Chapter 17
Sylvie nearly told Miles she was the lady archer right there in that little dressing room.
He had trusted her with the darkest moments of his past. Didn’t that confidence deserve hers in return?
Now that he’d told her, she wasn’t at all burdened by the responsibility of keeping his past to herself.
So she could imagine he would feel the same about keeping her hidden identity a secret. It wasn’t a difficulty but a privilege.
With his forehead crinkling as his eyebrows drew together, Miles tilted his head. “I do wonder… If you didn’t send that reporter to find me, why was he at the laboratory this afternoon?”
Guilt struck hard. She was desperate to tell him every last bit of it so she wouldn’t have to compound her lies again.
But the words stuck in her throat. She’d taken such care to keep her work at the resort a secret that sharing it felt wrong, even though Miles would understand.
He was already part of it. Didn’t he have a right to know it was her the entire time?
“I did send him…but not because of your past. I thought he could do a story about your discovery at the laboratory. And I hoped if he was focused on that—”
A sharp knock on the door caused them both to freeze.
Panic slithered up and down Sylvie’s spine.
This was a terribly improper situation. If word got back to her mother—or anyone in society—that they’d been found alone in such a compromising position, Sylvie’s days of taking what little independence she could find would be over forever.
Mother would marry her off instantly, whether to Miles or to anyone else who would have her.
That was more untenable than ever, because somewhere along the line, the idea of being married to Miles had become something Sylvie not only could tolerate but might long for the smallest bit.
Or a great deal.
Not that she could admit to that. Drat her mother for taking such an interest in Miles. If Mother hadn’t decided he was her pick for Sylvie, it wouldn’t feel like such a betrayal of Sylvie’s dreams to agree to his courtship. Which was, in all honesty, what she wanted most right then.
But they had a more pressing issue at the moment. When the doorknob began to turn, Miles’s gaze locked on hers, and Sylvie’s mind emptied. What could they do to avoid ruin?
Miles moved faster than Sylvie thought possible to block the view into the room.
The door swung open a few inches before he caught it in one hand and leaned around it.
He spoke to someone on the other side in a hushed voice.
“I’m sorry, my wife was overcome by the crowd and needed a moment to recover before we depart for the evening.
Might we use this room for a moment longer? ”
Sylvie had to restrain a giggle, turning away in case anyone outside happened to glance into the room.
Miles was a decent performer, something she never would have guessed about him before he started helping at her shows.
And it warmed Sylvie’s heart that he was willing to use that hidden talent to protect her now.
The conversation wrapped up, and Miles pushed the door shut again before turning to her. “We should leave as soon as possible. I’ll go first and make certain there’s no one out there who might know you. Wait several minutes before you head back the way we came.”
There he went protecting her again. Sylvie had no doubt he would do the same if she revealed her identity as the lady archer. She’d started to, but now the words had fled. She needed more time than the stolen moments they had left here.
Miles sent her a long, searching look before slipping out of the room.
After the click of the door closing behind him, only occasional footsteps, distant voices, and muffled thumps from the stage crew cleaning up after the show broke the silence.
Sylvie let the quiet wash over her, pushing all her questions into the back of her mind for later.
She would find the perfect time to tell Miles soon.
After what she hoped was long enough, Sylvie cracked open the door and glanced up and down the hallway. Deserted, for the moment.
Turning off the light, she left the room and walked with as much purpose as she could muster.
She retraced their hurried steps from earlier until she reached the hallway that ran along the side of the auditorium once again.
Then she paused there for another minute or two.
The more time she could put between Miles leaving the hallway and her leaving it, the better.
Finally, she took up her march again and entered the lobby, finding it still bustling with attendees.
Groups and couples dotted the room, talking in hushed voices.
One of those groups was her parents and Mr. Kinsey.
Goodness. In all that had happened, Sylvie had forgotten she’d attended with Mr. Kinsey that evening.
But it was Miles, standing tall and confident next to Mr. Kinsey, who arrested her attention.
Why on earth was he talking with her mother?
His easy smile proved that their hidden moments alone hadn’t been noticed, but it was far too much of a risk for him to be standing right there with her parents after that intimacy.
