dangled from the tree outside said window.
Still, it wasn’t until a man emerged from Rebecca’s room that Caroline felt she’d strayed into a dream. Her gaze narrowed. This couldn’t possibly be happening! Had she fallen asleep over the ledgers at the orphanage? Was all this a very bizarre dream?
The kiss she’d shared with her masked savior in the carriage, however, had felt utterly real, and Caroline could not deny that it would be deeply frustrating if it hadn’t been.
Rubbing her eyes, she shrank deeper into the shadows cast by a dense hedge near the outer wall and watched in amazement as a masked man proceeded to climb down the tree.
Had London gone mad? Or at least the men? Or were black masks high fashion these days and no one had bothered to tell her?
Caroline blinked her eyes fiercely. The image proved true and she watched in fascination as Rebecca stuck her head out the window and dropped the other end of the rope once her visitor had reached the ground. The masked man then collected it, waved a silent goodbye and, glancing over his shoulder, slipped from the property.
For a long while, Caroline remained hidden among the foliage, too stunned to move or think straight. She watched Rebecca close her window and the house fall silent again as though nothing had happened.
“I need sleep,” Caroline mumbled, feeling her lids close. Quickly, she rubbed her hands over her face to wake herself more fully. She was not in her chamber, yet, and still needed to be watchful. Everything else could wait until tomorrow.
Would have to wait until tomorrow.
That night, Caroline slept like a rock. Upon waking, she did not remember how she’d found her way into her bed nor the many questions Sarah had asked her upon her return. All she remembered was the odd, yet wonderful dream she’d had.
The one thing that finally did wake her up the next morning was a very cheerful cousin, who could not—no matter how hard she tried—hide that excited and suspiciously adventurous spark in her eyes. At least not from Caroline.
Her father and mother were, as usual, quite oblivious as they sat at the breakfast table.
“Would you like to take a stroll through Hyde Park today?” Rebecca asked her as she sipped her tea. “It’s such a lovely day.”
Caroline’s gaze narrowed, but she quickly agreed, knowing she would have a better chance of extracting information from her all but glowing cousin without her parents within earshot.
“Why are you wearing your riding habit?” Caroline finally asked as the two cousins strolled down the street toward the park. “And this cloak? To hide it?” Clearly, Rebecca had other plans than a mere stroll through the park. Plans that would have no doubt turned her father’s head dark red if he knew!
All but sighing, Rebecca fought to suppress a smile…and failed.
“I know that smile,” Caroline exclaimed, pouncing on this small, yet, telling detail. “And it worries me.”
Quickening her stride as though she could not wait to reach their destination, Rebecca shrugged, a devilish twinkle in her green eyes. “Then look away.”
Concerned, Caroline scoffed. “You’re planning something, aren’t you?”
Rebecca’s green eyes veered to her cousin for a split second before she forced her gaze straight ahead, her lips pressing into a tight line as though to force the words that clearly wished to make themselves heard back down.
Caroline could have laughed. “Does it have something to do with the gentleman who climbed out of your window last night?” At least, she hoped he was a gentleman.
As expected, her cousin froze mid-step, her eyes wide as she turned to stare at Caroline, a hint of panic lingering on her face. “How…how do you know?”
Again, Caroline scoffed. “I’m not my mother. My eyes work fine,” perhaps it was not wise to point that out, though, “and I tend to observe the world around me with great care.” Grinning at her cousin, Caroline could not help but enjoy the moment. “I saw him leave.”
As Rebecca continued to stare at her as though she’d just lost the ability to speak, Caroline chuckled. “Words don’t fail you often, do they?” Laughter tickled her throat, and she realized how much more enjoyable it was being on the other end of this discussion. “Don’t look so terrified. I shall keep your secret. However, I would ask you to be cautious. Men can generally not be trusted. You might have your own agenda, but believe me, so does he. Never forget that.”
Caroline could only hope her