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Instead, he gently squeezed her hands once more, then reluctantly withdrew his touch.

“James will take you home immediately,” he said, his voice rough. “He will have enough time to return for us before the performance ends.”

“My lord—” she began to protest, but he raised a hand to stop her.

“I will hear no arguments,” he said, his tone resolute. He stilled, his eyes searching her face in the darkness. What was he looking for?

After a long moment, he tipped his hat and exited the carriage, calling for the driver to take her home, leaving his fine leather gloves in her hands.

Chapter 12

The cold hit first. Sharp, paralyzing, like knives along her skin. Then the crushing weight of water pressed her down. She tried to scream, only for it to fill her mouth, her nose, her ears.

Panic clawed at her chest.

Honoria tried to rise, to kick toward the surface. Her fingers found the edge of the tin bath, and then she slipped.

Something held her down.

No. Not something. Someone.

Fingers coiled around her throat—strong, bruising. Suffocating. She struggled, twisted, thrashed in vain.

Through the distorted water, she saw him.

Bradshaw.

His face loomed over her, a grotesque mask of satisfaction.

She couldn’t fight him. Her limbs refused to obey her will. Her lungs filled with water. She blinked… and darkness swallowed her whole.

Did she drown?

No. Something warm grabbed her wrist and pulled.

She broke through the surface with a gasp, coughing and sobbing, limbs flailing as she was dragged from the water and into strong, warm arms.

She opened her eyes and met familiar brown ones.

Caldwell.

“Did you think you could run from me?” he asked, his face dark and menacing.

“What?” Honoria wanted to ask, but her voice refused to come out.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

A sound cracked through the air like thunder.

Honoria jolted awake, heart hammering, skin clammy with cold sweat. Her breath came in ragged gasps.

It was just a dream.

She shuddered.

Wasn’t it?

Honoria sat up and rubbed her eyes, glancing at the window at the dark sky with only a hint of sunrise.