What on earth had he been thinking to stop and speak with them?
Sylvie forced down a tendril of dread and arranged a pleasant smile on her face.
She smoothed back the loose strands of hair around her face.
Then she walked up to them as if she hadn’t been missing for the last fifteen minutes.
“I apologize for my disappearance. I took a wrong turn and ended up backstage. It was fascinating to see how the stage crew handles all those props and costumes.”
Mother’s hard, searching gaze bore into Sylvie, but she forced herself to pretend she didn’t notice it. Sylvie turned her usual social smile on Miles. “Good evening, Mr. Wentworth. How did you enjoy the performance?”
The hint of a knowing smile lifted one corner of Miles’s mouth, sending the memory of his kiss skittering through Sylvie, along with panic that one of the others would notice. “It was quite amusing.”
“I don’t know what you could have found funny about it, my lord.
It was a confusing mess.” Lucy Casburn’s whine echoed around them as she all but shoved her way into their group, standing right next to Miles.
She wrapped her arm tight around his without hesitation, and Sylvie had to clench her hands into fists to keep from issuing the rude response that came to mind.
Mother chuckled without any real humor. “Ah, Miss Casburn, I’m sure you simply missed the understated wit. It’s not for everyone.”
Sylvie took a bit of satisfaction in the way Lucy paled at Mother’s veiled insult. But Lucy was still holding tight to Miles, and he hadn’t attempted to remove her arm. Prickling heat worked its way up Sylvie’s neck. Hopefully, it hadn’t flushed her cheeks for all to see.
The pointed stare Lucy leveled at Sylvie didn’t help. “Well, Mrs. Bryce, perhaps your daughter might enlighten me. She’s a connoisseur of amusements in the area this summer, after all.”
Tension snapped Sylvie’s spine straight. Lucy was hinting at Sylvie’s secret in front of others on purpose. It was a clear warning. “Oh no, Miss Casburn. I’m not an expert on anything. You’re the one said to have such excellent taste in entertainment.”
It was blatant flattery, but it couldn’t hurt to try to pacify Lucy any way she could. Lucy preened a little, proving Sylvie right. But she still maintained that sharp, watchful gaze that reminded Sylvie she couldn’t underestimate Lucy for a minute.
Mr. Kinsey smiled straight at Sylvie. “Well, I enjoyed the entertainment you chose tonight, Miss Bryce. I hope you’ll allow me to accompany you again.”
Every gaze in the circle sharpened, except for her father’s.
He continued to examine the room with a bored expression.
The rest of them were starting to remind Sylvie of sharks encircling a defenseless fish in a slow advance.
“I’m sure we can all agree it would be worth another visit to the opera house before the summer is over.
The hour is growing late. Should we depart, Mother? ”
Thankfully, Miles came to her rescue once again. “I agree, Miss Bryce. As a working man, I need to get some rest. Otherwise, I’ll be useless at the laboratory tomorrow. Miss Casburn, may I escort you to your family?”
Sylvie hated watching Miles walk away with Lucy on his arm. And the smug glance Lucy shot over her shoulder at Sylvie was enough to start a pulsing pain in her temple.
But years of training in holding her true self back took effect. Sylvie ignored the discomfort, pasted her social smile back on, and turned to Mr. Kinsey. “Thank you for joining us this evening. I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon enough.”
She grabbed Father’s arm, disregarding his startled jump, and marched him across the lobby, leaving Mother to follow them outside whether she wanted to or not. Sylvie was finished with this long, emotional day.
But one thing had become crystal clear in all that had happened.
Sylvie was no longer willing to keep secrets from Miles.
He’d trusted her, and it was time she returned the favor.
At the next good opportunity, she would reveal her identity as the lady archer and face his reaction.
Then she might even be able to tell him about Lucy’s blackmail.
While Sylvie might not be able to choose Miles for herself without giving up her hard-won sliver of independence, that didn’t mean she would allow a woman like Lucy to dig her claws into such a good man.
If Sylvie revealed the truth to him, perhaps he could find a way to avoid getting entangled with Lucy that wouldn’t harm Sylvie’s secret.
At least, Sylvie would pray that it would turn out that well for both of them.