Page 32 of The Heiress in Disguise
“I do—in different ways of course.”
Jane laughed. “For a moment, I wondered whether you were going to speculate that they were the same person.”
“Oh, no, they couldn’t be,” Angelique said. She recalled Philip by the river the last time they had seen one another—his honey-colored eyes shining in the sun. The mystery man had dark eyes. They couldn’t be one and the same.
Still, the fantasy had taken hold of her, and she suddenly found herself wishing that theycouldbe the same man somehow—that she could find the mystery gentleman again and that he would take off his mask to reveal that he had been Philip all along. It was a senseless thing to hope for, but she couldn’t suppress the daydream.
“Well, I suppose we’ll find out at the end of the evening, when everyone takes their masks off,” Angelique said. “You must make sure to watch for me, Jane, since I won’t be permitted out to see what happens for myself. And you’ll report back to me, won’t you?”
“I will,” Jane said. “I promise.”
“You’re going to have to take dinner out soon,” Angelique said.
“Will you stay in the kitchen? I hate to think of you risking even more trouble.”
“I’ll go and check on the candles,” Angelique said. “I should make sure none of them need to be replaced.”
“I don’t think you should…”
“Don’t worry. All the guests are in the dining room now—no one is going to see me. It’s the perfect time to do this.”
“Just the candles, though, right? And then you’ll come right back? No detours into the garden or anything of that nature?”
“Just the candles,” Angelique promised.
She gathered a few tapers in her pockets in case any did need to be replaced and headed out into the halls to check on the candles, determined that she would do as she had promised. She would check the candles and come right back.
When the chore was only halfway finished, though, her plan was thrown off course—for there he was again, standing in the hall as if he had been expecting her.
“My lord,” She murmured.
“It’s nice to see you again, Angelique.”
She shook her head at the name, unsure of what to say. How could she convince him that he did neither of them a favor by continuing to refer to her that way?
“You should be at dinner,” she told him.
“Perhaps,” he said. “But I don’t want to be.”
“Is there something I can do for you?” She wasn’t supposed to mingle with guests, but if she could at least get him back to where he ought to be, maybe she could minimize the damage here.
“Would you grant me a favor?”
“My lord—”
“One favor.”
She looked around nervously. No one seemed likely to find them—everyone will be at dinner. “What is it you need?”
“A conversation,” he said. “Nothing more. I’d like to talk with you for a few minutes, that’s all.”
Angelique knew perfectly well what answer she ought to give. But those dark eyes, and the mystery of who he was and how he knew whoshewas, held her transfixed.
“A few minutes,” she agreed, hoping that she wouldn’t live to regret it.
Chapter 14
Angelique led the way further down the hall so that the two of them could be assured of a private conversation. Her heart raced. What could he possibly want with her? Why did he keep following her like this? Why had he found her over and over during the course of this party? When was it going to be enough?
