning to join at all?” Mr. Pembroke asked, sounding faintly annoyed.

“Of course,” her brother reassured him at once. “This musical evening is all to showcase her talents, after all. Our stepmother has a megrim tonight, and so unfortunately must keep to her bed. I daresay Thalia is just a little nervous without Augusta beside her, ha-ha. You’ll be mesmerized, I guarantee it.”

“I shall look forward to it,” Mr. Pembroke answered, and this time he sounded a little mollified.

Heavy footsteps moved towards the doorway, and Thalia heard them go down the hallway, fading to nothing. She let out a faint sigh of relief. Silence filled the room, but she didn’t risk stepping out just yet.

Jonathan would no doubt have another trick up his sleeve.

Sure enough, after a few taut minutes had passed, an angry, hissing voice came from the doorway, dangerously close to her hiding place. “Thalia! Thalia, are you in here?”

She said nothing and imagined her brother scanning the dark bookshelves, trying to catch a glimpse of movement. With only her candle to light up the huge library, most of the room would be cast into shadow. She could be anywhere, and he would probably not imagine that she was only a few feet away from him.