Page 10 of A Game of Hearts

His eyes met hers again, and that same spark of connection she had felt during their poetry recital flickered between them. Then Lady Anne’s voice carried across the conservatory.

“Lord Limnwood! Have you found anything of note? We seem to be quite stuck with our clue.”

Emma saw him stiffen slightly, his expression closing again.

“We should proceed with our hunt,” he said quietly. “The next clue seems to indicate the temple folly by the lake. We must be getting close to the last clues now, surely.”

She nodded, trying to hide her disappointment as his walls went up again.

They had been so close to... something. Understanding? Friendship? Or perhaps something more dangerous to them both?

As they left the conservatory, Emma noticed Lord Henry still looking lost and confused, studying his clue with obvious bewilderment. Making a swift decision, she paused beside him.

“You might try looking near the violets,” she whispered. “They were sacred to Venus too.”

His face lit up.

“Oh! Thank you, Miss Everton!”

She hurried to catch up with Lord Limnwood, who had stopped in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

“That was against the rules,” he said quietly.

“Was it? I don’t recall any rule against being kind.”

“The teams are meant to work independently.”

“And they are. I simply... eased his path a little. Surely you cannot object to a small kindness?”

His jaw tightened.

“Rules exist for a reason, Miss Everton.”

“Yes, they do. But they should not prevent basic human compassion.” She met his eyes steadily. “Or do you disagree?”

“Your compassion does you credit,” Lord Limnwood said stiffly, “but it sets a poor example. If everyone simply ignored rules they found inconvenient...”

“A hint about flowers is hardly likely to bring about the collapse of civilised society.” Emma fought to keep her voice level. “Though I begin to wonder what happened to make you so afraid of the slightest deviation from absolute propriety.”

His face went pale, then flushed.

“You go too far, Miss Everton.”

“Do I? Or do I simply see what you wish to hide? That somewhere beneath all of this rigid propriety beats a heart that actually feels things?”

They had reached the path to the lake, the temple folly visible through the trees. Emma was grateful for the privacy that the winding path provided - she had no wish for others to witness this clash. Lord Limnwood stopped walking, turning to face her fully.

“You think me heartless because I understand the importance of proper behaviour?”

“No. I think that you hide your heart because you fear where it might lead you.”

The words escaped before she could stop them, and she saw them strike home. For a moment, something raw and vulnerable flickered in his eyes. Then his expression hardened.

“You know nothing of my heart or my fears, Miss Everton. But since you seem to set such store by kindness, let me be kind enough to be absolutely clear - I have no interest in your attempts to reform my character or understand my motivations. We are partners in this house party by chance, nothing more. I suggest that we complete our tasks with proper dignity and minimal conversation. As it is, we risk scandal simply because we are on this path alone, with no others currently in sight. If we hurry, then perhaps we will find ourselves back in company before anyone notices.”

Emma felt as if he had slapped her. She lifted her chin, refusing to show how deeply his words had hurt.

“As you wish, my Lord. Though I wonder - does proper dignity require you to be quite so cruel?”