Page 2 of Claimed By the Beastly Duke

Stella was her responsibility in the same way Eveline had been before she got married. If anything were to happen to her sister, then she would have failed in her responsibility, and her father would put all the blame on her.

But instead of saying that to Eveline, she simply smiled half-heartedly.

“There is Lily!” Eveline blurted, pointing excitedly at a spot behind her.

Ava turned around to see Lily approach, beaming positively at them.

Lily was a spinster just like her, and a bluestocking. She had been friends with Eveline for quite a while, and now, even Ava considered her a friend too.

Ava watched as Lily exchanged pleasantries with other ladies as she approached them. She was famous in the ton, and for good reason. She was incredibly sociable, and she helped the ladies avoid rakes so they could make good matches.

“Oh, Ava, it is good to see you again,” Lily said when she finally joined them.

“Lily.”

“Evie. Your Grace,” she greeted.

“Have you by any chance seen Stella today?” Ava asked.

“Ava is certain that Stella is up to some mischief,” Eveline interjected.

Lily smiled. “Knowing Stella, I would not quite believe that.”

Ava chuckled. “Then you certainly do not know Stella as well as I do.”

“I assure you, Stella is not up to any mischief,” Lily said.

Ava narrowed her eyes as she came to a realization. “You know what Stella has been up to, do you not?” she asked.

The genuine surprise on Lily’s face told her that she had assumed wrong.

“I assure you, I do not,” Lily replied. “I am incredibly flattered that you would think a debutante like her would confide in me.”

“It is not quite surprising, though, Lily,” Eveline said. “After all, Stella is positively enamored by you. She admires you.”

“Is that so?” Lily’s lips twitched. “Well then, that is even more reason to be flattered.”

“Now, Lily, do you by any chance know where she might be hiding?” Ava asked.

Lily pursed her lips for a moment as though deep in thought. “I suppose there might be a way for you to find her,” she relented. “Come with me.”

With that, she led Ava out of the ballroom, the noise from the party fading behind them.

“You know the Pemberton estate belongs to my uncle, and I spent the better part of my childhood years here,” she said, guiding Ava towards a staircase that led below stairs. “There are some old and forgotten passageways that lead to almost every room in this estate. That is the easiest way to find Stella.” She stopped at the landing.

“Thank you so much, Lily,” Ava murmured, before she ventured down the stairs and into the passageways.

As she stepped off the staircase, she could immediately see why the passageways were old and forgotten. They were incredibly cold, and the walls were damp. It did not quite help that they were so narrow. It was a miracle that she could even pass through at all.

Even though the passageways were lit, she still stumbled over rocks and stones, as there was very little room for her to maneuver.

Ava shook her head in disbelief at what she had resorted to all in a bid to find her sister.

Even though she had only been in the passageway for a little while, it felt like forever to her. And what was worse, she had yet to see the rooms that Lily had mentioned.

She was just beginning to consider giving up and returning to the party when she heard a noise ahead of her.

Ava froze.

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