Page 46 of The Marquess’s Masked Archer

He laughed along with her for a moment, until it faded into easy silence. Sylvie straightened the voluminous layers of lace hanging from the sleeves of her pale-pink gown. While they’d spent a great deal of time together over the last few weeks, they still hadn’t spoken of the secret admirer letters. Sylvie found she was hesitant to bring them up. The man she was getting to know didn’t seem to match the man in the letters the way she’d imagined he would. It almost felt as if she would be disappointed to confirm they were one in the same, even though he’d quoted that line from the first letter to her.

With sweat breaking out under her arms—presumably from the stifling room—Sylvie glanced around, looking for anything to inspire polite small talk. Finally, as the music for the first dance began drifting through the room, Mr. Kinsey cleared his throat. “Miss Bryce, would you allow me the pleasure of a dance with you?”

Sylvie nodded and held out her hand. He took it, cradling her fingers in his larger hand, but Sylvie felt nothing like the tingles that accompanied Miles’s touch.

Restraining the urge to physically shake off his memory, Sylvie forced her attention back to the man who was currently holding her at a respectable distance for the waltz. The delicate strains flowed around them as he led the steps, notes weaving in and out of the conversations of other couples. Sylvie offered him a warm smile, the easy movements washing away her agitation. “Are you happy to be back in Cleveland, Mr. Kinsey?”

He tipped his head as if debating the answer with himself. “In a way. I like being in town, with all the events and activities that are available to fill the days. But getting away for the summer is always nice. Plus, I enjoyed the time we were able to spend together, which might be more difficult now that we’re back to our usual obligations.” He searched her face with a smile of his own. “But perhaps it would cheer me if you’d concede to call me Jonathan. Have we reached that point?”

While Sylvie had longed to hear Miles say her given name earlier in the summer, allowing Mr. Kinsey—Jonathan—that privilege felt more serious, almost momentous. But what reason was there to refuse? “I could be comfortable with that. You must call me Sylvie, as well.”

He nodded once, light brightening his eyes. A pang of remorse hit Sylvie. Was she leading him on? Giving him the idea they were closer than she wanted them to be?

The dance continued while she tried to decide, but ended before she could. Jonathan escorted her back to her parents, leaving her with a private wink. “If you don’t object, I’ll find you later in the evening for another dance.”

She nodded, knowing that a friendly face would be welcome in a few hours, even if it wasn’t the one she dearly wished she could see.

Miles followed the butler into the beautiful home where Alexander and Grace lived while in Cleveland. They’d been kind enough to grant him the use of their house on Put-In-Bay through the rest of the year he’d committed to work at the laboratory. But knowing that most, if not all, of society would have left their summer cottages by then, Miles went straight to Cleveland upon reaching Ohio.

After being shown to a cheery yellow parlor to wait for Alexander, Miles planted himself on a plush velvet sofa with a sigh. His head fell back, putting him in danger of falling asleep. The trip from England had exhausted him. It hadn’t been as stressful as the journey there, since he was now certain his mother was back in good health. But he’d worried the entire way about what he would find when he faced Sylvie again. Would she be glad to see him at all? What would be her answer when he was finally able to ask why she didn’t respond to his letter?

Light footsteps preceded Grace as she swept into the room, dressed in an eye-catching teal gown that cinched at her waist with glittering beaded accents at her neck and shoulders. Miles rose to greet her while Alexander’s voice floated in from the entry. “We’re on our way out, Miles. Make yourself at home. Glad you’re back.”

Grace shook her head at her husband, but her lips tilted up in the fondest of smiles. “I’ve attempted to correct his manners, but he’s simply incorrigible.” She pushed up on her toes to drop a light peck on Miles’s cheek. “We are glad you’re here, though. How is your mother?”

“She’s quite well now. Fully recovered, and that’s an immense relief.”

“That’s wonderful, Miles. I’m relieved too.” Standing in front of him, Grace hesitated, biting her lower lip as if there was something she wanted to say.

Miles attempted to prod her. “What event are you headed to tonight?”

“A ball hosted by the Moreaus. I’m sure you met them this summer.”

Miles remembered the sisters as being sweet young ladies who spent time with Sylvie. But Grace was still chewing at that lip, looking more anxious all the time. Miles tilted his head down to peer into her face. “Is something the matter?”

Grace drew what appeared to be a fortifying breath. “Miss Bryce has been spending a good amount of her time with Jonathan Kinsey since you left. I thought you should know before you hear it elsewhere.”

Swallowing hard against a choking lump in his throat, Miles nodded. “Thank you for that warning.”

Grace waved both hands with an exasperated sigh. “Apparently, I have work to do with you too. I’m saying you need to go claim her heart, Miles.”

Alexander peeked in the doorway in time to hear his wife’s words, at which he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe. “Finally, someone else you can boss around.”

Grace shot her husband a glance loaded with as much amusement as warning, then turned back to Miles. “I mean it. She hasn’t seemed happy the entire time you were gone. I think she misses you. I don’t believe for a moment that she wants to be with Mr. Kinsey. Rather, that he’s the expected option.”

That rang far too true for Miles to discount it. Most likely, in his absence, Mrs. Bryce had continued her efforts to marry Sylvie off as soon as possible by turning to the next available man. But was Sylvie really unhappy with him? Could she have missed Miles?

Warm hope wound through his chest. But he forced himself to temper it with realism. “She never answered the letter I sent to explain my departure and…well, to disclose the truth about other things that were standing between us. I can only assume she chose to turn to him on her own.”

Grace stomped a slippered foot, which hardly made an impact on the thick carpet. Then she propped her hands on her hips. “I saw the way she looked at you over the summer, Miles. You need to at least go explain yourself in person and listen to her side. Who knows what caused her to spend time with Mr. Kinsey, but I cannot be convinced it’s affection.”

The conviction in her tone was convincing. Miles pushed past his exhaustion and hurried to put on his best suit and make himself presentable to go to the ball with them. Once they arrived, Miles climbed out of Alexander’s car behind his friends and paused, watching other guests entering while struggling to draw a full breath.

Alexander clapped him on the shoulder with a grin. “You won’t get the girl standing out here, my friend. Let’s go see if you’ve won her heart.”

His words didn’t help, but he wasn’t wrong. Miles forced his feet to move, following the couple inside. Instead of waiting with them to greet the hosts, Miles took the steps of the grand staircase two at a time in his haste to find Sylvie.

Unfortunately, a familiar female form descended the stairs at the same moment, flanked by three other ladies. Miss Casburn caught sight of him and stopped, her cold glare confirming she hadn’t forgotten the last time they’d spoken. “I didn’t expect you back so soon, Mr. Wentworth. Perhaps it would have been better if you’d stayed away altogether.”