“And you haven’t seen her return to the ballroom?”
“Don’t worry, my friend. I’m sure she’s all right.”
He searched the room. “Somersby isn’t here either, damn his eyes. And I never had that chat with him. What if he’s with her in the gardens?”
“She seems like a young lady who doesn’t suffer fools. Leave her be to explore her newfound freedom and society.”
“I’ll leave her be when she’s in my line of sight and not potentially somewhere being accosted by a reprobate,” Dex growled.
Chapter Sixteen
The night air rushed by the dragon’s wings as he bore her through the darkness toward the castle. A gibbous moon waxed o’er her head, hinting at fullness to come. Nervousness and excitement knotted in her belly, and she thrilled to the glittering stars above. Beneath her limbs, the powerful beast, her very own lethal weapon to command...
—The Dragon and the Blue Starby Analise Crewe
Where was she? Dex was growing increasingly desperate.
He’d checked the retiring room, the gardens, the balconies, and the ballroom again. He prowled the hallways of Lady Chetwynd-Ellerton’s house, imagining sickening scenarios: Ana hiding from the unwelcome advances of Somersby—who was still nowhere to be found. Dex had accounted him to be harmless before, but what if he’d developed a recent nasty streak after having been jilted by a young lady he’d pursued?
Where would a young lady like Ana go to hide? Of course! He should have thought of it sooner. She would run to her beloved books. He hurried to the library, opening the door so hard it slammed against the wall. “Ana, are you in here?”
Silence. A fire dying in the grate, firelight wavering over the gilded spines of books.
“Your Grace?” came a whisper from the vicinity of a large armchair occupying a reading nook.
“Ana?” He rushed behind the chair, relieved to find her sitting behind it, her back propped against the wall, knees hunched over her chest. “What are you doing in here?”
“Hiding.”
“I’m going to murder Somersby in cold blood if he harmed you in any way.”
He held out his hand and she took it, allowing him to help her to a standing position. “You’re safe now. Tell me what happened.”
“I’m not hiding from Sir Somersby. I’m hiding from Mr. Norwood.”
“Who?”
“Mr. Norwood, of Norwood & Pennington, the publishers. I’ve no idea why he’s here but he is and he can’t see me.”
“Ah . . . why can’t he see you?”
“Because heknows.”
“Knows what?”
“Where I was living when you found me. He had his staff research me before I met with him about my novel. If he tells anyone in this ballroom that I was living in the rookeries with the sister of a brothel madam, my debut in society will be short-lived indeed. I’ll be cast out, made a laughingstock.”
He placed a hand on her shoulder and held her gaze. “No one’s casting you out or laughing at you. Not with me by your side.”
“Even you can’t save me if they learn the truth. Do you really want such a scandal on your hands? Lady Glynis would be mortified if I sullied your family name. I told you this wouldn’t work.It’s not just that I’m not one of them—I’m tainted by the circumstances of my past. You may have silenced Lord Claridge, but you can’t silence everyone. Someone who knew me in the rookeries will surface eventually. I never should have come here tonight. I’ve no idea why I thought I could ever be published by the most respected and exclusive publisher in England.”
“Stop, Ana. Just stop talking.” He realized he was using her first name, but it felt necessary in this instance. What she was saying was wrong. He would defend her against the gossips and he’d make damn sure she achieved her dream of publication. “You belong at this ball. You’re my ward.”
She closed her eyes, her voice shrinking to a whisper. “That’s not all. I told Mr. Norwood an untruth.”
“You told him you’d produce half of a new Clovercote novel in a fortnight’s time. If it takes longer than that, he’ll have to wait.”
When she opened those green eyes of hers, shimmering with unshed tears, he had to stop himself from moving his hand from her shoulder to caress the curve of her cheek, be at the ready to brush her tears away.