Page 281 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

He doesn’t join in when Vasily asks, only says, ‘Maybe later,’ which is a huge lie. Jules doesn’t so much as look his way, but he’s reasonably friendly around Danya, if not to Danya, who more than once shoots Lachlan a glare that speaks of later we will talk.

‘Daddy, come play!’

‘I have to watch the sightlines, baby. You have fun.’

‘Switch with Danny.’

‘Not right now.’

Their outdoor time passes without him, and he watches it go by.

Once the snowball fight is over, Mimi dries off and Vasily says they should go dancing in the ballroom.

Despite it being very much Penhalyx’s domain, Lachlan agrees to it. Maybe it’ll make it less scary for Mimi when she has to return there in summer. He restructures things around wherever the primaries are; it’s easy enough, and once they’re safe and happy beneath the enormous domed ceiling, Blaire puts on The Blue Danube and takes Lachlan’s hand without asking.

‘I have to get back.’

‘You can spare thirty seconds in the centre instead of at the side.’

‘I can’t dance.’

‘I am very much aware.’

She positions his hand correctly and they dance slowly, poorly because of him, but it’s not so hard to pick up after a while. It surprises him that she doesn’t grill him about today or the previous week. Blaire has been fairly distracted and they’re always busy, especially with taking on the new household responsibilities, but he knows her well.

She’ll ask sooner or later what’s going on.

After only a minute, Mimi cuts in, wants them both to dance with her, and so they do. ‘Daddy, you’re not good at this,’ Mimi tells him kindly, patting his hand. ‘It’s OK, though. You’re very good at other things.’

Blaire bites back a laugh.

‘Oh, really? Well, how about this?’ he asks, playing into it by sweeping her up into his arms and twirling them horrendously, but Mimi loves it, simply throws her arms wide and leans back.

‘I wish Mari was here,’ Mimi sighs when he sets her down.

‘You want me to go grab him?’

‘No, he doesn’t like to be touched.’

Lachlan is still dizzy from all the twirling when he looks over and sees Mimi grabbing both Danya and Jules by the hands, dragging them towards each other and out onto the beautiful marble floor.

Jules stiffens for only a moment before he looks down at Mimi’s hopeful face and then offers Danya his hand. Danya takes it slowly. Jules smiles at him with devastating politeness.

I’ll forgive Danya for sleeping with the man I love.

Lachlan makes it to the staff-only bathroom he used to reserve solely for Jules before the pain doubles him over and nausea rises yet again, but he doesn’t purge this time. It’s not that kind of pain.

It’s a physical manifestation of how wrong it is to let Jules believe the lie.

‘Lachlan.’

Blaire stands in the doorway, the others dancing far behind her at the opposite end of the ballroom, just out of sight.

He straightens. ‘What?’

‘Come with me.’

‘I have to get back to Control.’