yourself,” he warned. “There are many tempting items in your make-believe castle to draw their attention.” He peered over her shoulder and flicked his index finger in a sharp circle. “Let us make a circuit of the area.”
“Yes, of course.” She accepted his arm. “Cochran would be a fool to attempt something while so many people are in attendance.”
“And yet a crowd can provide the best cover.” He glanced down at her. “I mention this not to frighten you, but to keep you from becoming complacent. You must never, ever underestimate your enemy.”
Catherine’s heart hammered within her chest. She did not like this spying business. Before this was all finished, she was quite certain her heart would never pound again.
They made a full circle around the crowd without one glimpse of a golden-red mop of curls. Her trepidation grew. She had made Sophie promise to stay within sight today, an edict that engendered a great many moans. But Catherine had never considered her daughter would disobey her in this way.
When Sebastian finally drew them to a halt, the muscles in Catherine’s throat ached from her effort to hold back the compulsive scream of her daughter’s name. She peered up at him. “I will round up several of the adults to scour the area. I don’t want to scare the children.” The moment she made to pull away, he covered her hand.
“A moment.” Rather than searching the area again with a thorough sweep of his gaze, Sebastian’s attention jumped from one point to the next.
“Sebastian, please.” She pulled at her hand. “I cannot stand this inactivity.”
He nodded at someone in the distance, and the tension faded from his taut features. “Come, I believe we missed a hiding spot.”
Confused by his odd behavior, Catherine accompanied him across the lawn without a word, although she chafed at his unhurried pace. He stopped next to the dessert table and pointed to a two-inch gap between tablecloths. “Your damsel in distress, madam.”
Catherine crouched down and peered into the gap. Sure enough, Sophie and the stable lad, Teddy, sat beneath the table, alternately stuffing chocolate puffs into their mouth and staging battles with pieces from her daughter’s Dragonthorpe collection.
“Sophia Adele, may I see you for a moment?”
Round blue eyes peered through the opening.
Catherine crooked her finger.
“Do not kill my gargoyle while I’m gone, Teddy. I’ll be vexed.” Her daughter scampered out from beneath the table. She brushed an incriminating crumb from her lavender skirts. The half-mourning color was a small concession for her party. “Yes, Mama?”
Catherine grabbed her daughter’s hand and led her several feet away. “Did you not promise to stay within sight?”
Sophie glanced back at the table.
“I shall have your full attention, young lady.” Catherine waited until her daughter’s gaze returned to hers. “Did I not tell you, if you can’t see me, I can’t see you?”
“But, Mama,” Sophie said. “I could see you.” She indicated the space between the tablecloths, where Teddy now watched her daughter’s scolding with rapt attention. “I saw you chatting with the vicar and strolling with the earl.”
Catherine blinked, unable to think of a response to her daughter’s six-, or rather, seven-year-old logic. “Do you know the scare you gave me?”
“I’m sorry, Mama.” Sophie turned her doleful blue eyes on her. “Please don’t be upset.”
Cupping the back of her daughter’s head, Catherine kissed the vixen’s forehead. “I’m not, but allow me to clarify my statement. We must both be able to see each other.”
Sophie nodded, her gaze going back to the table again.
“None of that, dear,” Catherine said. “You have many guests to attend. All of your time cannot be spent with Teddy, no matter how tempting.”
“Do you think the earl would mind if Teddy came along to see his horses?”
Catherine glanced back to find Sebastian encouraging the boy from beneath the table. “There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to ask.” She held out her hand when Sophie started to rush over to her two favorite men. “Make your request like a young lady, title and all.”
Her daughter smiled. “Thank you, Mama.”
She took off, but immediately slowed her breakneck pace to a more sedate stroll. Well, almost sedate. She looked the epitome of sweetness from the waist up. However, her feet were throwing up patches of grass in her wake.
Stopping before Sebastian, Sophie executed a perfect curtsy. “Good afternoon, Lord Somerton. Are you enjoying my birthday celebration?”
He bowed. “Indeed, I am.”
She waved her hand toward her friend. “I see you’ve met Teddy. Did he tell you