into words.
His chest rose and fell with a slow breath as though he’d understood her meaning nonetheless. Then he once more grasped her chin and pulled her toward him, kissing her with a fierceness that made her knees go weak yet again.
A round of applause erupted around them, and when Pierce released her, Caroline was horrified to find herself the center of that night’s attention. Apparently, Pierce’s display of affection had not gone unnoticed, which of course was not that surprising considering they were standing just inside the ballroom, easy to spot from all around.
Clinging to Pierce’s arm, Caroline touched a trembling hand to her mask, ensuring that it was still there, still covering her face, still keeping her identity concealed. Her eyes darted from mask to mask as people looked at her, their inquisitive eyes following them as they made their way through the crowd. When they finally stepped into the foyer, Caroline breathed a sigh of relief.
“The carriage is waiting,” Jacob announced as they stepped toward the door.
“Wait!” Her feet stilled, and Pierce turned to look at her, a questioning look in his eyes. “We cannot leave without Charlaine.”
His gaze widened, partially in horror and partially in surprise. “Charlaine is here as well?” he demanded, his arm under her hand tensing. “What were you thinking?”
“It wasn’t my idea,” Caroline snapped defensively. “She was the one to invite me!” The second the words left her mouth, she clamped her lips shut, shocked that she’d betrayed Charlaine’s confidence. “And don’t act so surprised,” she rushed to add. “After all, Jacob already mentioned her.” Perfect! Now, she was drawing yet another one into this.
Pierce frowned for a second before his gaze cleared. Apparently, he’d been too focused on Albert’s message to register Jacob’s reference to Charlaine at the time. “I see,” was all he said, and she could not help but think that he did not look surprised after all to hear his ward was in attendance at this masquerade as well. “I wasn’t aware the two of you knew each other.”
“It’s a long story,” Caroline said, dismissing the questions she could see in his gaze with a wave of her hand. “Will you just go and fetch her? We cannot leave her alone in this place.”
Pierce scoffed. “She’s been alone for quite some time now. Who knows what she’s gotten herself into?” he grumbled and then nodded to Jacob before heading back toward the ballroom. “What is she wearing?”
“A golden gown,” Caroline told him, “with rubies circling her mask.” Watching Pierce leave, she wondered what Charlaine’s evening had been like. Her own had been nothing short of amazing despite the heated words she and Pierce had exchanged. Perhaps even because of them, Caroline now felt closer to him than she ever had before. Had Charlaine’s night been equally successful?
Caroline could only hope that Charlaine would not be angry with her for sending Pierce to fetch her or for betraying her confidence for she realized that the strong, exotic, young woman with the soulful eyes was a friend Caroline would like to have.
Chapter Forty-Two
A New Course
Pacing the length of his study the next day, Pierce found his thoughts torn.
A lot had happened the night before, and he was most eager to pursue not only the new lead with regard to proving Coleridge’s guilt but also the woman who had been in his arms only a few hours past.
Of course, Charlaine had barely batted an eye when he had retrieved her on Caroline’s behest. Apparently, she’d spent the night in the company of none other than Mr. Nathanial Caswell, a man who’d nearly dropped dead when Pierce’s interference had revealed her identity. Indeed, the ride home with all four of them in one carriage had been a most painful one to say the least.
Mr. Caswell had then alighted with barely a word of farewell when the carriage had stopped at his brother’s townhouse. After that, Charlaine had prattled on happily about having had a marvelous night that Pierce could not help but wonder about her sanity. That was until she’d asked Caroline about her own night, giving Pierce a sidelong glance.
For reasons Pierce could not name, Charlaine always knew too much. She had a way of looking into another’s soul and knowing exactly what lived in their hearts and plagued their minds.
Caroline had blushed ever so slightly at Charlaine’s inquisitive questions, and Pierce had felt temptingly reminded of the way she’d blushed at the ball when he had purposefully misunderstood her.
Once they’d