side to side, trying to ignore him while keeping an eye on him at the same time. No, she barely seemed aware of anything, her gaze distant and her jaw tense as though the thoughts running through her head were not of a cheerful nature.
Years had passed since Pierce had last felt the desire to get to know a woman, to learn who she was and what she thought. Usually, he found himself quickly bored with the ladies at these events. A single dance or a quick conversation were enough to prove to him that there was not a single bone in his body that cared for such a woman.
Cared to know her.
The moment he turned his back she was all but forgotten.
Still, Pierce had a feeling that his little, grey mouse would linger in his thoughts tonight long after the ball’s end.
And he hadn’t even exchanged a word with her!
Was that what it was? Would his interest plummet to its death once she opened her mouth? A part of Pierce urged him to seek her out while another was hesitant, unwilling to give up the small delight he found in watching her.
Inhaling a deep breath, Pierce resolved to continue his observations…for now. He wanted to see what else he could learn about her before he sought her out. After all, if she was indeed hiding something, it was by far more advisable not to tip his hand. If she suspected him, he would lose any chance of learning her true intentions.
And so, Pierce spent the better part of the evening as well as those that followed watching his grey mouse.
As he soon found out, she was the fiery siren’s cousin whom Pembroke had grown quite obsessed with, and her name was Caroline Hawkins. She always attended balls in the company of said cousin as well as her parents. Interestingly, her parents paid her very little attention, their time consumed by the obsessive notion of pushing their niece, Miss Rebecca Hawkins, into the arms of one particularly dull viscount.
Much to Pembroke’s displeasure.
In the meantime, Miss Caroline Hawkins wandered from room to room, never dancing, but instead conversing with the very matrons Pierce loathed. They were manipulative, judgmental harpies and deserved a good set-down alongside their husbands!
Pierce had refrained from robbing women. Not that it had been a conscious decision. The only ones he ever found out and about town at the hours before dawn were men. After all, what sensible woman would sneak around London at night? She’d be ruined if she was discovered.
A gentle smile rested on Miss Hawkins’ features as she addressed these women, their demeanors full of delight at seeing her. For all intents and purposes, it seemed as though they knew each other well. Odd, Pierce thought. Never had he seen a young woman endear herself to these harpies.
Young ladies certainly tried not to incite their anger for that would be utterly foolish considering the vindictiveness these women possessed when dealing with one they deemed unworthy. Still, young women generally were occupied with attracting the opposite sex.
Then why wasn’t Miss Hawkins?
Again, his gaze swept over yet another colorless gown, again buttoned to her chin. Her hair dull and expressionless, swept into a pile atop her head. And, of course, those spectacles! Was this why she dressed like a grey mouse? In order to endear herself to these women? To gain entrance into their exclusive circle? To gain their favor?
Still, the truly fascinating question was, why?
Slowly, the Season drew to its end and most of London began to make preparations to depart for the country. Pembroke still had not discovered the whereabouts of his family’s heirloom, a ring to be precise, and was thus in foul spirits, even more so since the night the other Miss Hawkins had withdrawn her attentions. Something seemed to have happened for she’d all but cut him for the second half of the Hawthorne ball.
What that was, Pierce didn’t know and couldn’t quite bring himself to care.
For he had somewhat belatedly realized that he could not allow Miss Caroline Hawkins to slip through his fingers until the beginning of the next Season. He needed to speak to her. Only once, to glean a deeper insight and see if the past few weeks of observation had been in vain or if, indeed, a most fascinating creature lived beneath those drab clothes.
And so, when her cousin was once more engaged on the dance floor, Pierce sidled closer to where she stood in the corner,