Page 15

Adelaide

A delaide sat up slowly, blinking. Soft candlelight flickered along the walls, casting soothing shadows that danced against the natural wood tones. The warm blanket fell from her shoulders. The fog retreated from her mind second by second. A slow realization sank into the pit of her stomach.

Nearly vaulting herself off the couch, Adelaide hastily folded the archduke’s cloak and turned toward the door.

“Did you sleep all right?”

Adelaide jumped. Swiveling on her heel, Adelaide found the archduke seated at his desk across the room from her. She swallowed against the dryness of her tongue and nodded. “Very well, actually.”

“That’s good. I’m sure you needed it after the morning you’ve had.” Gavin stood and walked around his desk to lean against it. Adelaide studied him. Her eyes lingered on the way he’d rolled his sleeves up to his forearms, tracing over his scars and scrolling tattoos. The image of a hawk in flight among the thicket of ink enchanted her. “I hope I didn’t overstep, but I’ve asked Elizabeth to have your things brought to the archduchess’s chambers.”

Lightning struck Adelaide’s mind. She forced her attention back to what Gavin was saying. Slowly, her mind processed his words.

He’d what?

Gavin huffed a laugh. He dragged a hand through his slightly disheveled hair, partially pulling Adelaide’s attention back to the scrolling artwork on his forearm. Her blood simmered. That heat pooled and curled in her gut. She could hardly focus. Perhaps she needed more rest. “I know. It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? William and I just thought it would be best, because…”

Adelaide waited expectantly as he trailed off, but no explanation came. “I’m not sure that’s…” She paused, considering the idea and all it could possibly entail. By all accounts, it would look as though the archduke had fallen for her. It would buy her time. More importantly, it bought her protection from Mistress Scrabs’s wrath. Her eyes raked over Gavin. Oddly, his gaze was intent on the floor. He was even fiddling with the cuffed roll of his sleeves, like he intended to straighten it. Adelaide frowned.

Gavin didn’t seem like he thought her living in the archduchess’s chamber was a good idea.

Taking a breath, she started anew. “I mean, if you think so, then I’d be happy to. I just think it would be a little suspicious. Why would you move someone like me into the archduchess’s suite? Wouldn’t that rouse suspicion?”

“It might, and I understand if it makes you uncomfortable. I promise the room will be yours. I won’t even step foot in it,” Gavin said earnestly, taking a small step toward her. Adelaide held her breath, considering his words. He stopped in his tracks, apparently thinking better of coming near her, and instead appeared to shrink. His shoulders relaxed, and his face softened into an expression of genuine concern. “If you—”

“Thank you,” Adelaide said. Her heart slowed. He wasn’t lying; that she was sure of. “Though I must admit that wasn’t my concern. I…trust you, even if you cannot trust me.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. Wrapping her arms around herself, she explained, “I only meant that it would seem odd to other people, and…I’m afraid of what Mistress Scrabs will think when she finds out.”

“Oh,” Gavin said, his voice on the verge of disbelief. Adelaide offered him a small smile she hoped reassured him of her trust in him. Clearing his throat, Gavin said, “I wouldn’t worry about Mistress Scrabs too much. Perhaps this will work to your benefit. She may believe you’ve stolen my heart instead, providing you with the perfect opportunity to steal what she sent you here for, or at least that’s what William said when he proposed the plan.”

Adelaide froze. They couldn’t know it, but that was exactly what Mistress Scrabs had ordered her to do just this very morning. Stiffly nodding, Adelaide laughed humorlessly. “I suppose you’re right.”

Gavin narrowed his eyes, cocking his head. “Is that all right? If we— I —pretended to court you? It would provide a believable cover for having you stay in the archduchess’s suite and for us to spend time together to investigate Mistress Scrabs’s true identity.”

Adelaide’s nerves squirmed. Rationally, Sir Maxwell’s suggestion made sense, and Gavin was right. If they pretended to fall in love, it would provide them with the perfect excuse to spend time together. But the idea terrified her.

Gavin had made it so easy for her to forget who he was—and who she was. He made her believe everything she thought of herself was a lie, and if she let herself fall into that dream, Adelaide would be blinded to reality. She couldn’t afford that. She couldn’t allow herself such follies.

