Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
The air between them was so thick that Lucy thought she would never be able to breathe again. Her mouth opened and then closed.
There were so many things she wanted to tell him, but could not. It was far too dangerous. Far too uncertain.
Daniel might have retreated, but his eyes were still on her. He was just as surprised as she was by what had happened. They were still sitting too close to be appropriate. She could feel the heat radiating from him.
Then, both of them heard the frantic footsteps in the corridor.
“Stonewynn! For the love of God and all that is holy, unhand Lady Lucy!”
It was the Marquess of Barton.
He rushed inside, bracing his hands on the doorframe. His face was flushed from exertion, and his eyes were wide with panic. In his haste, his cravat had become askew. He looked up and down the length of the corridor.
“The Earl is coming,” he panted. “Marsleigh is on his way, and from what I gathered, he has been looking everywhere for you, Lady Lucy. Why else would he look suspicious and mad? He will be here in a minute.”
The spell was finally broken.
No, it was not just broken. It shattered into millions of pieces, startling Lucy into full wakefulness. The heat she had felt when she and Daniel were so close to defying all rules of propriety was gone.
She knew that if Joshua found her alone with the Duke of Stonewynn—or any man, for the matter—in a darkened room, her life would end. He would lock her in and throw away the key if he had to.
Daniel must have come to the same conclusion because his eyes lit up, as if he had a plan. He moved toward her, grabbing her shoulders. His touch was firm but not aggressive. In no way did she feel danger.
“Lucy, listen to me,” he whispered urgently.
“Do you see that tapestry? The one with the three deer? Slip behind it. It leads to a secret passage that leads to a narrow staircase the servants use. If you follow the path to the right, which curves indefinitely, you will soon find yourself in a small alcove near the refreshments table. Slip through it and walk slowly as if you had been near the area, so that they would think you were just too shy to show your face. Act as if you’ve always wanted a glass of punch and were checking if people were watching you. ”
“Huh?”
Lucy gaped at him.
For a moment, she wondered how he had planned it all so quickly. How did he know about the secret corridor? Well, it was his brother-in-law’s home, but still, it made her wonder if he’d ever had to use it before.
“W-what about you? Are you just going to wait for Joshua here?” she asked, her heart pounding in her chest.
“I am a duke, Lucy.”
He was right. His title and gender would protect him, but she had to escape.
“Move, Lucy. Remember that he cannot ruin me, but he can imprison you,” he urged, looking grim.
Lucy sprang up. She gathered her skirts and vanished beyond the tapestry as planned, much too aware of how her skirts rustled against the floor. When she was a safe distance away, she could hear Joshua’s voice booming across the library.
“Stonewynn?! Are you there?!”
“W-what?” she whispered, but continued walking, no longer having the time to wonder why her brother immediately thought of Daniel while searching for her.
Daniel heard Joshua looking for him. So he turned to Theo, who looked ill from nerves.
“Theo, you must look completely debauched. Right now. Look drunk, man,” he hissed.
“Am I not a natural?” Theo murmured.
Still, he ruffled his hair and tore a button from his waistcoat. Then, he slid down the wall, as if he could no longer stand. He let his head loll onto his shoulder and groaned.
Right at that moment, Joshua passed the room. He peeked in, his eyes narrowed with anger and suspicion. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Daniel and Theo on the floor.
“Stonewynn, where is she?” he asked.
Daniel wondered if Joshua was also drunk. Meanwhile, he kneeled on the floor as if he were inspecting his friend. He affected a bored scowl, the type that usually made people scramble backward and away from him.
“Where is who, Marsleigh? Because if you are looking for a dance partner, the Marquess is indisposed. He is also a terrible lead if he does manage to wake from his drunken stupor.”
Joshua could not hide the disgust on his face. His upper lip curled, and his eyes flashed at the sight of Theo. Meanwhile, Theo seemed to enjoy being the center of attention and let out a theatrical moan. He was born for this role.
“Everything is spinning,” he slurred, perfecting the wobbling, drunken tone Daniel was used to hearing in taverns. He patted his friend’s shoulder before rising to his full height.
“Disgraceful,” Joshua muttered, walking back a few paces. “Anyway, I am here looking for my sister, Lady Lucy. Someone mentioned she was headed this way.”
“Oh, did she?” Daniel asked coolly, arching an eyebrow. “I have not seen anyone since the Duchess of Wolfcrest stopped by to retrieve a book. Soon after, this drunk oaf followed.”
“Let’s play cards, Stonewynn. Join us, Marbles,” Theo slurred, staggering to the side.
“Marsleigh,” Joshua corrected stiffly.
“Marshes.”
Joshua sighed heavily, his face turning a worrisome shade of purple. He seemed deeply offended by Theo’s inebriation.
“If I find out you are lying, Stonewynn—”
“Then you are free to call me out, Marsleigh,” Daniel cut in, his voice becoming chilly. “I suggest you look for your sister elsewhere as I tend to my friend.”
Joshua shook his head in disbelief, but finally left the library. His boots clicked loudly on the floor, conveying his frustration and urgency.
As soon as the sound of footsteps faded, Theo straightened up. He smoothed back his hair and fixed his clothes. Nothing could be done about the popped button, but the rest looked well enough.
“You still look slightly drunk, but somehow recovered,” Daniel mumbled.
“It was too much for my skills, Stonewynn,” Theo admitted. He staggered a little, as if he were truly drunk. “Go and see to her. Make sure she is safe. I need time to breathe. Anyway, I am supposed to be half dead.”
“Thank you,” Daniel said simply.
“You’re my friend,” Theo replied with a tight smile.
Lucy managed to reach her destination. As advised, she stayed in the alcove and waited for a moment before joining the rest of the guests.
When she stepped out into the light, she was dizzy from the colors and sounds that attacked her. Even the violins, which she usually loved, sounded like screeching hyenas. She’d never seen or heard a hyena, but she imagined one could be annoying, quite so.
It didn’t look like she needed to pretend to want refreshments. She needed a cold drink.
“There you are.”
The voice was like freezing water. She almost choked on her lemonade. When she turned, she already knew what she would find.
Joshua stood there, his presence commanding and suffocating. He didn’t look at her directly, but the words were directed at her.
“I have been looking for you, Lucy. For almost an hour now. Someone said you might be near the terrace or in the library. I searched both places.”
“I have been here the whole time, Joshua. I felt faint. The noise of the orchestra had been too much for me. But I was just here, hidden in the alcove right over there.”
Joshua eyed her narrowly. She tried not to swallow, not in front of him. Still, she could not help but wonder if he saw a pin out of place.
“You could not have been there moments ago,” he accused quietly.
“Oh, I was, Joshua. You must not have searched well enough. This search is not normal, though, even for a sibling. Have you thought of that? I don’t see any other sister or brother doing the same thing.”
His eyes flashed. She did not usually talk back to him. She was often very obedient.
“Please do not test my patience tonight. Of course, you are my responsibility, and I must look after you.”
Thankfully, that was the end of that. At least for that night. Still, restlessness had filled Lucy’s heart.
She had never craved freedom quite like this before. Her mind drifted back to Daniel. She wondered what that moment between them meant.
Or if it meant anything at all.