ming fast, and she knew it wasn't because of the dance. She held out her hands, crossed, for the final hand-off, and even through two pairs of gloves she could feel his skin, his strength—feel him—and suddenly she wanted to cry.
And then he was gone, and she was going through the same movements with a plump, middle-aged gentleman, and she-d survived. She hadn’t tripped, hadn't betrayed herself in any way, and Adrian Rohan hadn't even looked back.
She was almost back with Marchmont, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Once she regained her original partner the dance would be over, and she could escape. She wanted to laugh out loud in triumph, she wanted to burst into tears. Her emotions were way too close to the surface, not like her at all. There was one more right to left, as they circled the dance floor, exchanging hands. It would bring her back to Rohan one more time, but he was looking bored, and his partner, a sweet young beauty, was going to lose him once the dance was over, and she told herself she shouldn't be glad of it.
She slid, turned and began the right to left, acutely aware of his approach. His gloved hand touched hers for a brief moment, strong hands, warm hands, and then he moved on, never even looking at her, and Marchmont was back, smiling.
Before he could draw her into another dance, Lina bad caught up with her. She'd put her mask back on, but her distress was more than clear. "I'm so sorry, dearest," she said in a muffled voice. "Of all the miserable chances! I couldn't believe it when I saw him here. And to end up in your set! Do you think he recognized you?"
"Absolutely not," she said in a calm, sure voice. "But just in case, don't you think we should leave now?”
"I do indeed. We'll have to find out where Sir Percy went. He's probably in one of the card rooms. He loves to dance, but there's only so long he can keep it up. "
Charlotte pulled her hand free. She cast a nervous glance over her shoulder, but there was no sign of the viscount. His erstwhile partner was now flirting with someone new, surviving his abandonment better than she herself had, Charlotte thought. "Lina, I think it best if I go ahead. It's a short walk to the edge of the park, and there are plenty of chairs and hackneys to convey me back to Grosvenor Square. You find Sir Percy and I'll meet you at home. "
Author: Anne Stuart
"I can't leave you alone in a place like this," Lina protested.
"Of course you can. No one's going to mistake me for a trollop, and I can promise you, no one would dare accost me. "
"No one might dare accost Charlotte Spenser with her glower," Lina said, "but the mystery woman in the deep red domino who danced so happily is a different matter.
"Don't worry—I can still glower with the best of them. Truly, Lina, the sooner I leave here the better, and you can't very well abandon Sir Percy, now, can you?"
"I suppose not. If you wait a moment I could find Marchmont and have him escort you. . . . "
She glanced back at the dancers, but Marchmont was already in another set and she didn't dare hesitate. "I'll be fine. There are going to be any number of times when I won't have a gentleman to escort me places, and I refuse to allow that to keep me a prisoner. I'll see you back at the house," she said firmly.
“At least humor me by heading toward the south entrance. That way if I can find Sir Percy in time we could meet up with you. "
One entrance was as good as another. "Of course," she said, having absolutely no intention of doing so. The west entrance was closer, albeit past the maze and a tangle of lovers' walks. Her earlier elation had vanished, and in its place was a desperate need to cry again. Tears were a weakness she despised, but the catch in her throat seemed to have a mind of its own. The least she could do was find the safety of a carriage and give way to tears there.
She started toward the south entrance with her domino pulled tight about her, her long legs eating up the distance. The west entrance was just past a row of private dining rooms, and she knew a moment's nervousness when she veered to the right, into the dimly lit walkways. If worse came to worst, she could run faster than any of these mincing creatures in their jeweled heels. Not that Adrian had been wearing heels—he was tall enough as it was. Not that he'd be chasing after her.
The catch in her throat had now spread to a burning in her eyes. She was too hot in the domino and mask, but she wasn't about to relinquish them until she was away from this suddenly awful place. No one would know, she reminded herself, pulling the cloak more tightly around her.
The intricate paths looked deserted. Most people preferred to do their courting by the canal that ran through the east side of the park, and the rest were either dancing or eating dinner. There would be no one around to bother her. She headed down one dimly lit path, trying to hold in the tears until she could finally find some privacy.
She'd forgotten the entrance to the maze was disguised. It was part of the game—people out for a casual walk would suddenly find themselves lost. Charlotte had heard about it, but she'd seldom ventured into the pleasure gardens, and she had no idea that she had walked where she shouldn't have until suddenly she was at a dead end, the thick branches blocking her.
Simple enough. She turned around and headed back the way she came. She had an excellent memory, and she'd only made a couple of turns. One more, and she'd be back out on the pathway.
One more, and she came to another dead end. She took a deep, steadying breath. She held still, trying to orient herself, when she heard the breathing.
Someone was there. It shouldn't unnerve her— she was in a public place. Of course people would be around. Perhaps whoever it was could help her get out of the maze.
“Hello?" she said in a hopeful voice.
There was no answer. And yet she could still hear the breathing—whoever it was made no attempt at covering it up. There was a faint wheeze to the breathing, as if whoever was there had raced to catch up with her. Someone older, playing a game with her.
"Sir Percy?" she called out, wondering if this was his mistaken notion of flirtation. There was still no answer, and she realized with sudden discomfort that someone was watching her. Presumably the same someone who was breathing so heavily. The interior of the maze was shadowed and dark, with only the light outside on the path to illuminate it. The walls of the maze weren't as thick as boxwood, and someone could doubtless see through them. She tried to peer through them herself, but there were four sides to try to look through, and she could see no one.
She felt the skin prickle at the back of her neck. She had the sudden, eerie feeling that whoever, whatever, was watching her was malevolence personified.
"I'm not in the mood for games," she said bravely. "Either show yourself or go away. "
Her watcher did neither. He did something far, far worse. He laughed, a low, rasping, ugly laugh that caused her heart to shim into a full-blown panic.