But if they were able to defeat Mistress Scrabs…Adelaide held her breath for a moment. Maybe the scheme wasn’t as dangerous. Gavin was the White Hawk of Kordouva, a formidable magic wielder and master swordsman. How could she ever think he wasn’t capable of capturing Mistress Scrabs and dismantling the Den of Thieves? Hadn’t Adelaide trusted him enough to confess her crimes to him? Wasn’t this what she wanted when she came to his office this morning? “Fine, yes. Um, I was just thinking it through. I think it makes sense for us to pretend to be…well, I’m not sure what to call it because ‘lovers’ is too serious, but that’s essentially what we’d be doing, isn’t it?” Adelaide nearly laughed at the idea. The air in the room was much too thick. Adelaide cleared her throat and brought her focus back to Gavin. Smiling slightly, she hoped to ease the weight on her chest before it caved in. She needed more air, or space, or something to alleviate the pressure building up between them.

She wondered how Cathy and Juliana would react when they learned she’d be staying in the archduchess’s chambers. Would Castle Belmont’s staff treat her differently? Would they treat her like a mistress or like an archduchess?

With any luck, Adelaide hoped, she wouldn’t see anyone and could avoid whatever awkwardness might come of this development.

“If we’re going to go through with this plan, I…well, I’m not sure. What is it exactly I should be doing?”

“Whatever you want.” Gavin spread his arms. “Castle Belmont is at your disposal. Do as you wish. I’ll come and find you once I’m done with this paperwork, and our ruse can begin.”

“All right,” Adelaide agreed, “then perhaps I’ll walk the gardens. I’ve heard how beautiful they are.”

“They truly are. My mother took great pride in them. I’ve done the best I can while her and my father are away by the coast, but I don’t have much of an eye for shrubbery or flowers.”

Adelaide suppressed a laugh. “I can imagine. It’s quite a large space to fill. It must be difficult to craft a plan that has blooms year-round yet still looks tasteful throughout the year.”

“It is, especially since I had wanted to put an emphasis on plants that were useful to us in tonics and for their magical properties.”

“Were you able to do that?”

Gavin shook his head. “Nothing I proposed fit into the plan well, and in the end, I couldn’t bear to change my mother’s prized gardens.”

Adelaide smiled, glancing away and toward the large window. “I couldn’t imagine. It would be like trying to fix one of my mother’s quilts. I wouldn’t be able to do it for the fear I’d ruin the whole thing.”

Gavin chuckled, “So you understand my plight then.”

“Absolutely.” Adelaide rubbed her arms. Studying her feet, she tried to ignore the heat burning the shell of her ears. She liked this. It was normal. There wasn’t any threat sowed into Gavin’s words or nefarious plots that she would be forced into participating in. There was only laughter and light conversation, just two people getting to know each other. She craved for it to last.

Maybe pretending wouldn’t be horrible. Maybe they’d both enjoy it and could become friends. Adelaide’s soul tensed. Gavin Hughes was an archduke. Any friendship formed between them wouldn’t last. She had to remember that.

“I should go,” she said quietly. Bitter disappointment curled up in her gut and settled there like a lead weight. “And leave you to your work.”

Gavin slouched, sighing. “If you must. Truth be told, I’m not too eager to return to my stack of paperwork.”

“The sooner you finish, the sooner you won’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“That’s one way to think about it.” Gavin grinned. Slowly retreating back to his desk, he continued, “The other is that the sooner I finish with this pile, a new one will take its place.”

“Even if that’s true, why not hold the rose rather than the thorns?” Why would anyone trouble themselves with such negative thinking or the harsh truth of reality?

“I’ll have to try that, especially if we’re to pretend to fall in love. It would seem odd if I wasn’t eager to finish my work, wouldn’t it?”

“I suppose it would,” Adelaide said slowly. Latching onto the idea stumbling through her mind, she lightly ran her finger down Gavin’s cloak draped over the back of the couch, feigning innocence. She kept her voice light and playful. “Just think—the sooner you finish, the more time you’ll get to spend with me, the woman you’ve fallen madly in love with.”

Gavin didn’t laugh. Her heart pounded against her chest. Had she made a mistake? Did he not appreciate the humor of her joke?

“I quite like that idea.” His voice was so soft Adelaide wasn’t sure if she’d heard him properly. “I’ll do my best to meet you in the garden. I shouldn’t be too much longer.”

Shock settled over Adelaide. All she could do was nod. Without a word, Adelaide let herself out of Gavin’s office and numbly wove her way through the estate and out into the gardens before she realized she had nothing to keep the chill at bay but her long-sleeved dress.