Page 3

“Please, Lily. I’ll do anything you say if you help me,” Eveline begged.

“Alright. I’ll help you.”

“Thank you.” She scurried off quickly before her sister reached them.

She stepped through a side door leading into a hallway and decided to escape for a bit, since the party was still in full swing and would not be ending any time soon. Spotting a door, she opened it and stepped inside quickly, before shutting it behind her, taking care to keep it as silent as she could.

When the noise in the hallway faded, she let out a sigh and looked around the room. It was a bedroom. Although it did not appear occupied, she cast another cautious glance all the same. It was possible the chamber had been prepared for any guest who would be too inebriated to return home.

Seeing no one, she took off her mask and headed towards the balcony, grateful for the clean, crisp air filtering in. She would have a respite from Ava’s matchmaking attempts at least until she heard the strains of the violin announcing the final dance. Hopefully, she’d be able to see into the courtyard to know when guests began to depart.

She moved quickly towards the balcony, but she stopped halfway when she heard the sound of someone clearing his throat. She started, stumbling back in shock when a large gentleman came into view.

How had she not sensed she wasn’t alone?

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice full of apprehension.

Oh God!

CHAPTER 2

“Istill do not know how you managed to convince me to attend, Emerton,” William groaned as he and Theo descended the stairs to the Yardleys’ ballroom. “I do not feel comfortable with this many eyes on me. You promised it would be a small event.”

It had taken nearly three days of convincing to get him to attend—and that was primarily because Theo had told him it would be a small event—but the large ballroom was packed tight, and the doors to the balcony were open wide to let in cool air. Yet, the moment they stepped in, heat enveloped them as well as the scent of many different perfumes. It was rather unpleasant, but William had smelled worse, so he swallowed down his distaste.

Eyes followed them as well as whispers, which wasn’t entirely unexpected. His appearance was entirely unexpected, as Lord and Lady Yardley had mentioned after greeting them at the front door, but the couple felt honored that theirs was the first event he graced since his return to London.

“Did I?” Theo asked mockingly, with a playful finger under his chin. “It was an assumption on my part, but I suppose I was grossly uninformed about the guest list.”

William scoffed, keeping one hand behind his back in a dignified stance, politely bowing in greeting as they passed guests who gaped at them but made no move to present themselves.

“You would think they would know that staring is improper.” Theo smiled, shaking his head.

“We make for interesting conversation,” William joked.

“Indeed, we do.”

William snorted as he watched the party, grateful it was masquerade-themed so they were spared the sight of the scar crossing his face. It had been hard for his servants to look upon his visage without bursting into tears, but after half a year, they had become accustomed to his new appearance.

“That doesn’t still make me comfortable,” he complained. “Would it be terribly rude if I left early?”

“It would,” Theo answered exasperatedly. “This is another reason you need to be reacquainted with Society. Your manners have become so brash.”

“Nothing a bit of private tutoring couldn’t fix.”

“Yes, but who would you burden with that task?” Theo asked with a raised eyebrow. “You do realize that although your scars aren’t horrific, it would take a tutor some time to get used to them, and I do not think you are the patient sort. The task would then fall to one of us, and we are much too occupied with different tasks to tutor you.”

“You have really given thought to this idea, haven’t you?” William asked shaking his head in disappointment.

“You are not the only one struggling, Mayfield,” Theo said, sounding serious. “We all had to face our fears, and we still are. You have escaped it long enough. You cannot let the past dominate you thus. You deserve a chance at happiness.”

“I know that,” William answered with a sigh. “I will try.”

That was the only reason he had not declined the invitation when it had been extended to him by Theo. He would have much preferred if Magnus and Edwin were in attendance, but they had prior engagements related to Magnus’s business, and as such, the burden fell to him and Theo.

It was easier to accept when he had seen it was a masked ball. He would allow them glimpses of his scars only in small doses. It would not be good for his ego if anyone swooned at the sight of him. He much rather preferred uncomfortable winces to the sight of a female moved to hilarity. Perhaps, with luck, they would ask him to be confined to his estate.

“Let us mingle now, Mayfield,” Theo suggested suddenly. “It is as good a time as any to begin. I spy some old friends of mine.”