dark traveling cloak, tossing pebbles into Darlington Lake.
I wanted to know how deep it is.
Perhaps he should have realized even then she’d tilt everything sideways, turn it upside down then right side up again, but forever changed. Perhaps he should have known she’d do the same thing to his heart. Such a small woman, to cause such an upheaval. Such a quiet coup. She’d conquered him before he realized he was under siege.
As they’d plodded toward the castle through the darkness this evening, he’d sworn a hundred oaths he’d wait until tomorrow to see her—that it was too dark, too late, terribly improper to bother her tonight.
What a fool he was. What a blind, arrogant fool. He could no more resist her than he could refuse to draw his next breath—
“Well, Darlington? Do you intend to enter the castle at some point this evening, or are we all to sleep on the drawbridge tonight?”
Gideon turned in the saddle. Haslemere was watching him, a sly grin on his lips. How long had he been lingering here, staring up at the castle, lost in dreams of Cecilia? Long enough to put a knowing smirk on Haslemere’s face, at least.
“Careful, Haslemere, or I’ll put you in the moat,” Gideon replied mildly as he urged his horse into a walk and led the party forward.
“You’re distracted tonight, Darlington. Why is that, I wonder? Ah well, it’s not my concern.” Haslemere leapt down from his horse, gathered his reins, then held out his hand for Gideon’s. “Well, go on then, give them here. I’ll take him in. He deserves better than to have a distracted marquess pawing at him.”
Gideon dismounted and handed his reins over, his lips quirking. “You’re a diligent horseman, Haslemere, and a good friend.”
“I am, indeed, both of those things.” Haslemere shrugged, but he looked pleased. “Come on, men. The stables are this way.”
Gideon forced himself to wait until the men had rounded the side of the castle before he hurried over the footbridge. He was a marquess, after all, and it wouldn’t do to sacrifice all his dignity by scrambling about like an overeager puppy. But as soon as they were out of sight he darted through the courtyard and into the entrance hall.
He took the stairs two at a time. He didn’t pause to remove his coat or boots when he reached his bedchamber, but rushed through the connecting door, his heart soaring with desire and love and anticipation.
Only to crash again when he entered Isabella’s bedchamber. His niece was sound asleep in her bed, but it wasn’t Cecilia dozing in the rocking chair by her side.
It was Amy.
The thud of his boots echoed in his ears as he hurried across the room. He crouched in front of the rocking chair so he wouldn’t frighten Amy by looming over her, then nudged her gently awake. “Amy? Where’s Cecilia?”
Amy blinked groggily, frowning at Gideon as if she’d never seen him before. “Who?”
“Cecilia, Amy. It’s late. Where is she?” Gideon was making a great effort not to shake Amy into full consciousness and interrogate her as if she were a criminal.
“Lord Darlington?” Amy rubbed her bleary eyes and blinked again before focusing on him. “Oh, I beg your pardon, my lord. I must have dozed off.” She sat up straighter in the chair. “Isabella—”
“Isabella is fine. She’s fast asleep. Where is Cecilia?” Gideon repeated with growing urgency. There was no reason to be alarmed, as Amy often watched Isabella when Cecilia left the room, but a knot of foreboding was gathering at the base of his spine.
Amy stared at him in confusion for another moment, but then understanding dawned, and she shot up from the chair so quickly she nearly knocked Gideon backward. “Oh, my goodness. What time is it?”
“It’s late, Amy. Past midnight.”
“Oh, dear.” Amy wrung her hands, her face turning pale. “That’s not…she should have been back ages ago.”
Gideon didn’t like the panicked look on Amy’s face, but he wasn’t yet ready to alarm the whole castle. He took a deep breath, and forced himself to speak calmly. “Back from where? Where did she go?”
“Down to the kitchens, to have a bite of dinner. Cecilia stayed with Isabella until she fell asleep, as she always does, but Isabella was fussy, and Cecilia missed her meal. But that was hours ago, Lord Darlington!”
An icy chill rushed over Gideon, followed by a dark, nameless dread. “How long, Amy? One hour? Two? When did you last see her?”
“Eight o’clock or so, I think?