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“Your Grace,” Adrian addressed his friend. “You wound me with your insinuation. I would never encourage you to behave in a manner that is unacceptable. I only suggested you give me a lesson so I may improve my own abilities when it comes to basket tossing.”

Adrian may have been a touch too eager in his approach, but if he hoped for results, he knew he must ensure that Amberwood would willingly place one of the balls into a basket.

He held back a grin as he waited for the duke to respond.

It shouldn’t take too long, and then he would have an opportunity to escape with Georgina.

He had to be careful and do his part. That was the only way he could make certain he gained the outcome he wanted.

Amberwood narrowed his gaze and studied Adrian. He sighed and then shook his head. “All right,” he conceded. “I will play one game.”

“Excellent,” Adrian said and grinned. “That means we will see a master at work.” He motioned toward the booth. “Please, step forward, Your Grace, and take your best shot.”

As Amberwood approached the booth, Adrian remained in the back.

He slowly moved over until he stood next to Georgina.

As the duke picked up his first ball and prepared to aim for the highest basket, Adrian slipped his hand into Georgina’s.

He leaned down ever so slightly and whispered, “Will you meet me in the maze?”

“In the maze?” she repeated. “But…”

“I wish to be alone with you. Will you meet me?”

Georgina stared at the duke, then glanced at Jaclyn.

Her friend seemed riveted on the duke’s actions and was not paying them any mind.

Amberwood tossed the ball up and it flew toward the basket, easing over the top with ease.

The duke had been correct. He was an excellent shot, and Adrian wasn’t nearly as skilled.

But he didn’t much care if he could toss a ball properly into a basket.

That had never been a goal he hoped to achieve.

“I don’t know…” Georgina kept staring at her friend and the duke. “I shouldn’t…”

“Please,” he begged. Adrian would drop to his knees and plead with her if he needed to, but he hoped it would not come to that.

It would not be something either of them would be happy to have witnessed.

“We cannot speak freely here.” And he certainly would not be able to steal a kiss.

That was one thing that would ensure an announcement of their upcoming marriage would be imminent. “Meet me there.”

After a few moments, and Amberwood’s second toss into a basket, she finally said, “When?”

That was an important question and one he wasn’t certain how to answer.

She couldn’t go there now. Her absence from the carnival would be noticed and he did not want her to be reprimanded for disappearing.

Besides, after Charlotte had eloped with Easton the school was keeping their students under constant watch.

Even now a chaperone tracked Jaclyn and Georgina’s movements with their gaze.

They were careful not to be overbearing, but they were conscious of everything that the students were doing. “Can you sneak away tonight?”

It was another risk, and he probably should not be asking this of her.

But there was nothing else that could be done.

If he wanted to have alone time with her it was the only way.

They could steal small moments with each other at societal functions, but they would never be alone again.

Not in a way that would further their relationship.

He would not have the opportunity to hold her or kiss her. Adrian desperately wished to do both.

“It will have to be late,” she said in a low tone. “When everyone is asleep. I won’t be able to sneak away otherwise.”

“Then it will have to be late,” he agreed. “I will meet you in the maze. Do you think you can be there by midnight?”

Slowly she nodded. “Yes.” Georgina glanced again at Jaclyn. “With Charlotte now residing at Easton Abbey it’s just the two of us. As long as Jaclyn is asleep, I should not have any difficulty sneaking out of our room and making my way to the maze.”

“And do you remember how to reach the fountain?” Adrian did not wish for her to become lost on the way to their clandestine meeting. That would be unfortunate. The plan was for them to have some time alone, not for her to become another missing Havenwood student.

“Of course,” she said with confidence. “I have an excellent memory. I should have no difficulty finding the fountain again.”

He grinned. Everything was falling into place.

“Then I look forward to seeing you again later tonight.” He gestured toward the duke as he tossed his last ball.

This one hit the lid of the basket and rolled around the edge before it dipped backward and fell to the ground.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Adrian said with a mocking tone.

“You almost had a perfect showing. Perhaps you will have better luck next time.”

“There will be no next time,” the duke grumbled. “I do not play silly games.”

“And yet, you just did,” he reminded his friend. “It’s time to choose your prize. You may not have gotten top marks, but you did earn enough for one of the lesser prizes did you not?”

“I do not need any prize.” He shrugged and then walked away from the booth, but not before sneaking a glance in Jaclyn’s direction.

His friend had strong feelings for that woman.

Why he didn’t do something to change her belief in him he did not know.

Adrian still did not fully understand what had happened between them.

Instead of trying to repair that rift he was choosing to leave her behind—like an afterthought.

One that he didn’t even concede any real concern for.

It was a terrible look for the duke; however, it wasn’t one that Adrian could change.

So he chose to return his focus to his own concerns.

“Would the two of you like to explore the carnival a bit more?” he asked.

“What I would like to do,” Jaclyn stated, “is rescue Destiny.”

“That is not something I can allow,” he said in a calm tone. He did not wish to rile her or encourage such an action. It would be disastrous.

“I didn’t say I was going to rescue her,” she said slowly. “Just that I would like to.”

Adrian did not believe her for one second.

If given the chance, she would go rescue that pig.

But he could not do anything about what she might do in the future.

All he could do in this moment was encourage her to do something else entirely.

“I hear the tent over there has some skilled jugglers and a show should begin soon.”

“Jugglers?” Jaclyn raised a brow and then glanced at Georgina. “Should we go?”

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t,” Georgina replied in an amicable tone. “Unless there is something else that has caught your interest.”

“The jugglers should be interesting enough for now,” Jaclyn answered, then glanced at Adrian. “My lord, would you care to escort us?”

“It would be my pleasure,” he said. He could not hide the relief he felt with her concession. At least he would not have to chase after her as she attempted to steal a pig. He shuddered at the very thought that image presented him. He held out his arms to them once again. “Shall we?”

They looped their arms with his and they made their way over to the tent.

There was a crowd gathering inside to watch the juggler perform.

Adrian didn’t much care to see the performance.

He had only suggested they attend to distract Jaclyn from her desire to rescue Destiny the pig.

It was also nice to have Georgina on his arm.

It would be even better to have her completely to himself later that night.

He could hardly wait until then. Soon he’d have her alone, in the maze, and he could finally kiss her again.

It would be wondrous and pleasurable. He adored Georgina beyond words, and he supposed he should tell her as much.

He would tell her how he felt that night and hopefully she felt the same.